TV REVIEW : ‘Connecticut Yankee’ Gets a Fresh New Face

Queen Guinevere learns karate in the latest version of Mark Twain’s “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” (tonight, Channels 4, 36 and 39 at 8 p.m.).

Her instructor is a new kind of Connecticut Yankee, a 1980s girl played by Keshia Knight Pulliam of “Cosby” fame. The karate comes in handy later, as the Queen (Emma Samms) uses it against wicked Morgana (Jean Marsh).

The Queen and her ladies-in-waiting also learn funky dance steps from their juvenile visitor.

The casting of Knight Pulliam turns the story from a piece of grown-up social satire into a kids’ adventure epic. Purists may frown, but others will smile at this little girl’s pluck and ingenuity. And with a little parental guidance, middle-grade kids might even find themselves pondering the larger dimensions of the story.

In Paul Zindel’s script, our heroine is cast back into the 6th Century when she is thrown from a horse at her big sister’s equestrian club. She’s lucky that her backpack, including her portable tape recorder, travels with her; she uses it to demonstrate modern-day magic. She’s also fortunate that her class was studying eclipses just prior to her big adventure.

Michael Gross’ King Arthur is a nice guy but somewhat ineffectual--not far from his “Family Ties” image. Marsh and Hugo E. Blick are delicious villains as Morgana and her son, Mordred; Rene Auberjonois is a flustered old fool as Merlin. Whip Hubley and Bryce Hamnet play the girl’s trustworthy allies.

Knight Pulliam is more than adorable here; she holds the film together without becoming obnoxiously precocious. Mel Damski directed on plush storybook-style locations designed by Brian Eatwell and handsomely shot by Harvey Harrison.