'Candidate' seems pointless reality

'Candidate' seems pointless reality

weekend tv

By Joel Brown

New York Times Syndicate

A country where any little boy or girl can dream of growing up to be president is also, alas, a country where any cable network can create a reality show that mocks the electoral process.

Showtime would tell you, of course, that's not the idea behind "American Candidate," "the ultimate reality show" that debuts Sunday at 9 and runs for 10 weeks on the cabler. It's trying to illuminate our democracy or some such thing.

And there are big names involved.

The executive producers include documentary filmmaker R.J. Cutler ("The War Room") and Hollywood director Jay Roach ("Meet the Parents" and the three "Austin Powers" films). The show's advisory board claims the president of the League of Women Voters, former Sen. Bob Kerrey and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., among others.

And the host is Emmy-winning talker Montel Williams.

Showtime has picked 10 diverse Americans who will hit the road in a series of campaign challenges. Some will win immunity, and others will be eliminated along the way.

And one of them, eventually, will win $200,000 and the chance to address America.

The "candidates" are six men and four women and include a couple people of color, a former Arizona sheriff who would abolish the "Gestapo-like" IRS and who supports gun ownership, a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals activist, and Dick Gephardt's lesbian daughter.

It's the usual reality show cross-section, in other words, although they're mostly too old and not hot enough for "Big Brother."

Well, hooray for these ordinary Americans who get a chance to speak out, at least to the people who subscribe to Showtime. And maybe they'll say something that makes viewers leap from their couches and rush to the nearest real-life campaign headquarters to get involved.

But probably not. In an election year of such enormous importance, a year of terror alerts, "Fahrenheit 9/11" and the 9/11 commission, the last thing we need is a simulated election, a play-at-home version of the real thing.

"American Candidate" seems a pointless distraction.

Highlights

"Amazing Race 5," CBS tonight at 8: Pushing through Russia in two new episodes.

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999), NBC tonight at 8: A few of the nuances might be lost to the network snipper, but this creepy thriller from the pen of Patricia Highsmith gets a right good treatment from Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow.

"Saturday Night Live," NBC tonight at 11:30: Repeat with the funky duo of Al Sharpton and Pink.

"60 Minutes," CBS Sunday at 7.

"King of the Hill," Fox Sunday at 7: Cotton becomes head of the neighborhood watch. Rerun. Followed at 7:30 by a repeat of "Malcolm in the Middle."

"Dateline," NBC Sunday at 7: Revisiting Elian Gonzalez and Cuba.

"The Simpsons," Fox Sunday at 8: Milhouse moves away, leaving Bart bereft. Repeat. Followed at 8:30 by a repeat of "Arrested Development."

"Cold Case," CBS Sunday at 8: Repeat brings a confession to a 14- year-old murder.

"The Pilot's Wife," CBS Sunday at 9: Christine Lahti finds out about her husband's double life after he dies in the air.

"The Simple Life 2," Fox Sunday at 9: Problems with this week's host family. Followed at 9:30 by a repeat of "Quintuplets."

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent," NBC Sunday at 9: A doctor whose elderly patients keep dying is in Detective Goren's sights. Repeat.

"Mystery!" KSPS Sunday at 8: Tonight it's "Foyle's War II: War Games."

"The Days," ABC Sunday at 10: Natalie faces a decision about her baby.

"Crossing Jordan," NBC Sunday at 10: Repeat. Jane "accidentally" kills her attacker. But can it be that simple?

Family Fare

"National Geographic Ultimate Explorer," MSNBC Sunday at 8 and 11: Following biologist J. Michael Fay and his family to the amazing, wildlife-rich new Loango National Park in Gabon, where he hopes to set up systems that will help the park survive into the future.

Cable Cast

Motorcycle mania, all weekend on TNT: Friday the network debuted its "Evel Knievel" biopic, starring "CSI's" George Eads.

Tonight at 8, TNT offers a real-life special with Evel's son Robbie Knievel jumping over fighter planes on the deck of the USS Intrepid, followed at 9 by another run of "Evel Knievel." And the movie airs again Sunday at 8 and 10 p.m.

"Missing," Lifetime tonight at 10: A boy involved in a car crash goes missing.

Baseball, ESPN Sunday at 5: St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants.

"Taxi Driver" (1976), TMC Sunday at 8: When was the last time you saw this classic?

Robert De Niro gives a mind-bendingly intense performance in this Martin Scorsese film about a New York cabbie cracking up amid an election year. With Jodie Foster and Cybill Shepherd.

"Six Feet Under," HBO Sunday at 9: Ruth and George take a field trip, and Claire gets closer to Edie. Followed by new episodes of "Entourage" at 10 and "Da Ali G Show" at 10:30.

"The 4400," USA Sunday at 9: The returnees are in danger after their names and addresses are made public.

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