Screen Test

Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

(HBO, Sunday, Dec. 2, 8 p.m.)

THE RUNDOWN: Amazing lineup of comics, actors, filmmakers and colleagues pay homage to comedy's king-of-the-putdown, as old footage traces Rickles' 50-year career.

PROS:

CONS: Clever cross-cutting of clips aside, documentary breaks no new ground and fans aren't likely to learn anything new about Rickles.

THE SCORE: All-star roster of interviewees will attract more than just Rickles devotees, and laughs-per-minute ratio bests even prime Curb Your Enthusiasm .

— George Vernadakis

Tin Man

(Sci Fi Channel, Sunday, Dec. 2, 9 p.m.)

THE RUNDOWN: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz meets Flash Gordon . Dorothy is “DG” (Zooey Deschanel), a rebellious 20-something who tornados into “the O.Z.” (Outer Zone). She befriends an ex-cop (the “Tin Man”), fraidy-cat lion (an excellent Raoul Trujillo) and brain-damaged inventor (Alan Cumming). Their quest, to save the O.Z. from sorceress Azkedellia, is a journey to redemption.

PROS: Wide-eyed Deschanel and wicked Kathleen Robertson (Azkadelia) are compelling adversaries with a twisty back story; action flows smoothly across three nights of two hours each; special effects and score enhance rather than dominate.

CONS: The workmanlike dialogue lacks zip; and except when Robertson dispatches her robot monkeys, not much here inspires awe.

— Kent Gibbons