Easily one of the best new series of the season, ABC’s “Gideon’s Crossing” also proves what fans of “Homicide: Life on the Street” have known for years: Andre Braugher is one of the best actors on TV.
Airing Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7, the Chicago native plays Ben Gideon, chief of experimental medicine at a Boston hospital.
Gideon is the kind of doctor you want on your side: dedicated and compassionate in giving his patients the best treatment.
Because he does it so well due to years of playing maverick Baltimore cop Frank Pembleton on “Homicide,” Braugher’s Gideon is also somewhat tortured. He’s a single father of three children whose wife recently died of cancer. Because he’s in the business of saving lives, he still struggles with her death — and his part in their last days together.
But it’s as the caretaker that allows Braugher to play emotions rarely seen in Pembleton: Care, concern and conflict over the well-being of others. It allows Braugher the chance to bring to life yet another multifaceted and compelling character.
But even the best shows have flaws. Chief among this one is the supporting characters, interns and residents involved in some silly subplots that feel as if they’re in an entirely different show.
The powerful premiere is charged by guest star Bruce McGill’s hateful, but interesting, venture capitalist with a rare form of kidney cancer. We get that the man is abrasive; it isn’t necessary for him to utter a cruel slur for the Japanese.
ABC previews “Gideon’s Crossing” Tuesday at 9 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7 commercial-free, thanks to sponsorship by a prominent health-care company (the show airs in its regular Wednesday time slot on Oct. 18).
The episode is strong enough to stand without special treatment. But make no mistake: “Gideon’s Crossing” is something special.
Sunday
Syndicated action series “BeastMaster” — starring Daniel Goddard as an adventurer who talks to the animals — begins a second season at 11 a.m. on WGN-Ch. 9.
A new television magazine series patterned after hip-hop publication the Source makes its debut at 1 p.m. on WCIU-Ch. 26 at 1 p.m.
Stories on the history and heritage of our country, framed by regular people, is the basis of “America,” a new Odyssey Network series premiering at 5 p.m.
Sunday season premieres include ABC’s “Wonderful World of Disney” presentation of “Mighty Joe Young” at 6 p.m., and “The Practice” at 9 p.m. (on WLS-Ch. 7). Also premiering is the WB’s entire Sunday night lineup on WGN-Ch. 9, starting at 6 p.m.: The Jamie Foxx Show,” “For Your Love,” “The Steve Harvey Show,” “The PJs,” the odious new sketch comedy series “Hype,” and the sweet new comedy “Nikki.”
A tearjerker that inspires nevertheless, TNT’s “Baby” stars Farrah Fawcett as a woman whose wounded family is both conflicted and uplifted when they take in an infant left at their door. It is at 7 p.m.
Showtime has a neat little movie at 7 p.m., the family comedy-drama “Frankie and Hazel.” A teen (Mischa Barton) wants to play baseball, much to the consternation of a grandmother (Joan Plowright) who feels ballet is the girl’s true calling. Ingrid Uribe co-stars as Barton’s activist-minded best friend.
Cathy Rigby reprises her Broadway role as “Peter Pan” in A&E’s recreation of the original stage version at 7 p.m.
A divorced couple (Valerie Bertinelli, Jeffrey Nordling) gets the matchmaker treatment from their scheming children in “Personally Yours,” a fact-based CBS movie airing at 8 p.m. on WBBM-Ch. 2.
PBS’ 30th season premiere of “ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre is the classic “Oliver Twist.” Told over three Sundays, part one is at 8 p.m. on WTTW-Ch. 11.
Monday
Celebrity Johnnie Cochran makes a special appearance on UPN’s “The Hughleys” at 8 p.m. on WPWR-Ch. 50.
“Hooked: Illegal Drugs and How They Got That Way” traces the history of narcotics, from marijuana to ecstasy, airing through Thursday at 8 p.m. on the History Channel.
