Four new TV shows last week gave the children's audience a Hobson's choice between pistols and puppets.
Dick Tracy (Fri. 7:30 p.m., Du Mont), a filmed series based on the comic strip detective, comes equipped with two-way wristwatch radios, a satanic mastermind, and a fumbling police department. Actor Ralph Byrd, as the wooden-faced hero, spends most of his time making pronouncements like: "We're up against a gang who won't stop at anything—even murder!" The commercials introduce a children's chorus screaming in unison that Amm-i-dent toothpaste tastes better than candy or cake.
Saddle Pal Club (Sat. 7 p.m., ABC) opens with guitar-playing Jim...