Cop Rock

Only a few years ago, no matter what they aired, the three major networks had the prime-time audience locked up. But in today's world of cable, Fox, videocassettes and the ever-handy remote control, with the right show, with the right hype, even an independent station like KCOP Channel 13 can beat the big guys. Case in point: Wednesday's season premiere of the syndicated "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which was heavily promoted, won the 9-10 p.m. time period in Los Angeles for Channel 13.

This was going to be TV's breakout season. Remember? Goodby to the tried and true. Hello, originality. "Cop Rock" was coming. "Twin Peaks" and "China Beach" were back. A rap star, Will Smith, would be a sensation in "Fresh Prince of Bel Air." So what happened? Don't ask. "Cop Rock," "Twin Peaks" and "China Beach" are all gone from ABC's lineup--more's the pity. "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" is a modest NBC success. And what was the big hit of the last week?

How did Rudolph really get the top job? Was it his red nose or the brown nose he used to flatter the Clauses? Did the other reindeer really learn to love him? These unsettling questions are answered in the opening sketch in "The Ho-Ho-Hilarions: Gladiators of Christmas," at Theatre/Theater in Hollywood. It's a show for those who like witty as well as merry Christmases. Not that everything is Christmas-oriented, or wholly successful. A couple of the early sketches need stronger punch lines.

"Hull High," one of the two new musical series on network television this fall, has been canceled, NBC confirmed Wednesday. The Disney-produced show became the second series to be canned this season. CBS had previously canceled the drama "E.A.R.T.H. Force" while also placing the comedy "Lenny" on hiatus. "Hull High," which had primarily employed non-singing actors who lip-synced the musical numbers, ranked 86th among the 98 prime-time series that have been on the four networks this season.

NBC was back on top of the ratings chart for the second week of the new season--after CBS took the opening week--and ABC's "Twin Peaks" failed to pique the interest of the Sunday movie audience, it was reported today. None of the season's new shows were in the top 10. All were half-hour comedies except "60 Minutes" (CBS), which came in No. 2 behind top-ranking "Cheers" (NBC).

TV has finally gotten good. Relatively good. You have your crime, you have your comedy, you have your warmth. You have your style, you have your kids, you have your music. You have your flash, you have your brash, you have your trash. You have your new, you have your old. Most of all, though, you have your bold. All right, not spit-in-your-eye bold. Not shockingly bold. Not you-won't-believe-they-did-this bold. Not "All in the Family" bold or no-subject-is-taboo bold.

"We wish you God's blessing," he told viewers of his regular Christian television program. Then, after praying, the fatherly televangelist with the silver hair broke into a smile and began chuckling, as if recalling a private joke. Someone on the set had just spoken the name of a famous TV character, and the mere mention of this name triggered an unexpected reaction from this renowned saver of souls. "Bart Simpson," the man said, shaking his head as he chuckled again.

How did Rudolph really get the top job? Was it his red nose or the brown nose he used to flatter the Clauses? Did the other reindeer really learn to love him? These unsettling questions are answered in the opening sketch in "The Ho-Ho-Hilarions: Gladiators of Christmas," at Theatre/Theater in Hollywood. It's a show for those who like witty as well as merry Christmases. Not that everything is Christmas-oriented, or wholly successful. A couple of the early sketches need stronger punch lines.

Thanks to a 1-2-3 finish by its Thursday comedies, NBC narrowly beat ABC and CBS in the prime-time ratings last week, the A. C. Nielsen Co. reported Tuesday. NBC's programming had an average audience of 12 million households, compared to 11.6 million for ABC and 11.5 million for CBS. ABC's "Monday Night Football" attracted viewers in about 14.2 million homes, while CBS' most-watched baseball playoff--the second Boston-Oakland meeting on Sunday--drew about 13.

Hank Worden, veteran Western character actor who appeared in 116 feature films from Cecil B. De Mille's "The Plainsman" in 1936 to Paul Hogan's "Almost An Angel" in 1990, has died. He was 91. Worden, who appeared in 15 John Wayne films including "Red River" and "Big Jake," died in his sleep in his Brentwood home Sunday. The stalwart Worden was perhaps best remembered by contemporary audiences as "the world's most decrepit room-service waiter" on the television series "Twin Peaks."