Frolicking with the Bard at Lincoln Center; KPXN gets clean start; Diana recalled, everywhere

Sunday

College Football / 11:30 a.m. ABC

Pro football is just a week away for ABC, which kicks off its 1998 college slate with the Pigskin Classic pitting Purdue against USC at the Coliseum. It’s the fourth meeting between the teams (which last played in 1976), with USC holding a 2-1 edge. The Trojans are led by new head coach Paul Hackett, whose roster includes 15 starters hoping to improve on last season’s record of 6-5. CBS, which has the NFL back in the fold this year, opens its college schedule Saturday at 5 p.m. with the Ohio State-West Virginia matchup. Earlier at 12:30 p.m. on NBC, Notre Dame hosts Michigan.

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“Live From Lincoln Center” / 8 p.m. KCET

Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” sports a spiffy cast headed by Helen Hunt, Paul Rudd and Kyra Sedgwick. The tale of mistaken identities centers on Viola (Hunt), who disguises herself as a boy to become attendant of Orsino (Rudd), who’s in love with Countess Olivia (Sedgwick), who falls for Viola as Cesario. Whew! All this production from director Nicholas Hytner needs is a surprise appearance by Paul Reiser to really stir the pot!

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“Floating Away” / 9 p.m. Showtime

After a slow start, the well-developed characters in this wry drama take hold and make you care about where they’re going. As it happens, whiskey-swilling alcoholic Maurey (Rosanna Arquette), a self-destructive parent who endangered the life of her child, enlists the help of two recovering derelicts (Judge Reinhold and Paul Hogan) to reclaim him in Georgia. Reinhold and Hogan are strong in surprisingly meaty roles, with the latter playing a particularly caustic and outspoken fellow in a wheelchair who has an impact on Maurey.

Monday

U.S. Open Tennis / 8 a.m. USA. Saturday 8 a.m. CBS

You never know how far defending champions will go the following year. Barring late injuries, the pressure is on Patrick Rafter and Martina Hingis to duplicate their impressive Grand Slam showings of last summer. USA and CBS will televise the two-week tourney from Flushing Meadows, N.Y., combining for more than 127 hours of coverage leading up to the men’s singles final on Sept. 13. Pete Sampras will be going for his 12th Grand Slam title, which would tie him with all-time leader Roy Emerson.

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PAX TV Launch / Noon KPXN

Can’t find enough solid family fare on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN and the WB? Well, this seventh network sets out to fill the void with a schedule consisting of original series, infotainment shows, weekend children’s programs and syndicated reruns of old favorites such as “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” and “Touched by an Angel.” With former CBS entertainment chief Jeff Sagansky at the helm, the net’s pledge is to air programs devoid of excessive violence and gratuitious sex. Guess that rules out the racy rearview angles on “NYPD Blue.”

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“Diana” / 8 p.m. NBC

We aren’t likely to find the sort of “Where are the jewels?” dirt unearthed in the new book, “The Day Diana Died.” No, this will be a sober and sentimental review of the princess who passed away a year ago. The two-hour tribute, narrated and co-produced by her friend Lord Richard Attenborough, features interviews with associates, authors, photographers, magazine editors and commentators. But wait, there’s more: E! carries “Princess Diana: The E! True Hollywood Story” Sunday at 8 p.m., followed by “As It Happened: When Diana Died,” airing Monday at 7 and 11 p.m. on the History Channel.

Thursday

“Inside the NFL” / 11 p.m. HBO

Cable’s longest-running sports series opens its 22nd year with a documentary recounting Denver’s triumph over Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII and revisiting memorable teams and players in NFL history. Len Dawson and Nick Buoniconti begin their 20th year as hosts, joined again by Cris Collinsworth and Jerry Glanville. Brian Burwell and newcomer Armen Keteyian will report on the weekly “Cover Story,” with “NFL Crosstalk” back as a regular segment featuring interviews with players and coaches.