Series
On Now and Again (9 p.m. Fri., CBS), Michael has orders to find the person responsible for spreading a drug that makes people fearless (and not in a good way). Adventures in NBC programming: You have an acclaimed drama with a loyal following but low ratings. Let's say this drama is called "Homicide: Life on the Street." You cancel "Homicide," because it doesn't "fit" with the chick show ("Providence") that leads off your Friday schedule and gets big ratings. In its place, you slot Cold Feet, a dog of a romantic comedy-drama that bores critics to tears and drives off viewers in record numbers. "Cold Feet" ends up getting lower ratings than "Homicide," which, by the way, you are inviting back to the network as a sweeps-period TV movie. You cancel "Cold Feet" and slot Law & Order reruns (10 p.m. Fri., NBC) in its place. You now have no 10 p.m. Friday show, you have alienated your "Homicide" viewers, who will forever distrust you, and your whole theory about women wanting to watch "Providence" clones all night on Fridays is shot to hell. So, um, why was "Homicide" canceled? On another low ratings note, catch Freaks and Geeks (8 p.m. Sat., NBC) now; it's next on the chopping block. Dylan McDermott hosts Saturday Night Live (11:30 p.m. Sat., NBC), with music from the Foo Fighters. The Wonderful World of Disney (7 p.m. Sun., ABC) has a new version of the musical "Annie," starring Victor Garber, Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming, Audra McDonald and Alicia Morton. On King of the Hill (7:30 p.m. Sun., Fox), Hank and Bobby are the only ones home when house guest Connie undergoes a womanly rite of passage. After moving the family to a farm, Homer and Bart crossbreed tobacco and tomatoes and come up with an addictive and profitable new crop on The Simpsons (8 p.m. Sun., Fox). When Meghan gets mono, Felicity (8 p.m. Sun., WB) has to room with Noel, who asks her to keep their past relationship a secret from his latest girlfriend. The season premiere of The X-Files (9 p.m. Sun., Fox) picks up from last year's cliffhanger finale. Mulder is in the loony bin exhibiting strange brain activity, Scully has seemingly tracked down proof that human life originated on Mars and Diana Fowley is skulking around. ABC goes all-out for November sweeps, beginning a new two week run of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (9 p.m. Sun., ABC), the strangely popular quiz show hosted by Regis Philbin. On The Practice (10 p.m. Sun., ABC), Lindsay is in a snit (what else is new?) over Bobby's handling of their wedding plans, and Rebecca and Eugene defend a woman accused of murdering her mother.
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Specials
Saving Private Ryan (8 p.m. Sat., HBO) has its TV premiere. Ken Burns's latest documentary series Not for Ourselves Alone (check local times, Sun., PBS) chronicles Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's long fight to gain women the right to vote. Randy Quaid goes to Ireland and winds up in the middle of a feud between warring clans of Little People in the miniseries The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (9 p.m. Sun., NBC). Maybe they were after his Lucky Charms? Kieran Culkin, Roger Daltrey, Colm Meaney and Whoopi Goldberg are among the stars of this special effects-laden oddity that should be running a wee bit closer to St. Patrick's Day. The miniseries Shake, Rattle and Roll (9 p.m. Sun., CBS) tells the story of rock 'n' roll's early days through the adventures of a fictional band in the orbit of legends-to-be Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran and others. Bob Dylan, Carole King, Leiber and Stoller and Graham Nash wrote new songs for the soundtrack. The documentary Stopwatch (check local times, Sun., PBS) profiles Frederick Winslow Taylor, an engineer and efficiency expert whose time and motion studies revolutionized the workplace.
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Sports
Basketball:
Spurs at Rockets (8 p.m. Fri., TNT)
Timberwolves at Kings (10:30 p.m. Fri., TNT)
Football:
Ravens at Browns, Jaguars at Falcons, Bills at Redskins or Chiefs at Colts (1 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Eagles at Panthers, Rams at Lions, Bears at Packers, Cardinals at Jets (1 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Bengals at Seahawks, Steelers at 49ers or Broncos at Chargers (4 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Buccaneers at Saints (4 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Titans at Dolphins (8 p.m. Sun., ESPN)
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Talk
Rosie O'Donnell (syndicated) Angelina Jolie
David Letterman (CBS) Regis Philbin, pumpkin tossing
Jay Leno (NBC) Drew Carey, Denise Richards, Eurythmics
Chris Rock (HBO) Don King
Charlie Rose (PBS) Annie Leibovitz
Politically Incorrect (ABC) Neil Patrick Harris
Conan O'Brien (NBC) Heather Locklear, Dave Grohl
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