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A guide to notable programs by BRUCE FRETTS. (Times are Eastern daylight and are subject to change.)
SERIES
You need a scorecard to keep track of the couples on BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 (Fox, Sept. 27, 8-9 p.m.), PARTY OF FIVE (Fox, Sept. 27, 9-10 p.m.), and MELROSE PLACE (Fox, Oct. 2, 8-9 p.m.), so here goes. 90210's Kelly (Jennie Garth) is dating Colin (Jason Wiles), at least until he turns up at the Tournament of Roses Royal Ball with Valerie (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen). On Party, the wedding plans of Charlie (Matthew Fox) and Kirsten (Paula Devicq) may go up in smoke when one of his old flames makes a shocking announcement. And over at Melrose, newcomer Jack (Antonio Sabato Jr.) gets Brooke (Kristin Davis) to help him pursue Amanda (Heather Locklear), and Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith) and Brooke's dad (Perry King) conspire to break up Brooke and Billy (Andrew Shue). Any questions?
Perhaps trying to line up X-Files-like followings on the Internet, scads of prime-time shows are falling into line with on-line plot lines. For example, on LAW & ORDER (NBC, Sept. 27, 10-11 p.m.), hipster detective Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) locates a murder witness on a computer bulletin board. The Net is used for nastier purposes on NEW YORK UNDERCOVER (Fox, Sept. 28, 9-10 p.m.) when a cyberpedophile lures the 13-year-old daughter of Lieut. Virginia Cooper (Patti D'Arbanville-Quinn). And an evil-genius geek plots to demolish the software market on LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (ABC, Oct. 1, 8-9 p.m.). Forget the Man of Steel -- someone call Bill Gates!
As Jean-Luc Picard once said, ''Never underestimate a Klingon.'' Especially when he's called upon to jolt awake a creatively flagging show. Michael Dorn, reprising his Next Generation role as the Klingon officer Worf, makes an electrifying debut on STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE (syndicated, check local listings) in the series' fourth-season opener. The two-hour episode finds Worf dispatched to DS9 as a diplomatic liaison when the venerable Klingon/Federation peace treaty begins to break down under the looming threat of the Dominion. (If you have to ask, don't.) In the end, Worf joins DS9, Klingons revert to being the best bad guys in the universe, and Trek fans once again have a show to be genuinely excited about.
-- Albert Kim
A beach-set network show gets canceled due to so-so ratings but returns triumphantly with new episodes in syndication. That back story worked for Baywatch, so ONE WEST WAIKIKI (check local listings) tries the same trick. Ex-Charlie's Angel Cheryl Ladd reprises her role from the 1994 CBS summer series as Dr. Dawn Holliday, chief medical examiner of Hawaii. Rest assured, this ME looks a heck of a lot better in a bikini than Jack Klugman's Quincy ever could. OWW has more than just Baywatch as syndicated competition -- now there's the spin-off BAYWATCH NIGHTS (check local listings). Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff) and ex-cop Garner Ellerbee (GregAlan Williams) buy in to a detective agency and fight L.A. crime after the sun goes down. Their office is located above a nightclub owned by bluesman Lou Raymond (Lou Rawls), so be prepared to hear Hasselhoff croon a tune or 12.
