Nbc Monday Night at the Movies Deadly Web

By TONY SCOTT

And Hallmark Entertainment. Executive producer, Charles W. Fries; co-executive producer, Richard C. Berman; producer, Christopher J. Fries; director, Jorge Montesi; writer, Alan Ormsby.
 
Cast: Gigi Rice, Ed Marinaro, John Wesley Shipp, Andrew Lawrence, Ted McGinley, Raphael Sbarge, Carlton Wilborn, Jan Triska, JoAnn Willette, Robin Quivers, Barry Nolan, Claire Kirk, Debbie Lynn Ross, Kim Collins, Joe Monti, Claudia Gold, Elizabeth Jee, Oliver M. Fries. Alan Ormsby's teleplay, harking back in spirit to 1970s MOWs, has been updated by computers, downgraded by lackluster thesping. Jorge Montesi limply directs the damsel-in-distress meller "Deadly Web," and cyber-manipulating upstages the actors.
 

Divorced mom Terri (Gigi Rice), hired by Dr. Ascher (Jan Triska) as hospital librarian,

"The Fox Tuesday Night Movie: Terror in the Family" review, page 12

learns that the doctor has mysteriously keeled over, another woman in the office (Robin Quivers) resents her, smooth Dr. Stanton (John Wesley Shipp) pants after her, computer wizard Barry (Raphael Sbarge) is eyeing her, and someone who's invading her private life is sending her and her small son, Spence (Andrew Lawrence), immodest notices via computers.

Terri's cyborg stalker becomes tiresome before its purpose is clear, and Montesi fails to ferret out any suspense.Nothing generates chills: not the darkened hospital corridor Terri uses, not her shadowy office when she's alone, not even scenes when the killer is in her home. Computer screens burst into action with their nasty notes, but the scariest part of the vidpic is that among all those computers, there's not a book in sight.

Dependable security guard Jones (Ed Marinaro) is Terri's only recourse. He lost his partner earlier in a tilt with the stalker, and was injured during that encounter; he has his own reasons for wanting to catch whoever it is.

Marinaro also delivers the best perf in the thin drama. Rice plays Terri with determined earnestness. Ted McGinley ably limns her smooth ex-husband, Peter. Telepic looks good, and the challenging tech credits are well handled.

Camera, David A. Geddes; editor, Tom Fries; production designer, Gary T. New; sound, Rex Slinkard; music, Stacy Widelitz; casting, Fern Orenstein.