As this series moves forward, we learn the most about its characters by moving backwards – by watching, and gleaning key facts from, the occasional flashbacks. It’s an approach that Lost used to great advantage, and this series does it as well – as in tonight’s new episode, which reveals even more about Nessa (Maggie Gyllenhaal) while she and Atika were held hostage.

2014

Aug

7 DEADLY SINS By David Bianculli

Tonight’s episode focuses on Wrath – and includes information about a woman who, after being cheated on by her husband, started a website where others in that same position could, by identifying them on a website, publicly shame the women who had had affairs with their husbands.

2014

Aug

THE ONE WITH JIMMY KIMMEL By Monique Nazareth

If you've been feeling nostalgic for the NBC sitcom Friends, you're not alone. Jimmy Kimmel offered his own homage to the show this week with help from a few of his Friends...

2014

Aug

'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW' REMINDS US OF THE POWER OF NEWSPAPERS By Ed Martin

A recent viewing of an episode of The Patty Duke Show helped remind me what's happened to the power of newspapers these last 20 years or so...

2014

Aug

THE SIMPSONS MARATHON By David Bianculli

Two “Treehouse” treats. At 11:30 a.m. ET, there’s “Treehouse of Horror XIII” from Season 14, the 2002 episode including the Island of Dr. Moreau takeoff with half-animal versions of the entire Simpsons clan. Then, at 10:30 p.m. ET, there’s 2003’s “Treehouse of Terror XIV,” which includes another mad scientist segment – this time Professor Frink, the thick-glasses, frantic-Jerry Lewis-talking, lab-coat-wearing oddball who, in this piece,

2014

Aug

SIDEWAYS By David Bianculli

Before directing 2013’s Nebraska and 2011’s The Descendants (set, respectively, in a black-and-white heartland and a deceptively sunny Hawaii), Alexander Payne directed and co-wrote this 2004 twisted road tour of the California wine country. Paul Giamatti was in peak form as a depressed man who accompanies a buddy (Thomas Haden Church) about to be married on a last-adventure trip to some local wineries, and Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh are equally credible, touching, and unpredictab

2014

Aug

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE By David Bianculli

It’s getting down to it. Tonight the four finalists – from left in photo, Valerie Rockey, Ricky Udeba, Zack Everhart and Jessica Richens – dance with paired guest partners, and alone, to try and earn enough viewer votes to win next week. And believe me: At this level of this particular competition, the stage is filled with nothing but talent, so opting for a winner could make the Emmy Best Dramatic Actor in a Series race look like an easy call.

2014

Aug

EXTANT By David Bianculli

Two more episodes are shown back-to-back tonight, as CBS rushes to finish off this show’s summer run before the rollout of new fall shows. Tonight, Molly’s “son” is around, and learning, and growing – and that sentence may refer to more than just her robot “offspring.”

2014

Aug

THE DIVIDE By David Bianculli

SEASON FINALE: For now, let’s just call tonight’s episode the season finale – though the story’s far from finished, yet the series might be. But give WE TV credit, at any rate, for trying. The Divide was an eminently watchable program from that network, which might well be its first.

2014

Aug

IN A FIERCELY COMPETITIVE YEAR, THE EMMYS MOSTLY GOT IT RIGHT By David Bianculli

So many of this year’s Emmy categories were crammed with such strong contenders, or diluted with jarringly inappropriate competitors, you wouldn’t think the Emmy voters could get it right. But surprisingly, for the most part, they did…

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