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

 
 
2014
Jun
24
 
 
Writer-producer-director Stanley Nelson had trod the civil-rights path before for American Experience, and, as producer, emerged with thoughtful, informative yet undeniably and understandably emotional documentaries on, among others, Emmitt Till, Jesse Owens, and the 2011 study Freedom Riders, of which this new two-hour American Experience is a sociological sequel. It covers the 10-week period in 1964 in which student volunteers, carefully chosen and emotionally vetted, were sent to the toxicall
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
24
 
 
SERIES PREMIERE: Look, let’s be honest. Almost any series would be a comedown, arriving in the time slot just vacated by Fargo. But Tyrant arrives with a premiere episode so heavy on exposition, and so familiar in its basic structure – beat by beat, it starts out, pretty much, as The Godfather with mosques – that it doesn’t impress so much as make you question where it’s going. But give executive producer Howard Gordon, whose credits almost include 24 and Homeland,
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
24
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: Last season, secret agent Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) was faking her own death, chasing a rogue bad guy, and separated physically from most other characters in the show. Now, for Season 5, that plot line is over, so Covert Affairs gets to push the reset button – but does so in ways that may send Annie not only on new missions, but with new colleagues as well.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
23
 
 
Now, space travel is so routine it’s a challenge to name the latest launch or even one current astronaut. With space technology now going private, here’s one video example from the rocket company SpaceX, which shows a test flight of the Falcon 9 Reusable which can blast off and, hey lookit that, return to the launch pad...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
23
 
 
If yesterday’s USA vs. Portugal match didn’t prove to you that just about anything can happen at the World Cup, and often does, I don’t know what else to submit as Exhibit B. Both teams got to experience euphoric goals, and leads, and equally exhilarating game-tying rallies. And in the end, the US finds itself fighting to move on to the next stage, along with every other team in Group G. Meanwhile, the third and final games in all groups are played beginning today, when the tea
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
23
 
 
The reason these final group stage games are being played at the same time is so teams can’t use the knowledge of their changing standings to influence how, and even whom, they play. It’s a wonderful idea – but in the age of smartphones and other instant-info technology, if one Group A game is a rout, wouldn’t that news “leak” in plenty of time to coaches at the other Group A game site? Just asking. Meanwhile, here are the games you can see today on ESPN2. Fir
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
23
 
 
Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) has had plenty of bad days over the run of 24, but President Heller (William Devane) just had his worst one. Now what?
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
23
 
 
This new HBO documentary looks at the pair of same-sex couples who fought, all the way to and through the Supreme Court, arguing that California’s Proposition 8, which denied marriage equality, was unconstitutional. The filmmakers were there every step of the way, making for a long, arduous journey through the legal system – and the media gauntlet.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
23
 
 
Last summer, this CBS series, based on Stephen King’s story, was the surprise hit of the season. And not just the summer season, either – it ended up drawing more viewers than any scripted series by the broadcast networks all season long. It returns next week for Season 2, with a season opener written by King himself. And as prelude, CBS offers this special, which summarizes Season 1 and gives a sneak peek at things to come.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jun
23
 
 
The ratings success of last year’s CBS supernatural thriller series Under the Dome proved that airing in summer is no longer a TV demotion, and FX's new Tyrant might turn out to be a worthy summer potboiler...