SATURDAY
JULY 15
2017

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

This 1942 romantic comedy is a great newspaper movie, a great relationship movie, and a great movie, period. It stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as reporters with very different specialties and interests – she’s an international public affairs reporter, and he’s a sportswriter – who feud, compete, and, of course, fall in love. When the movie was released, the hard-to-please critic Bosley Crowther raved about it, calling Woman of the Year “as warming as a Manhattan cocktail and as juicy as a porterhouse steak.” And tonight, as part of The Essentials canon, we’ll hear similar accolades from Alec Baldwin and his guest, Tina Fey – whose enthusiasm for this movie is both understandable and heartwarming.
 
  
 
 

BBC America, 10:00 p.m. ET

One of the clones most recently introduced on this series was Krystal, a caricature character – blonde, self-obsessed, hair-and-makeup-consumed – whom Tatiana Maslany somehow has made not only believable, but touching. Krystal has been absent for all but a few seconds this season, but tonight she resurfaces, in a story line that may provide a key piece of the puzzle for the other clone sisters.

 
  
 
 

CNN, 10:00 p.m. ET

This is a bit selfish to point out, but it’s also an exciting viewing opportunity I never thought CNN would provide. In every decade the network has decided to examine as a documentary miniseries, starting with The Sixties, CNN has opened each miniseries with an episode divided to that era’s television. Tonight, beginning with the “The One About TV” installment that opened The Nineties last Sunday, CNN presents them all, in reverse order, in a mini-marathon, presenting the TV-centered opening episodes from The Nineties, The Eighties, The Seventies, and The Sixties. The only reason it’s selfish to point out is that I’m in all of them – but I promise, the opportunity to see 40 years of TV history encapsulated so concisely, and so entertainingly, is worth having to put up with me every now and then.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 11:29 p.m. ET

This is a repeat episode from February, but it’s well worth revisiting. The guest host is Alec Baldwin – and five months have elapsed in Trumpland since then, so Baldwin’s appearance, as his Trump impression, may seem almost like nostalgia for a simpler time. Musical guest: Ed Sheeran.

 
  
 
 
 
 
Read and add comments HERE for today's Best Bets!
 
 
 
 
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3811 Comments
 
 
I really liked your article post. Really looking forward to read more. Great. Say, you got a nice article. Really thank you! Fantastic.I think the restaurant which you told me in the letter is very interesting. I also like to eat out and I usually go to a restaurant for dinner with my family twice a month., The food is delicious so we enjoy it very much. The service is also quick and friendly.
Apr 25, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Teaching English online has become a flexible, rewarding career path—and you don’t need a university degree to get started. By focusing on the right certifications, tools, and platforms, anyone with strong English skills can build a thriving online teaching business.
Apr 25, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
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Apr 24, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu kelas rendah melakukan apa yang paling mereka kuasai—berbohong, menipu, dan menghilang dengan uang orang lain.
Apr 23, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Manusia sampah sejati, memangsa orang-orang tak berdosa hanya untuk mengisi kantong mereka yang serakah. Sungguh memalukan.
Apr 23, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Pemerintah Indonesia, persetan dengan para penipu itu, tangkap mereka dan persetan dengan mereka karena telah menipu banyak orang.
Apr 23, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Manusia sampah sejati, memangsa orang-orang tak berdosa hanya untuk mengisi kantong mereka yang serakah. Sungguh memalukan.
Apr 23, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu yang memalukan memangsa orang-orang dengan klaim palsu dan kebohongan.
Apr 23, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This article is packed with insights! I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into making it so engaging. Well done!
Apr 22, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Such an amazing read! Your ability to explain things in a simple yet detailed way is truly impressive.
Apr 22, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
Dave Bianculli
Hey sweetie,

It's not that complicated! It's TV!!! Do what I do!!!!! Grab a six pack of Miller Lite, crack the first one open and drink it. Rinse and repeat!!!!!!! ROTFLMBFFAO!!!!!!!!!

Just let the TV flow over you.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

Dave
Apr 21, 2026
 
 
 
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This was well explained since it stayed concise and clear. Thanks for sharing this insight.
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu ini adalah pembohong profesional. Siapa pun yang mempercayai mereka hanya ikut memperkuat penipuan mereka.
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Pemerintah Indonesia, persetan dengan para penipu itu, tangkap mereka dan persetan dengan mereka karena telah menipu banyak orang.
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Pemerintah Indonesia tangkap situs web sialan itu
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Practical stream
A thoughtful reflection on TV criticism’s evolution and legacy—blending nostalgia, personal memories, and appreciation for creators who shaped meaningful viewing experiences.
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Manusia sampah sejati, memangsa orang-orang tak berdosa hanya untuk mengisi kantong mereka yang serakah. Sungguh memalukan.
Apr 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Sialan para penipu ini karena telah mencuri uang dan kepercayaan orang lain.
Apr 20, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Situs web ini benar-benar penipuan, jangan percayai mereka.
Apr 20, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
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David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.