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Critic's choice: This week

Last update: July 4, 2008 - 9:40 PM

Sunday

You don't have to be a tennis fan to enjoy the tranquil setting of the Wimbledon Men's Finals (8 a.m., KARE, Ch. 11). Simply tune in early, enjoy the green, green grass of home court, dig into some strawberries 'n' cream and laugh at commentator John McEnroe's no-nonsense predictions.

Monday

Longtime film critic Elvis Mitchell kicks off his new series, "Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence" (7 p.m., TCM), with one of the last interviews with director Sydney Pollack, who died in May. The conversation is terrific, with Pollack talking generously about his influences and his own masterpieces, but it's far too short at just half an hour. Later this season: Bill Murray, Joan Allen and Laurence Fishburne.

Tuesday

Ted Koppel is long gone, but "Nightline" (10:35 p.m., KSTP, Ch. 5) rolls on. Once known for its hard-hitting, live interviews, the program now looks more like a regular newsmagazine, with the occasional documentary. One of those, "How to Buy a Child in 10 Hours," premieres tonight, with correspondent Dan Harris going undercover in Haiti to buy a child slave. Within 10 hours, he gets three offers, one with the promise of "personal training." Chilling stuff -- and an absolute must-see.

Wednesday

It comes as no surprise that the very strange, and often very funny, Tracy Morgan would be into cruel, crazy practical jokes, making him the ideal host of "Scare Tactics" (9 p.m., SCIFI). How much you'll enjoy watching a guy think he's going to be dropped into a wood chipper or a woman led to believe that she's helping to deliver Satan's baby is quite another matter.

Thursday

Kevin may be a bit player during the winter at Dunder Mifflin, but he's front and center come summertime. The dopey, droopy character, played by former Twin Cities actor Brian Baumgartner, takes center stage in "The Office Webisodes," two-minute vignettes that will available at 2 p.m. Thursdays at www.nbc.com over the next couple of months. The plot revolves around his attempts to pay back gambling debts by operating an ice-cream store -- even though he doesn't know a thing about ice cream, stores or operating. It's great to see the satellite actors, which include Oscar Nuñez and Craig Robinson, get some bonus attention.

NEAL JUSTIN

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