‘AMERIKANA’

What fools we mortals be. We, the millions of TV viewers who kept waiting for something to happen in “Amerika.” For Kris Kristofferson to say something revolutionary, for Mariel (Hemingway) to stop mugging for the camera; for anything--to keep us awake.

The relation of this TV travesty to “Roots” is simply ludicrous. “Roots” was a compelling story with broad appeal to blacks and whites. It was a real drama with real characters. It developed and blossomed with conflicts, antagonism and pathos. It had a powerful ending. “Amerika” had none of these of good-story qualities and its ratings spoke eloquently of those shortcomings.

The TV audience has been duped again; not by the KGB or the GRU but by ABC. Seldom in TV history has so much time and money been wasted to deliver so little entertainment. America was not a ready market for “Amerika.” If it demonstrated anything to the Soviets, it’s that we are far too silly for occupation. We can hear the titters all the way from Moscow.

LOIS DRAKE

San Diego