For his third HBO special, Mel Brooks drops the Q&A format and does stand-up instead, singing songs, telling jokes and unfurling some of his favorite Hollywood stories. It looks like Brooks has been doing standup all his life – but he stopped about 70 years ago. I guess some things you just never unlearn – it’s like riding a penny farthing. For a new interview with Mel Brooks – the fourth he’s given to TV Worth Watching over the years – see Bianculli&rsquo

2015

Jan

BAD WORDS By David Bianculli

Jason Bateman both stars in and directs this 2013 comedy movie about a man who discovers a loophole in the entry rules for a spelling bee, and signs up, as a bitter adult, for the contest at which he fared so poorly as a child.

2015

Jan

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE By David Bianculli

J.K. Simmons is the guest host – so expect some skits about not only his fierce music instructor in Whiplash, but maybe his insurance ads and even his neo-Nazi bully in Oz. D’Angelo and the Vanguard are the musical guests.

2015

Jan

THE HEARTBREAK KID By David Bianculli

What a behind-the-scenes comedy powerhouse was at work here, for this 1972 dark comedy character study. Bruce Jay Friedman wrote the story, Neil Simon wrote the screenplay, and Elaine May directed it. That’s about as potent as it gets, comedy-wise – and on screen, everything works, too. It’s the story of a young Jewish man who becomes smitten with a beautiful young blonde from the Midwest – but it’s poor timing, because he meets her while on his honeymoon to someone

2015

Jan

SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED: "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" By David Bianculli

SEASON PREMIERE: This marvelous arts documentary series returns for a second season, serving up double doses of installments devoted to a celebration and analysis of the plays of William Shakespeare. For this Season 2 opener, examining A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the host and guide is Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, whose first acting job was in a 1986 stage production of Dream. This hour includes glimpses of the first film version (from 1909, a silent Shakespeare!), and of the infamous

2015

Jan

SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED: "KING LEAR" By David Bianculli

The second of this season’s new examinations of Shakespeare plays, this hour looks at one of his darkest tragedies, King Lear. Christopher Plummer, one of the play’s veteran stars (pictured), is the guide, and one of the best elements here is how Plummer reflects on the various Lear performances captured on screen. Also, we hear from one of them, Ian McKellen, who was so impressive decades ago, on stage and later on TV, in his 1984 one-man theatrical production, Acting Shakespeare. H

2015

Jan

KEY AND PEELE SUPER BOWL SPECIAL By David Bianculli

One of this comedy duo’s funniest and most famous sketches is the East-West Bowl lineup of college football players – a seemingly endless roster of increasingly ridiculously named players. The first sketch went on forever, which was part of its comic genius, and momentum carried on easily to a second installment. Now, as part of this one-hour special, we get Part 3 – and the more college bowls you watched this year, the funnier you’ll find this particular sketch. But watc

2015

Jan

REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER By David Bianculli

There’s another strong lineup on this week’s show, including Laura Poitras, whose documentary about Edward Snowden, CitizenFour, has been nominated for an Oscar. But the biggest draw is someone who’s already won an Oscar – and at least one Tony, Grammy and Emmy as well. It’s Mel Brooks – showing up to publicize his HBO special, Mel Brooks at the Geffen, which premieres tomorrow night.

2015

Jan

THE BIG BANG THEORY By David Bianculli

In tonight’s episode, Wolowitz (Simon Helberg, pictured) invents a new game for the gang to play. Trouble is, it’s a game making fun of Raj (Kunal Nayyar), which goes over with predictable discomfort.

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