How nice. On Halloween night proper, ABC presents the best Halloween special ever made: The 1966 Peanuts special, a follow-up to the even more brilliant A Charlie Brown Christmas, that once again relies upon Linus to deliver its true heart and soul. This time, Linus is the one true believer, waiting in a desolate pumpkin patch to witness, and welcome, the Great Pumpkin. And if you’ve never seen this special, with or without children around, you’re out of your gourd.

2012

Oct

THE EXORCIST By David Bianculli

On Halloween night, here’s a full-sized treat that’s no trick: A prime-time showing of 1973’s The Exorcist. Even though, next Halloween, it will be 40 years old, it’s still one of the scariest movies ever made – perhaps the scariest. Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn star in the story of a little girl (Blair) whose mother (Burstyn) is frightened by her daughter’s increasingly aberrant behavior. Max von Sydow co-stars in the title role.

2012

Oct

FRANKENSTEIN By David Bianculli

On Halloween night, another prime-time classic: Turner Classic Movies presents the original Frankenstein film, made in 1931 – only four years after The Jazz Singer ushered in the cinematic sound era. Maybe that’s why Boris Karloff, as Frankenstein’s monster, had so few lines of dialogue. I suspect other reasons -- and I also expect that tonight's entire TCM lineup, for Halloween fans, will be a monster hit. Also on the schedule: 1939's Son of Frankenstein at 9:30 p.m. ET, 1941'

2012

Oct

MODERN FAMILY By David Bianculli

This series presented its annual Halloween episode last week, so tonight’s installment is back to basics. In this case, it’s a yard sale, hosted by Jay (Ed O’Neill) and Gloria (Sofia Vergara).

2012

Oct

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM By David Bianculli

Here’s a plot line that’s almost creepily well-timed: A brutally fierce storm descends upon the asylum, which inspires some of the inmates to use the severe weather event as an opportunity to attempt an escape. Jessica Lange, James Cromwell star.

2012

Oct

2010: AMC'S 'WALKING DEAD' STARTS WALKING By David Bianculli

On this day in 2010, AMC used the occasion of Halloween night to unveil The Walking Dead, its new drama series about a world suddenly overrun by zombies...

2012

Oct

1958: 'CONCENTRATION' GOES PRIMETIME By Christy Slewinski

On this day in 1958, NBC's fledgling daytime game show, Concentration, was added to the network's prime-time lineup as a temporary replacement for Twenty-One...

2012

Oct

ELLEN DEGENERES: THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE By David Bianculli

This salute to Ellen DeGeneres was taped a week ago Monday in Washingon, D.C., the same evening as the third and final presidential debate between Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama. Alluding to Romney’s one specific announced proposed budget cut, revealed during an earlier debate and aimed at eliminating federal funding for PBS, DeGeneres began her thank-yous by saying, to the network airing the awards ceremony, “Thanks to everyone at PBS. I’m so glad to be a part of your

2012

Oct

FREAKS By David Bianculli

Tonight, in anticipation of Halloween, TCM presents a prime-time lineup that’s so good, it’s scary – and vice versa. The triple feature begins at 8 p.m. ET with 1927’s The Unknown, an early Lon Chaney film, also starring Joan Crawford, directed by Tod Browning. It concludes at 10:30 p.m. ET with 1946’s Bedlam, a moody Boris Karloff film sometimes known as Chamber of Horrors. But the evening’s centerpiece is another Browning movie, the 1932 cult masterpie

2012

Oct

FRONTLINE: “BIG SKY, BIG MONEY, AN INVESTIGATION WITH MARKETPLACE” By David Bianculli

Kai Ryssdal, host of public radio’s Marketplace, reports on how the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision has played out in Montana, with local court challenges, alleged abuses by local political campaigns, and how the resultant state Senate race has escalated into a bitter contest that could well prove pivotal in each party’s hopes to control the U.S. Senate. Check local listings.

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