1 December 18 December 24, 1994 PREVIEW News Messenger Analysis By Buck Biggers (This column is a repeat. Mr. Biggers is at a Cable Conference.) At lunch a friend asked me how the "Cosby Mysteries" were faring in the ratings race. Before I could answer, another member of our party jumped in to say, "How do you think? Every show that guy touches turns to gold. They could have him read Shakespeare and it would still top the ratings." What is amazing about that statement is not just how wrong it is but also how many people share the view.
All they seem to recall about Cosby is his role as Dr. Huxtable, a role which produced blockbuster ratings for NBC. If they are older, they may recall "I Spy," Cosby's first primetime series, another ratings winner as well as, a breakthrough role for a black actor. But what is ignored is the list of primetime failures. One of these came only recently when Cosby sought to match the success of Groucho Marx with "You Bet Your Life." Cosby's version lasted only a single season.
Much earlier, just after his success in "I Spy," Bill Cosby had three prime-time failures in a row: "The Bill Cosby Show," a sitcom debuting in 1969, looked as if it might do well in the first season, but took a nosedive when faced with competition from "The FBI." One year later, "The New Bill Cosby Show," a variety hour, lasted less than a full season. Three years later came "Coz," a prime-time variety series for children. It lasted only two months. So devastating was Cosby's failure in prime-time that after "Coz" the comic left prime-time TV completely for eight years, finally returning as Dr. Cliff Huxtable in "The Cosby Show." This season, almost exactly 10 years later, he has come back to NBC with a new series scheduled in the first hour of prime-time on Wednesdays.
Cosby has traded in his Huxtable stethoscope for a magnifying glass of sorts. He plays Guy Hanks, a retired forensics expert who keeps finding bodies or clues which force him out of retirement. In one episode, for example, he happens to notice that the building holding the site of his first murder case i is being demolished, so he drops by to reminisce and promptly finds the dead body which had been missing when he "solved" his first murder case. Now, using the skeleton which had been hidden for decades inside a fake support post, Cosby as Hanks sets out in his slow, unruffled, suspenders-popping manner to prove that the man he once sent to prison is actually innocent. His major help in these cases comes from homicide detective Sully (David Naughton) slow, deadpan manner makes him look like a white reflection of Cosby.
Other cast members include Rita Moreno as a loosely wrapped landlady, Dante Beze as a young trainee and Barbara Lorenz as Hanks' lovely girtfriend. I enjoy Cosby and there is no question that he can handle mystery work. He proved that in "I Spy." But there are two problems here. First, he seems so determined to make Hanks easy-going that he has infected every member of the cast, even Rita Moreno. It is enough to put viewers to sleep.
What makes the slow pace even more damaging is that the stories to date have contained oversights in police work, oversights which are all too easy to recognize because of the snail's pace. This can be a good series, but not unless the holes are plugged in future stories and the entire cast, including Cosby, is given a good-sized shot of energy. Otherwise, reading Shakespeare might be an improvement. Variety By Victoria Lee Biggers Pardon the interruption, but SEE HUNT: Remember the old TV series "Sea That was the one which put the career of Lloyd Bridges into high gear. Beginning in 1957 and continuing for a full four years in syndication 156 episodes back then Bridges wowed the public.
Having rejected the series because they felt the underwater settings were too limiting, the networks were kicking themselves as it roared to the top of the charts. So popular was the program that jokes about it were everywhere. Said the New York Times, "Sea Hunt' can best be described as an adventure series in depth." And TV Guide insisted the show was "so watery that Lloyd Bridges' colleagues tell him they have to drain their TV sets after watching his show." It was one of the most successful syndicated series of all time. Why do I bring this up now? Because Hollywood has decided to let "Sea Hunt" become the newest "Fugitive," the newest old TV series to be turned into a hot new movie. MGM has hired no less than Peter Benchley as the man with the pen, and Benchley wrote those two well-done water films, "Jaws" and "The Deep." The writer says he is excited about the saw the series when I was a child," says Benchley, "and now the studio has sent me some cassettes.
