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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
 
 
2015
Jul
20
RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLIS By David Bianculli
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: This isn’t a recommendation, really, because I have no memory of watching this series last summer – or, for that matter, even being aware that it’s on. But here it is again, for another summer season, with survivalist Gryllis taking individual celebrities on some outdoor experiences that are very much out of their usual comfort zones. Tonight, he takes Jesse Tyler Ferguson, from ABC’s Modern Family, on a 6,000-foot hike down an Italian mountain peak.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
20
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART By David Bianculli
 
 
Jon Stewart returns from his last break before calling it quits, and starts off with a guest with whom Stewart clearly enjoys conversing: Paul Rudd, visiting the show to promote his new Marvel Ant-Man movie – and, at the same time, bid Stewart a fond farewell to The Daily Show.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
19
2015 BRITISH OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT By David Bianculli
 
 
After yesterday’s play, and weather, almost anything is possible. So if it’s drama you want, this Old Course gauntlet in Scotland is the tournament for you. This year, however, it is not the tournament for Tiger Woods…
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
19
WELCOME TO SWEDEN By David Bianculli
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: Greg Poehler, Amy’s brother, returns for Season 2 of this enjoyably different summer series, loosely based on his own life. He plays Bruce, a show-biz accountant who falls in love with a beautiful blonde from Sweden – and impulsively follows her there, professes his love, and tries to settle down. Josephine Bornebusch plays the blonde in question, and she’s both beautiful and funny enough to make the premise believable and Welcome to Sweden delightful. And then
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
19
HUMANS By David Bianculli
 
 
Tonight, Anita the synth house helper reveals a bit more of her personality – even though she’s not really supposed to have one. This series treads on very familiar sci-fi territory, but does it with unusual sensitivity and, yes, humanity.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
19
TRUE DETECTIVE By David Bianculli
 
 
Last week’s episode ended with a shootout, and a bloodbath, and the three surviving law-enforcement officials staring at one another in disbelief. So, after the unexpected carnage, now what? That’s the question of the day, and the subject of tonight’s new episode.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
19
RAY DONOVAN By David Bianculli
 
 
Pay close attention to the women in tonight’s episode. They’re dangerous, whether they’re the tough-gal Mexican wrestler in the gym (played with dominating fervor by Alyssa Diaz) or the no-nonsense multi-millionaire’s daughter (played with flinty ferocity by Katie Holmes, pictured) looking to hire Ray for her own reasons.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
19
SAVE MY LIFE: BOSTON TRAUMA By David Bianculli
 
 
SERIES PREMIERE: This new summertime medical documentary series comes from executive producer Terence Wrong, whose past achievements include ABC’s Boston Med, NY Med and Hopkins, among others. I’m not sure which is the more amazing feat: getting hospitals to cooperate with his film crews in filming honest accounts of what happens in operating rooms and emergency rooms, or, year after year, getting ABC to finance and broadcast these excellent, important medical documentary series. Thi
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
19
THE BRINK By David Bianculli
 
 
In tonight’s episode, Tim Robbins’ Secretary of State heads to Israel in hopes of staving off a crisis. One of them, anyway…
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Jul
18
SPIKE'S 'TUT' IS A BETTER THAN EXPECTED PLAYGROUND FOR KINGS AND KINGSLEY By Ed Bark
 
 
Hey, it’s not all that bad. And in the coin of Spike TV’s realm, that equates to being pretty good. Tut is the young male-targeted network’s first original scripted drama since 2007, when Kill Point came and went...
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
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