More about drugs, this time from PBS’ “Frontline.” The documentary series’ two-part special on the United States’ war on drugs, from both sides of the trenches, is Monday and Tuesday at 9 p.m. on WTTW-Ch. 11. See story, page 29.
“100 Greatest Dance Songs” is a countdown of tailbone shakers, with insights from dance masters Donna Summer, Destiny’s Child, host Paula Abdul and others. The VH1 special is Monday through Friday at 9 p.m.
Tuesday
Shows having their premieres include Fox’s “Titus” (on WFLD-Ch. 32) at 7:30 p.m.; ABC’s “Dharma & Greg” (on WLS-Ch. 7) and CBS’ “60 Minutes II” (on WBBM-Ch. 2), both at 8 p.m.; ABC’s series premiere of the weak “Geena Davis Show” at 8:30 p.m.; and CBS’ “Judging Amy” at 9 p.m.
Wednesday
CBS premieres new comedies “Bette” (starring Bette Midler) at 7 p.m., and “Welcome to New York” (starring “Cybill’s” Christine Baranski) at 7:30 p.m., on WBBM-Ch. 2. Also Wednesday is the third-season premiere of UPN’s hip time-traveling action series “7 Days” at 7 p.m. on WPWR-Ch. 50.
Running before Saturday’s Miss America Pageant is Court TV’s “American Babylon,” which follows a police detective’s crusade through the seamy side of Atlantic City — the pageant’s host city. The “Crime Stories” special is at 9 p.m.
Thursday
Thursday premieres include ABC’s “Whose Line is It Anyway” (on WLS-Ch. 7), CBS’ “48 Hours” (on WBBM-Ch. 2), and NBC’s “Friends” (WMAQ-Ch. 5), all at 7 p.m.; NBC’s “Will & Grace,” and CBS’ “City of Angels,” both at 8 p.m.; NBC’s “Just Shoot Me” at 8:30 p.m.; and ABC’s “Primetime Thursday,” CBS’ “Diagnosis Murder,” and NBC’s “ER,” all at 9 p.m.
Friday
“The Nanny’s” Charles Shaughnessy is a mysterious type whom two teens set up with their mother (“Sabrina’s” Caroline Rhea) in the Disney Channel’s “Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire” at 6 p.m.
The Sci-Fi Channel’s movie “Nostradamus” (8 p.m.) has a police detective (“Melrose Place’s” Rob Estes) who, in investigating a series of murders — committed by a time-hopping villain — makes a startling discovery about himself.
“The American Nightmare” is the Independent Film Channel’s new documentary on the development of the horror film in this country at 9 p.m. The piece features some of the masters of the genre, including George Romero, Wes Craven and John Carpenter.
Saturday
WGN-Ch. 9 trots out its Saturday afternoon action block, starting with the second-season premiere of prehistoric adventure series “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World” (postponed from an earlier date) at a new day and time, 2 p.m.
Starting its fourth season is “Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict” at 3 p.m. Resistance member Lili Marquette (Lisa Howard) returns to Earth to deliver her human/Jaridian baby, the alien race’s hope for the future.
It’s the sixth season premiere of “Xena: Warrior Princess” at 4 p.m., starting 25 years after Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O’Connor) were literally put on ice.
At 5 p.m. is the series premiere of “Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda.” Based on an idea by “Star Trek’s” creator, it stars “Hercules’ ” Kevin Sorbo as a starship captain whose vessel comes out of the bad side of a black hole 300 years into a future starkly different from the orderly society from which he came. Sorbo is cool, and the special effects are spiffy. But the supporting cast is less than appealing.
Because the Summer Olympics aired so late, the Miss America Pageant — which has been renamed Miss America — was held back until now. The 80th anniversary of this perennial favorite, again hosted by Donny and Marie Osmond, features a special performance by ABC’s “Making the Band” stars O-Town, and a regular person as one of the judges as a contest prize. The pageant begins at 7 p.m. on WLS-Ch. 7.
