Tonight, on Starz, is the premiere of Outlander, a period costume drama purporting to provide romance and battle scenes in a Scottish setting. But if you want the real deal, and a better viewing experience, watch this 1995 movie, starring Mel Gibson as 13th-century Scottish warrior William Wallace, who painted himself like an inebriated football fan to oppose the British forces who were oppressing Scotland the way they would later oppress the American colonies.

2014

Aug

OUTLANDER By David Bianculli

SERIES PREMIERE: This isn’t a recommendation, just an observation: This new Starz series, based on the series of books by Diana Gabaldon, has gotten more advance press than any TV show since the Breaking Bad finale. Don’t expect it to measure up to that (what can?), but here it is, starring Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall, the WWII nurse who is propelled back in time to 18th-century Scotland. Even at TVWW, we’ve given Outlander its share of virtual ink: Read Donna Plesh&rsquo

2014

Aug

THELMA & LOUISE By David Bianculli

This 1991 movie caught the national zeitgeist back in 1991, with women moviegoers, especially, reveling at the take-no-prisoners, take-no-nonsense attitude of feisty female fugitives played by Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. Oh, and one other thing about this movie that caught the zeitgeist: Brad Pitt, in a brief but star-making turn as a sort of road-trip boy toy.

2014

Aug

THE KNICK By David Bianculli

SERIES PREMIERE: This new Cinemax series already premiered, last night, on Cinemax – but it’s noteworthy that, shortly before the show’s official premiere, big-brother cable network HBO decided The Knick was good enough to showcase to its viewers as well. So if you didn’t watch episode one of The Knick last night on Cinemax, you can catch it again tonight at 10 ET on HBO. Or, if you’re impatient, you can also watch it tonight at 9 ET, on Cinemax. Clive Owen stars. F

2014

Aug

CLASSING UP CINEMAX WITH 'THE KNICK' By Ed Bark

The Knick, which delves deeply and often gruesomely into surgery circa 1900 at New York City’s poor-side-of-town Knickerbocker Hospital, is an impressive 10-episode series that throws Cinemax into the burgeoning mix of networks with Emmy-caliber dramas...

2014

Aug

IT WAS 45 YEARS AGO TODAY By Eric Gould

August 8 is the 45-year anniversary of what many think is the most famous photo in rock n' roll history -- The Beatles' Abbey Road cover photo. Here's a handmade fan montage of that photo shoot...

2014

Aug

'JONAH FROM TONGA': CHRIS LILLEY’S BAD BOY ACT IS JUST BAD By Eric Gould

Those looking in during Bill Maher’s annual summer hiatus will probably be wondering if the best HBO can cook up is Chris Lilley’s latest import, Jonah From Tonga. It clatters on like a broken washing machine...

2014

Aug

MOYERS & COMPANY By David Bianculli

What a wonderful treat, and a privileged opportunity to look back. Bill Moyers, in the first of two shows devoted to the late Maya Angelou, revisits his 1982 installment of Creativity in which he profiled the poet – 32 years ago! – and guided her on an emotional tour back to her very small, very segregated home town of Stamps, AR. For dates and times when this series runs in your area, check the Moyers & Company website. Check local listings.

2014

Aug

GREASE & GREASE 2 By David Bianculli

ABC Family is wallowing in Grease tonight, showing both the iconic 1978 movie musical, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, and its widely ignored 1982 sequel, which actually isn’t a proper sequel as well, since its stars, Maxwell Caulfield and an unknown actress named Michelle Pfeiffer (pictured), play entirely different roles. But the latter wouldn’t be unknown for much longer, and certainly would outlive her Pink Lady role here.

2014

Aug

DICK CAVETT'S WATERGATE By David Bianculli

Forty years ago to the minute when this new special is televised nationally, President Richard M. Nixon took to the air waves – at 9 p.m. ET on August 8, 1974 – to announce his resignation. To mark the occasion, Dick Cavett looks back, presenting vintage interviews he conducted then about Watergate, with both the investigators (e.g., Howard Baker) and some of the witnesses (e.g., John Dean). Just looking back on it again, I can’t help but think: What an amazing time I lived thr

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