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DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

Bianculli's Blog

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

The Cold Light Reader

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Dateline Donovan
Contributors

DAVID HINCKLEY

All Along the Watchtower

ED BARK

Uncle Barky's Bytes

ALEX STRACHAN

TV That Matters

MIKE HUGHES

Open Mike

ED MARTIN

Ed Martin's TV Mix

KIM AKASS

Aerial View

MONIQUE NAZARETH

MNtv

BILL BRIOUX

TV Feeds My Family

ROGER CATLIN

TV Eye

GARY EDGERTON

Must-Click TV

TOM BRINKMOELLER

Raised On MTM

GERALD JORDAN

Crossing Jordan

NOEL HOLSTON

The Grassy Noel

TVWW ARCHIVE

Contributors Archive
 
 
 
 
 
2008
May
22
FRANK RICH WORKING WITH HBO? THIS COULD BE RICH INDEED... By David Bianculli
 
 
I've never met Frank Rich, never even talked to him. Yet yesterday's announcement that he has signed on as a creative consultant for HBO, to initiate and help develop projects, sounds like the best move HBO has made since green-lighting "Deadwood." And Rich, because of his decades of experience as both an Op-Ed columnist and drama critic for The New York Times, should be anything but dead wood...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
21
FROM "AMERICAN IDOL" TO "AMERICAN GLADIATORS" -- GOODBYE, TV SEASON By David Bianculli
 
 
As I write this Wednesday morning, the victor in this year's "American Idol" is unknown. Depending upon when you read this, the outcome may be a sure thing. But here's one sure thing regardless: TV's about to get duller, again, for a few months. After tonight, the May ratings sweeps, and the 2007-08 TV season, are over...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
20
TV WORTH WATCHING WELCOMES ITS FIRST OTHER CONTRIBUTOR: DIANE WERTS By David Bianculli
 
 
Since November 5, when TV Worth Watching was launched, I've written every word of every review, blog, best bet and feature that's appeared on this website. Beginning today, I'm happy to report, that's no longer the case. Did I say "happy"? I meant "ecstatic"...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
19
MY SMOTHERS BROTHERS BOOK IS IN THE WORKS -- FINALLY! By David Bianculli
 
 
Publishers Weekly broke the news last week in its "Deals" column, so it's official: My book on the controversial 1960s CBS Smothers Brothers variety show is scheduled to be published as a Touchstone hardcover in October 2009. Now all I have to do is write it...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
15
FOX MAKES GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION: "DOLLHOUSE," "FRINGE" LOOK WONDERFUL, AND REDUCED AD APPROACH IS BRILLIANT By David Bianculli
 
 
Although it's in first place in the ratings, the Fox network was in last place at the upfronts -- but was worth the wait. It offered advance tastes of what look to be the two best new shows of the season, Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" and J,.J. Abrams' "Fringe" -- and then announced a brilliant new way of showcasing them...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
14
CBS UPFRONT UPDATE: DOG AND PONY SHOW, MINUS THE PONY By David Bianculli
 
 
Partway through the CBS upfront presentation at Carnegie Hall, Entertainment President Nina Tassler promoted one of her network's new summer entries, a reality series called "The Greatest American Dog," by having an actual dog run across the stage and greet her, then wait for its cue to exit, stage left...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
14
UPFRONT UPDATE: CBS DIMS "MOONLIGHT," EMBRACES "MOTHER" By David Bianculli
 
 
CBS, at its press breakfast this morning, announced the addition of five new series to the fall schedule, and the re-establishment of a Wednesday night comedy block. The biggest news for fans of current series, though, is that "How I Met Your Mother" made the final cut, and "Moonlight" did not...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
14
WHAT'S NEW AT THE NETWORK UPFRONTS? SO FAR, LESS THAN USUAL... By David Bianculli
 
 
In past years, the network upfront presentations have been all about unveiling not only the fall schedules, but the long roster of brand new series. This year, at least at ABC and CW's Tuesday upfronts, not so much. As Jimmy Kimmel joked, "Here at ABC, we are very excited about BOTH our new shows!"...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
13
ABC RESCUES NBC'S "SCRUBS," WHILE NBC LAUNCHES FIRST FALL PROMO AND NBC NY ANCHOR DROPS THE 'F' BOMB By David Bianculli
 
 
Today I'm diving into New York's upfronts, and will report later from ABC's presentation late this afternoon, so please check back for updates and first impressions of the new series. Meanwhile, among ABC's morning announcements to the press are two very welcome returns by veteran series -- while, last night on NBC, two promos broadcast during NBC's telecast of Medium definitely got my attention, for very different reasons...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2008
May
12
BEING UP FRONT WITH THE NETWORK UPFRONTS By David Bianculli
 
 
This is Upfronts Week, the week in which the networks (except for NBC, which jumped the gun last month) unveil their fall slates for advertisers. Starting tomorrow with ABC, I'll be there -- but, for the first time, reporting for my website, not for a newspaper. It's the latest phase of my post-career transition, as I set out to redefine what it is I do and how it is I do it...
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 

David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.
 
 
New From TVWW

PBS' 'Frontline’ Examines Pension Promises and — Spoiler Alert — Finds the Math Doesn’t Add Up
By Alex Strachan
 
 
 
 
The Decadence of ‘Versailles’ Comes to Ovation
By David Hinckley
 
 
 
 
Prescribing Mamie Gummer in 'Emily Owens, M.D.'
By Ed Bark
 
 
 
 
Looking for a Free Ride? HBO Can Deliver
By Christy Slewinski
 
 
 
 
'Pass the Biscuits' Part of the Hatfield-McCoy Pop-Culture Legacy
By Noel Holston
 
 
 
 

Dispatches From TVWW

'Extinction: The Facts' is a Sobering Call to Action
By David Hinckley
 
 
 
 
How 'Mayans' Has Been Influenced by the Show's Creator Elgin James
By Mike Hughes
 
 
 
 
For Whom the Bell Tolls: Ken Burns and Lynn Novick Take on Ernest Hemingway, the Man and the Myth
By Alex Strachan
 
 
 
 
In the Final Season, Sutton Foster's Liza is Now the Genuine Version of Her 'Younger' Self
By Monique Nazareth
 
 
 
 
Season 2 of 'City on a Hill' Returns with Kevin Bacon, Aldis Hodge, and Boston Corruption
By David Hinckley
 
 
 
 

This Day in TV History

1957: Julie Andrews Stars in 'Cinderella'
By TV WW