Mike Hughes on TV

Hallmark at 25: more … and then some more

As the Hallmark network celebrates its 25th birthday, it’s planning a lot of the same. A lot.
The channel started on April 5, 2001, as the unlikely merger of three H’s — Henson (Jim, the Muppet man), Halmi (Robert, a movie/mini-series guy) and Hallmark, the greeting-card folk.
The others soon departed, but Hallmark kept growing. It has Christmas movies — roughly a zillion of them, one of which is shown here — and more, sometimes with tie-ins.
It’s again linking with pro-football (the Bears, this year) and with the Biltmore estate. It has also set a movie linking with Disney … which may make historical sense: Long ago, we’re told, Hallmark cards were one of the first spots to license Mickey Mouse.
Hallmark also has its streaming service, called (of course) Hallmark+. We’ll start there. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 5, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 7; adventures on Earth and beyond

1) “Anna Pigeon” debut, 10 p.m. Friday, USA Network. Anna (Tracy Spiridakos of “Chicago P.D.”) has big-city roots and an arts degree. But after her husband was killed, she became a detective park ranger in Montana; now she finds life-and-death crises, including one (shown here) tonight. Despite flaws (dense boss, absurd failure to address injuries), it’s a strong story with solid, likable people. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 5, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 6: fun, games and deep emotion

1) “The Bear” series finale, 9-10:20 p.m., FX. The restaurant has just survived its roughest night — overbooked, undersupplied and belted by a fierce storm. Now life changes, especially for Carmy (Emmy-winner Jeremy Allen White, shown here in a previous episode). In a quietly compelling finale, he has an emotional scene with Syd and, later, a remarkable, five-minute monolog. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 4, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 5: Ted’s back; “Shards” begins

1) “The Shards” openers, 9 and 10:11 p.m., FX. In “beautiful, empty houses,” Bret says, teens with absent parents cavort. Bret (whom writer Bret Easton Ellis based partly on himself) is a closeted bisexual with a hot girlfriend (they’re shown here) and an obsession for the new guy (played by Homer Gere, Richard’s son). A killer looms, in a story as smart, gorgeous and hollow as its characters. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 3, 2026

Stories

Canadian canine cop makes comfy TV

If you want a pleasantly adequate TV show, here are good elements — cops, canines and Canadians.
All of which point to “Hudson & Rex” (shown here), which starts its season at 8 p.m. ET Thursday (Aug. 6) on UPtv.
No, this isn’t one of the most famous TV shows (or one of the 200 most-famous) and it’s not on a famous network. UP reaches a little over half of U.S. TV homes, via cable, digital, Philo, Frndly and DirecTV. It likes shows that are upbeat (hence the name) and family-friendly. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 2, 2026

News and Quick Comments

“Chelsea” arrives, bridging the mystery gap

For fans of British-style mysteries, this is the gap month.
PBS’ Sunday shows wrapped on Aug. 2: “Patience” ended a good second season; “Grantchester” ended a great, 11-year run.
Now we wait through a stretch of reruns or pledge drives. On Sept. 6, things bounce back with “Marlow Murder Club” and “Marble Hall Murders.”
But what do we do in the interim? Try the Britbox streamer or the Ovation channel? Maybe even read a book?
Possibly, but here’s an alternative: The Acorn streamer (www.acorn.tv) chooses this ideal time for its new season of “The Chelsea Detective” (shown here). Each of the first four Mondays in August adds a movie-length tale; most have clever plots, all have interesting characters. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 2, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 4: a fresh twist for “Talent”

1) “America’s Got Talent,” 8-10 p.m.,, NBC. Now comes a fresh twist. The show has already sent 28 acts to the live episodes (starting Aug. 18); twelve are musical, five are acrobatic, others range from dancers to dogs. But the judges (shown here) have picked 23 acts for “callbacks”; they’ll perform for individual judges, hoping for the final spots in the live shows. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 2, 2026

Stories

When does fall season start? Here’s a round-up

As August arrives, TV viewers get fidgety.
They wonder when the fall season will begin. The answer — for the four big networks — depends on what they’re looking for:
— Scripted shows? A few arrive early — ABC’s “R.J. Decker,” Sept. 15; NBC’s new “Line of Fire,” Sept. 21; Fox’s shows, Sept.22 (including “Best Medicine,” shown here) and 27. More consider Oct. 4 to be premiere week.
— Unscripted ones, however, arrive earlier. ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” has a two-night blitz, Sept. 15-16; NBC’s “The Voice” has a three-nighter, Sept. 21-23. All the others have September starts, including NBC’s new “Traitors” spin-off, Sept. 17.
— And football? Well, that waits for no one. We’ll start there; this round-up is confined to the four big commercial broaadcast networks, in prime time: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 1, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 3: “Ninja” launches big NBC week

1) “American Ninja Warrior” (shown here in a previous episode), 9-11 p.m., NBC. It’s time for the central region finals, sending people to the national round. That reruns Saturday, part of a big week for NBC: “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m. Tuesday, rerunning Friday) starts its callbacks. Then there’s the start of the pro football pre-season Thursday and baseball Sunday. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 1, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 2: Bogie, zombies and a farewell

1) “Grantchester” series finale, 9 p.m. PBS. For 11 seasons and three vicars, this series (shown here) has given us smart crime stories. The finale fumbles that a litttle; the search for the man who shot Geordie is so-so. It also overdoes a crisis-in-faith story … but then catches itself. In the final minutes, we’re remind that this is a terrific series, filled with beautifully layered people. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 31, 2026