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!
 
 
 
 
Leave a Comment: (No HTML, 1000 chars max)
 
 Name (required)
 
 Email (required) (will not be published)
 
WCWRT
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 190  | Go to page: 
3785 Comments
 
 
Practical stream
I should say this is impressive. The blog shares valuable and clear information. Really enjoyed reading this and also found (music license for business)[https://practical.stream/] helpful for business music solutions.
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I truly like you're composing style, incredible data, thankyou for posting
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a great article and great read for me. It's my first visit to your blog, and I have found it so useful and informative especially this article
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I should assert barely that its astounding! The blog is informational also always fabricate amazing entitys.
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
You have a good point here!I totally agree with what you have said!!Thanks for sharing your views...hope more people will read this article!!!
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Excellent .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…I’m happy to find so many useful info here in the post, we need work out more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing.
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a great inspiring article.I am pretty much pleased with your good work.You put really very helpful information..
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Glad to chat your blog, I seem to be forward to more reliable articles and I think we all wish to thank so many good articles, blog to share with us
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Trying to say thank you won't simply be adequate, for the astonishing lucidity in your article. I will legitimately get your RSS to remain educated regarding any updates. Wonderful work and much accomplishment in your business endeavors
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I am genuinely thankful to the holder of this web page who has shared this wonderful paragraph at at this place
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Really a great addition. I have read this marvelous post. Thanks for sharing information about it. I really like that
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I’ve read some good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to create such a great informative website.
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a great article and great read for me. It's my first visit to your blog, and I have found it so useful and informative especially this article
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???
I am happy to find this post very useful for me, as it contains lot of information. I always prefer to read the quality content and this thing I found in you post. Thanks for sharing
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Impressive web site, Distinguished feedback that I can tackle. Im moving forward and may apply to my current job as a  pet sitter, which is very enjoyable, but I need to additional  expand. Regards
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???
I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Wow i can say that this is another great article as expected of this blog.Bookmarked this site..
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Amazing website sir. A great information given by you in this blog. It really informative and very helpful. Thank you.
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Very useful post. This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. Really its great article. Keep it up.
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This web site really has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn't know who to ask
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 190  | Go to page: 
 
 

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.