Mike Hughes on TV

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 21: fierce finish for a strong season

1) “Snowfall” season finale, 10 p.m., FX, rerunning at 11. Some fierce collisions have been propelled by two things: A reporter (tipped by Franklin’s father) wrote about Teddy’s CIA guns-for-drugs scheme; also, Leon accidentally killed the niece of Manboy, a rival gang boss. (Franklin, Leon and Manboy are shown here.) Last week, Teddy killed the reporter after a car crash; Franklin killed Manboy and his gang. Here are the aftershocks, some quiet and some not. This would be a great series finale, but “Snowfall” will return. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 19, 2021

News and Quick Comments

An outsider shakes the Philadelphia courts

To some people, the idea — Larry Krasner (shown here) running for Philadelphia district attorney – seemed bizarre.
He had never been a prosecutor. He had spent 30 years as a defense attorney, often representing protesters and suing police. The police-union president called the idea “hilarious.”
Except Krasner won quite easily, even surprising himself. “I was a political unknown,” he told the Television Critics Association. Originally, “I thought I had about a 40 percent chance to win.”
Then came the tough part, traced in “Philly DA,” an eight-hour series starting 9-11 p.m. Tuesday (April 20) on PBS: He wanted to de-emphasize some crimes and to quit asking for cash bail for most. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 19, 2021

Stories

Separated by 76 years, they’re Earth Day giants

This was like a downsized climate summit.
The world’s two best-know nature activists met, reflecting different eras: David Attenborough is 94; Greta Thunberg (shown here) is 18.
He started working on his first animal show a half-century before she was born; later, he began including warnings about climate change. “I’ve been promoting this for a long time,” he tells her in an Earth Day film on PBS. “But the big changes came when you spoke.”
Now both have their say, during the flurry of Earth Day films Thursday (April 22): Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 18, 2021

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 20: an angsty night for teens and bikers

1) “Cruel Summer” debut, 9 and 10 p.m., Freeform. Here is a remarkable performance by young Chiara Aurelia – virtually a triple role, all within one character. We meet Jeanette as a shy and likable teen (shown here) who secretly envies the beautiful Kate (Olivia Holt). A year later, she has Kate’s life and boyfriend; a year after that, she’s widely hated. Bouncing between the three summers, we slowly learn her actions (or inaction) changed everything. And we see the mixed impulses that can live inside one teen. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 18, 2021

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 19: Second chances for “Idol” and for author

1) “American Experience: American Oz,” 9-11 p.m., PBS. After a blissful childhood, Frank Baum dreamed big, often with his dad’s financial backing. He raised thoroughbred chickens; he wrote, produced and starred in a touring musical. In South Dakota, he tried a high-end store and then a newspaper that went from feminism to proposing Indian annihilation. He failed often and then, in his 40s, succeeded with children’s short tales … a window-dressers’ magazine … and “The Wizard of Oz,” a classic book that became an immensely popular movie (shown here). Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 17, 2021

News and Quick Comments

Host-less, song-less Oscars could be awful

Let’s hope I’m wrong, but this year’s Academy Award telecast has the potential to be truly terrible.
I mean dull and drab and dreary and, well, absolutely awful. Let’s review:
In recent years, the art of acceptance speeches has crumbled. People used to say something funny or angry or joyous or, at least, interesting. Now they thank their agents and managers. This year’s show will have lots of pretty people onstage — Brad Pitt (shown here) and Halle Berry and more — but nothing else.
In the past, we could at least look forward to some comedy (from a clever host) and some music (from the five nominated songs). And now? For the third straight year, there will be no host. For the first year in approximately forever, there will be no songs; they’ll be exiled to the pre-show, from 6:30-8 p.m. ET. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 17, 2021

News and Quick Comments

Beyond the blubber: Whales show rich personalities

We kind of know what whales are like – big and blubbery and such.
Or maybe we don’t know them at all. They vary widely, photographer Brian Skerry told the Television Critics Association. That can depend on the species, the region, even the individual.
“These animals do have languages,” said Skerry, whose richly crafted “Secrets of the Whales” (shown here) has an Earth Day debut on Disney+. “They do have dialects. (They) have rich lives, much like our own.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 17, 2021

Stories

TV overflows with Earth Day (Earth Month?) splendor

A slow year for people turned out to be a splendid one for animals … and for people filming animals.
For the second straight year, Earth Day (April 22) will lack its usual commotion. Community events have been sidelined during the pandemic.
But this has been a strong year for nature and filmmakers, including “Perfect Planet” (shown here). And streaming networks are jumping in.
One (Discovery+) declared this Earth Month, with a new film each Thursday. Another (Apple TV+) added three ambitious projects on Friday (April 16). And on Earth Day, Disney+ debuts “Secrets of the Whales,” a spectacular, three-year, four-part project. There’s much more, via broadcast (PBS, CW) and cable. People will see lots of animals … and will hear a lot from David Attenborough, 94, the eternal narrator. Here’s a sampling: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 16, 2021

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 18: music via country, “Idol” and “Zoey”

1) Academy of Country Music awards, 8-11 p.m., CBS. Miranda Lambert will open the show, singing “Drunk” with Elle King (they’re shown here); she’ll also link with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall for “In His Arms.” Her ex-husband Blake Shelton will celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Austin” and also do “Minimum Wage.” From three Nashville locations, others include Carrie Underwood (with gospel great CeCe Winans), Dierks Bentley, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, hosts Brad Paisley and Mickey Guyton, and many more. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 16, 2021

Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for April 19: Earth Day is strong; Oscar night is weak

1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. ET Sunday, ABC. For the third straight year, the Oscars will go without a host … and might pay little attention to the songs. That can be disastrous: Humor and music are key, when many winners give dreary speeches (thanking agents and such) and many viewers haven’t seen the films. Nominated for best picture are “Promising Young Woman” (shown here with Carey Mulligan), “Mank,” “Minari,” “Nomadland,” “Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “The Father” and “Sound of Metal.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 15, 2021