One of the highlights of this past week’s programming was the miniseries “The Lost Room,” on the Sci-Fi channel. The miniseries format can really be hit or miss. While it gives storytellers an extended chance to tell a story and develop interesting stories, each act has to be interesting enough to hold an audience captivated to tune back in, and the resolution better darn well be worth the time investment it takes to get there. Additionally, with more and more television shows turning to dynamic plot construction, the miniseries seems to be getting more rare – who needs a story told in two-four nights when it can unwind over 24 episodes?
Still, “The Lost Room” was evidence that the miniseries can work. The story of a police detective who discovers a mysterious room lost in time and space was an interesting enough of a concept. Have him loose his precocious daughter in there and it’s interesting. Toss in a bunch of everyday objects with equally mysterious powers and you’ve got just the right enough combination of the mundane and the mysterious to keep people tuning back in as Detective Joe Miller keeps seeking his lost daughter and the truth behind the Lost Room. In fact, the story was interesting enough to make me want to go back and watch the whole thing again once it’s out on DVD.
There haven’t been many miniseries that have kept my attention as much as “The Lost Room.” Here are a few others that I’ve enjoyed over the years:
Merlin (1998): Sam Neil as the legendary wizard felt like a really bad casting decision on paper, but I have to admit, he won me over. As a fan of the Arthurian myths it was neat to see another version of parts of the tale, although I’d still love to see someone adapt Stephen R. Lawhead’s novels. While Neil may have started as a doubtful casting, other roles filled by Helena Bonham Carter and Miranda Richardson (among others) sounded excellent from the start. Definitely a must see for fans of fantasy.
The Shining (1997): Stephen King really lent himself to the miniseries format for quite a while, as evidenced by his appearance twice here. This is one of the best miniseries I’ve ever enjoyed, with a true to the text adaptation of King’s original novel. I’ve said before, Stephen Weber is more convincing as a haunted former alcoholic than Nicholson was in Kubric’s film. Not that Nicholson wasn’t good – he was just playing a different character than King created. Over the course of three nights this miniseries really helped create the feeling of a family isolated, haunted both by their own personal demons and the spirits of the Overlook Hotel. This is one I love to watch again on snowy winter days, completing the mood established by the miniseries.
It (1990): The other King adaptation on my brief list, this was the motivating factor that really got me into Stephen King as a writer. A good thing too, because, for all that this miniseries had going for it (an excellent star-filled cast including Tim Curry and genius source material in King’s novel) it really botched the ending. To this day the last fifteen minutes of this miniseries makes me think they ran out of money and instead of a climactic battle had the cast rip the innards out of a rubber spider. It turns out, the novel was a lot more cerebral than a television adaptation could create (although I stand by my “lack of budget” reasoning). Still worth a look if you’re familiar enough with the novel to overlook its shortcomings. Worth noting: it also shares a cast member with “The Lost Room” – Dennis Christopher, the slimy Dr. Martin Ruber, is the grown up Eddie Kaspbrack in “It”
Around the World in 80 Days (1989): I don’t know why Disney even tried to remake this a few years ago with Jackie Chan. Phileas Fogg will always be Pierce Brosnan to an entire generation of television watchers. If the future 007 wasn’t a brilliant enough lead, Eric Idle playing Passepartout could never be topped, not even by a master of kung-fu. The one downside of the miniseries is that it is chock full of stars from that era, dating the movie just a little bit and reducing the “wow” factor now that some of them aren’t quite as recognizable by today’s viewers.
Alice in Wonderland (1985): I’ve mentioned before how much I love this version of the Lewis Carroll laudanum-inspired tale of Alice’s trip down the rabbit hole. Don’t confuse it for the 1999 version from the same people who produced “Merlin,” although that one isn’t too bad. This version falls into the same trap as “Around the World” with a parade of celebrities who have faded over time, but the musical numbers mostly compensate for that. The recent DVD release of the miniseries made me worry I had built it up in my mind as better than it was. Though I’m definitely more critical of some of the production elements than I was when I was 11, it’s still enjoyable enough for me to keep it on my favored miniseries list.
