Month: December 2022

Best-bets for Dec. 26: reflect on a bombed, battered year

1) “The Year: 2022,” 9-11 p.m., ABC. It’s been a weird year. Russians, Republicans and Elon Musk expected big triumphs; so did the Dodgers in the play-offs and France in the World Cup. None of that happened, in a year of surprises in Ukraine (shown here) and beyond. Meanwhile, Covid, gas prices and Donald Trump had roller-coaster years, the economy bounced back and the newest TV stars were the 67-year-old Kevin Costner and the 4-foot-11 Quinta Brunson. ABC has a lot to summarize. Read more…

Here’s a movie you (and Sondheim) would love

“Glass Onion” is that rare movie that almost everyone would like … and that Stephen Sondheim would have loved.
Sondheim was a big puzzle buff. He even paused his Broadway-musical chores to co-write “The Last of Sheila” (1973), in which a conniving mogul hosts an exotic vacation filled with mysteries and secrets. Rian Johnson has said that was one of his inspirations for writing and direction “Onion,” the brilliant “Knives Out” sequel that has just arrived on Netflix.
Johnson also sort of borrows from Agatha Christie and other mystery masters. But as always, he makes it all bigger, brighter, better and, at times, funnier. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 25: morning parade, night-time trauma

1) “Call the Midwife,” 9 and 10:30 p.m., PBS. Each Christmas Day, “Midwife” (shown here) has a movie-length film, stuffed with emotion and, at times, agony. There’s plenty of distress in this year’s well-made film: A pregnant ex-con is homeless; a dad, unable to cope with his daughter’s birth defects, stumbles into alcoholism. But there’s also joy and warmth … plus heroics from a starchy administrator. Read more…

Dionne Warwick: decades of soaring pop songs

Dionne Warwick’s voice floats through large chunks of pop-music history.
She’s had about a dozen top-10 hits, spanning 23 years … plus 40-some other singles on the charts. She’s sung everywhere, done everything. But that’s just the start, Dave Wooley said.
“Dionne (shown here) is a genius,” said Wooley, writer and co-director of “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over,” which debuts at 9 p.m.ET New Year’s Day on CNN. “And I don’t just mean a music genius.” Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 24: It’s time for the Christmas classics

1) “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), 8-11 p.m., NBC. Each year, this James Stewart classic (shown here) – No. 20 on the American Film Institute’s best-movie list – gets a Christmas Eve airing on NBC. This year, it also makes the rounds of cable channels aligned with the network. It’s already been on USA and Bravo; at 6 a.m. on Christmas Day, it will start showing every three hours on E. Read more…

“Doc” departs with wit, drama and a rogue turkey

This year’s best Christmas TV movie doesn’t arrive until after Christmas. And isn’t quite a movie.
Still, we’ll count it. It does have guys in Santa suits, some mistletoe, a proposal, a pregnancy and lots of small-town charm. That should be enough.
We’re talking about the finale – the series-finale, sadly – of “Doc Martin” (shown here). It’s available Dec. 31 at www.acorn.tv, the streaming service that has all 10 seasons of the series plus (starting on the 31st) a documentary about it. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 23: Christmas specials and “Knives Out” sequel

1) “A Home For the Holidays,” 8 p.m., CBS. Each year, this offers passionate music and stories about real-life adoptiona. This year’s music is from host Gloria Estefan, Andy Grammer, Mickey Guyton, Little Big Town (shown here) and David Foster & Kat McPhee. We meet Kaz, adopted at 15 after a tough decade in foster care … And Tommy, helping his suddenly widowed adoptive mother … And two families that each began adopting after having two biological children. Read more…

Looking ahead to week of Dec. 26: celebrating Eve … and bowl games … and icons, from Warwick to Clooney

1) “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” 8-11 p.m. Saturday, then11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., ABC. Dick Clark’s creation (now hosted by Ryan Seacrest, shown here) stretches to 5-plus hours. Performing live at Times Square are Duran Duran, New Edition, j-hope (from BTS) and TikTok star Jax. Billy Porter performs live in New Orleans; California parties, taped in advance, include Ciara, Shaggy, Ben Platt, Halle Bailey, Wiz Khalifa, Dove Cameron, Finneas, Aly & AJ and more. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 22: “Top Gun” sequel and lotsa laughs

1) “Top Gun” films. “Top Gun” was the box-officer champion in 1986, mixing crisp dialog, great visuals and an impressive cast, led by young Tom Cruise. Now “Top Gun: Maverick” (shown heree) is the 2022 box-office winner, with great visuals and a not-young Cruise. Today, you can catch the sequel any time on Paramount+ … the original on Paramount Network (8 and 10:30 a.m.; 1, 3:30, 6, 8:30, 11 p.m.) … or both on Epix (original, 6:10 p.m.; sequel, 8). Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 21: Celebrate Simon, Dolly and the planet

1) “Homeward Bound: A Grammy Tribute to Paul Simon,” 9 p.m. Wednesday, CBS. Simon (shown here) has won the top Grammy (Album of the Year) three times. Now, at 81, he’s among the performers in a night of his music. Here are stars of country (Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Little Big Town), jazz (Irma Thomas, Trombone Shorty), Americana (Rhiannon Giddens) and more including Stevie Wonder, Billy Porter and the Jonas Brothers. Read more…