Heads up!: TV tips

The Disney Channel, beginning Saturday, November 2, 8:30-9:30 a.m., ET This new Disney series features the continuing, whimsical adventures of 12-year-old Doug Funnie, cartoon hero for the average kid. Doug's adjusting to being an underclassman in middle school, having a new baby sister, and dealing with his secret crush, Patti Mayonnaise.

Smashed: An MTV News Special Report

MTV Sunday, November 3, 4 a.m., ET. Hosted by Kurt Loder, this special explores alcohol's deep rooted presence in our culture, paying special attention to binge drinking. The show profiles young people who have struggled with alcohol abuse and are willing to talk about the effect heavy drinking has had on their lives.

Titanic

CBS, Tuesday, November 10, 9-11 p.m., and Tuesday, November 12, 9-11 p.m., ET. This new four-hour miniseries starring Peter Gallagher and George C. Scott melds fictional and true-life stories surrounding the sinking of the grand ocean liner Titanic.

Eyes in the Sky

Discovery Channel, Monday, November 18, check local listings. This program explores the way scientists use satellites in Kenya's Amboseli National Park to track elephants and prevent them from wandering out of the park's safe environment.

Smoke Alarm: The Unfiltered Truth

HBO, Monday, November 18, 7:3C 8 p.m., ET. Made in conjunction with Consumer Reports, this show gives kids a clear picture of the methods the tobacco industry uses to get them hooked. Between animated and live action sketches, teenage smokers speak to viewers about their addictions.

Getting Physical

Court TV Saturdays in November, 4 a.m., ET An in-depth look at some of the early signs of abusive and violent behavior among teenage couples. Court TV interviews students, teachers, and a counselor who educates teenagers about what's acceptable behavior between boyfriends and girlfriends-and what's not. For support materials, contact: Courtroom Television Network, 600 Third Ave., New York, NY 10016, 212/973-2800.

Ghostwriter

Syndication, November, check local listings. A half-hour mystery series (photo below) that uses topical, moral, and social dilemmas to reach today's kids and promote literacy in an entertaining way. Includes hightech graphics, music videos, stateof-the-art animation, and celebrity guests.

Storytime

PBS, November, Monday-Friday, check local listings. Designed to encourage young children to read, this show features guest celebrities reading popular children's books (photo above right). Hosted by Kino, a sneaker-clad puppet, and his real-life friends Mara and Lucy, the series also shows adults how easy and rewarding it is to read to kids. For a book list, contact KQED Community Outreach, 4401 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027, 213/953-5298.

Class of 2000

CBS, November, check local listings. Drawn from the stories of the teenagers who will graduate from high school in the year 2000 and their families, this series of short segments looks at America's problems and promise at the dawn of a new century. Internet chat rooms will be designed to enable teenagers across the country to share their thoughts and feelings.

The New Explorers: Slavery's Buried Past

PBS, Wednesday, December 18, 8-9 p. m., ET In 1991, New York City construction workers unearthed a centuries-old slave graveyard. Scientists studying the skeletons discovered that slaves built early New York-and were worked to death in the process. This show documents the dig, research, and results.

How do you spell God?

HBO, December, check local listings. Inspired by the book of the same name by Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsigner Thomas Hartman, this multimedia special speaks to children of many different religions, explores the similarities and differences between faiths, and talks about tolerance and spirituality.

KIDSNET, the computerized clearinghouse for children's electronic media in Washington, D.C., prepared this list of recommended programs.