Day: February 1, 2021

Stories

It’s time for “Equalizer” to right wrongs

“The Equalizer” (shown here) is back, for its third incarnation.
The first was a 1985 CBS series that ran for four seasons; the second had a pair of movies. Now – boosted by a Super Bowl lead-in Feb. 7 – the idea is back on CBS.
In each version, the hero helps people who can’t turn to authorities. That may be why it’s eternal.
“The notion of the outsider who comes in and helps the little guy has been around for a long time,” said Andrew Marlowe, one of the showrunners. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2021
Stories

Looking at a maybe-super day

For most of us, Feb. 7 will merely be Super Sunday, a 12-hour blur (see schedule, under “news and quick comments”) of fuss and football, plus music, drama and catchy commercials.
But for Queen Latifah (whose “Equalizer” follows the game), it might be super-er or super-est or something.
“I am a huge, huge football fan …. I think it’s going to be one of the most exciting Super Bowls,” Latifah said of the 6:30 p.m. ET game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Some others seem to agree, especially because of the quarterback confrontation: Patrick Mahomes (shown here), 25, of the Chiefs, faces Tom Brady, 43, of the Bucs. “I think it’s going to be one of the great match-ups in history,” said Tony Romo, who will be in the CBS booth with Jim Nantz. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2021
News and Quick Comments

This game will be super … or not

This year’s Super Bowl will be the greatest game ever, we’re told.
Or maybe not.
Those views – both quite reasonable – emerged in the same hour, as CBS sportscasters talked to reporters about the game, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 7).
Tony Romo takes the best-ever view, based on the quarterback confrontation of Tom Brady (shown here) and Patrick Mahomes. Jim Nantz points to the last time hopes were this high: “It may (have been) one of the least memorable games ever.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2021
News and Quick Comments

Here’s the Super Sunday schedule

We’re in Super Bowl Week now, so it’s time to peek ahead at Sunday. It will have lots of talk, some music from The Weeknd (shown here), some football … and then the surprisingly good debut of an “Equalizer” reboot.
Under “stories” — top of the main page, on the left — I’ll have three things: A look at the game itself, an overview of the day and a story about “The Equalizer.”
First, however, here’s the schdeule for CBS on Sunday (Feb. 7); sll times are ET: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Feb. 3: Here’s close-quarters drama

1) “Chicago Fire,” 9 p.m., NBC. Drama often works best when people are wedged into tight spaces – a jury room, a lifeboat, a quarantine room … and, in this case, a freight elevator. After a couple minutes, this terrific episode becomes a four-person play. David Eigenberg (shown here, at his bar in a previous episodes) has some great moments here as Herrmann; he and Joe Minoso (as the stoic Cruz) are trapped there with two civilians, well-played by Baize Buzan and Brian King. Basically filmed non-stop, it’s a sharp and involving hour. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / February 1, 2021