They may not hold conventions, dress like their favourite characters from the show or shell out hundreds for merchandising, yet his faithful are just as excited as Star Wars fans.

 And they won't even have to wait in line to see the return of Michael Moore.

 The Awful Truth continues the saga set forth in two previous instalments of TV Nation: One roguish hero roaming the galaxy, battling the dark side.

 Debuting on e at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, Moore's new weekly series recaptures the spirit and tone of its predecessors which ran on NBC during the summer of 1994 and Fox the next year.

 Even Crackers the Corporate Crime-Fighting Chicken is back. As is the TV Nation Poll, conducted by Widgery and Associates. (Albeit with a different moniker.)

 Two inspired segments form the substance of each show in the current 13-episode season.

 Viewers of the Emmy-winning TV Nation may recall Moore test-driving hospitals in the U.S., Canada and Cuba to illustrate the shortcomings of their health system.

 He gets a little more specific tomorrow night. Moore visits Christopher Donahue -- a Florida man being denied a pancreas transplant by his private medicare insurer.

 Were this a John Grisham tale, a young attorney would stick it to The Man in court.

 But this ain't The Rainmaker and Moore ain't Matt Damon, so Moore does what he does best.

 He makes a house call.

 After picking out a casket and renting a hearse, Moore and the ailing father drive to the headquarters of Humana and cordially invite everyone to Donohue's funeral.

 They then proceed to stage it on the steps of the

 corporate castle with horrified employees looking on.

 Another upcoming episode has the unconventional advocate going holiday caroling in lobbies of tobacco companies with a choir composed of cancer victims singing through artificial voiceboxes.

 Not all are as deadly serious, of course.

 Moore's trademark sense of humour is in full force in The Awful Truth. It is the same which runs through his films Roger & Me and The Big One and his books Downsize This! and Adventures in a TV Nation.

 The grassroots campaign which has evolved under his flag defies explanation.

 He's just a guy who believes in certain things and it seems a whole bunch of other people believe he's right.

 Is he an advocate or a vigilante? A rebel or an institution? Part Ralph Nader, part Bill Maher -- a liberal antidote to Rush Limbaugh? None of the above.

 Nor is Moore a journalist, per se.

 He approaches each story with a very specific agenda.

 But even if you disagree with that agenda -- even

 if you fervently oppose Moore's stance on the issue at debate -- you have to admire the guy's moxie.

 You'll doubtlessly be transfixed as he stages a real live Washington witch-hunt or quizzes rich Manhattanites on brainteasers such as: "What is your zip code?"

 If Tom Green ever chose to use his powers for good instead of evil, he might be capable of something like The Awful Truth.

 Until then, The Awful Truth stands alone as the most ingenious program on television and Moore as one of its boldest, bravest personalities.