THE PROBLEM WITH PULCIFER

As spelled out by his concerned parents in this slight, turnabout spoof, Pulcifer's problem is that he doesn't watch TV. His teacher puts him in a special remedial class where kids are turned off books by having commercials interrupt the story every few pages, and where he must skip pages if he comes in late or takes a break. Finally, he is sent to a psychiatrist who tells his parents that what he lacks is motivation. Still, Pulcifer doesn't find his parents' motive--""everyone watches""--a very good reason to conform. And, ultimately, the parents give up and let him read. Glasser gives Pulcifer a little bow tie and fragile stick legs and succeeds in emphasizing his oddball vulnerability. But this upside-down situation stirs none of the deeper recognitions of the Treehorn stories; it's just a fairly obvious switch, played out predictably.