For Many Viewers, `New Season' Means Old Favorites

While "new season" means lots of new shows to the networks, most viewers are probably more interested in the fact the "new season" means new episodes of their old favorites. Two such shows brighten this week - the return of Fox's "The Simpsons" at 8 tonight on KCPQ-TV and the return of NBC's "I'll Fly Away" at 10 p.m. tomorrow on KING-TV.

"The Simpsons" are in fine form with a sort of "Lord of the Flies" take-off as Lisa and Bart go to "Kamp Krusty," the vacation spot from hell. As usual, the writers and animators spoof a lot of other things along the way.

"I'll Fly Away" sets up several new story lines for this coming season, along with exploring Lily's romantic future. Regina Taylor, as Lily, has such a compelling presence she gives even the most obvious statements in the script the glow of revelations. And her performance is matched by those of Sam Waterston, Jeremy London and John Aaron Bennett. Welcome back!

New ones: NBC's new "Rhythm & Blues," which premieres at 8:30 tonight on KING-TV, features a white DJ at a black Detroit radio station, but the situation is helped immeasurably by comic Roger Kabler, who plays the DJ as a kind of wild-eyed road-company version of Robin Williams, and by the wonderful Anna Maria Horsford, who plays the dithery owner of the station. It's a bit too close to "WKRP in Cincinnati," but it could do worse.

NBC also premieres "What Happened?" at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow on KING-TV, one more in its wretched series of "reality" programs that re-create events of the past and which is meant as a companion piece for the new "Final Appeal" (which premiered last week and is based on "Unsolved Mysteries," which airs at 8 p.m.). It would be difficult to imagine two duller programs.

Fox premieres "Woops!," a sitcom about a handful of survivors after a nuclear explosion, at 10:30 p.m. Sunday on KCPQ-TV. It's a kind of ghoulish "Gilligan's Island." For the pilot, writer Gary Jacobs and director Terry Huighes have infused the proceedings with a slick sitcom ambiance that may not be entirely appropriate. Still, the actors are good enough and the premise outlandish enough to make me want to see a couple more episodes, at least. Fox is also premiering "The Ben Stiller Show," unavailable for previewing, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday on KCPQ-TV.

A couple more episodes did it for me for Fox's new "Unlikely Suspect," which airs at 9:30 p.m. Fridays on KCPQ-TV. It's a lame attempt to be funny about murder and it quickly palls.

Video notes: TNT airs a movie musical extravaganza, starting tonight at 5 with "Singin' in the Rain," followed at 7:30 p.m. by "An American in Paris," "Gigi" at 10 and "Showboat" (the 1936 version) at 12:30 a.m. tomorrow. . . . KIRO-TV has the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor in a debate tonight at 7. . . . PBS' "American Experience" repeats the three-hour video biography of President Richard Nixon at 7 tonight on KCTS-TV. . . . NBC's "A Different World" begings its sixth season at 8 tonight, "Cheers" begins its 11th season at 9 and "Wings" its fourth season at 9:30 tonight, all on KING-TV. . . . NBC wraps up the evening with a comedy special celebrating the 20th anniversary of "The Comedy Store" at 10 before Billy Crystal appears on "Tonight" at 11:35 on KING-TV. . . . American Movie Classics repeats the Robert Wagner interview Saturday at 1:30, 7:30 and 11:30 p.m. . . . The syndicated "Star Trek: The Next Generation" begins its new season at 7 p.m. Saturday on KCPQ-TV, completing the cliff-hanger that ended the season last spring. . . . CBS' "Raven," a summer show that caught on with viewers, returns to the schedule at 9 p.m. Saturday on KIRO-TV, prior to the first regular episode of CBS' "Angel Street" at 10. . . . ABC's "Commish" begins its second season at 10 p.m. Sunday on KOMO-TV, the same time NBC's "Sisters" begins its third season on KING-TV. . . . Nicolas Cage hosts the premiere episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" when it begins its 18th season at midnight Saturday night on KING-TV. . . . If you missed PBS' four-hour "The Kennedys" earlier this week, KCTS-TV will repeat all four hours, starting at 2 a.m. Sunday. . . . KOMO-TV premieres a new syndicated newscast for youngsters, "Real News for Kids," at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. . . . A&E has the American premiere of "Heading Home," a new British TV movie written and directed by noted playwright David Hare, Sunday at 5 and 9 p.m. . . . And the focus will be on choreographer Mark Morris, who'll be appearing in Seattle next weekend, on A&E's "Rave" arts program at 8 and midnight Sunday. . . . Fox's "In Living Color" begins its fourth season at 8 p.m. Sunday on KCPTS-TV. . . . Comedy Central channel begins airing "Almost Live!" episodes this Sunday at 9:30 p.m. and the show will be seen regularly Mondays through Fridays at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., as well as 9:30 p.m. Sundays.

John Voorhees' column appears Sunday, Monday and Thursday in The Times.