1) “All Creatures Great and Small” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. The sixth season starts with what may be the show’s best hour yet. As James and Helen (shown here) build their life, the hour juggles three deeply moving stories: Since Mrs. Hall’s departure, Siegfried’s home and life are a shambles … a sheepdog’s ailment endangers the flock … and World War II is in its sixth year. The final minutes here are superb. Read more…
1) Football. The first round of the pro playoffs concludes with the Texans and Steelers, at 8:15 p.m. ET today on ABC and ESPN. The winner joins seven others — five winners this past weekend, plus the Broncos (shown here) and Seahawks. Details are pending, but there will be two games Saturday and two Sunday; winners collide Jan. 25, for spots in the Super Bowl.
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1) Football. Now the pros take over. College football had its semi-finals Thursday and Friday; the NFL starts its playoffs today. At 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox, the Panthers — the only playoff team with a losing record — face the Rams (shown here). At 8, Amazon Prime has the Packers and Bears. There are three more games Sunday and one Monday. Read more…
This weekend has added a triple burst of real-life murder and contrived horror. Newly added to the schedule are:
— Friday (Jan. 9): A TMZ special (8 p.m., Fox) about the death of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. The tabloid-style show claims it has new information that will complicate prosecutors’ attempt to convict their son Nick.
— Saturday: A rerun (8 p.m., CBS) of the opener of “Harlan Coben’s Final Twist.” This looks at the small-town Tennessee murders of a husband and wife, both named Billy. It includes sudden surprises, involving some incredibly gullible people.
— Sunday: An advance premiere of Fox’s “Fear Factor: House of Fear” (shown here). That will be at about 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT), after the pro-football playoff game between the 49ers and Eagles. Read more…
1) U.S. Figure Skating Championships, 8-11 p.m., NBC. Four weeks before the Winter Olympics begin, the U.S. picks its stars. Tonight has women (led by Amber Glenn, shown here) and pairs, Saturday has men and free-dance. At 2 p.m. ET Sunday, the Olympic figure-skating team will be announced.
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1) Football. The college season has reached its semi-finals. Today, Miami (shown here) — ranked No. 10, before beating two higher-rated opponents — faces Mississippi (No. 6) in the Fiesta Bowl. On Friday, top-ranked Indiana faces Oregon (No. 5) in the Peach Bowl. The winners collide Jan. 19. Read more…
As “The Pitt” returns, let’s view parallel lives, three decades apart:
— 1994: “ER” began, with Noah Wyle ill-prepared for what’s ahead. He’s 23.
— 2025: Wyle’s “The Pitt” began, with Patrick Ball (shown here) ill-prepared for what’s ahead. With the exception of one TV episode, he had never acted on camera.
Now he was playing Dr. Frank Langdon in an intense hospital drama. “I was flying by the seat of my pants and trying not to get fired,” he told the Television Critics Association via Zoom.
Both shows soared instantly. In its first year, “ER” won eight Emmys and was nominated for best drama; “Pitt” — which startts its second season Thursday (Jan. 8) on HBO Max– won five Emmys, including best-drama. Read more…
When “The Pitt” began, it faced a basic question:
Would this just be re-doing “ER”? After all, it had the same producer (John Wells), one of the same stars (Noah Wyle, shown here) and the same idea — a fast-moving show, with handheld cameras zipping around an emergency department.
Yes, the show (which starts its second season Jan. 8 on HBO) amps that up by having the entire season trace one, 15-hour day. But beyond that, what could be different?
“We took a huge dry-erase board and just wrote all the things that we never did on ‘ER’ thar could be talked about today,” Wyle told the Television Critics Association. “We were amazed at how fast we filled up that board.” Read more…
1) “Abbott Elementary,” 8:30 p.m., ABC. On Sunday, this likable show (shown here in a previous season) will be up for a Golden Globe as best comedy series; it’s been nominated for that four straight times. First, here’s a clever mid-season shift: After the pipes broke at the school, classes now resume in a former shopping mall. Read more…
1) “Best Medicine” debut, 8 p.m., Fox. Here’s a second chance to see the start of this excellent comedy-drama. It debuted Sunday after football, now repeats that hour in its regular spot. Remaking an English gem (“Doc Martin”), it sees a surgeon, devoid of people skills, hired as the village doctor. He clashes instantly with the townsfolk, including (shown here) his charmmingly distracted assistant. Read more…
