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

 
 
2015
Oct
7
 
 
SERIES PREMIERE: An offshoot of the former Tonight Show host’s online series, this new CNBC series helps Jay Leno indulge in his favorite hobby, collecting and fixing and driving and talking about cars, to fill some of his spare time – and, maybe, yours. Among tonight’s stunts: Leno selects a car out of his personal fleet, and hits the road, in disguise (pictured), as an “undercover” Uber driver. Good premise for Candid Camera-type laughs – and even better pro
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
7
 
 
SERIES PREMIERE: Actually, it’s only the season premiere for American Horror Story, but since this anthology series reboots each season, it’s the series premiere for Hotel, the fifth and latest incarnation of this visually imaginative, often creepily unsettling series. For the first time, two-time Emmy winner Jessica Lange is not at the center of the story, which this year takes place at a Shining-like hotel in urban Los Angeles – but Lady Gaga is. And when she finally starts t
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
7
 
 
There comes a point where depravity and perversion overwhelm any visual artistry. Awash in torture porn, with a blood-lusty Lady Gaga very actively participating, American Horror Story: Hotel marks the fifth reinvention of one of FX’s most popular franchises...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
6
 
 
The die was cast on The Vampire Diaries two seasons ago, when Nina Dobrev, then 23, told an interviewer that she was gratified for the series’ success and eternally grateful to her legion of fans — but that she harbored ambitions of doing more...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
6
 
 
Miss Piggy claims dibs on this week’s good-looking guest star, but he’s interested in another pig at her talk and variety show. The other pig is Kermit’s new girlfriend – and the guest is Liam Hemsworth.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
6
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: This Season 2 premiere of The Flash plays with, but doesn’t really explain or yet exploit, what will be the dominant theme this year: the exploration, and cross-pollination, of an alternate universe. Expect characters as you know them to take on different personalities in slightly different settings, as with the dark alternate universes in all those iterations of Star Trek.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
6
 
 
Athletes and coaches often describe their contests as a “must-win” game – but for teams competing in a one-day wild-card shot at getting to the postseason, it really is must win. Or must go home. And tonight, the American League wild-card contestants facing each other are the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees. The Yankees have home-field advantage.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
6
 
 
Last week’s series premiere set up the premise, with Rob Lowe playing an actor whose TV law series is canceled, and returns home to his family in hopes of joining their actual law firm. And with Fred Savage as the annoyed younger brother, and the great William Devane as their father, I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next. And that happens tonight…
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
6
 
 
This is the episode where Scream Queens should really shine. Coming a few weeks earlier than the actual holiday, it’s the Halloween episode. And if Halloween doesn’t scream out some key associations – such as, say, for this show’s star, Jamie Lee Curtis – then you’re not paying attention. Meanwhile, this show’s lead sorority girl, played by Emma Roberts, is about to be haunted… by something, or someone, just in time for Halloween.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2015
Oct
6
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: Rose McIver has an awful lot of fun in this season premiere, after her character, Liv, digests the brain of a cranky old man, and spends the episode wandering around like a punk-looking Don Rickles. (Well, make that Donna Rickles.) But it’s pretty funny, and shows yet another side to McIver’s acting chops.