Year: 2019

Best-bets for Dec. 21: It’s Eddie Murphy’s night

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Eddie Murphy was just a talented teen when he helped save “SNL”; now he’s hosting it … for the first time in 35 years. Back in 1980, the show was reeling. The original stars and producer were gone … the new ones were inept … but Murphy (shown here in an old Christmas sketch) was 19 and brilliant. He left in ‘84 (hosting later that year) and became a movie star. Now he’s back, with music from Lizzo. Read more…

It’s catch-up time, with “Bob” reruns

I’ve already babbled about “Bob (Hearts) Abishola,” the season’s best new situation comedy.
ut now is a handy time to catch up: In a 10-day stretch, you can see three key reruns. The pilot film is 9:30 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 21); others are 8:30 p.m. Dec. 25 and 30.
What you’ll see is a show with a unique style and pace. It’s not like other sitcoms – including other gems (“Big Bang,” “Mom”) from the same producer, Chuck Lorre; for that, we’ll credit Gina Yashere (shown here). Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 20: Lucy, Lidia and linebackers

1) “I Love Lucy Christmas Special,” 8 p.m., CBS. This fun hour changes only partially from year to year. Each time, it has two old episodes, with color added by computer; the first is a 1956 Christmas show. Only the second one varies: This time (shown here), it’s set in Paris. Both episodes have slow build-ups, leading to a sight gag that’s worth the wait. The opener has three dandy flashbacks, including Lucy’s-having-her-baby, a comic masterpiece; the second has a hilarious jailhouse translation scene. Read more…

Here’s a guide to Christmas-week TV

Sure, it feels like the Christmas-TV season has already gone on forever.
The holiday movies started in November – or was it October? – and are unrelenting.
Still, coming up is when we need shows the most.By Friday, most kids – and many adults – will be on vacation. They need to be distracted, before they find all the presents and eat all the cookies.
So here’s a guide to TV, from Dec. 20 through Christmas morning (shown here with Ally Brooke at the Disney parade, taped in advance) and the final Grinchy moments. We’ll start with the kids: Read more…

Best-bets for Dec.18: Two winners, two Bunkers

1) “All in the Family” and “Good Times,” 8-9:32 p.m., ABC. Here’s an idea worth repeating (often). Take original scripts from Norman Lear comedies; with Lear, 97, co-hosting, perform them live. That was a big success in May; now it’s back, again with Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei (shown here) as the Bunkers, plus Ellie Kemper and Ike Barinholtz. This time, the second show switches from “Jeffersons” to “Good Times”; Andre Braugher and Viola Davis star, with Tiffany Haddish and Corinne Fox. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 17: “Voice” ends, Grinch and Snoopy return

1) “The Voice” finale, 9-11 p.m., NBC. It’s time to name the 17th champion. None of the previous 16 have found mega-success – the closest was Cassadee Pope – but the show draws big ratings. A recap is at 8 p.m., including Monday’s performances. Then the finale has music from the judges, others and the final four – Ricky Duran, 29; Jake Hood, 30; Rose Short, 34 (shown here); and Katie Kadan, 38. Read more…

This new Scrooge is deeper, darker and Scroogier

For 176 years, Ebenezer Scrooge has been grumping, grumbling and bah-humbugging.
Dead-serious actors — Patrick Stewart, George C. Scott, Alastair Sim, Reginald Owen – have played him. Albert Finney and Kelsey Grammer have sung him. His story has been done by the Muppets. the Smurfs, Jim Carrey and more.
Now a new “Christmas Carol” (shown here with Andy Serkis and Guy Pearce) arrives Thursday (Dec. 19) on FX, rerunning often. “It is slightly darker and more twisted than previous versions,” said Joe Alwyn, who plays Bob Cratchit.
Or maybe much darker and MUCH longer. Consider Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 16: A singing, dancing holiday

1) “Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir,” 9 p.m., PBS. Each year, this offers music on a massive scale – a 360-voice choir plus more than 200 musicians and bell-ringers, inside a packed, 21,000-seat hall. And this year, that revolves around one tiny soul: Kristin Chenoweth, all 4-foot-11 of her, jokes, dances (shown here), rings a big bell, reads part of “The Gift of the Magi” and, of course, sings beautifully. Read more…

Will excess spoil “Empire”?

When “Empire” arrived six years ago, it brought waves of optimism.
This would be the best of both worlds: The music would be vibrant – R-&-B, rap, pop, more – and the stories (about a record mogul, his wife and their three sons) would have a Shakespearean influence.
The pilot film had a “King Lear” reference. When Trai Byers auditioned (successfully) for the role of Andre, he and co-creator Danny Strong talked about “Hamlet.”
And now? Sure, “Empire” feels a little like Shakespeare’s scenes … but just the ones where a guy talks to ghosts or where witches cackle or where someone gets a donkey head. Read more…