DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
2018
May
23
 
 
The question asked tonight on NOVA Wonders is “Can We Make Life?” The answer, in my case, is “Yes, at least twice, at least as a co-conspirator.” Which is timely to point out, I argue, with Father’s Day less than a month away, I’d add “Hint, hint,” but my kids don’t read my website anyway. Do you, my children? Call me before midnight tonight, if you read this, Kris and Mark, and I’ll send you $50. (Unless you contact them and rat me out
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
23
 
 
This is the penultimate episode of The Americans, and three powerful story threads, just in time, are becoming intertwined like DNA strands. Will Philip and Elizabeth be working together, or at odds, in approaching the impending summit between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.? Will their daughter, Paige, commit fully to the spy game, or be dissuaded just in time? And will their neighbor, FBI agent Stan, realize at last what he’s begun to suspect strongly: That Elizabeth and Philip, his closest of fri
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
23
 
 
In the music game, Clint Walker would have been what we call a one-hit wonder...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
22
 
 
If any campaign can cross party lines this summer, it should be the one PBS has just launched: It wants us to read books...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
22
 
 
Will Shortz is a two-sport athlete: Table tennis and crossword puzzles...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
22
 
 
SEASON FINALE: In last night’s performance showdown, all three finalists came to play – and to sing. Kyla Jade opened the show with a high-octane version of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends,” after which her coach, Blake Shelton, enthused, “Kyla, if you don’t win The Voice, I don’t know why we call this show The Voice.” And that was only the opening number.  All four contestants performed impressively and emotionally, but
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
22
 
 
SEASON FINALE: For tonight’s Season 1 finale of this very popular Roseanne reprise, the Conners get waterfront property and Roseanne has a heart attack – but it’s only because the basement springs a major leak, and Roseanne is pulling a prank on Darlene. (Faking deaths, apparently, is a time-tested Roseanne family tradition.) Give Roseanne credit for succeeding wildly in rebooting itself… and blame Roseanne, if you must, for the invading army of revived series you’
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
22
 
 
SEASON FINALE: Pauley Perrette, one of the founding cast members of NCIS, made her final appearance as Abby on this series earlier this month – but today’s episode is noteworthy anyway, because it marks the end of 15 seasons for a show that is itself a spinoff of another series, JAG. To say that no one expected NCIS to last this long, or succeed this much, is not an insult, but a fact. Yet here it is, and next season, it, and series star Mark Harmon, will still be here…
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
22
 
 
SERIES FINALE: For nine seasons now, this ABC series has celebrated and found humor in the daily struggles and triumphs of the working class. The Middle, starring Patricia Heaton as the matriarch of a free-range but loving household, was the spiritual sister of Roseanne that occupied that same sitcom territory in the period between Roseanne and… Roseanne. And now, after all these years, The Middle bids us, and itself, a fond farewell.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2018
May
22
 
 
SERIES FINALE: The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets split the first two games in this Western conference series – and then the Warriors ran away with a Game 3 blowout, beating the Rockets by an embarrassing (to Houston) 126-85. And tonight, it’s Game 4…