I think it's time for a wellcrafted underwater movie. There hasn't been one since The We won't be remaking the same story, as they did with The Mike Nelson is 60 years old now, and his time has passed. The film will focus more on Mike's estranged son." Will Lloyd Bridges play the older Mike Nelson? No decision yet, but maybe. And if he does, who will play his son? No decision yet, but take a guess. TURN BACK THE CLOCKS: Twenty years Turn Table Tips Associated Press Weekly charts for the nation's best-selling recorded music as they appear in next week's issue of Billboard magazine.
Reprinted with permission. (Platinum signifies more than 1 million copies sold; Gold signifies more than 500,000 copies TOP SINGLES Copyright 1994, BillboardSoundscan Data Systems. 1. "'Here Comes the Hotstepper," Ini Kamoze (Columbia) (Platinum) Bended Knee," Boyz II Men (Motown) Night," Real McCoy (Arista) (Gold) 4." "Always," Bon Jovi (Mercury) (Gold) 5. "'Creep," TLC (LaFace) Make Love to You," Boyz II Men (Motown) (Platinum) Wanna Be Down," Brandy (Atlantic) (Gold) Want This 70s Love Janet Jackson (Virgin) (Gold) 9.
Madonna (Maverick) 10. "'Before I Let You Go," Blackstreet (Interscope) the' Only One," Melissa Etheridge (Island) 12." I Wanna Do," Sheryl Crow 13." "'Tootsee Roll," 69 Boys (Rip-It) (Platinum) 14." "Sukiyaki," 4 P.M. (Next Plateau) 15. "'Turn the Beat Around," Gloria Estefan (Crescent Moon) Gotta Be," Des'ree (Music) 17. "'Short Man," 20 Fingers (S.O.S.) a Bow," Madonna (Maverick-Sire) Percent Pure Love," Crystal Waters (Mercury) (Gold) 20.
"'Practice What You, Preach," Barry White TOP ALBUMS Copyright 1994, BillboardSoundscan Inc. Pearl Jam (Epic) 2. "'Miracles: The Holiday Kenny G. (Arista) 3. "'Live at the BBC," The Beatles (Apple) 4.
"'Merry Christmas," Mariah Carey Boyz II Men (Motown) (Platinum) Freezes Over," The Eagles (Geffen) 7." "'Dookie, Green Day (Reto an prise) (Platinum) 8. "MTV Unplugged in New York," Nirvana (DGC) Lion King' Soundin track," (Disney) (Platinum) 10. "'Smash," Offspring (Epitaph) (Platinum) 11." Wildflowers," Tom Petty (Warner) 12. "Big Ones," Aerosmith (Geffen) R.E.M. (Warner) 14." "'Duets II," Frank Sinatra (Capitol) 15.
"'No Need to Argue," The Cranberries (Island) 16." "'Bedtime Stories," Madonna (Maverick-Sire) 17. "'Crossroad," Bon Jovi (Mercury) 18." Crazysexycool," TLC (LaFace) Life," Mary J. Blige (Uptown) 20." "'Greatest Hits," Bob Seger the Silver Bullet Band (Capitol) COUNTRY SINGLES Copyright 1994, BillboardBroadcast Data Systems 'Pickup Man," Joe Diffie (Epic) 2." "'Take Me As I Am," Faith Hill (Warner) Love Finds You," Vince Gill (MCA) a Moment Too Soon," Tim McGraw (Curb) I Know," Lari White (RCA) Is Randy Travis (Warner Bros.) 7. 'Goin' Through the Big Mark Chesnutt (Decca) My Mind," Clint Black (RCA) the Thought of You Catches Up with Me," David Ball (Warner) 10." "'Till You Love Me," Reba McEntire (MCA) 11. "'Doctor Time," Rick Trevino (Columbia) "'Gone Country," Alan Jackson (Arista) 13.
