Tuning in: On TV this week.
Friday June 18
Phil of the Future (Disney, 7p.m.): Exclusively for the preteen demographic, this new comedy series sends a "normal" 22nd-century family back in time to the early 21st with a few high-tech gadgets. Still, the kids in the family just want to fit in with their peers. But Pim, the youngest member of the family, wants to use her power to dominate the world.
La Femme Musketeer (Hallmark Channel, 8 p.m.): A classic tale gets a feminist twist when the daughter of D'Artagnan, one of the original three musketeers, picks up a sword. Together with the sons of the other elder musketeers, she saves a Spanish princess from the machinations of the evil Cardinal Mazarin (Gérard Depardieu). The swordplay is often amusing, sometimes thrilling, and finally excessive. Best of all, Michael York reprises the role of D'Artagnan, a character he first played in 1973.
I Used to Be a Filmmaker (Cinemax, 8:15 p.m.): The best Father's Day film ever! It may be only 15 minutes long, but this marvelous special is endearing because it follows the filmmaker and his baby daughter from her first days to her first steps with tongue-in-cheek camera setups taken from the language of movies: "establishing shot," "soft focus," "hand-held," etc.
Quest for King Arthur (History Channel, 9 p.m.): Arthur is a mythical figure, but was there ever a real king by that name, to say nothing of a round table, and the castle of Camelot? The History Channel tackles those questions as a primer for July's Hollywood blockbuster, "Arthur," which purports to offer a realistic version of the tale. Patrick Stewart narrates "Quest for King Arthur" with an appealing sense of drama, and those interested in medieval lore will find this documentary filled with illuminating anecdotes.
