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Broadway's best,
'A Raisin in the Sun'

ABC airs a three-hour television movie of the hit

By Diego Vasquez
Feb 25, 2008

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The writers’ strike has had many effects, but one of the most interesting is helping to revive ratings for the long-flagging original movie on broadcast.

Over the past two months, CBS’s “Comanche Moon” and NBC’s “Knight Rider” have both drawn strong ratings with audiences hungry for original fare amid the strike fodder.

Tonight ABC hopes that pattern holds with the film “A Raisin in the Sun,” the acclaimed Lorraine Hansberry play that was revived on Broadway a few years back.

The three-hour movie, which starts at 8 p.m., returns much of the revival’s original cast, including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Sanaa Lathan, and Tony Awards winners Audra McDonald and Phylicia Rashad.

The play first debuted in 1959. It follows the Younger family, who come into some money following the death of their patriarch. His widow decides to move to an all-white community, where the black family is shunned. Meanwhile, Combs’ character loses much of the family inheritance in a scam, sparking a big row and putting the family’s future in question.

“Raisin” may be a bit more high-brow than “Rider” or even “Moon,” with its racial context and acclaimed cast. Certainly the largely African-American cast could draw in more black viewers, especially considering the dearth of black headliners on broadcast these days.

But the movie also airs opposite VH1’s “Flavor of Love 3,” one of the top shows with blacks. And while Diddy is a big star, the rapper’s following is with young people, who may be less likely to tune into such a serious drama, opposite the recently surging “Deal or No Deal” on NBC and Fox’s new lie detector hit “Moment of Truth,” making its Monday debut.

“Rider” averaged a 5.0 in adults 18-49 a week earlier, becoming the highest-rated broadcast movie since ABC’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” three years earlier. Even if “Raisin” manages a 4.0, it will be a big hit for ABC, since it’s also bound to garner a number of Emmy nominations later this year.

A look at this week’s top TV draws
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	ABC	“A Raisin in the Sun” (M)	TV adaptation of the classic play, starring Phylicia Rashad and Sean Combs.
8 p.m.	Fox	“The Moment of Truth” (G)	The highly rated new game moves to Mondays. How will it do without an “Idol” lead-in?
8 p.m.	E!	“Fashion Police” (N)	Reviewing the hits and misses fashion-wise at the Oscars.
9 p.m.	CW	“Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious” (R)	Might the show receive a ratings bump after a rerun did well after “Top Model” last week?
9 p.m.	Fox	“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (D)	Sarah breaks into an apartment while looking for a cyborg arm.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Medium” (D)	Money troubles force Allison to work for someone she can’t stand.
10 p.m.	Travel Channel	“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (R)	Bourdain visits Romania and learns about vampires and communism.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Will Ferrell and Valerie Bertinelli both guest.
7 p.m.	ESPN	“College Basketball” (S)	Ohio State takes on Indiana.
8 p.m.	NBC	“The Biggest Loser” (R)	One team earns a trip to Las Vegas.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	The top 10 male performers show their stuff.
9 p.m.	CW	“One Tree Hill” (D)	Mouth gets his first on-air assignment, and Peyton and Lindsey argue about Lucas.
9:30 p.m.	Fox	“Back to You” (C)	Its return after “Idol” should really boost its 2.3 season-to-date average rating among 18-49s.
10 p.m.	TLC	“LA Ink” (R)	Kat is rushed into surgery, and her co-workers try to pick up the slack.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	“Good Morning America” (N)	Donny Osmond makes a guest appearance.
8 p.m.	CW	“America’s Next Top Model” (R)	The 14 remaining wannabes move into an apartment in NYC, then do a show in Times Square.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	Tonight the top 10 females perform.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Supernanny” (R)	When Jo questions a pair of parents’ techniques, the mom threatens to kick her out.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Law & Order” (D)	Prostitutes accuse each other of murdering a high schooler.
10 p.m.	Bravo	“Project Runway” (R)	In the first half of the season-four ender, the designers prepare their work for Fashion Week.
10 p.m.	History Channel	“UFO Hunters” (N)	The crew looks into UFO encounters with the English military over the years.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Toady” (N)	Reunion day! The cast of “Knots Landing” guests.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Survivor” (R)	An unexpected person tries to execute a power play.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	Four more contestants, two male and two female, are bounced from the competition.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Lost” (D)	Sayid and Desmond run into trouble while on their way to the freighter.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Celebrity Apprentice” (R)	The two teams try to put together a four-page magazine spread.
10 p.m.	VH1	“Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” (R)	The first of a two-part season finale.
11 p.m.	Spike TV	“Pros vs. Joes” (G)	The Joes try to survive getting cross-checked by hockey legend Paul Coffey.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	“Good Morning America” (N)	Actress Reese Witherspoon and singer James Blunt both guest.
7:30 p.m.	ESPN2	“Arena Football Preview” (S)	A look at the upcoming season, as well as some of the most memorable moments in AFL history.
8 p.m.	CBS	“The Price is Right” (G)	The classic game show will try to test its muscle against NBC’s new game “Amne$ia.”
9 p.m.	NBC	“Dateline” (N)	Reporters Dennis Murphy and Sara James investigate two separate murders.
10 p.m.	History Channel	“Battle 360” (N)	Series premiere. A look at the USS Enterprise – the WWII carrier, not the “Star Trek” ship.
10:30 p.m.	ESPN	“NBA Basketball” (S)	Carmelo and the Nuggets host the Clippers.
SATURDAY, MARCH 1
Time	Network	Program	Description
2 p.m.	CBS	“College Basketball” (S)	Marquette hosts Georgetown in a Big East battle.
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“College Basketball” (S)	North Carolina travels to Boston College for an ACC tilt.
8 p.m.	Fox	“Cops” (R)	Cops in California try to chase down a drunk suspect on foot.
9 p.m.	BET	“Generation Now: Top 25 Under 25” (N)	A countdown of the most promising celebrities under the age of 25.
9 p.m.	ESPN	“College Basketball” (S)	Huge Big 12 rivalry game between Kansas State and Kansas.
11:30 p.m.	NBC	“Saturday Night Live” (C)	Actress Ellen Page hosts.
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
Time	Network	Program	Description
Noon	CBS	“College Basketball” (S)	Important SEC game between Kentucky and Tennessee.
3:30 p.m.	Fox	“NASCAR Racing” (S)	The UAW-Dodge 400, live from Las Vegas.
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“NBA Basketball” (S)	The new-look Mavs take on the new-look Lakers in L.A.
7 p.m.	Fox	“The Simpsons” (C)	Topher Grace lends his voice as a new student who helps Bart pull pranks.
8 p.m.	ABC	“Oprah’s Big Give” (G)	Series premiere. First of an eight-part series in which contestants try to change people’s lives in a positive way.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Quarterlife” (D)	Now in its regular timeslot, can it build on Tuesday’s premiere?
10 p.m.	ABC	“Here Come the Newlyweds” (G)	Series premiere. Seven couples compete to test their teamwork.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.