ABC's once-mighty General Hospital has been on a downward slide for far too long. Too many years of too many violent and repetitive (and ultimately silly) stories about mobsters and their women, coupled with the senseless deaths in recent years of a number of popular core characters, have left it in ruins...

2009

Apr

"CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" HEAVYWEIGHT DIVA DUEL: FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BEEYOTCH By David Bianculli

Cain vs. Abel. Frasier vs. Ali. And now, in this corner, another duel for the ages: Joan Rivers vs. Annie Duke. NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" has been providing some of the most jaw-dropping television of the season. And, I'm happy to say, it's not over yet...

2009

Apr

TV WORTH WATCHING BEGS: NETWORKS, PLEASE, RENEW THESE SHOWS By David Bianculli

Last year at about this time, ABC renewed "Pushing Daisies," one of the best shows in its entire lineup -- then yanked it prematurely once the new season began. This year, with the announcements of next year's prime-time schedules only weeks away, there's still time for the networks to make some smart moves -- and some TV-improving renewals -- and, this time, stick with them. But will they?...

2009

Apr

DIRECTV MAKES TWO MORE BRILLIANT TV ACQUISITIONS: "OZ" AND "DEADWOOD" By David Bianculli

Since most broadcast networks seem to be abandoning quality, the field is wide open for a competing network to embrace it. Satellite's DirecTV is doing just that, and has just added two more champion thoroughbreds to its stable: the first off-HBO telecasts of Tom Fontana's "Oz" and David Milch's "Deadwood."

2009

Apr

GUEST BLOG #10: P.J. BEDNARSKI OFFERS AN 'AMERICAN IDOL'/JIMMY DURANTE MASHUP By P.J. Bednarski

When J. Max Robins became the editor in chief of Broadcasting & Cable magazine in 2004, his role was to goose the place into the 21st century. He often told us that before he took over, he had read a lead in the magazine that referred to Jimmy Durante, and that was a cultural reach-back that bothered him a lot. B&C was just too damn old to appeal to younger readers...

2009

Apr

WATCH THIS: PALEYFEST SALUTES 'DR. HORRIBLE,' TV SHOWS By Diane Werts

Even as TV Land loses interest in "our TV heritage" (finely eyed in David Bianculli's Cougar post), some folks still value what's good, even as it's still going on...

2009

Apr

FLICK PICKS: FUNNY LADIES ON TCM By Diane Werts

Another week, another amazing Turner Classic Movies festival, from the gold standard in film presentation. This time, it's Funny Ladies, a prime-time toast to comic women that ranges from the TV era...

2009

Apr

GUEST BLOG #9: TOM BRINKMOELLER PITS HAWKEYE VS. HANNAH By Tom Brinkmoeller

[Bianculli here: This is going to be fun. Two of the new contributors to TV WORTH WATCHING are taking opposite sides of a very touchy issue. Namely: Is referring to "vintage" references when writing about pop culture putting things in context, or alienating younger readers being targeted by mass media as necessary for survival?]

2009

Apr

GUEST BLOG #8: ED MARTIN VOTES NO ON "AMERICAN IDOL" FORMAT CHANGES By Ed Martin

Are the inmates running the asylum over at American Idol -- a show that is far too important to millions of viewers, not to mention the business of television, to mess around with? It seems that with each passing week this show gives its loyal viewers something new to complain about...

2009

Apr

"THE COUGAR" ON TV LAND: WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? By David Bianculli

TV Land presents the premiere of a new reality dating show called "The Cougar," starring a 40-year-old single mother of four who works her way through a gaggle of guys in their 20s, searching for true love. On TV Land? As Seth Meyers might ask, "Really?!?"...

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