By Virginia Mann, Record Television Critic
Date: 09-15-1991, Sunday
A story making the rounds in Hollywood is that, after screening the pilot for "Reasonable Doubts," the new drama starring hearing-impaired actress Marlee Matlin, one NBC executive asked, "Is she going to be deaf all season?"
The comment certainly doesn't inspire confidence in the folks at the networks. And as usual, after watching all the new shows this season, I often find myself wondering: Of all the concepts submitted by all the writers in Hollywood and beyond, why did they spend all that money on all this garbage?
Although there's some promising fare from PBS, cable, syndication, and the TV-movie market -- the Big Three networks and Fox are sticking with lots of unfunny sitcoms, rendered even more unwatchable by boisterous laugh tracks. And the dramas are not as fine as those that recently left the lineup, like "China Beach" and "thirtysomething."
On the bright side, we'll be seeing a number of TV veterans, including James Garner, Redd Foxx, Marion Ross, Suzanne Somers, and Robert Guillaume. Also appearing in series will be Marsha Mason, Teri Garr, and Twiggy.
There are a handful of series with real promise ("Eerie, Indiana," "Man of the People," "Roc," "Homefront," "Sibs," "I'll Fly Away," "Home Improvement"), and a few that could pleasantly surprise us ("Step by Step," "Reasonable Doubts," "Princesses"). And let's not forget the potential among those shows that were not available at press time.
High on this list is Gary David Goldberg's new "Brooklyn Bridge," a Fifties sitcom set near Ebbets Field. Along with ABC's "Homefront" and NBC's "I'll Fly Away," it forms the mini-trend of period pieces.
Here, now, are some first impressions of the new broadcast-network lineup:
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"Homefront" -- In the slot vacated by "thirtysomething," ABC has scheduled a 1940-something drama about a group of young folks adjusting to life after World War II. Set in a small town, this soapy but engrossing new drama stars: Kyle Chandler, Sammi Davis-Voss ("Hope and Glory"), Ken Jenkins, Mimi Kennedy, Tammy Lauren, Sterling Macer Jr., David Newsom, Harry O'Reilly, Wendy Phillips, Giuliana Santini, Jessica Steen, Dick Anthony Williams, Alexandra Wilson, and Hattie Winston. Whew! 10 p.m., Tuesdays. Special 90-minute premiere, 9:30 p.m., Sept. 24.