Chances are there many who subscribe to the notion that “Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” yet don’t even know who Ireland’s icon really is.
Fox Family Channel remedies that at 6 p.m. Sunday with “St. Patrick, the Irish Legend,” a new movie that portrays him as more than the mischievous leprechaun some perceive him to be.
In fact, according to this well-executed film based on St. Patrick’s own writings and those of his 7th Century biographers, the patron saint of Ireland had quite a few things in common with another religious figure — Moses.
Like that leader of his people, Patrick, who lived during the 5th Century A.D., was born into nobility — British nobility, in this case — but found himself shackled as a slave and spirited away to Ireland. Patrick, like Moses, received messages from God (and from Irish spirits) urging him to help the people of that land. Instead of a staff, Patrick used a shepherd’s crook from his days as a slave to perform magical feats.
Finally, Patrick and Moses both shared a deep and abiding faith in God.
“I have been blessed by being chosen to do this work, says Patrick (Luke Griffin). “I will pray and study and help the poor and sick by day and night, until the Lord has shaped me and made me ready to return to Ireland,” he says to a bishop about his desire to study to be a priest who would become the religious leader of Ireland, as it was prophesied.
“St. Patrick, the Irish Legend” is a handsome-looking movie helped by location shooting in the Emerald Isle. It tells an interesting story and is bolstered by fine performances from Griffin as the young Patrick, and Patrick Bergin (“Sleeping with the Enemy”) as an older, scruffy-looking, but effective, Patrick.
Sunday
– WLS-Ch. 7 airs tape-delayed coverage of Saturday’s march 11 St.
Patrick’s Day Parade at 10:30 a.m.
– WGN-Ch. 9 looks at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show at 11:30 a.m.
– A special preview of the new Nickelodeon series “Caitlin’s Way” is at 3 p.m. The adventure series-about a 14-year-old big-city orphan (Lindsay Felton) who moves in with a new family in the rural wilds of Montana-settles into its regular time at 7 p.m.
– It’s the old opposite-twins-attracting scenario on ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney,” as Maggie Lawson (“Party of Five”) plays a geek and her fashion model look-alike in “Model Behavior” at 6 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7.
– The remains of a 20,000-year-old woolly mammoth were uncovered in Siberia last October. The Discovery Channel airs footage of that discovery and more on “Raising the Mammoth.” (7 p.m.)
– Jim Carrey, Annette Bening, Haley Joel Osment, Dennis Franz, Gillian Anderson and Lorraine Bracco are among the many stars up for Screen Actors Guild awards, in ceremonies set for 7 p.m. on TNT. Sidney Poitier gets the Life Achievement Award.
– Nerve gas has been planted on a 747, and it’s up to pilot Jack Wagner (“Melrose Place”) to save the day on “Nowhere to Land,” a new TBS movie at 7 p.m.
– Showtime airs the sequel to its 1998’s feature “The Inspectors,” about United States postal cops, at 7 p.m. In “The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence.” Louis Gossett Jr. and Jonathan Silverman are on the hunt for a criminal (Michael Madsen) involved in credit card fraud and identity theft. Based on actual events.
– A woman (Sherry Stringfield) has to choose between her successful career and her ailing father (Jason Robards) in CBS’ “Going Home” at 8 p.m. on WBBM-Ch. 2.
– Rosie O’Donnell and former New Kid on the Block Donnie Wahlberg guest star on ABC’s “The Practice” at 9 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7.
n The irrepressible RuPaul joins stars Annie Potts and Lorraine Toussaint in the season finale of Lifetime’s sensitive drama “Any Day Now” at 9 p.m.
– Last year, Robbie Knievel attempted to jump the Grand Canyon on Fox. The Learning Channel does a behind-the-scenes look at that endeavor at 9 p.m.
Monday
– ABC remakes its 1973 “classic” supernatural thriller “Satan’s School for Girls,” with Kate Jackson, who had a role in the original about a young woman confronting a devilish institution of higher learning. She now plays the sinister dean at 7 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7.
– Joyce DeWitt (“Three’s Company”) guest stars on Pax TV’s “Hope Island” at 7 p.m. on WCPX-Ch. 38.
– “Twenty One,” the NBC game show that pops up at various times on the schedule, lands in its permanent home at 8 p.m. on WMAQ-Ch. 5. “Dateline,” which had occupied this slot, moves to 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
– David (Steven Eckholdt) buys Susan (Kristy Swanson) an engagement ring.now if he can only give it to her.on CBS’ “Grapevine” at 7:30 p.m. on WBBM-Ch. 2.
– “Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” is an update of an HBO “American Undercover” documentary that aired in 1996 and followed three teenagers who were convicted of murdering three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Ark. The update at 9 p.m. asks the question: Are the wrong people are in jail?
– The History Channel examines gizmos, gadgets and inventions on “Modern Marvels: Mini-Marvels Week,” Monday through Thursday at 9 p.m.
Tuesday
– The World Wrestling Federation’s female superstar Chyna guest stars on NBC’s “3rd Rock from the Sun” at 7:30 p.m. on WMAQ- Ch. 5.
– As a preamble to Friday’s second-season premiere of the Sci-Fi Channel’s fine space series “Farscape” at 7 p.m., the USA Network airs a very good two-parter that primes the pump for the resolution from last season’s cliffhanger at 8 p.m.
– Court TV’s “Crime Stories” presents a special episode on scam artists, with deception expert Ricky Jay and private investigator Fay Faron exposing flimflammers and grifters at 9 p.m.)
– FX and executive producer Howard Stern premiere a nutty new series, “Son of the Beach,” a sendup of crime-fighting lifeguards (not any one in particular, mind you) at 9:30 p.m. It stars Tim Stack (“Night Stand with Dick Dietrick”) as the clueless head of a group of pretty, dense patrollers of the sand and the surf.
Wednesday
– Country music superstar Billy Ray Cyrus guest stars on TNN’s original action series “18 Wheels of Justice” at 8 p.m.
Thursday
– From 7:30 to 11:30 p.m., Rick Steves hosts a special from WTTW-Ch. 11’s studios on five episodes of his series “Travels in Europe.”
Friday
– Get jiggy, “Riverdance” fans! As part of “Erin Go Bravo,” the film and arts network’s daylong celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, is a new “Bravo Profiles” on the history of Irish dance at 7 p.m.
– The Nephilim, an advanced race that ruled Earth millions of years ago, wants their planet back, in UPN’s “Hell Swarm” at 7 p.m. on WPWR-Ch. 50.
– Animal Planet gets into the original movie business with “The Trial of Old Drum,” a true story about a 12-year-old boy’s relationship with his dog, who is accused of killing a sheep in 1955. Scott Bakula, Ron Perlman and Randy Travis star at 7 p.m.
– More than three years after the murder of JonBenet Ramsey, parents John and Patsy speak to Barbara Walters on ABC’s “20/20” at 9 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7.
– Talk show host Conan O’Brien drops in on “Space Ghost Coast to Coast” at 10 p.m. on Cartoon Network.
Saturday
– It’s an ‘N Sync weekend on MTV. It starts with the guys counting down their favorite videos at 11 a.m. At 3 p.m. is an “Ultra Sound” documentary on the group.
– Four bowling-happy teens clash with mainstream kids in the lanes, in the new Disney Channel movie “Alley Cats Strike!” at 6:30 p.m.
– WWF star The Rock gets to show off more of his comedy skills as host of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” at 10:30 p.m. on WMAQ-Ch. 5.
