SUNDAY
AUGUST 6
2017

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

Showtime, 8:00 p.m. ET

Last week, Twin Peaks: The Return finally made room for one of the original series’ central figures: Audrey Horne, played by Sherilyn Fenn. We waited until Episode 12 of the new series to see her, and see where and with whom Audrey ended up with after all these years. And now it’s Episode 13, and there’s truly no telling who might be showing up this week. Spare moments of Twin Peaks: The Return have matched the appealing oddness of the original, but we still are in search of a satisfying primary plot – and explanations for lots of what we’ve seen so far. Like, how did Audrey escape the explosion when she had chained herself in protest to an ultimately blown-up bank in the end of the original Twin Peaks? Oh, well. Since Kyle MacLachlan’s Dale Cooper was trapped in some alternate Black Lodge reality at the end of that show, with an evil doppelganger taking his place possessed by the spirit of Killer Bob – and since, 13 episodes in, we still haven’t gotten back to the “real” Cooper yet, what right do I have to complain? If there’s one thing about which David Lynch is consistent, it’s inconsistency. For example: All season, Twin Peaks: The Return has been televised Sundays at 9 p.m. ET – but beginning tonight, it moves back an hour, to 8.

 
  
 
 

Syfy, 8:00 p.m. ET

Syfy’s Sharknado franchise is the Pet Rocks of modern TV. There’s no explaining how an idea this basic, and this stupid, ever got this popular. Yet here it is, with a rabid social media following that keeps these tongue-in-cheek, teeth-in-mouth shark movies coming, each more intentionally absurd than the last. Ian Ziering and Tara Reid continue to star, and a bewildering array of guest stars make cameo appearances, usually as some type of instantly devoured shark victim. One thing about Sharknado 5 that’s worth applauding, though, is its sloganeering. Not only is Global Swarming a clever subtitle, but this latest Sharknado outing has an unbeatable tag line it’s using on promos: “Make America bait again.”

 
  
 
 

CNN, 9:00 p.m. ET

This week’s installment is called Terrorism Hits Home – yet it also focuses on terrorism abroad, and how it finds its way to U.S. targets and operations. One terrorist introduced in this decade, and covered in The Nineties, is Osama bin Laden. More on him in future decades…

 
  
 
 

HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET

The episode shown tonight was pirated and leaked online a few days ago. But I didn’t see it, so whatever otherwise top-secret intrigues occur in tonight’s episode, they’re still secret to me. But I have a feeling, just from the promotional photos that were released officially in advance, that Daenerys Targaryen probably won’t be having a terrific time.

 
  
 
 

Showtime, 9:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: Season 5 of this strong Showtime series promises to start very dramatically, with a death in (or around) the family. But it also begins by introducing this year’s season-long guest player: Susan Sarandon, playing a movie executive whose needs, and enemies, pull Liev Schreiber’s problem-fixer Ray Donovan back into the Hollywood world where we first met him. For Sarandon, it’s another dazzling TV role, right on the heels of playing Bette Davis on FX’s Feud: Bette and Joan. Like her co-star in that excellent FX miniseries, Jessica Lange (who played an equally unforgettable Joan Crawford), Sarandon has decided that TV is where the best roles are these days – for women, and especially for more mature women, but basically for everyone. For a full review, see David Hinckley's All Along the Watchtower

 
  
 
 

HBO, 11:08 p.m. ET

So John Oliver does a segment on a lawsuit-happy coal executive, Bob Murray, after which Murray obliges by suing Oliver. Now the ACLU has filed an amicus curiae brief with the court, on Oliver’s behalf. Oliver may not be able to discuss this at any length on tonight’s show – it is, after all, a case in active litigation – but hey, perhaps he’ll raise someone else’s hackles with tonight’s show. At any rate, he gets to talk about a lot… including a grand jury.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
USBFW
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.