Arresting Behavior

 ((Tues. (18), 9:30-10 p.m., ABC-TV))

By TONY SCOTT

Filmed on location in L.A. County by Rock Island Prods. in association with Vic Kaplan Prods. andHBO Independent Prods. Exec producers, Vic Kaplan, Larry Levin; director, Betty Thomas; writer-creator, Levin.
 
Cast: Leo Burmester, Ron Eldard, Lee Garlington, Chris Mulkey, Amy Hathaway, Eric Balfour, Joey Simmrin, Tim Russ, Dana Sparks, Sandy Bull, Ann Talman, Marty Rackham. Denise Lee Richards, Lee Strauss, Deirdre Imershein, Beth Robbins, Arthur Duffy.
 

Good for a breezy pilot-plus-six-episode summer series, Larry Levin's quicksilver sendup of "Cops"-like programs moves fast and leans to the sudden laugh as well as the recurring sight gag. In its assigned Wednesdays-at-9:30 p.m. slot, "Arresting Behavior" should build viewership among devotees of "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" and the 1982 "Police Squad."

Comedy involves Vista Valley squad car cops Bill Ruskin (Leo Burmester), early middle-aged, married and trying, and Donny Walsh (Ron Eldard), younger, single and denser, going about their daily duties with a camera at their elbows to record their actions for a docu.

Occasionally they speak to the camera, as does Bill's wife Connie (Lee Garlington), who grooms dogs, and Ron's distorted brother cop Pete (Chris Mulkey).

Much of the comedy stems from characters such as Pete, who's nasty enough to slip tykes into the city hoosegow for an aborted "Scared Straight!" sesh. Bill, telling the camera 'bout his horse Rusty, gets a mean kick that maims him enough to lose a burglar running off with a TV set.

Levin has a method in the madness, which includes a stolen red car the two lead cops keep overlooking, a baby locked inside a car (brother Pete comes along to fix that--fast) and Connie's birthday dinner. Bill and Connie have three distinct youngsters (Amy Hathaway, Eric Balfour, Joey Simmrin), and Donny and Pete have a sister (Dana Walsh) who's leading her own life.

Betty Thomas's assured direction is top grade, the situations have punch, and everyone's wittily playing the game of working on a documentary. Program boasts a merry score by Donald Markowitz, and good supporting performances.

Trick will be keeping up the humor quotient in succeeding visits to Vista Valley, which happily plays like loony Fernwood, Ohio.

Camera, H.J. Brown; editor , Brent Carpenter; art director, Lisa Smithline; sound, Larry Stephens; music, Donald Markowitz.