What's on TV
Sunday 3/30
The Pitts (Fox, 9:30-10 p.m.): It's "The Simpsons" with real people - and every episode is Halloween. Dylan Baker and Kellie Waymire star as Bob and Liz Pitt, whose loving family life is threatened by disasters of grotesque proportions. Even though the first episode gets off to a slow start, succeeding stories offer a few hardy guffaws for those who like their comedy absurdist.
Masterpiece Theatre - Daniel Deronda (PBS, 9-10:30 p.m.; part 2 airs Monday, March 31): Based on George Eliot's last novel, this two-part miniseries attacks late Victorian hypocrisy while investigating what it means to be a good human being. The story revolves around a handsome young man whose origins are a mystery. When Daniel rescues a beautiful young woman from drowning, he begins a genuine search for the meaning of his life. The surprising ending outraged Victorian sensibilities - but, then, that wasn't hard to do.
Black Sash (WB, 9-10 p.m.): Russell Wong stars as a disgraced ex-cop who must redeem troubled teens and his own reputation. Lots of martial arts, poor writing, and teen angst. But the messages are fairly wholesome, and the action-adventure (mostly in self-defense) is meant to encourage a sense of nobility.
Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story (USA, 8-10 p.m.): It's true: James Woods really is Rudy. The actor is riveting. The film flashes back and forth from the Sept. 11 tragedy to scenes of his rise to power in New York. Despite flaws in the former mayor's character, Woods plays him sympathetically. His excellent performance aside, the film feels more like a swashbuckling generalization of the man and his times.
The Inner Tour (Sundance Channel, 9-10:40 p.m.): Documentary filmmaker Ra'anan Alexandrowicz follows a busload of vacationing West Bank Palestinians on a tour of Israel, where some had at one time raised families or owned homes.
Lost at Home (ABC, 9:30-10 p.m.): This new situation comedy has nothing new about it. A wife threatens to divorce her workaholic husband unless he spends more time with the family. As predictable as it is, the cast is cute, the dialogue witty, and the message wholesome.
