One of Fox Broadcasting's slow-building hits is "Strange Luck''; it is a unique series in many ways. They say if you can't describe a show in one sentence, it will never appeal to a mass audience. "Strange Luck'' may be the exception to that rule.

The show has a complex premise. D.B. Sweeney plays Chance Harper, a respected photojournalist who was the lone survivor of a plane crash when he was a kid, which left him with special intuitive powers.

He is always around when someone is in trouble, and he often rescues people from dire situations. He is not a Superman by any means, but he is definitely a victim of "strange luck.''

Sweeney, who has enjoyed a successful movie career, mostly in offbeat, low-profile films, had turned down many series offers before "Strange Luck'' came his way.

According to Sweeney, his agent often calls with doctor roles. He agreed to read the script for "Strange Luck'' when his agent assured him that the role was not that of a doctor, a cop or a lawyer.

The script blew Sweeney away. He said it was very well written and had such a different feel from most TV series.

"There was a great deal of resonance to the story,'' says Sweeney, "and Chance Harper was such a unique character, a hero and a victim at the same time. He reminded me of the classic heroes of the old movies in many ways.

"His 'strange luck' isolates him when he realizes he has to live his life as the bearer of such a strange fate. I was hooked and decided to take the series and flesh out the character as much as I could.''

Sweeney had heard that doing a TV series was hard work, but he wasn't prepared for just how hard it really is. Because he is in almost every scene, he often works 14-hour days and endeavors to keep his energy level up.

"It's hard work,'' the actor admits. "Since this is my first series, I had to go through the growing pains. Luckily, the cast is so good, they spark me.

"Frances Fisher, who plays a waitress in the show, is a nuclear weapon as an actress. She makes scenes work that seem ordinary before we start shooting them. Then there's Pamela Gidley, who plays my assignment editor. She also brings a lot to the party.''

Another aspect of working in a series that Sweeney says requires a great deal of adjustment is the corporate nature of creative responsibility.

"In films, I usually went to the director if I had a problem,'' says Sweeney, "but with a series there are so many cooks. You have to figure out the chain of command in a TV series. Once you know who the decision maker really is, you then go to him.''

Sweeney's movie credits have been diverse. He played a baseball player in "Eight Men Out,'' a marine in "Gardens of Stone,'' a World War II soldier in "Memphis Belle'' and Peter Falk's grandson in "Roommates.'' "I was doing all right in movies, but I still wasn't being considered for the roles that usually went to Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. My films were budgeted at a moderate 20 million, and this began to frustrate me.

"When 'Strange Luck' was offered to me, I realized I could be playing a very challenging role rather than wait around for the next movie part to come my way.''

c 1995 by TV KEY

Distributed by King Features Syndicate