with tri-square dice.

Planning on watching 'About Sarah'? Grab a box of tissues

Ready for a good cry? Viewers who prefer their tissues damp and close at hand should not miss "About Sarah" (9 p.m., Sunday, CBS, TV-G). The story revolves around bright college senior Marybeth McCaffrey (Kellie Martin, "ER") whose plans to attend medical school are put on hold when her grandmother (Marion Ross) dies. Grandma had always cared for Marybeth's developmentally disabled mother, Sarah (Mary Steenburgen). Now it's Marybeth's turn. Her efforts to help her mother to become more independent are challenged by her emotionally distant but overly protective great-aunt Lila (Diane Baker).

Steenburgen gives a credible and often moving performance as the mentally challenged Sarah, and "About Sarah" provides quite a few plot twists and emotional jolts in its two-hour run.

For evidence that cynicism can be just as formulaic as sentimentality, examine "Legalese" (8 p.m., Sunday, TNT, TV-14, D, S). This satire of tawdry tabloids, sleazy lawyers and a gullible public features an all-star cast who seem to be having fun making a made-for-cable B movie.

When Angela (Gina Gershon), an actress and spokesmodel, shoots her brother-in-law in cold blood, she pleads self-defense and hires Norman Keane (James Garner), the slickest lawyer in town. But Keane is wise enough to know that his reputation for springing the guilty just might work against her, so he in turn hires hayseed law school graduate Roy Guyton (Edward Kerr) to toil as his courtroom puppet. Keane's lovelorn assistant Rica (Mary-Louise Parker) wastes no time in making Roy her boy toy. The whole legal team falls under the watchful eye of TV tabloid queen and "Scandal Central" host Brenda Whitlass (Kathleen Turner). Despite Turner's breathless and often over-the-top performance, the most scandalous thing in this picture are the cheap sets and obvious dialogue.

Saturday's other highlights

A Major League Divisional Playoff Game airs (7:30 p.m., NBC) with teams to be announced. The pilot episode of "Encore, Encore" (TV-PG) will follow at 10:30 p.m.

Daisy Fuentes and John Fugelsang host the 10th-season premiere of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-G).

George Clooney and Nicole Kidman star in the 1997 action film "The Peacemaker" (8 p.m., HBO).

"Inside the Cold War with Sir David Frost" (8 p.m., History Channel, TV-G) features interviews with the late Robert Kennedy, Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher.

A lonely young woman wants her male best friend to become her lover, and a wimpy dad wants his son to see him as a superhero on "Fantasy Island" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

Lucinda Williams and the Mavericks perform on "Sessions at West 54th" (9 p.m., PBS, check local listings) hosted by David Byrne.

Suburban buddies (Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty) have a male-bonding weekend they'll never forget in director John Boorman's powerful 1972 drama "Deliverance" (10:25 p.m., TBS, TV-14, V).

Kelsey Grammer hosts "Saturday Night Live" (11:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

Sunday's other highlights

Brian Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Martina McBride, Phish and Neil Young are among the artists to appear on "Farm Aid '98" (10 a.m.-6 p.m., Country Music Television).

Scheduled on "60 Minutes" (7 p.m., CBS): a profile of John Whitehead, whose Rutherford Institute is sponsoring the Paula Jones lawsuit; a profile of Ila Borders, the first woman minor-league pitcher; a New Jersey man's lawsuit against the Iranian government.

Scheduled on "Dateline" (7 p.m., NBC): an interview with author and journalist Harold Evans.

TV's favorite teen-age witch and her cranky cat Salem visit the Eternal City in "Sabrina Goes to Rome" on "The Wonderful World of Disney" (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

If necessary, Fox will broadcast Game 4 of the National League Divisional championship series between the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.

Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange and lots of stirring scenery star in the opulent but often violent 1995 historical romance "Rob Roy" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

Two school friends (Linus Roache and Vincent Perez) become mortal enemies when Yugoslavia plunges into civil war in "Shot Through the Heart" (8 p.m., HBO, TV-MA), based on a true story.

Jim Lehrer hosts "Election 98: The National Report" (9 p.m., PBS, check local listings).

Rebecca tries her first case on "The Practice" (10 p.m., TV-PG).

The story of the African slave trade is explored on "History Undercover" (10 p.m., History Channel, TV-G).

Saturday's series

Gary has to choose between averting an accident or preventing a boy from drowning on "Early Edition" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-G) ... An unsolved 1957 murder is investigated on "America's Most Wanted" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-PG, V) ... Sammo has to stop a gangster from killing an undercover policewoman on "Martial Law" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14, L, V) ... Walker has to save an escaped prisoner from a manhunt on "Walker, Texas Ranger" (10 p.m., CBS, TV-PG, V) ... Trevor tries to find a love connection for a linguist on "Cupid" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG, L).

Sunday's series

Simon, Ruthie and Happy are lost on "7th Heaven" (7 p.m., WB, TV-G) ... Kelly foils Gordon's hot date on "Holding the Baby" (7:30 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) ... Monica tries to save a promising young politician from a destructive friendship on "Touched by an Angel" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-G) ... Ray's political race puts the family in the spotlight on "Sister, Sister" (8 p.m., WB, TV-G) ... Lisa fears that she is genetically disposed to stupidity on "The Simpsons" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) ... Red's Grandma pays a visit on "That '70s Show" (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-PG, L) ... Yvette and Mo enter a contest to win a car on "Smart Guy" (8:30 p.m., WB, TV-G) ... Scully suspects that Mulder may be working for terrorists on "The X-Files" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-PG, V, L) ... Tiffany and Ryan ponder just what a woman wants in a man on "Unhappily Ever After" (9 p.m. WB, TV-PG, D, L) ... The prospect of real combat gives everyone the jitters on "The Army Show" 9:30 p.m., WB, TV-PG, L).