DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

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TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
2013
Dec
17
 
 
These year-end reviews by Bryant Gumbel, in which he gathers his correspondents to revisit their, and the year’s, best sports stories, always are entertaining. Included this year: a look back at Bernard Goldberg’s interview with Mike Tyson, who suddenly stopped their conversation, about the death of Tyson’s child, with a quietly spoken but firm, “You have to go.” Goldberg calls it “one of the most chilling” moments of his career, but it captured, on came
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
16
 
 
This series’ final-season gimmick, basing the entire season around a single wedding weekend, may have been envisioned as the comedy equivalent of 24, but it’s managed to dissipate tension, not enhance it, by prolonging things. Tonight, at least, Marshall (Jason Segel) finally makes it to the same “destination wedding” destination as the rest of his best buddies – which is something. Now, kids, if only the “mother” would show up for good. Kids? Where&rsqu
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
16
 
 
SEASON FINALE: The Season 5 cycle of this singing competition concludes this week with a two-parter: the final competition tonight, and the announcement of the winner tomorrow. If you’ve stayed away and want to peek back in at the finish line, here’s the last-minute lowdown. Three competitors remain, representing teens, twentysomethings and  thirtysomethings, respectively: Jacquie Lee is 16, Tessanne Chin is 28, and Will Champlin is 30. Christina Aguilera’s team is represe
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
16
 
 
MGM HD’s month-long salute to Woody Allen continues tonight with two more prime-time Allen offerings. Both of tonight’s feature Mia Farrow, starting at 8 p.m. ET with Radio Days, Allen’s delightful reconstruction of the pre-television era. Watch (or listen) for perennial SNL announcer Don Pardo as the host of “Guess That Tune,” and Seth Green as Joe, a young stand-in for Allen himself. Then, at 10 p.m. ET, MGM presents 1990’s Alice, in which Farrow plays a Man
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
16
 
 
Just after seeing Allison Janney in her tender dramatic role in the season finale of Showtime’s Masters of Sex, now you can see her going for broad laughs, opposite French Stewart as her randy Bonnie dates his rude Chef Rudy. And by the way, tonight’s episode is directed by Jon Cryer, sliding over from another Chuck Lorre CBS sitcom, Two and a Half Men.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
16
 
 
I haven’t yet seen the new Coen Brothers film, Inside Llewyn Davis, that serves as the inspiration for this concert film (the subtitle of which is Celebrating the Music of ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’). But I have seen this special, and it’s fabulous. Oscar Isaac, who stars in the film, sings several numbers (including one, shown here, with Marcus Mumford), and other performers include Joan Baez and, a new treat for me, the Milk Carton Kids.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
16
 
 
And they didn’t even wait for Easter... Fox's Family Guy put down its recent stunt storyline Sunday night...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
15
 
 
Springfield, in this new episode, gets hit with so much snow, so early, that it becomes a holiday destination for hordes of tourists. The unexpected snowfall leads to some unexpected opportunities for Christmas profit, and leads to some tough questions as well. Such as: is this snow, or is it fallout?
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
15
 
 
The timeline on Treme always is years behind – that’s the way it was designed – but tonight it’s a few weeks behind as well, because one subplot involves New Year’s Eve.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Dec
15
 
 
SEASON FINALE: Brody (Damian Lewis) has put himself in yet another seemingly impossible situation. Even though the CIA demanded the mission be aborted, Brody made his way anyway to the targeted Iranian official and, alone with him in his office, killed him. That’s how the episode ended, with Brody seemingly trapped in Iran – and with Carrie (Claire Danes) the only asset on the ground who may be able to help him escape from that office, that situation, and that country. Given this sho