NEXT ACTION STAR (9:05 p.m., Ch. 5) is a new show that looks like umpteen old shows . . . and that's not a good thing.

This is "American Idol" or "America's Next Top Model" (or any of the shows like that) for (you guessed it!) action stars. The premise is that they're searching for two action stars (one male, one female) to appear in a "major motion picture."

That right there is my major beef with this derivative show. The "major motion picture" is actually a TV movie, which, in my book, is neither "major" nor what most people think of as a "motion picture." That's something tonight's 55-minute installment never makes clear, choosing instead to emphasize that both the show and the upcoming teleflick are produced by Joel Silver, who has produced movies like the "Die Hard" and "Matrix" series.

Anyway . . . tonight is all about auditions — complete with completely ridiculous wannabes and judges who are Simon Cowell wannabes. Eventually, this 10-episode series will have the finalists competing at various stunts and being eliminated week by week until we get the "Next Action Stars."

Whatever.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com