What's on TV: Shows worth noting for Sept. 8-14
Sunday 9/09
The Ponderosa (Pax TV, 9-11 p.m.): The boys from "Bonanza" are back - only younger. This is a right-minded, enjoyable western that tries to right a lot of historical wrongs. Ben Cartwright (played by David Hugh Kelly) is the most righteous rancher in the West, and he raises young Adam (Matt Carmody), Hoss (Drew Powell), and Little Joe (Jared Daperis) to go and do likewise. Fans of the original '60s western TV series should find this prequel a welcome treat.
Valley of the T-Rex (Discovery Channel, 9-10 p.m.): There are so many dinos on TV, it's hard to keep track. But T-Rex is the hero of any child's prehistorical fantasies. But was he the monster everyone thinks he was? Was he even the predator we imagined him to be? Paleontologist Jack Horner challenges our long-held beliefs.
Just Ask My Children (Lifetime, 9-11 p.m.): A vindictive woman accuses an innocent couple of molesting their own children. The couple's lives are destroyed when a district attorney coaches their children to accuse them. After years in prison, the couple (Virginia Madsen and Jeffrey Nordling) is gradually vindicated. The writing isn't great, but this true story is a cautionary tale. The fact that it happened is more alarming than anything a soapy drama could possibly reveal.
Love Cruise: The Maiden Voyage (Fox, 9-10 p.m.): This is the newest in a long line of "reality" TV game shows. This one is raunchy like "Temptation Island" and just as thoughtless as all the rest of them. Eight men and eight women try to score soul mates (and the $200,000 prize). Every three days a woman and a man are voted off. There are plenty of catty comments all around.
Chain Camera (Cinemax, 7- 8:30 p.m.): It's not as well-made as "American High," but this documentary made by students at a Los Angeles high school is scarier than its distinguished predecessor. What these youngsters have experienced is heartbreaking. Contains adult material.
