‘Columbo’ and Dostoevsky Top a Movie-Heavy Schedule

Movies

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It’s another big weekend for movies with a “Columbo” mystery, the unveiling of UPN’s new movie night and NBC’s adaptation of Feodor Dostoevsky’s classic “Crime and Punishment” among the offerings.

Christian Slater and Jared Leto headline the gothic romance “Basil,” tonight at 6 on Romance Classics.

Patrick McGoohan of “The Prisoner” fame makes his fourth guest appearance on “Columbo,” tonight at 8 on Channel 7. In “Ashes to Ashes,” which he also directed, McGoohan plays a mortician who murders a Hollywood gossip columnist (Rue McClanahan) and soon has Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) hounding him. Richard Burgi and Susan Walters star in UPN’s remake of the camp 1958 sci-fi horror flick “I Married a Monster,” tonight at 8 on Channel 13.

A&E; presents another “Silent Witness” thriller, Friday at 7 and 11 p.m. This time, Sam (Amanda Burton) investigates the death of a mother and her baby.

Tony Danza plays a construction contractor who gets a request from you-know-who to buy an ark on ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney” entry “Noah,” Sunday at 7 p.m. on Channel 7.

An 8.2 earthquake levels Manhattan in the Family Channel thriller “Earthquake in New York,” Sunday at 8 p.m. Greg Evigan, Michael Moriarty and Cynthia Gibbs star.

Emilio Estevez plays a sharpshooting cowboy with no name in “Dollar for Dead,” Sunday at 8 and 10 p.m. on TNT. This homage to the spaghetti westerns of the late Sergio Leone was actually shot on his old sets in Spain.

Jane Seymour, James Brolin and Shirley Knight star in the CBS romantic fantasy “A Marriage of Convenience,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on Channel 2. The story revolves around a man and woman who marry because of a young boy’s dream of having two parents.

NBC presents a new adaptation of “Crime and Punishment,” Sunday at 9 p.m. Patrick Dempsey, Ben Kingsley and Julie Delpy star in this drama about a penniless but brilliant student who commits murder.

Specials

Spike Lee directs HBO’s presentation of “John Leguizamo: Freak,” Saturday at 10 p.m. The actor-comedian received a Tony nomination for his acclaimed one-man show about his dysfunctional childhood in New York.

HBO presents “Janet: The Velvet Rope Tour,” Janet Jackson’s acclaimed concert event, Sunday at 9 p.m. The concert will have been taped earlier in the evening at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Documentaries

British film historian Kevin Brownlow (“Cinema Europe”) wrote and directed “Universal Horror,” Friday at 5 and 8:30 p.m. on Turner Classic Movies. The documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, examines such Universal horror classics as “Frankenstein” and “Dracula.” All weekend, TCM will be airing Universal chillers.

The Learning Channel presents “The Greatest Martial Artist: Bruce Lee,” Saturday at 7 and 10 p.m.

Joe Campanella hosts the two-hour A&E; special “Italians in America,” Sunday at 6 and 10 p.m.

ABC News correspondent and Vietnam veteran Jack Smith hosts the Learning Channel’s six-part documentary “Vietnam: The Soldiers’ Story,” Sunday at 6 and 9 p.m.

Series

NBC’s “Friends” celebrates its 100th episode, tonight at 8 on Channel 4. In this landmark installment, Phoebe gives birth to triplets.

Trisha Yearwood, Don Henley and the Mavericks appear on this week’s edition of “Hard Rock Live,” Friday at 7 p.m. on VH1.

UPN kicks off its fifth night of programming Friday at 8 p.m. on Channel 13 with the “Legacy.” Brett Cullen stars in this soap set at a horse farm in post-Civil War Kentucky.

Following at 9 p.m. is the second-season opener of “Love Boat: The Next Wave.” Jason Hervey, Gabrielle Carteris, Julia Duffy and Susan Ruttan are the guests.

Peter Engel, the producer of “Saved by the Bell” and “California Dreams,” unveils his newest teen comedy, “Malibu, CA,” Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on Channel 5. In this syndicated comedy, fraternal twins relocate to California and move in with their father.

The syndicated sci-fi series “Earth: Final Conflict” returns for its second season, Saturday at 5 p.m. on Channel 5. The opener finds double agent William Boone dead.

E! Entertainment Television’s “Behind-the-Scenes” travels to “Dawson’s Creek,” Sunday at 7 p.m. At 8 p.m., “John Lennon: The Final Days” is the topic of “The E! True Hollywood Story.”

Sports

Fox presents Game 2 of the National League’s Championship Series, tonight at 5 on Channel 11. NBC features Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, Friday at 5 p.m. on Channel 4. On Saturday, Fox presents Game 3 of the NL series at 1 p.m., and NBC serves up Game 4 of the AL series at 4:30 p.m. NBC presents Game 5 of the AL series Sunday at 1 p.m., and Fox follows at 4:30 p.m. with Game 4 of the NL series.