TV Reviews : Pocket-Sized Pink ‘Aliens,’ Oh My!

When grade-school kid Richard discovers a freeze-dried alien in his breakfast cereal, it’s a sure bet that it won’t be any ordinary day.

In “Aliens for Breakfast,” an hourlong special on ABC tonight, messages of self-confidence and friendship are wrapped up in a mild sci-fi adventure starring Ben Savage as Richard and Sinbad as a pocket-sized pink alien named Aric.

Aric pops up in Richard’s cereal bowl to warn of an impending invasion of evil alien Dranes, who conquer planets by robbing the inhabitants of their individuality. Oddly enough, a mysterious new kid in school named Dorf (Zachary Bostrom) seems to be having that effect on all of Richard’s friends and teachers.

When Richard confronts the Drane, he must call on all his inner resources to be true to himself and not become a follower.

Adapted by Larry Wilson from a book by Stephanie Spinner and Jonathan Etra, this pleasant little program for young viewers is capably carried by fresh-faced Savage, Bostrom and wise-cracking Sinbad. Teri Garr makes a few appealing appearances as Richard’s mom and Alfre Woodard and Shelley Duvall (the show’s executive producer) have brief cameos as teachers.

* “Aliens for Breakfast” airs at 8 tonight on ABC (Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42).