ANYONE looking for a bit of bite in today's viewing, is only going to find it in a new Indian cookery series on the BBC. Both domestic channels are sticking to movie comedy of the gentlest kind.
FRENCH-American production The Maid (World 9.30pm, Original Running Time 91 mins) is strictly for the romantics. It features Martin Sheen - now rather ignobly better known as Charlie's Dad than for his own roles in films like Apocalypse Now - in the guise of banker Anthony Wayne who goes to Paris and falls in love.
Nothing surprising about falling in love in Paris, particularly since the object of his amour is Jacqueline Bisset. But suspension of disbelief has to go into overdrive for the next part: So obsessed is Wayne that he inveigles his way into her household in the job of maid - gives a whole new meaning to the term ''domestic bliss''.
There he befriends her attention-starved daughter and charms Bisset, before the film descends rapidly into farce when his ex-boss comes to dinner - a meal which Wayne has to serve.
This is one of those occasions where it's vital not to reveal the ending, lest viewers reel over with shock and do themselves an injury. THE alternative, Betsy's Wedding (Pearl 9.30pm ORT 94 mins) is one of writer, director and star Alan Alda's better ventures, first shown in Hongkong same time last year.
It's basically an Alda update of the 1950 Spencer Tracy classic Father of the Bride, also remade in 1991 by Steve Martin. Here, Alda's the proud, and financially strapped Daddy, Molly Ringwald's the bride to be.
