Getting young by growing old

CBS claims that its new fall schedule is "part of a strategy to broaden its audience base to include younger...viewers."

Therefore, its new series star the likes of Bob Newhart, who is 68; Judd Hirsch, 62; and Danny Aiello, 64. Some strategy! Why not find room for Red Skelton and Rosemarie while you're at it? Is George M. Cohan available?

The one-eyed network has seven new primetime shows for September:

* "Brooklyn South," yet another cop drama from Stephen Bochco ("Hill Street Blues," "Cop Rock" and "NYPD Blue"), has already drawn fire -- as do most of his shows -- for being too violent for television. The program will focus on patrolmen in New York. Get ready to hear the phrase "pushing the envelope" until you can't stand it anymore.

* "Michael Hayes" delivers David Caruso from his failed stint in the movies back to television drama (he abandoned "NYPD Blue" to pursue his celluloid dreams). This time, he is an ex-cop turned federal prosecutor entangled in the courts, politics and the streets. If this series is also a hit, David is living proof of God's mercy and willingness to provide people with second chances.

* "Dellaventura," CBS's third police show, stars Danny Aiello as a policeman-turned-private eye whose associates are "renegade former cops and con artists." Like "The Equalizer," another elderly and overweight detective from CBS's past, Dellaventura tries to help those with nowhere else to turn except to old fat guys with an attitude.

* "George & Leo" is an odd couple composed of Bob Newhart and Judd Hirsch as in-laws with little in common other than their children. Bob's is as strait-laced as he was in his previous sitcoms while Judd is a small-time mobster on the lam (maybe in a taxi). Regardless of their ages, these two could provide one of the best new shows, given their track records.

* "Meego" is for those who are nostalgic for "Alf" and "Mork." Bronson Pinchot stars as a perfectly strange alien who is 9,000 years old and becomes Belvedere to some motherless kids. Can you say, "Na-noo, na-noo"?

* "The Gregory Hines Show" puts the title actor into a sitcom as a widower with a pre-teen who wants to start dating again -- dad, that is, not the son. Let's see if Hines can tap-dance his way out of this plot.

* "Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel" is another magazine show that examines, investigates, probes and profiles. Like its competitors, its success will depend as much on its timeslot as on the array of stories it chooses.

Among the mini-series and TV movies set to air on CBS in 1997-98 are "Murder She Wrote" specials; "The Third Twin," a suspenser about cloning; Barbara Mandrell's life story; and "Monday After the Miracle," about Helen Keller as an adult. Be warned, in case you are flying, that at least two of the movies will concern airline disasters.

(Next: What's new on NBC this fall.)

(08-14-97) [[In-content Ad]]