What's on TV
Saturday 10/18
The World Series (Fox, 7:30 p.m.): The Florida Marlins will play either the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees. (At press time, the Red Sox and Yankees were tied at three games apiece.) The Marlins advance to the World Series for the second time.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Bravo, 8-10 p.m.): In this classic tale about a doctor who tries to isolate evil and good, Robert Louis Stevenson shows that evil is addictive and, like a harsh chemical, will destroy him in the end. In this thriller, the most religious of all the film interpretations, Mr. Hyde is the slimiest of all the Hyde sexual predators. But he is also the most fearful and the most hate-filled. When he writes "love" on the wall in his latest victim's blood, he is virtually squealing for mercy. He knows, as we do, that the only sanity is love. This may be the best Halloween treat this year. But it is not for anyone troubled by buckets of stage gore - most of which is completely unnecessary. John Hannah ("The Mummy") stars as the title character.
Masterpiece Theatre - Goodbye Mr. Chips (PBS, 9-11 pm): This utterly charming film is based on James Hilton's classic tale of a Latin schoolmaster whose skillful teaching blossoms into inspirational mentoring when he marries the love of his life. His dear wife, with her radical feminist ideals, transforms all the men around her - including the icy old headmaster who replaces strict corporal punishment with insightful reasoning. Every teacher or gracious mentor that viewers have ever loved or been thankful for will come to mind.
Lawrence of Arabia: The Battle for the Arab World (PBS, 9-11 pm): David Lean it is not. But this spectacular documentary does demonstrate how close Lean came to capturing T.E. Lawrence's enigmatic character in "Lawrence of Arabia." As far as the facts of his participation in the Arab-Turkish conflict, this documentary rejects the Western view and shows viewers the Arab view. Some Arab historians acknowledge his courage, but deny the extent of his own admitted participation in Arab affairs. Others believe his role has been underestimated, and that his actions had a profound effect. "Today's conflicts across the Middle East have their roots in his story," says producer and director James Hawes.
