TV REVIEW : CBS’ ‘Malcolm Takes a Shot’ Scores Some Serious Points

An unusually fine cast and a few glimpses of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (as himself) fire up today’s serious “CBS Schoolbreak Special,” “Malcolm Takes a Shot” (Channels 2 and 8 at 3 p.m.).

(The show was originally scheduled to air in March, but CBS postponed it because its plot is disturbingly close to events surrounding the death of Loyola Marymount basketball star Hank Gathers, who collapsed on the court just two days before the program was to air.)

John Clair is Malcolm, the hotshot of the high school basketball team, whose celebrity status makes him slight the importance of schoolwork and teamwork. His waking thoughts are all for basketball, and he’s confident of an athletic scholarship, even though he’s letting his class work slide. At night he dreams of going one-on-one with Abdul-Jabbar.

When he suffers an epileptic seizure during a game, his dream becomes a nightmare. He is withdrawn and angry, until a friend (Gregory (Mars) Martin, in an especially nice turn) helps him reassess his priorities.

Lending weight to the proceedings are Tony Lo Bianco as the concerned coach, Susan Ruttan as a dedicated teacher, Mario Van Peebles (who also directed) as a doctor who dispenses information about epilepsy, and Margaret Avery as Malcolm’s mother.

Clair is more than just a handsome young face; he’s believable as a teen who’s baffled and angry at what life has dealt him, then finds his real strength.

Bob Gookin’s script and Van Peebles’ direction give events a natural feel, even though, as usual in these afternoon, youth-targeted message shows, everything is tied up neatly at the end of the hour.