Month: June 2019

Best-bets for July 2: On a slow night, reruns rule

1) “NCIS,” 9 p.m., CBS. So a guy wakes up with no idea what happened – or why there’s a dead body next to him. Versions of that story have been on “X-Files” and “Law & Order” and even on a previous “NCIS” episode; now here’s a slight variation: Torres (Wilmer Valderrama, shown here) wakes up on a blood-splattered fishing boat, with no memory of the past 12 hours. It’s a rerun, as “NCIS” (which had a rare pre-emption last week) moves into its summer spot at 9. Read more…

A time for joy: Lear’s comedy is rescued

For the TV world, this was one of the year’s biggest news flashes:
The Pop network is rescuing “One Day at a Time.” It will have 13 new episodes next year.
OK, not everyone will consider it huge. Chances are, many people weren’t aware there is a Pop network or a “One Day” reboot. But ponder this from several standpoints
:– TV history. Norman Lear is the producer who sparked TV’s first golden age of comedy. Now he’s had a one-two shot – last month, ABC’s live show using “All in the Family” and “Jeffersons” scripts … and now this. In his statement, Lear said he was “heartbroken” when Netflix decided against a fourth season, and is now “overwhelmed with joy.” Read more…

Best-bets for June 30: Crowe rings loud and clear

1) “The Loudest Voice” debut, 10 p.m., Showtime. We start at Roger Ailes’ low point: Fired by NBC Cable, he’s begging for leniency in a no-compete clause. Soon, he starts Fox News … and flounders. He even calls a 4 a.m. meeting, filling the room with loud rage. Not to worry: Ailes (who died in 2017, at 77) understood this new era: Instead of trying to please everyone, he was carving a specific audience. Russell Crowe (shown here, at right) plays the role beautifully, mixing venom and volume with surprising bits of subtlety. Read more…

Gone solo? No, Colbie has Gone West

Colbie Caillat seems to have this pop-star thing backward
.People are supposed to start in groups. Then – full of success or full of themselves – they go solo.
But after a decade solo, Caillat has now become one-fourth of Gone West.“It’s fun,” she said. “Now I’m out there with my best friends.”
Last October was their Grand Ole Opry debut; coming is the July 4 mega-concert in Washington, D.C. Read more…

Best-bets for June 29: Generations collide in “Son” finale

1) “The Son” series-finale, 9 p.m., AMC, rerunning at 10:05. A two-season run ends with fierce jolts. At the core are three generations (shown here). Eli attacked the Garcias and stole their land; Pete rescue Rose Garcia (whom he loves) and is ready to testify against his dad in court. But last week, his daughter Jeanne told the plan to Eli. Now we see the aftershocks. We also flash back to Eli’s youth, as he leaves the Comanche — and forward to Jeanne as the ranch’s elderly owner. Read more…

Best-bets for June 28: Brooks & Dunn & more

1) “CMT Crossroads,” 10 p.m., CMT. For 17 years, “Crossroads” has blended genres. Country stars mixed with everyone from Elton John to Bon Jovi. Brooks & Dunn (show here) did that in the show’s third episode, linking with ZZ Top. This time, however, they’ve diverted from the plan; they stick with the country singers, who are on their “Reboot” album, including Luke Combs, Jon Pardi, Brett Young and Midland. Read more…

Week’s top-10 for July 1: Slow week, but fast fourth

1) A Capitol Fourth,” 8 p.m. Thursday, PBS, rerunning at 10. Each year, this offers a feel-good mix of music, emotion and fireworks. This time, pop music prevails — Carole King with the Broadway cast of “Beautiful” … Colbie Caillat and her Gone West band … and people from the three big competitions – winners of “American Idol” (Laine Hardy) and “The Voice” (Maelyn Jarmon). plus an “America’s Got Talent” runner-up (Angelica Hale). Also: Vanessa Williams, Lee Brice, Yolanda Adams and more. Read more…

Best-bets for June 27: Dark jolts from “In the Dark”

1) “In the Dark” season-finale, 9 p.m., CW. Last week’s episode ended with a double surprise: The good news – a sudden, passionate romance between Murphy (the blind woman obsessed with solving her friend’s murder) and Dean (the cop working the case). The bad — a cop, maybe Dean, is linked to the killing. That sets up a fierce finale, with great work from Perry Mattfeld as Murphy (shown here with Brooke Markham, left, who plays her only friend) and Rich Sommer as Dean. “Dark” ends its season and wraps its main story with some powerful jolts. Read more…

Best-bets for June 26: “Amazing” returnees lead the race

1) “The Amazing Race” finale, 9-11 p.m., CBS. Veterans of three CBS reality shows collided … with “Race” the clear winner. It had five duos in the running and three are still there: Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl are friends, Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran are cousins, Colin Guinn and Christie Woods are “life partners.” Also surviving — one of the three “Big Brother” duos (Nicole Franzel and Victor Arroyo, here showing their boat skills) and none of the three “Survivor” duos. Tonight, the winner gets $1 million. Read more…