Last weekend, on the season opener of SNL, Bill Hader crushed it as Clint Eastwood, taking his “one man and a chair” Republican National Convention act to local theaters. Tonight, in the first of two SNL prime-time specials, Hader and company present a special “election special” half-hour. Expect special guests.

2012

Sep

SHOGUN By David Bianculli

Part 4. This is the episode where some of the biggest dangers come not from around Blackthorne, but from below: It’s an earthquake, where the honored English guest (played by Richard Chamberlain) demonstrates his loyalty and resourcefulness yet again.

2012

Sep

GLEE By David Bianculli

This is the second time this series has devoted an hour to Britney Spears. Last time, it was a simple creative idea. This time, with Spears herself serving as a judge on this program’s lead-in show, The X Factor, it reeks more of a cross-promotional business decision. And, like hiring Britney to judge other singers, not necessarily a good one at that.

2012

Sep

PARKS AND RECREATION By David Bianculli

SEASON PREMIERE: As the new season of Parks and Recreation begins, Leslie (Amy Poehler) and company are in Washington, D.C., which allows the show to make room for some special guest cameos — including, in tonight’s episode, John McCain.

2012

Sep

LOUIE By David Bianculli

Part 3 of 3. What a brilliant three-part story this particular arc has turned out to be. Rumors of a late-night host’s imminent retirement, the same plot device that propelled early episodes of HBO’s The Larry Sanders Show, has Louie (Louis C.K.) undergoing top-secret network tests as a dark-horse candidate to replace David Letterman on CBS. Louie’s irascible coach is played by David Lynch, whose deadpan disgust with Louie is hilarious. After one particularly uninspired run-thr

2012

Sep

1970: 'THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW' DEBUTS ON CBS By Christy Slewinski

On this day in 1970, CBS introduced one of television's most memorable sitcoms, The Mary Tyler Moore Show...

2012

Sep

THE VOICE By David Bianculli

Lengthening the blind auditions has worked for this series, maintaining its popularity while giving viewers even more of the entertaining power shifts that result when judges hit their buttons, swivel their chairs, then beg to be chosen as mentors. And even after two weeks of shows so far this season, we still have quite a while to go before the four judges have filled their team quotas.

2012

Sep

SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES By David Bianculli

SEASON PREMIERE: This is the start of the 25th cycle for this long-running, influential reality competition series – but 25, for me, is a few too many, and I’ve dropped this series from my regular viewing list. In case you haven’t, however, there remain some reasons to watch, including three castaways from previous editions, as well as one new celebrity contestant, Lisa Welchel (pictured) from The Facts of Life. That’s not compelling for me, either – but there you g

2012

Sep

SHOGUN By David Bianculli

Part 3. I hope you’re watching, and enjoying, this classic miniseries, starring Richard Chamberlain as a British sailor who learns and absorbs the customs of 17th-century Japan. They don’t make many miniseries like this one. But they should.

2012

Sep

HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE By David Bianculli

Another classic Marilyn Monroe comedy, this one from 1953, co-stars Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall as three savvy gold diggers setting traps for wealthy men, using themselves as very appealing bait.

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