If you only know Angela Lansbury for TV's Murder, She Wrote, you don't know Angela. Not only was she a '60s Broadway musical star in Mame (and a '70s revelation baking those man-made meat pies in Sweeney Todd), but decades before that, Lansbury had launched her career in her teens as a busy Hollywood studio contract player...

2009

Aug

DON HEWITT DIES AT 86, BUT HIS 41-YEAR OLD CBS "60 MINUTES" IS STILL TICKING By David Bianculli

Compared to CBS producer-director Don Hewitt, who died yesterday at age 86, there aren't many men whose personal experiences and professional accomplishments span so many important events in the history of television. There may not be any...

2009

Aug

FOX "OCTOMOM" SPECIAL IS THE RUNT OF THE TV LITTER By David Bianculli

Already this year, the Fox network has presented "Osbournes Reloaded," a variety series so bad, and so poorly received, Fox shelved it after a single showing. You'd think that would be a lock for worst TV program of 2009 -- but tonight, Fox presents...

2009

Aug

GUEST BLOG #42: TOM BRINKMOELLER LAMENTS THE LATER RESUMES OF ALL-STAR TV CASTS By Tom Brinkmoeller

[Bianculli here: The best TV comedy and drama series benefit from synergy, when their casts feature actors who are strong individually and superb collectively. Contributing critic Tom Brinkmoeller wonders why some of those actors never get lightning to strike twice...]

2009

Aug

FALL PREVIEW: NEW 'DANCING' CAST By Diane Werts

So, whom from this list do we want to see least? Kelly Osbourne? Ashley Hamilton? Tom DeLay? Michael Irvin?...

2009

Aug

DVD ALERT: 'ON THE ROAD WITH CHARLES KURALT' By Diane Werts

Sunday Morning fans will appreciate this DVD announcement: On the Road With Charles Kuralt comes out Oct. 27 from our friends at Acorn Media (responsible for British drama sets like Poirot and Life on Mars, plus other releases like Stephen Hawking and the Theory of Everything)...

2009

Aug

AMC'S "MAD MEN" RETURNS WITH ITS CHARISMATIC CAST OF RETROSEXUALS By David Bianculli

Season three of AMC's "Mad Men" begins -- and once again, it throws you into a 1960s world that's fascinating for both its retro contrasts to today, and for its unsettling similarities. It's one of the very best shows on television, and returns this weekend without missing a step...

2009

Aug

SOLUTION TO EMMY FLAP: MAKE BETTER PROGRAMS, STUPID By David Bianculli

So the Emmy folks have backed down, and agreed not to pre-tape and edit awards presentation in eight of the night's categories. The guilds representing those writers, directors and actors not only raised a stink, but threatened to raise the rates for the rights to show clips from nominated TV shows throughout the telecast. Good for them...

2009

Aug

SUMMER SLUDGE: THE TRUE COST OF NETWORK COST-CUTTING By Diane Werts

It strikes me that the real "cost" to which the networks should be paying attention is the psychological one they've inflicted on themselves by giving every indication to viewers that their driving concern is money, not quality, and not even entertainment value...

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