The Young and the Suitless

The Series: “Extra--The Entertainment Magazine” (NBC, Monday through Friday, 7 p.m.).

The Setup: Hosts Arthel Neville and Dave Nemeth (pictured) introduce segments on late-breaking celebrity, movie, television and music news.

The Look: Neville and Nemeth are in no way living on the same planet as their “Entertainment Tonight” rivals, Mary Hart--in her trademark clothes that sparkle--and John Tesh, in jacket and tie. And yet while always put together, Neville and Nemeth don’t always come across like they exist in the land of reality. Neville, the more polished of the two, fares better than Nemeth, who strains to look Hollywood. There’s no denying that everything they wear is the newest and the latest, but it’s not always divine.

We Could Live Without: Yes, we all know that men wearing shirts buttoned to the top and without a tie can be very cool, but certainly not night after night. More to the point--and this may seem horribly old-fashioned--on a slick show such as this, a tie would prove more commanding. Yes, Nemeth’s unmatching vests and blazers and trousers all worn together can be very sophisticated. Seen on television, however, it just looks like he’s a man in need of a suit.

On the very night Hart wore one of her metallic-edged suits and camisoles (don’t forget the rhinestone earrings), Neville--who strictly wears trousers--donned comparatively subdued gray slacks, satiny patchwork vest and satin blouse, which one couldn’t help but notice was buttoned to the top exactly like that of her co-host. She looks best on nights when she’s not working to be In Fashion with those novelty shirts, “Extra”-wide trousers and “Extra”-long jacket.

Quoted: “I don’t even know where Mary (Hart) gets those kinds of clothes anymore, but Arthel wouldn’t be caught dead in any of those things. She’s just a natural woman. The other thing is, Arthel and Dave are about 15 years younger than Mary and John,” says Cynthia Riley, consulting executive producer, explaining why Neville and Nemeth should look different from “Entertainment Tonight’s” hosts.

Good Hair Day: The powers-that-be were right in persuading Neville to chop off her medium-length hair in favor of a jaunty, short do. How much persuading did it take? Riley says Neville was given four hair stylists to interview and short wigs to sample.

Miss: Compared to the polished-looking hosts, the correspondents are a scruffy bunch, with Ethan Hawke wanna-be John Norris reporting one day in backward baseball cap and sunglasses.

Sources: The Beverly Hills outpost of Barneys New York provides the hosts’ wardrobes.