Mike Hughes on TV

Stories

Olympic overload? Here’s a guide to the figure skating schedule and more

You may recall that life used to be simple. Even watching the Olympics was a breeze.
We just watched the one network, which decided when and what we’d see. Most of the events had already happened, but we didn’t know the results. We thought we were happy.
Now that’s changed and the Winter Olympics (shown here from 2022), on Feb. 6-22, bring dizzying choices. There are four channels; there’s live and not. Even the opening ceremony airs three times.
Not to worry. We’ll offer the specifics for one category (figure skating) and an overview for the others. First, some background: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 4, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Feb. 5: fun chefs, serious sports

1) “Next Level Chef,” 8 p.m, Fox. Here’s the fun bunch — eight social-media chefs, fighting for five spots. They range from 27 to 56, from a female body-builder to a guy (shown here) who announced during an online broadcast that he’s “fat and hungover,” from an at-home dad to Andy Allo, the female lead in the “Upload” streaming series. The result is filled with fun moments. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 3, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Feb. 4: Muppets and talking dogs

1) “Nova: Can Dogs Talk?” 9 p.m., PBS. They can, sort of. Given an array of buttons, they can step on the one that says a specific noun (a toy) or a request (a walk, a meal) or even a concept. Scientists have been skeptical, setting up careful tests. The results are fun to watch; so are the dogs — delighted by their new skill — and their people. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 2, 2026

News and Quick Comments

In elegant worlds, subtlety (sometimes) exists

If you encase a story with elegance — beautiful people wearing gorgeous things in stately places — you can get away with a lot.
That pops up now, with two lush productions:
— “Bridgerton” (shown here) has just aired the first half of its eight-episode season on Netflix. The second half arrives Feb. 26.
— “Forsytes” debuts March 22 on PBS’ “Masterpiece,” for a six-week run. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Feb. 3: a night of crimes, true and not

1) “The Turpins: A New House of Horror,” 10 p.m., ABC. At 17, Jordan Turpin (shown here in a later photo) escaped and told police about her 12 siblings, as young as 2, being abused. Their parents were sentenced to life in prison. Eight years later, the younger kids tell Diane Sawyer more about that … and about ensuing failures of the foster-care system. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2026

Stories

O’Hara: three (or more) gifted actresses in one

One day, long ago, Andrea Martin’s neighbor bubbled with praise.
She really liked Martin’s work in “SCTV,” she said. Also, she liked “the three other women” in the show.
Martin laughed and explained that the “three women” were Catherine O’Hara.
That story — from Dave Thomas’ “SCTV” (1996, McClelland & Stewart) — comes to mind now, with O’Hara’s death Friday, at 71, after a brief illness. For generations, she had richly varied roles.
Many people knew her from the “Home Alone” films and her Emmy-winning work in “Schitt’s Creek” (shown here). Long before that, however, she was part of Canada’s great comedy convergence. The quotes here are from Thomas’ book. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2026

Stories

“Gates” surprises doubters … including its creator

“Beyond the Gates” (shown here) is near its first anniversary now, surprising many people — including its creator.
“I didn’t think anything was going to come of it,” Michele Val Jean said.
Her doubts were logical. The number of soap operas on broadcast networks had sunk from 13 to three. There hadn’t been a new one since 1999 … and that one (“Passions”) had died in 2007.
Still, Val Jean had been hired to plan an ambitious soap, set in a gated enclave for rich Black families. “I thought, ‘It’s a good little project for me to do while Covid is going down. (I’ll) make a little extra money and then go on about my business,'” she told the Television Critics Association. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 31, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Feb. 2: tough time for doctors and hitman

1) “Brilliant Minds,” 10 p.m., NBC. In the first few minutes, a potential tragedy seeps into the hospital. Viewers know it’s there; the staff (shown here) doesn’t — until chaos breaks out. It’s a terrific episode that fades a bit in the final minutes. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 31, 2026

Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Feb. 2: Super Bowl, Olympics overlap

1) Super Bowl, 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC. The Seattle Seahawks (shown here) and New England Patriots, each 14-3, collide. It’s the 12th Super Bowl for the Patriots (going for their seventh win), but the first in\seven years. They got here with a snowy, 10-7 win over the Broncos. It’s the fourth Super Bowl for the Seahawks, eyeing their second win; they edged the Rams, 31-27. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 30, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Feb. 1: Grammys rule; “Scarlet” probes

1) Grammy awards, 8-11:30 p.m. Trevor Noah hosts and Kendrick Lamar leads with nine nominations. Performers include Leon Thomas (shown here) and Sabrina Carpenter, each with six nominations. He’ll be part of a number that includes all the new-artist nominees; others are Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, Sombr, Katseye and the Marias. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 30, 2026