“Eli Stone”
Thursday 10pm, ABC
This new dramedy features a premise that could go very wrong very quickly, but its pedigree suggests that it could actually pull it off. Johnny Lee Miller plays Eli, a vicious, high-powered attorney who starts experiencing baffling visions, such as George Michael performing live in his living room (hey, it beats an impromptu show at the park, right George?). His more spiritual friends believe he’s being called to act as God’s prophet. His doctor brother tells him he has an inoperable brain aneurysm that causes hallucinations. A series of freaky coincidences makes Eli put some stock in the God thing. If this were a David E. Kelley show (like the similar “Ally McBeal”) I’d be worried. But Greg Berlanti (“Everwood,” “Brothers and Sisters”) is steering this ship, and he’s a pretty good bet. Also starring Species vixen Natasha Henstridge and the always-welcome Victor Garber.
Super Bowl XLII
Sunday 6:30pm, Fox
So it’s the Patriots versus the Giants. Now on to the important stuff: With the nets still feeling the sting from the infamous nip slip of a few years ago, this year’s halftime crooner is walking scarecrow Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, just about the least sexy choice I can imagine. Rumor has it that Fox considered putting Paula Abdul into the proceedings somehow, and since she didn’t do any spaced-out promos for “Idol” this season, I support that fully. And for the commercial watchers, know that the often risqué GoDaddy.com is back despite initially backing out; Justin Timberlake stars in a stunt-heavy new Pepsi commercial; Gatorade will unleash its new Tiger Woods flavor (…really? What must that taste like?); and there will be more movie ads than ever before.
“Welcome to the Captain”
Monday 8:30pm, CBS
After years on “The Larry Sanders Show” and “Arrested Development,” I can forgive Jeffrey Tambor the odd flop, like 2006’s “20 Good Years.” Unfortunately, I fear this may be another sitcom that gets thrown on the discard pile, despite his considerable talents. “The Captain” is the name given to the El Capitan, a residence for assorted L.A. kooks. Those include Tambor’s know-it-all know-nothing, Raquel Welch’s aging sexpot and Chris Klein (yep, that Chris Klein, from American Pie and Election) as a white bread accountant. Setting a show around a wacky apartment building is a good idea—if it’s good enough for “227,” then it’s good enough for me—but I fear that Tambor and Co. might be looking for another sitcom gig in the near future.
