Today is Paul Newman day on TCM, and one of the best Newman movies on its lineup is this 1967 film, in which Newman plays a convict determined not to conform, even when his clashes with a sadistic chain-gang overseer leads to a classic “failure to communicate.” I also feel compelled to point out one of my all-time favorites, 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (at 10 p.m. ET), but another reason to point out this particular showing of Cool Hand Luke: Less than a week ago,

2014

Aug

DRUNK HISTORY By David Bianculli

Tonight’s new episode is set on my long-time stomping grounds: Philadelphia. And in an installment that also makes room for Stephen Merchant and David Cross, it also presents the story of Benedict Arnold and his personal Lady Macbeth, Peggy Shippen – a scheming duo played, quite amusingly, by Chris Parnell and Winona Ryder (pictured).

2014

Aug

TYRANT By David Bianculli

Last week’s episode really shifted around the alliances and directions of this narrative: Barry (Adam Rayner) revealed to his American government contact (Justin Kirk) that he wanted to run for election and take the country from his brother Jamal (Ashraf Barhom). Meanwhile, Jamal confided to his wife Leila (Moran Atias, pictured) that Barry had helped him dispatch of a rival regional leader – and Leila let Barry know that she knew, which complicated Barry’s coup plans considera

2014

Aug

WIZARD WARS By David Bianculli

SERIES PREMIERE: The latest magic-show series of the summer (an odd but by now obvious coincidence) stars Penn & Teller, who already headline the CW import Penn & Teller: Fool Us. This time, the gimmick is to have teams of magicians compete for the chance to go against some resident experts in a final challenge – sort of like a sleight-of-hand version of Iron Chef. And while the quickly improvised magic tricks aren’t that amazing, this premiere episode is worth catching just

2014

Aug

POIROT: "THE LABORS OF HERCULES" By David Bianculli

This is the second of three final episodes of the long-running Poirot series, starring David Suchet as Agatha Christie’s stuffy, fussy Belgian detective. And like the first and third, it’s available, for now, only on the Acorn.TV website, whereas the other mysteries in the show’s 13-season run always have been shown in the U.S. on PBS. Tonight’s story has Hercule starting off by failing to both catch a killer and protect someone from harm, and falling into a deep depressi

2014

Aug

DOCTOR WHO MARATHON By David Bianculli

Building up to this weekend’s launch of Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor, BBC America goes all in, all week, with Doctor Who-related marathons and specials. Beginning today at 8 a.m. ET, for example, BBC America repeats the first 10 specials in the Doctor Who – The Doctors Revisited nonfiction series, giving behind-the-scenes histories of the various men cast as The Doctor. At 1 p.m. ET, it’s Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion holiday drama, followed at 2 p.m. ET by six episodes

2014

Aug

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL By David Bianculli

PRESEASON PREMIERE: This is a preseason game, so it doesn’t count in the standings once the season begins. But that doesn’t mean this opening game, pitting the Cleveland Browns vs. the Washington Redskins, is devoid of drama. Over on the Browns side, starting quarterback Brian Hoyer is battling not only the opposing defense, but his own teammate: this year’s top draft pick, Johnny Manziel, has been assigned to lead the offense on alternating possessions. So if he shines while H

2014

Aug

CAPTIVATED: THE TRIALS OF PAMELA SMART By David Bianculli

This new documentary recounts and recircles the infamous story of Pamela Smart, the young teacher who had an affair with one of her high-school students and was convicted of conspiring with him and his friends to kill her husband. Smart continues to profess her innocence, this documentary spends a good deal of time excoriating the media, but the pertinent information in this narrative is doled out slowly and somewhat confusingly. One thing that leaps out, though: Despite all the headlines and ne

2014

Aug

DALLAS By David Bianculli

SEASON PREMIERE: Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing is long gone now, but this series continues to tell its South Fork stories. And while the younger cast members are given most of the juicy stuff to do, it’s still the old guard, especially Linda Gray as Sue Ellen and Patrick Duffy as Bobby, who keep the engine chugging.

2014

Aug

THE EYE OF THE CAMERA AND BLIND JUSTICE: THE PAMELA SMART TRIAL By Eric Gould

The star of the upcoming HBO documentary on the sensational Pamela Smart trial is a hand-held mini-cassette recorder sitting on an empty desk... a substitute for Juror 13 – who held out for part of the deliberations for acquittal...

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