Bridget Fonda had a hard time being single in 1992, what with filming Single White Female and Singles (Pearl, 9.30pm). At least in tonight's movie she doesn't have to suffer a flatmate who wants to borrow things without asking - like her clothes, her boyfriend and her life. Singles, the infinitely better film, is about the romantic lives of a group of twentysomething characters sharing an apartment, played out against a colourful Seattle backdrop. The film is divided into chapters and is more a series of interlocking vignettes than a straightforward narrative, with the characters occasionally talking to the screen to introduce themselves or comment on the action. It works not because it's going anywhere profound but because it gets so many details and observations right: like discussions about how long to wait after a date before calling someone back or the strategies people use to convince themselves someone fancies them. Thankfully, director/writer/ producer Cameron Crowe (Say Anything) uses music from some of the more famous Seattle bands instead of a sugary orchestral score, which adds some realism to what is a contemporary film. 'I wanted to write about that period in a person's life when you really define yourself and set the course for who you're going to be,' said Crowe. 'I've been working on various version of Singles since 1983. I wanted to capture the feeling of what it's like to be in your 20s.' With knowing performances from Kyra Sedgewick, Campbell Scott, Matt Dillon and Fonda, it won't just be twentysomethings who see the funny side of the dating game. Kevin Sorbo is getting more than his fair share of air time in Hong Kong at the moment. As if Thursday night's Hercules series wasn't enough, World is also subjecting us to the made-for-TV-movie Hercules And The Lost Kingdom (World, 9.30pm). It wouldn't matter so much if you could tell the Hercules films apart but once you've seen one you've seen them all: heaving muscles, heaving bosoms and heaving monsters. Still, we know how Hong Kongers feeling about heaving flesh. This, after all, is one of only two places on earth where Showgirls (Cineplex) made money. The sleazy sexploitation movie received an unprecedented seven awards at the 16th annual Golden Raspberry Awards last year for the worst cinematic efforts. It's the story of a Las Vegas lap dancer whose attitude is as long as her legs. Sadly, the acting talent of actress Elizabeth Berkley is in reverse proportion to the length of her pins. And though she has no shame sharing the nether regions in between her armpits and her ankles with her audience, she has about as much sex appeal as Snow White. It's the final episode of Picket Fences (Pearl, 11.50pm) and Dead At 21 (Pearl, 1.30am) tonight. Picket Fences is reliably entertaining but there is no doubt the series, like ER, has grown increasingly farfetched and unbelievable. Is it conceivable that so many murders, disappearances and mysteries take place in one small town? Having said that it's a shame to end the series on such a ridiculously trite plot as Jimmy and Jill's marriage falling apart. There are some things that would never, ever happen - even in Rome, Wisconsin. Back to reality, and The Pearl Report (Pearl, 8pm) team follows a group of Canadian doctors and dentists to earthquake-devastated Yunnan Province, where it appears poor sanitation is the main cause of disease.
