COMIC LENO TAKES IT ON THE CHIN

“Remember,” co-host Lu Leonard says at the outset of Jay Leno’s first network special tonight, “if you don’t like this one, there won’t be any more!”

That’s called leading with your chin. Leno’s got a formidable one, which is a good thing, because he lands on it in this 90-minute substitute for “Saturday Night Live” (11:30 p.m., Channels 4, 36 and 39).

Leno recognizes the basic tackiness of much of television and tries mightily to put it down even as he’s being part of it, in the manner of David Letterman, on whose show he frequently appears.

Leno taped the show in a warehouse in Philadelphia, for example, and his guests include Vanna White of “Wheel of Fortune” and Doug Llewelyn of “People’s Court.” And, in one of several sketches taped on location around the city, he does a “60 Minutes”-like inquiry into why Dick Clark moved “American Bandstand” out of Philadelphia 20 years ago.

Leno lacks Letterman’s deft touch, however, and his smugness backfires badly. The material ranges from innocuous to tepid--his opening monologue about the hardships of flying by charter aircraft is right out of a Las Vegas lounge act--and is made even worse by the warehouse-induced reverberating sound system and awkward camera angles.

“The Jay Leno Show,” in short, is the very thing it seeks to satirize: doltish television.

Leonard’s opening warning notwithstanding, however, it is certain that Leno will be back: He’s under long-term contract to NBC and will be doing more such comedy specials. Chin up, Jay, and better luck next time.

Elsewhere on the tube this weekend: “60 Minutes” reports on the McMartin Pre-School child molestation case, including an interview with Raymond Buckey, who will soon be going on trial. The program airs Sunday at 7 p.m. (Channels 2 and 8).

Here are other weekend programs:

TODAY: “Teen Talk” focuses on getting into college, 8 a.m. (9). . . .

CBS launches its new “Saturday Movie” series with “Vengeance: The Story of Tony Cimo,” a new TV film in which Brad Davis plays a man who avenges the murder of his parents, 9 p.m. (2)(8).

SUNDAY: “Sunday Morning” reports on Long Island’s vanishing fishing industry, 8 a.m. (2)(8). . . .

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley takes his campaign to unseat Gov. George Deukmejian to “Channel 4 News Conference,” 8 a.m. (4). . . .

“The McLaughlin Group” debates current affairs at 8:30 a.m. (4). . . .

“Meet the Press” looks at the battle for control of the U.S. Senate with guests Paul Kirk, chairman of the Democratic National Committee; Frank Fahrankopf, chairman of the Republican National Committee; Robert Squire, Democratic media consultant, and Robert Goodman, Republican media consultant, 9 a.m. (4)(36) and 10 a.m. (39). . . .

The Senate elections also will be discussed on “This Week With David Brinkley” by White House Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan, Sen. John Heinz (R-Pa.) and Sen. George J. Mitchell (D-Me.), 10:30 a.m. (7) and 11:30 a.m. (3)(10)(42). . . .

For young people, Ted Koppel hosts a “Notebook” special about teen-agers who help adults learn to read English, 1 p.m. (7), 3:30 p.m. (3). . . .

Cruz Reynoso, one of the Associate Justices of the State Supreme Court who goes before the voters Tuesday, visits “At Issue,” 1:30 p.m. (2). . . .

“Face the Nation” previews next week’s elections with Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan.), Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), political correspondent David Broder of the Washington Post and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a professor of communications at the University of Texas, 2 p.m. (2). . . .

Ballot measures and candidates involved in Tuesday’s election are the subject of back-to-back programs on KCET, “Propositions ‘86--A Voter’s Guide” at 2 p.m. and “The Issues Hit Home” at 3 p.m. (28). . . .

Philippine Ambassador Manuelle Pelaez discusses what’s going on in that country on “Firing Line,” 4 p.m. (28). . . .

“Ask Max,” a new film about a boy who invents a jumping bicycle, airs on “The Disney Sunday Movie,” 7 p.m. (7)(3)(10)(42). . . .

Sean Connery portrays James Bond in “Never Say Never Again,” 8 p.m. (7)(3)(10)(42). . . .

Ellen Burstyn, Tuesday Weld and Patrick Cassidy star in “Something in Common,” a new TV movie airing at 9 p.m. (2)(8).

Jaclyn Smith returns as tragedy-prone lawyer Jennifer Parker in “Rage of Angels: The Story Continues,” 9 p.m. (4)(36)(39), with part 2 due Monday at 9 p.m.