What's On TV

Shows worth noting for AUG. 28 - SEPT. 3

Listings are not necessarily recommended by the Monitor. All times Eastern, check local listings.

SATURDAY 8/28 NCAA Div. I Football (ABC, 1-4:30 p.m.): The power-house teams this year are familiar names: Florida State. Tennessee. Penn State. Arizona. Ohio State. Each of these teams is loaded with talent. The college football season kicks off this weekend with a pair of major games: Arizona vs. Penn State in the Pigskin Classic today and Miami vs. Ohio State in the Kickoff Classic Sunday (2:30 p.m., ABC).

SUNDAY 8/29 Strange Justice (Showtime, 8-10 p.m.): A well-paced script and compelling performances breathe life into what otherwise could have been a boring topic: the Senate confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas, which became controversial when his former employee Anita Hill accused the judge of sexual harassment. The dramatization avoids taking sides or making final judgements. The movie stars Delroy Lindo as Thomas, Regina Taylor as Hill, and Mandy Patinkin as Washington insider Kenneth Duberstein.

Napoleon's Lost Fleet (Discovery, 9-10 p.m.): The story of a great naval battle becomes a gripping tale in which a sophisticated narrative, archaeological evidence, dramatic reenactment, and computer animation are carefully integrated for maximum impact. Labeled the most decisive naval battle in history, the Battle of the Nile pitted Britain's Lord Nelson against Napoleon's fleet headed by the great state-of-the-art warship the Orient, which Nelson managed to burn and sink. Some 200 years later, French archaeologist Franck Goddia discovered its remains and reconstructed its fascinating story. Donald Sutherland narrates.

Cher Live in Concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (HBO, 9-10:30 p.m.): Call her the comeback diva. For three decades, Cher has produced one hit after another. This live telecast should hum with sing-alongs and Cher-esque costumes.

MONDAY 8/30 US Open Tennis (USA, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.): The final Grand Slam of the century starts today at Flushing Meadows, N.Y., with John McEnroe and Tracy Austin providing courtside commentary. On court will be the cream of today's stars, minus Steffi Graf, who retired earlier this month.

TUESDAY 8/31 Bravo Profiles Grace Kelly (Bravo, 10-11 p.m.): An involving, if somewhat overwrought, attempt to come to terms with Grace Kelly's celebrated life and tragic death. In looking at her rise to stardom, the profile says as much about the ruthlessness of the Hollywood system as it does about her. It should appeal especially to film buffs who want to know every last detail of Hollywood history.

WEDNESDAY 9/1 On the Trail of Mark Twain with Peter Ustinov (PBS, 8-10 p.m.): The Oscar-winning actor travels to Sri Lanka, India, and South Africa, retracing the footsteps of Twain's 1897 trip.

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