A Perfect Day (TNT) 8:00 pm
Rob Lowe stars as a writer reconnecting with his family in the first Christmas special of the week… wait, “A Peanuts Family Christmas” was on Sunday – the first Christmas special of the day… actually, it’s probably the first special of the hour, what with ABC Family’s 24 days of Christmas continually running.
”Identity” (NBC) 9:00 pm
Debut- (Series Premiere!) – I’m really not much more excited about this series than NBC’s other shows, “Deal or No Deal” and “1 vs 100.” Still, Penn Jillette is often interesting to see (although usually better uncensored) and there has to be something to watch now that “Heroes” is on hiatus… or anything else since NBC is running new episodes of the show every day this week. Excuse me while I go remove NBC from my TiVo’s listing for the next month.
”Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (NBC) 10:00 pm
The Christmas Show- (repeat) – The typically religiously skeptical Matt decides to bring the Christmas spirit to Studio 60 with a holiday show.
”I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown” (ABC) 8:00 pm
(Special!) – They’ve run the typical Charlie Brown Christmas special a couple of times so now it’s time for the lesser appreciated 2003 animated special featuring Rerun, Linus and Lucy’s younger brother. Warning: Charles Schultz was not part of this special, so it may lack some of that typical Peanuts zing.
”Boston Legal” (ABC) 10:00 pm
Can’t We All Get a Lung?- (repeat) – Trying to help the public keep up with “Boston Legal”’s shuffling, it’s on Tuesday at 10pm. It’s just a repeat, although Michael J. Fox always keeps the show interesting, even if you’ve seen it before.
”The King of Queens” (CBS) 8:00 pm
Ruff Goin’- (New!) – Doug and Carrie start worrying about the neighbors’ opinions again and get a dog to prove they are good people. Just like Homer Simpson before him, the idea fails… wait, Homer got a monkey – somebody see if that chimp from “Friends” is still free.
”How I Met Your Mother” (CBS) 8:30 pm
How Lily Stole Christmas- (repeat) – CBS really should be ashamed for repeating an episode that’s only a week or two old. Still, it’s one of the funniest episodes since the gang went party hopping last New Years – and Barney is so awesome even his nose is full of it!
”Ugly Betty” (ABC) 8:00 pm
Fey’s Sleigh Ride- (repeat) – The unlikely become allies in this episode as strange bedfellows join together due to similar interests. Thank god I’m just using a cliché describing Wilhemina and Daniel as bedfellows.
”The Office” (NBC) 9:00 pm
A Benihana Christmas (repeat) – NBC pulls a “How I Met Your Mother” and repeats last week’s Christmas episode. Like that episode of HIMYM, it’s worth catching this hourlong Harold Ramis directed episode a second time, as the office splits under the weight and conflict of two Christmas parties.
”Monk” (USA) 9:00 pm
Mr. Monk and the Leper- (New!) – USA airs this episode at 9pm in black and white, and at 10pm in color. I must not watch the show frequently enough to know why that’s cool, other than it’s two hours of obsessive compulsive hilarity… and that Monk would probably watch both hours because of it.
”Seinfeld: The E! True Hollywood Story” (E!) 6:00 pm
(New!) – You have to wonder whether this special was already planned or only came to interest after Michael Richards’ recent comedy debacle (and we don’t mean his last sitcom). “New Adventures of Old Christine” just doesn’t sound as interesting as threatening to hang someone, eh?
The Sound of Music (ABC) 7:00 pm
There’s still 24 hours before the flood of A Christmas Story begins. Help pass the time with Julie Andrews spinning away in the Mountains of Germany.
A Christmas Story (TBS) 8:00 pm
TBS begins its 24 hour marathon of everyone’s favorite Christmas movie, ensuring everyone opening presents on Monday will be dreaming about a Red Ryder BB gun underneath their tree… whether they want one or not.
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