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

 
 
2011
Dec
5
 
 
A Charlie Brown Christmas, broadcast by CBS in 1965, was and remains the best holiday TV special ever made. Even in an age of DVRs and Blu-Ray, gathering the family to watch Linus, Snoopy and the gang, even with commercial intrusions, is one of the few annual television traditions we have left. But now, as ABC televises it Monday night at 8 ET, that network, too, is disrespecting a classic...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Dec
3
 
 
This column will provide a link to, and add illustrated commentary for, my current TV review on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, in which I talk -- very specifically -- about the pivotal, exciting things that have just happened on such quality shows as Dexter, The Walking Dead, Homeland and American Horror Story. If you're behind, or don't want to read details, then stop here. But if you're up to date on those shows, and are as excited by recent events as I am, keep reading (and start listening) for some illuminating images and additional raves...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
30
 
 
In composer Stephen Sondheim's new book, Look, I Made a Hat, he reveals lots of things that should surprise even the most diehard Sondheim enthusiast -- not personal admissions, but details of works both produced and unproduced. One, in particular, stunned me...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
23
 
 
The Thanksgiving holiday is a time for gratitude, for reflection --and for watching TV, from the Turkey Day football games to the Sunday night dramas. Just to stoke the fires of appreciation, I've made a list of six reasons to be grateful, media-wise, for our recent bounty of tasty treats. Put them all together, they spell T-H-A-N-K-S....
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
18
 
 
The upcoming PBS American Masters two-parter, Woody Allen: A Documentary, is getting a lot of attention and acclaim, and deserves it all. I raved about it in my Thursday review on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, which I'll recap in a second. But here, I want to point out some other, additional things to anticipate and enjoy about this fine new TV biography...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
16
 
 
I wanted to like The X Factor, I really did, and I'm usually impressed by Simon Cowell as both an on-air judge and backstage producer. But there are two things I just can't abide about his new Fox competition series, and they both came to a creepy, weepy head last week, when Willow Smith sang and Paula Adbul sobbed...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
15
 
 
In the midst of a crazy week, even for him, Regis Philbin sat down and carved out more than an hour yesterday to talk about his career, his future, and his new memoir, How I Got This Way. Our conversation airs today (Tuesday), as the featured interview on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. But there's one thing you won't hear during the broadcast version of our talk: my cell phone ringing...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
11
 
 
NBC hasn't been able to celebrate much this season, but it's trying its best to make the most of a grim fall 2011 development season -- the highlight of which, ironically, appears to be Grimm. The network is touting the new drama series, which premiered two weeks ago, as "Friday's #1 New Show." Well, maybe. Sort of...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
10
 
 
After movie producer Brett Ratner made enough insensitive comments about his personal life and views to have him replaced as producer of February's Oscar awards, host Eddie Murphy, star of Ratner's Tower Heist, has walked as well. The new producer, Brian Grazer, has to find a new host, fast. Who's he gonna call? Here's who he should call: Billy Crystal...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2011
Nov
8
 
 
Tuesday's New York Times includes an excellent Bill Carter story about the ramifications of CBS moving its drama The Good Wife from Tuesdays to Sundays this season, making it subject to East Coast time delays from pro football overruns. CBS executives say that, in getting the word out about the annoying time shifts, they're "doing about everything we can." No, they're not. They're not doing the most obvious and important thing...