Sunday, September 19, 2004
"The Emmy Awards" (8 p.m. ABC) with Garry Shandling as host of this awards show that no one will watch. Major nominees include "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City." Preceded at 7 p.m. by "Countdown to the Emmys"; cable's E! will start covering the celebrity arrivals at 6 p.m.
An episode called "The Bare Witch Project" on "Charmed" (8 p.m., WB) has Lady Godiva (guest star Kristen Miller) conjured by mistake, and the sisters must scramble to get her back to her own time so she can finish her ride.
Ever wonder why "the shores of Tripoli" are mentioned in the Marine Hymn? "The Battle of Tripoli" (8 p.m., History Channel) was "America's first overseas war." It was undertaken in 1805 to free 300 sailors who were being held in what is now Libya. (They were captured after their ship ran aground while chasing pirates.)
Director Peter Bogdanovich made a spectacular impression with "The Last Picture Show" (8 p.m., Sundance Channel), his first major film, in 1971. The story of life in a very small Texas town in the 1950s also marked the debut of Cybill Shepherd. Though neither has done quite as well since, both have been resilient. "Hustle," Bogdanovich's film about Pete Rose, premieres Saturday on ESPN.
David Suchet will put his stamp on four Agatha Christie mysteries that make their North American premiere in double-features. "Death on the Nile" (8 p.m., A & amp;E) features the brilliant, fastidious Hercule Poirot as he visits Egypt for a cruise but finds danger and death. At 10 p.m., in "Sad Cypress," the Belgian detective tries to save a woman accused of a double murder. The series continues at 8 p.m. Sept. 26 with "The Hollow," featuring a dotty dowager and a flamboyant actress who wants to rekindle an old flame. It's followed by "Five Little Pigs."
According to a press release, season three on "The Wire" (9 p.m., HBO) will "examine the concept and nature of reform and the role of the political leadership in addressing a city's problem." But the show is really more interesting than that.
Hispanic Americans are now the largest minority group in the United States. A half-hour special, "Mi America! -- A Celebration of Hispanic Culture" (8:30 p.m. Nickelodeon) with Linda Ellerbee as host, examines the diverse culture by speaking with minority youngsters who must overcome stereotypes and other challenges as a result of their ethnic heritage.