The trouble with life is that it keeps changing.
In becomes out, up becomes down, yes become maybe. And ordering coffee becomes a chore.
We learn that at the start of “State of the Union” (shown here), the witty show that debuts on Valentine’s Day and continues in brief bursts. It has 10-minute episodes at 10 p.m. weekdays on Sundance for two weeks. Read more…
1) Super Bowl, 6:30 p.m., NBC. The Cincinnati Bengals are one win away from an amazing turnaround. Two years ago, they head football’s worst record, 2-14 … giving them a chance to draft quarterback Joe Burrow (shown here); this year, they were 10-7, then won three play-off games by a total of 13 points. Standing in their way is Matthew Stafford, who went 12 years without a playoff win; traded to the Los Angeles Rams, he went 12-5, then raced through the playoffs. Read more…
1) Olympic figure-skating gala, 11:30 p.m. ET, NBC. Here’s a chance for all the medal-winners to show off. There are no rules, no judges – just flash, flair and fun. That will include Nathan Chen (shown here), the American who won individual gold, and the ice dancers who concluded after the Super Bowl. The women will compete live on the USA Network early Tuesday (4-9:25 a.m.) and Thursday (5-9 a.m.), rerunning at night on NBC. Pairs have a similar plan, Friday and Saturday. Read more…
1) Olympic figure skating, USA Network and NBC. The rhythm dance competition (shown here with the U.S. duo of Zachary Donahue) and Madison Hubbell) will be packed into two busy days. The first round is live today, in USA’s morning (6-9:40 a.m.), then will be repeated on tape during NBC’s prime time (8-11 p.m.). The final round starts live at 8:15 p.m. Sunday on USA; NBC will take over at about 10:45 p.m., after the Super Bowl trophy is handed out. Read more…
In a time filled with terrific musicals, here’s some more good news … with a smattering of bad:
“West Side Story” (shown here), with seven Oscar nominations (including best picture) reaches Disney+ on March 2.
The bad news is for the notion of seeing films in movie theaters, where they belong. Steven Spielberg has turned this into a visual masterpiece. Read more…
Two potent forces – Covid and Disney – could have blunted the National Geographic Channel.
Or not. Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Content, told the Television Critics Association that her projects are bigger and busier than ever. She announced a flurry of them — some global (including a new version of the 2010 “Great Migrations,” shown here) and one stretching for a decade.
All of those will go straight to the Disney+ streaming service, skipping the linear outlets — National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild. But Monroe insisted that neither channel will be trimmed back “and shows from the linear channels will find their forever homes on Disney+.” Read more…
1) “The Perfect Storm,” 7-10 p.m., AMC. After this, we really will be afraid to go near the water. “Jaws” (1975) is at 8 p.m. on BBC America, on the same night that Mark Wahlberg is in two movies about real-life disasters. “Deepwater Horizon” (2016) has a fire on an offshore oil rig; “Perfect Storm” has Wahlberg (shown here) and George Clooney as mariners, as weather extremes converge. “Jaws” is a classic; the others were well-crafted, each nominated for two technical Oscars. Read more…
1) “Call Me Kat,” 9 p.m., Fox. It’s time to celebrate Mayim Bialik’s busy stretch. While many shows duck into reruns during the Olympics, she has four-and-a-half new hours each week. At 8 p.m. (Tuesdays through Fridays, for two weeks), she hosts ABC’s “Jeopardy National College Championship.” And tonight also brings her likable (if lightweight) comedy (shown here). In this episode, Kat (Bialik) spies on the boyfriend of her mom (Swoosie Kurtz); also, the guys try yoga. Read more…
1) Winter Olympics, 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., NBC. For viewers who prefer events with American contenders, here are two big finals, both live. There’s the women’s snowboarding halfpipe, with Chloe Kim (shown here), who won in 2018 at 17. And there’s men’s figure-skating: Nathan Chen is a three-time world champion, but finished fifth in the 2018 games. The winner that time, Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu, is trying to be the first guy in 94 years to win the event three straight times. Read more…
For sports fans, TV viewers and other humans, this will be too much – WAY too much – of a good thing.
It will be Super Bowl Sunday AND the Olympics. NBC will have quarterbacks, speedskaters, rappers (including Kendrick Lamar, shown here), linebackers, gospel singers, ice dancers, a country star and commercials. Lots of commercials.
It will also have hours of people talking about football … at the same time that a sister channel (the USA Network) ranges from the dazzle of freestyle skiing to the non-dazzle of curling.
It’s a busy blur for viewers … and a busier one for Mike Tirico, who anchors the Olympic in Beijing and does play-by-play of the Super Bowl in Inglewood, Cal. Here’s a guide to the day (Feb.13); times are ET and, except where noted, shows are on NBC Read more…