"'The Big One," George Strait (MCA) 14. "'Mi Vida Loca," Pam Tillis (Arista) You've Got Love," John Michael Montgomery (Atlantic) Never Forgive My Heart," Brooks Dunn (Arista) 17. "'Night Is Fallin' in My Heart," Diamond Rio. (Arista) 18. "'Hard Lovin' Mark Collie (MCA) and Only You," John Berry (Liberty) Got It Honest," Aaron Tippin (RCA) ADULT CONTEMPORARY SINGLES Copyright 1994, Billboard Make Love to You," Boyz II Men (Motown) Madonna (Maverick) 3." All I Wanna Do," Sheryl Crow the Only One," Melissa Etheridge (Island) 5." "'Turn the Beat Around," Gloria Estefan (Crescent Moon) of Life," Elton John (Hollywood) Night," John Mellencamp Me' Shell Ndegeocello (Mercury) Gotta Be," Des'Ree (Music) You Go," Jon Secada (SBK) Sweetest Days," Vanessa Williams (Wing) 11." Always," Bon Jovi (Mercury) 12.
"'Lucky One," Amy Grant 13. "'Come to My Window," Melissa Etheridge (Island) 14. "But It's Huey Lewis The News (Elektra) 15." 'When We Dance," Sting Picture Postcards from L.A.,", Joshua Kadison (SBK) 17. "'Nothing Left Behind Richard Marx (Capitol) 18. "'Love Is All Around," Wet Wet Wet (London) 19." "Once in a Lifetime," Michael Bolton (Columbia) 20.
'When Can I See You," Babyface (Epic) SINGLES Copyright 1994, Billboard 1. "'Creep," TLC (LaFace) 2. "'Before I Let You Blackstreet (Interscope) Bended Knee," Boyz II Men (Motown) 4. "'Practice What You Preach," Barry White 5. Comes the Ini Kamoze (Columbia) (Gold) Happy," Mary J.
Blige (Uptown) Wanna Be Down," Brandy (Atlantic) (Gold) Belong to You-How Many Ways," Toni Braxton (LaFace) You Love Me," Brownstone (MJJ) Will Know," B.M.U. (Mercury) Apologize," Anita Baker (Elektra) 12. "'Foolin' Around," Changing Faces (Atlantic) 13. "'Shame," Zhane (Jive) Want This 70s Love Groove," Janet Jackson (Virgin) 15. "'Can't Help Myself," Gerald Levert (EastWest) 16.
"'Let's Talk About It," Men at Large (Eastwest) Never Seen a Man Cry (AKA I Seen a Man Die)," Scarface (Rap-a-Lot) 18." Always and Forever," Luther Vandross (Epic) 19. "'Flava In Ya Ear," Craig Mack (Bad Boy) (Platinum) 20. "'The Most Beautifullest ago At the end of the football season, ABC planned to star Dan Rowan and Dick Martin in a comedy series to replace "Monday Night Morgan Fairchild, playing bad girl Jennifer Pace on the CBS soap opera "Search For told reporters, why she enjoyed learning Kung Fu. "As a kid," she said, "I was skinny, unathletic, the original wallflower, a big reader. I felt like a stranger in my own body.
I love Kung Fu because it gives me a feeling of having control over my Mike Connors, late of "Mannix," was set to play the title role in "Ohanian," an ABC TV-movie about an Armenian private eye. And there was reportedly a good chance the movie would become a series. Ivan Goffard and Ben Roberts, producers of "Mannix," would produce the new series. He's a retired private detective who can't escape his past," said Goffard of "Ohanian." "People come to him because of who he was. His honesty.
He'll be a boat owner and live aboard his ketch in Marina del Danny Thomas would try to return to series TV in "The Practice," in which he would play a New York doctor Danny Bonaduce, one of "The Partridge Family," had grown up enough play a bad guy, a juvenile delinquent in episode of "Police Scott would play Jack Warden's girtfriend on his new NBC cop series, Lloyd Bridges, starring as a cop on the beat Forrester," talked about his experiences with real-life policemen. "You meet some very good cops," said Bridges, and then you meet some who throw their authority around and don't realize they're working for the people. They're concerned about their ego. My thought was that if I do this series, maybe I could be kind of an example for policemen." Continued on page 11 MARSHALL CINEMA III presents Stereo Surround Sound 1901 East Travis 835-5662 935-3351 SEATS $1.50 TIMES ALL ALL MATINEES DAILY DUMB DUMBER CG-U FRI-THUR. 1:20, 3:40, 6:40, 9:00 THE SANTA CLAUSE DO 1:20, 3:40, 6:40, 9:00 IT THE LION KING FRI-THUR.
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