As long as there are real-life crimes, television writers will never run out of miniseries material. And that’s okay, whenever the miniseries is as well told as A Confession...

2020

May

THE UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT: KIMMY VS. THE REVEREND By David Bianculli

SPECIAL: This sequel special to The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt picks up with former cult kidnap victim Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) about to marry the posh and proper Frederick (Daniel Radcliffe), when she embarks upon a path that reunites her with the imprisoned “reverend” who abducted and imprisoned her long ago – played, again, by Jon Hamm. The path that takes Kimmy there is especially twisted, however, because this special is very, very different. Like a previous Netflix s

2020

May

THE HAPPY DAYS OF GARRY MARSHALL By David Bianculli

In the late 1970s, ABC vaulted from third place to first (there was no Fox then, and DuMont was long gone, so there were only three commercial broadcast networks), and did so based on momentum from three major forces. One was the mega-success of miniseries such as Roots. Another was the instant success of the so-called “jiggle TV” of shows such as Charlie’s Angels. And third ingredient, saluted tonight by ABC, were the top-rated sitcoms produced by Garry Mar

2020

May

A FEW GOOD MEN By David Bianculli

Can you handle Aaron Sorkin’s breakout film vehicle? If you can, and you should, tune in and watch the way he wrote the screenplay adapting his stage play into this 1992 movie. Rob Reiner directed it, knowing full well Sorkin had given him a knockout courtroom climax pitting military attorney Tom Cruise against a fierce colonel played by Jack Nicholson. It’s a stunning scene, powerfully acted – and A Few Good Men makes room for so many good performances, every scene i

2020

May

THE MIRACLE WORKER By David Bianculli

William Gibson originally wrote The Miracle Worker, the character study of young Helen Keller and her influential teacher, Annie Sullivan, for a live Playhouse 90 TV production in 1957. Teresa Wright starred as Annie, and Patricia McCormack, with Arthur Penn directing. Five years later, this movie version was released – directed, once again, by Penn, with a screenplay by Gibson. But this time, the stars were Anne Bancroft as Annie and Patty Duke, both of whom are stunni

2020

May

LAUGHING MATTERS: CARLIN'S LEGACY By David Bianculli

STREAMING EVENT: Maybe you feel you don’t need, and can’t deal with, one more streaming service or platform during this pandemic – but you do, and you should. The National Comedy Center, a museum and archival organization in Jamestown, NY, is an amazing place to visit, with more than 50 interactive exhibits, curated with an eye (and an ear) for both history and comedy. But now, starting with these hide-at-home times, it’s launched its own online program and platform, call

2020

May

HAVE A GOOD TRIP: ADVENTURES IN PSYCHEDELICS By David Bianculli

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE: Netflix is describing this debut film by comedy writer and producer Donick Cary as a documentary, but it seems assembled and intended more for entertainment than elucidation. Hosted by Nick Offerman, it’s basically a parade of celebrities telling of their personal experiences with LSD, mushrooms, peyote and other hallucinogenics, starting with Sting, and continuing with everyone from Sarah Silverman (who describes the foamy and bubbling hot chocolate served to her whi

2020

May

INDEPENDENT LENS: "REWIND" By David Bianculli

This extremely personal film was crafted by former child actor Sasha Neulinger, whose father, Henry Nevison, also was a filmmaker (the reason for the different last names is covered in this documentary). This biographical study came about when Neulinger, troubled by unsettling memories and feelings from his childhood, asked his dad if he had saved any film or videotape from those years. His dad provided him with 200 hours of home video footage, and agreed to be interviewed by his son for what be

2020

May

AMY SCHUMER LEARNS TO COOK By David Bianculli

SERIES PREMIERE: Like many of us, Amy Schumer is stuck at home, waiting out the initial wave of this deadly pandemic. And like many of you, she’s sequestered in her house with her spouse. But her husband, Chris Fischer, happens to be a James Beard Award-winning chef. And with so much time on their hands, and so much culinary talent in his, Schumer cooked up the idea for a TV show emanating straight from her Martha’s Vineyard home, and sold it to The Food Network. Its simple, explanat

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