Is it May sweeps already?
It isn’t, but Monday’s lineup seems designed to keep those Nielsen boxes humming. A few highlights to make note of:
A Naked “Fear Factor”
A Naked “Fear Factor”
8 p.m. NBC. Everyone embraces public nudity for the first challenge, and everyone moves on to the second-round bug-eating. Next week the fear of public speaking is explored.
A Supersized “Ally”
8 p.m. Fox. Christina Ricci, Matthew Perry, Dame Edna Everage, Jon Bon Jovi, Loudon Wainwright III and even Peter MacNicol guest star in a special two-hour edition. Perry is criminally underutilized, but Ricci is riotous as a Ling-like 21-year-old litigator who’s as funny as she is mean. The one thing David E. Kelley is still great at? Entrances! And not to sound too much like our pal Mr. Skin, but “puny” Ricci’s far-too-brief bikini-clad hot-tub appearance occurs at the end of the first hour.
A New “Angel”
9 p.m. The WB. “Angel” returns after a six-week hiatus, and we finally get to learn if Wes lives, if Cordy returns, and if Angel can handle losing his infant son. There’s another post with more details.
A Final “Once and Again”
10 p.m. ABC. The series finale of the latest show from the folks who brought us “thirtysomething,” “My So-Called Life,” and “Relativity” is surprisingly moving, even to those who didn’t catch every episode. Forget the four troubled kids; tonight's installment focuses tightly on Rick, Lily and their exes. What TV Guide isn’t telling us: Be prepared to endure a growing feeling of dread as Lily grows sicker and sicker as the episode wears on. There’s also a unique two-minute coda as the actors break character to talk about the show.
Herc’s rating for “Ally McBeal” 5.16?
**1/2
Herc’s rating for “Angel” 3.17?
***1/2
Herc’s rating for “Once and Again” 3.19?
***1/2
The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:
