This documentary really surprised me – not only because of the musical event it captured, with Billy Joel taking his band, songs and family to the Soviet Union in the Cold War year of 1987, but because of the emotions it captured as well. The evolving reactions by the crowds as Joel toured various cities behind the Iron Curtain, and his private interactions with everyday citizens – it all makes this much more than a concert documentary. It would be part of a perfect double bill with

2014

Feb

NEW GIRL By David Bianculli

After Sunday’s Super Bowl, a special episode of New Girl drew an estimated 25.8 million viewers – good enough to make it the highest-rating scripted TV offering in three years (since Fox’s Glee occupied the same post-Super Bowl slot). It’s a far cry from the zenith days of such stunts, when an expanded post-game episode of NBC’s Friends in 1996 pulled in nearly 53 million viewers. But the enhanced exposure of New Girl ought to translate to additional viewers for ton

2014

Feb

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE By David Bianculli

This series also had a post-Super Bowl slot on Fox Sunday night, but it was not only post-game, but post-New Girl. As a result, estimated viewership for that special episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine was estimated at “just” 14.8 million. These days, those are major TV numbers, and, as with New Girl, the question is how many new eyeballs Sunday’s exposure will bring to tonight’s new episode, with which Brooklyn moves to a new time slot. Tomorrow, we’ll know the answer.

2014

Feb

JUSTIFIED By David Bianculli

Last week’s episode of Justified threw all sorts of obstacles in front of Boyd (Walton Goggins), and the gauntlet continues tonight. Meanwhile, old information surfaces which makes Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) feel just as threatened – and even more persecuted by those around him.

2014

Feb

GIRLS By David Bianculli

Last weekend, to avoid a Sunday night conflict with the Super Bowl, HBO aired that week’s new episode of Girls one night early, on Saturday night. For those who missed it – and, I confess, I didn’t help by not pointing out the special telecast in that day’s Bianculli’s Best Bets – here’s a welcome repeat, of the episode in which Hannah (Lena Dunham) scrambles to find a new publisher for her manuscript.

2014

Feb

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER By David Bianculli

Last week, this show spent time with Cristin Millotti, in flashbacks showing her character’s life and how close it came to intertwining with that of Josh Radnor’s Ted – significant, since she eventually will become the show’s titular mother. But on tonight’s new show, the focus shifts to Ted, who, on the weekend of friend Barney’s wedding, spends the night on the beach with ex-girlfriend, and Barney’s bride-to-be, Robin (Cobie Smulders). But don’t

2014

Feb

HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT By David Bianculli

SEASON FINALE: NBC seems to have thrown all its new episodes of this series into the first weeks of the year, so that tonight’s show actually serves as its Season 2 finale. With luck, there will be a Season 3, because this celebrity game show, hosted by Jane Lynch, recalls the more innocent and playful TV days of What’s My Line? And Hollywood Squares. Tonight’s celebrity contestants include Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Faison (pictured), as well as Penny Marshall and Fame c

2014

Feb

A STAR IS BORN By David Bianculli

Beginning with this 1954 musical, TCM tonight is presenting all five nominees for that year's best costume design in color films. A Star is Born, starring Judy Garland, is of particular interest. In 1983, American Film Institute made it the first film it treated to a top-to-bottom restoration, a treatment TCM itself applied, once again, in 2010. Take advantage of those efforts, because this is as complete, and reverently televised, a version (in Screen ratio as well as restored content) as you&r

2014

Feb

QUALITY BALLS -- THE DAVID STEINBERG STORY By David Bianculli

This 2013 documentary tells the story of David Steinberg, a comedy narrative more than worthy of such a long-term examination. His personal story stretches from Second City to Curb Your Enthusiasm, from The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour to his own Inside Comedy talk show. I haven’t seen this documentary, so I’m not sure it’s the one for which I was interviewed a while back – or, even it is, whether any of my remarks made the final cut. But I’ll say it here, in case

2014

Feb

INSIDE COMEDY By David Bianculli

SEASON PREMIERE: The only mistake Showtime has made in renewing David Steinberg’s talk show with comics for a third season is this: Steinberg, by now, has more than earned a more prominent, high-profile prime-time programming slot. As is, tonight’s Season 3 premiere doesn’t begin until 11 p.m. ET. Now granted, it comes right after a prime-time documentary about Steinberg – but still. When your Season 3 premiere features Jimmy Fallon and Zach Galifianakis, both of whom res

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