This second episode, adhering very closely to the outline and content of Carl Sagan’s original program, brings the concept of evolution front and center. It’s another strong hour for the series – and, sad to say, probably as controversial today as when Sagan discussed the topic so matter-of-factly 30 years ago. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts. And let's see how much of this episode gets shown by the Fox affiliate in Oklahoma City...

2014

Mar

THE GOOD WIFE By David Bianculli

What a fabulous series this is, delivering cleverly written, superbly performed episodes week after week. This week, as Alicia (Julianna Margulies) struggles to write a high-stakes keynote address, we get flashbacks to the time the series began – and just before – as Alicia recalls her initial post-law school meeting with Will (Josh Charles). It’s an episode exploring, in yet another subtle way, their intimately complex relationship – yet also an episode making room for m

2014

Mar

THE WALKING DEAD By David Bianculli

In this half-season’s continuing round of “divide and dramatize,” we continue to follow different sets of survivors this week. Tonight, we circle back to Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman), Lizzie Brighton Sharbino), and baby Judith. They’ve already met up with Carol – with only a few episodes left this season, who, if anyone, is next?

2014

Mar

CRISIS By David Bianculli

SEASON PREMIERE: Gillian Anderson, Dermot Mulroney and Rachael Taylor star in this new NBC serialized series, which starts out better than most. For a full review, and a link to my Fresh Air review, see Bianculli’s Blog.

2014

Mar

EPISODES By David Bianculli

SEASON FINALE: The good news: Pucks has been canceled, leaving Sean and Beverly (Stephen Mangan, Tamsin Greig) free to return to England and Matt LeBlanc free to pursue other offers. Except… the offers are drying up fast for LeBlanc, and piling up even faster for Sean and Beverly. A delightful end to another delightful season of one of TV’s best comedies.

2014

Mar

NBC'S 'CRISIS' TAKES FAMILIAR PATH TO NEW PLACE By David Bianculli

The latest batch of novelistic suspense series, from Fox’s Following to CBS’s Hostages, quickly sank into either excess or absurdity. NBC’s new Crisis, though, shows real promise…

2014

Mar

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY By David Bianculli

Cosmos was launched last Sunday by being shown simultaneously on every cable and broadcast network in the Fox, uh, universe. Tomorrow, that universe contracts, and episode two is shown on Fox – but if you missed the widespread premiere episode, you shouldn’t have, and tonight, Fox repeats the opener to help everyone catch up. And, of course, to amortize costs even more. Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts.

2014

Mar

THE GREAT GATSBY By David Bianculli

Baz Luhrmann, the understated director behind Moulin Rouge (I’m kidding, I’m kidding – about the understated, that is), directs this 2013 adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Luhrmann gets some of it just right – the light across the water, the conspicuous consumption of the clothes closet – but the rest of it, from the music to the staging to even the casting, is much more open to debate. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the enigmatic title role, with Carey Mulli

2014

Mar

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN By David Bianculli

This 2007 thriller is one of the Coen brothers’ darkest films – and dark refers, in this case, to drama, not comedy. Tommy Lee Jones plays a weary Texas sheriff, and Josh Brolin plays an opportunistic man who happens upon a crime scene that both provides him a potential fortune and makes him a potential target. Specifically, the target of a super-creepy killer, played with icy strangeness by Javier Bardem, who won an Oscar for his performance.

2014

Mar

THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS By David Bianculli

Released in 1974, this was Steven Spielberg’s first movie made specifically for theaters – before that, his wonderful telemovie Duel had been made, earlier the same year, for ABC. This one stars Goldie Hawn as a fugitive hoping to reunite with her child, with an increasingly large string of lawmakers on her trail. As with Duel, the visual scope and complex action sequences are impressive, especially for such a young filmmaker. It’s no wonder young Spielberg, based on his outdoo

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