Here are a few programs to look out for in the upcoming week ...
THURSDAY MIDNIGHT. NCAA Basketball, CBS. First-round action of March Madness. Remember to get your brackets in by Tuesday and start acting like you have a cold at work on Wednesday. If first-round action between Iraq and the U.S. military starts, games will switch to TNN, MTV and/or VH-1 and possibly UPN.
FRIDAY 8 P.M. Ann Rule Presents: The Stranger Beside Me, USA Network. Barbara Hershey stars as crime author, Ann Rule, and Billy Campbell starts as serial killer, Ted Bundy. Based on Rule's first bestseller, the film chronicles the real-life relationship between her and Bundy. They met while working at a Seattle crisis clinic for women. You just never know.
FRIDAY 8 P.M. The Harry Awards 2003, The History Channel. An homage to Hollywood, the History Channel awards its very own Harry to the film that contributed the most to the public's understanding and appreciation of history. The award is named for Herodotus, the "father of history." Includes clips and interviews with many of the actors and directors from this year's nominated films, which will be named at a later date. No "Live From the Red Carpet" for this one, however.
SATURDAY 4 A.M. The Blob, TNT. Steve McQueen (in his first starring roll in 1958) tries in vain to warn the yokels he's surrounded by a creeping mass of interplanetary goo. The catchy theme song has always been underrated.
SUNDAY 6 P.M. Live from The Red Carpet, E! The Academy Awards®. The big one. Again, though, not as funny now that Joan is on a short leash. The awards are on at 8 p.m. on ABC.
SUNDAY 10 P.M. Menczer Museum, Medical Mysteries, Discovery. The Menczer Medical Museum in Hartford, Conn., displays medical exhibits from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the history of surgery, dentistry and anesthesia. From the surgical tools of the Revolutionary War, to the contents of the frontier doctor's "little black bag," to George Washington's dentures, the museum offers a strange collection of medical technologies. Reminiscent of that great SNL skit with Steve Martin as Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber -- "People, people! Are we barbarians? This is the 12th century!"
MONDAY 6:30 P.M. Seinfeld, TBS. "The Face Painter." Patrick Warburton is the dim-witted Puddy, who promises Elaine he won't paint his face for the hockey game between his New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.
MONDAY 9 P.M. A&E's Live by Request Starring Hall & Oates, A&E. Yeah, go ahead and make fun. But Groove Tube challenges you to find a sharper voice than Daryl Hall. All the hits will be featured, and we hope their best song will be performed, even though it was made famous by another artist. (Paul Young covered "Everytime You Go Away" in 1985 and scored a worldwide Top 10 hit.)
NEWS & NOTES: The Bill Clinton-Bob Dole pairing on 60 Minutes hasn't drawn the numbers the network or the show's producer's had hoped for. ... Speaking of ratings, arena football is doing well for NBC, although not as well as they had hoped. ... The second half of the second season of The Osbournes returns June 10.
-- P.F. Wilson
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