Concert, Comedy, Sci-Fi Series on Tap

Three new summer series, ranging from comedy to music to horror, premiere this weekend.

Rick Reynolds and Pam Dawber star in the limited-run CBS comedy series “Life . . . and Stuff,” Friday at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 2. They play a hectic couple who have been married for 10 years. The sitcom is based on Reynolds’ one-man show.

“Perversions of Science,” Saturday at 10:30 p.m. on HBO, is an adult sci-fi anthology series based on the Marvel Comic, from the producers of the long-running “Tales From the Crypt.” The series premieres with a 90-minute trilogy starring William Shatner, Keith Carradine and Jeremy London. It continues on Wednesdays at 11 p.m., beginning June 11.

KCET is co-producer of “On Tour,” Saturday at midnight on Channel 28, a 26-part concert series featuring 50 pop music acts including Beck, Metallica, Cypress Hill, Smashing Pumpkins, the Fugees and Gin Blossoms. The premiere installment features Sting, Steve Earle, Nil Lara and Amanda Marshall.

Today

The French Open tennis tournament continues with women’s singles semifinal coverage, beginning at 9 a.m. on USA. On Friday at 9 a.m., NBC presents the men’s singles semifinals with hosts Dick Enberg, John McEnroe, Chris Evert and Bud Collins. The women’s singles final will air Saturday at noon on NBC, with the men’s singles final on Sunday at 6 a.m.

ESPN also offers coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers at 5 p.m.

Linda Ellerbee is the host of HBO’s “Addicted,” at 8 p.m., a documentary that examines--through first-person cases and testimonials--drug, alcohol and tobacco addiction in America.

Friday

American Movie Classics kicks off its three-day Tarzan marathon at 5 p.m. with a one-hour retrospective, “Investigating Tarzan,” which looks at the history of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ loincloth-clad jungle hero. Thirty-two movies will be shown during the festival.

Roger Mudd narrates “The Marshall Plan: Against the Odds,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 28. The PBS documentary chronicles the post-World War II recovery program in Europe on its 50th anniversary.

“Family Values: An American Tragedy,” at 10 p.m. on Channel 28, features lesbian filmmaker Pam Walton’s search for the true meaning of the word “family.” Her father, a member of the religious right, has had no contact with her for the last 15 years.

Saturday

ABC covers the Belmont Stakes, the third jewel in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, live at 1:30 p.m. on Channel 7. Get your VCRs ready. Ken Burns’ Emmy Award-winning landmark 1990 PBS documentary, “The Civil War,” is back for another viewing, beginning at 2 p.m. and then on Sunday at 4 p.m. on Channel 28.

Taped on location in East and South Africa, “Jack Hanna’s Wildlife Adventures: Africa’s Heavyweights,” at 7 p.m. on the Family Channel, features elephants, gorillas, rhinos, giraffes and hippos.

Tina Turner, Aerosmith and U2 are among the acts featured on ABC’s “Sounds of Summer Preview ‘97,” at 12:35 a.m. on Channel 7.

Sunday

Turner Classic Movies premieres “The Matinee Idol” at 5 p.m., a 1928 Frank Capra silent film recently discovered in a vault in France. The digitally restored comedy stars Bessie Love.

TBS’ “Destination Sunday” presents “Living With Leopards,” at 6 p.m. African cinematographer, adventurer and wildlife expert John Varty directed this look at four generations of a leopard family.

In Showtime’s “Pronto,” at 8 p.m., Peter Falk plays a Miami Beach sports bookie who has been skimming off his boss for 20 years. Glenne Headly and James LeGros also star in this adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s bestseller.

Hal Holbrook narrates the Discovery Channel’s “Battleship,” at 9 p.m., a two-hour documentary that examines America’s floating fighters from World War I and World War II. Also featured is a salute to the USS Missouri, the site of the Japanese surrender in 1945.