Earthquake Flashback Shakes Things Up on ‘Midnight Caller’

TV or not TV. . . .

FLASHBACK: How can a San Francisco-based TV series ignore the October quake that struck the city?

Not easily, especially if it’s a contemporary drama like NBC’s “Midnight Caller.”

So tonight’s the night to tune in--a little after the fact (“Full House” handled the subject last month), but better late than never.

Through the good old flashback device, radio talk-show host Gary Cole, station boss Wendy Kilbourne and others recall their experiences the day the earth moved.

The twist is a shady Hollywood producer who wants to do a film on the quake, but thinks the story isn’t good enough by itself and needs a little hype.

Well, OK, the episode’s a little gimmicky, not as nitty-gritty as you might expect, but irresistible nonetheless.

And Kilbourne just gets better and better--a perfect pairing with Cole. They’ve still got what Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis lost in their relationship in “Moonlighting.”

INSIDE DOPE: According to “Tonight” show sub Jay Leno, Manuel Noriega has been told he can no longer be considered for the CIA’s employee-of-the-month award.

MASHED: Alan Alda’s decision to bow out of his planned NBC series is a real blow to the network, which is still No. 1 but badly in need of new quality shows after its disastrous lineup of freshman entries this season.

HOLY SMOKE: And is NBC really serious about doing that Jim and Tammy Bakker TV movie, “Fall From Grace”? Let’s see--Bernadette Peters is set to play Tammy. So if you follow that line of thinking, then maybe Steve Martin would be great as Jim. Or if Steve is not available, how about Bill Murray? I just changed my mind. It’s a great project.

OLLIEWOOD: So Ollie North addressed the Hollywood Radio and Television Society last week. Pure logic. A few weeks before that, he narrated “Peter and the Wolf” in Washington. Won raves. Without a shred of doubt.

SAY WHAT?: “No cable. No Magic,” says the billboard on Olympic Boulevard, implying that you can’t see Magic Johnson and the Lakers on TV unless you get cable. Well, only if your TV set can’t get KCAL Channel 9, which is broadcasting 40 Lakers games this season--at no charge.

CURTAIN CALL: It’s time to pack up those Joe Isuzu commercials. They’ve had it.

AMERICANA: Caught that documentary about jeans--”Design Classics”--on KCET Channel 28 and loved the description of Levi’s as “honest” clothing. That says it, all right.

BY GEORGE: Some local sports channel like Prime Ticket ought to pick up the Cal State Long Beach football games now that George Allen is the coach. The guy is pure drama on TV. All he needs to find is a Gipper.

FOR THE AGES: Forgot how exhilarating hatred can be until I flipped on Mel Brooks’ musical attack, “Springtime for Hitler,” from “The Producers,” on cable’s new Comedy Channel.

DRAWING BOARD: Oprah Winfrey’s new ABC drama series, “Brewster Place,” based on her special about black women in a ghetto, is due this spring. And if it puzzles you why such a major project is being launched at midseason, an ABC spokesman notes that the network’s other spring tryouts included “The Wonder Years,” “China Beach,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Anything But Love,” “Coach” and “Just the Ten of Us.” Well, let’s forget the last one.

AROUND THE BEND: Saigon and Vietnam in general look pretty distant and real when you watch them on “Tour of Duty.” Especially considering the show is shot in Simi Valley.

PERIOD PIECE: Golden State’s Chris Mullin looks so much like a 1950s basketball player that they ought to televise his games in black-and-white. But he is magnificent, and he really belongs on the Celtics.

VICTORY: It’s the ultimate tribute. Ted Turner couldn’t colorize “Citizen Kane” because Orson Welles protected it contractually even after his death. And now Turner, on his TNT channel, will present a show about his conqueror, “Orson Welles: Stories From a Life in Film,” on Feb. 5. Among Welles’ famous quotes: “I began at the top (with ‘Citizen Kane’) and have been working my way down ever since.”

TALL: ESPN’s Roy Firestone asked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to define character. Kareem said it was doing the right thing even when it’s not profitable. By the end of the interview, Kareem seemed like a great prospect for NBA commissioner.

BEING THERE: “I don’t trust warm and friendly people.” Who said it? Lou Grant in “Lou Grant.”

Say good night, Gracie. . . .