Ed Helms, who plays the grown-up Rusty Griswold in Vacation, the movie sequel to the original Vacation starring Chevy Chase, goes on a Colorado mountain expedition with Bear Grylls. But for Helms, it’s no vacation: He’s afraid of heights.

2015

Aug

THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART By David Bianculli

It’s come to this: The final week for Jon Stewart’s reign on The Daily Show. And the week begins with a visit from perhaps the hottest comedian of the moment: Amy Schumer.

2015

Aug

THE GLARE OF WAR OBSCURED MANY JOHNSON MILESTONES By Tom Brinkmoeller

New U.S. presidents almost always are immediate heirs, inheriting big problems, and -- if lucky -- some of the glow. There was a lot of the former and only bits of the latter when Lyndon Johnson took over the presidency after the Kennedy assassination...

2015

Aug

'DOWNTOWN ABBEY' GATHERS AT TCA FOR FINAL SPIN By Ed Bark

It would be nigh unto impossible for Downton Abbey to overstay its welcome on PBS. Over the years it's become the network's most popular series ever, as executives are quick to note. But now the days of reckoning are beckoning...

2015

Aug

A PIANO LESSON FOR DICK CAVETT FROM THE LATE JAZZ GREAT OSCAR PETERSON By Jim Davis

My list of favorite jazz pianists include some who are universally admired, but the pianist I constantly circle back to is Oscar Peterson...

2015

Aug

AMERICAN GRAFFITI By David Bianculli

Before concocting the futuristic universe of Star Wars, George Lucas directed and co-wrote this 1973 salute to the past: specifically, to the innocent 1950s, and the drive-in, drive-around, rock-music-soaked teen culture. If it sounds a bit like ABC’s Happy Days, which premiered the following year, it should: The stars of American Graffiti include Cindy Williams, who co-starred in the Happy Days spinoff Laverne & Shirley, and Ron Howard, who starred as Richie Cunningham on Happy Days.

2015

Aug

HUMANS By David Bianculli

The group of “synths” with human emotions, on the run since this series began, has never been more divided, or more in danger. But all is not lost, now that they’ve found a human sympathizer in scientist George Millican, played with such touching weariness, and wariness, by William Hurt. Humans treads on very familiar sci-fi soil, but with much more humanity, and detail to character, than most.

2015

Aug

THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART: “NEWS YOUR OWN ADVENTURE” By David Bianculli

Correspondents have come and gone for years on this show, as have, more rarely, the hosts – remember, Jon Stewart, who departs this week, replaced Craig Kilborn in 1999. Tonight, the Stewart era is saluted in a one-hour special, hosted by some of the Daily Show “newbies”: Hasan Minhaj, Jessica Williams, and my favorite among the fresher faces, Jordan Klepper (pictured, at far right).

2015

Aug

TRUE DETECTIVE By David Bianculli

I’ve been waiting, quite patiently, for this second season of True Detective to evolve and show its true colors, and true quality. But last week’s episode, which ended with Rachel McAdams’ Ani going undercover as a prostitute, and escaping an exclusive and kinky party while under the influence of a mind-altering drug, didn’t advance either the story or the character enough to impress. And since this is the penultimate episode of this rebooted Season 2, with the finale arr

2015

Aug

RAY DONOVAN By David Bianculli

Last week’s episode ended with Ray (Liev Schreiber) managing to free his brother Terry (Eddie Marsan) from prison. Ray did it, though, by entering a sort of prison of his own, and signing himself on as a full-time employee of sinister multi-millionaire Malcolm Finney (Ian McShane,so superb in HBO’s Deadwood) and his flinty daughter, Paige (Katie Holmes, pictured, getting a chance here to play much tougher than usual).

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