Whats Hot On TV

So what happened to Saturday morning cartoons? The major networks always had two to four hours of that, and ABC would follow that up with American Bandstand around lunch time. I realize I’m showing my age again, but to me it’s a sad commentary on our time. I imagine the networks figure they get bigger bucks with the news shows, and figure kids are just either watching movies, playing games, or turning on Disney, Nickelodeon, or Cartoon Network anyway, and after its news, ABC just puts on their Disney tween comedies anyway. I don’t think this generation will ever under the specialness of a Saturday morning without it.

1. Charlotte’s Web. If your kids are up early like mine always are, have them tune in to this recent adaptation of the E. B. White story. Dakota Fanning stars and there are some great voices behind those animals as well, like Julia Roberts, Thomas Hayden Church, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, and Oprah Winfrey. Salutations! 6:00 AM CT Showtime Beyond

2. How It’s Made. This is like the modern version of the old Hot Dog movies. It was a series on Saturday mornings back in the 70s, but we knew it better as the movie shorts our teachers let us see after the boring History films. It took you inside factories to show how every day objects were made. If we were really good, the teachers would answer our pleas to play the Hot Dog movies backwards. This series is basically the same thing, just with a name that’s a lot less cool. A series of half hour shows starting at 8:00 AM CT Science Channnel

3. Inside the NFL. This previously HBO staple has now moved to Showtime with the same basic personnel. Find out the ins and outs of tomorrow’s games beforehand. This particular episode has an appearance by dancer Kym Johnson, being that she’s paired with commentator Warren Sapp during this next season of Dancing With the Stars. 10 AM CT Showtime West.

4. Overboard. Continuing the theme of the past few days, another classic 80s movie with more classic lines. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell star. “I was a short … fat … slut!” It’s perfect for a Saturday afternoon/late morning. 11:00 AM CT TVLand

5. Working Girl/Erin Brockovich. A&E is apparently going for some working woman theme this afternoon. Start off with Melanie Griffith in Working Girl and follow it up with Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. 1:30 PM CT A&E

6. Coca Chanel. Shirley McLaine and Malcolm McDowell star in this biography of the designer, and start back with her years as a child living in an orphanage. 7:00 PM CT Lifetime

7. 48 Hours Mystery. Money, greed, and sex are the instigators behind a murder in Alaska. Is there any other possible reasons behind murder? 8:00 PM CT CBS

8. National Lampoon’s Vacation. The original; the best. Lots of Vacation movies succeeded this one, but this is the original. Chevy Chase and Beverly d’Angelo did it up good this time. Everything from Aunt Edna to “My daddy says I’m the best” to “Sorry folks. Park’s closed. Moose out front shoulda told ya.” 10:00 PM CT Bravo

9. Saturday Night Live. It’s the one we’ve been waiting for. Not only is it the first of the season, but Michael Phelps is the host. Think he can act without making it obvious he’s reading the cue cards? Nah, me either. But I’m still dying to see it. How odd is it to realize that he wasn’t even born when this show debuted? Lil Wayne is the musical guest, and I bet he wasn’t born when it debuted either. 10:30 PM CT NBC

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