Mike Hughes

Stories

The new season starts now … or maybe later

(This is the lead story for a three-part season-preview. The others — also under “stories” — have round-up of the streaming shows and the broadcast-network shows.)
Right about now, shouldn’t we be celebrating a new TV season?
Perhaps, but two questions loom: When does it start? And is it worth celebrating?
For that second one, the answer is “sort of.” It’s a modest start — no new shows on ABC or Fox, three each on CBS and NBC — but with bright spots.
One new fall show is terrific (CBS’ “Cupertino,” shown here), some others are promising. One mid-season show is excellent (NBC’s “Rockford Files” reboot), others could be. And six of last year’s mid-season shows are on the fall schedule, one of them (Fox’s “Best Medicine”) outstanding.
But when does the season start? Take your pick: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 18, 2026
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 20: fine dramas, light or somber

1) “Best Medicine” season-opener, 8 p.m., Fox. If you missed the first season of this charming oddity, here’s the perfect way to meet it. A mermaid (well, sort of) has been rescued (shown here). To help her, townsfolk must admit their own quirks and flaws, which are ample. This hour repeats two days later, when the show takes its regular Tuesday spot. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 18, 2026
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Sept. 21: openers and “AGT” finale

1) “America’s Got Talent” finals, 10 p.m. Tuesday and 9-11 p.m. Wednesday, NBC. It’s been an odd year, with only two music acts — Nene Royal (shown here) and Lai Noelle, ages 16 and 14 — in the finals. There are four dance acts (including dogs, robots and light-up dancers), another dog act, two magic acts and an aerialist. They perform Tuesday and viewers vote; the next day, there’s a winner. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 17, 2026
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 19: Ferrell wraps the “SNL” summer

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. The “SNL” summer ends the same way the regular season ended — with Will Ferrell hosting and Paul McCartney as music guest. Ferrell even shows up in chains as the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein (shown here), haunting Donald Trump. Next Saturday, “SNL” has its earliest opener in 14 years, with basketball’s Jalen Brunson hosting. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 17, 2026
News and Quick Comments

It’s Madonna forever; she’ll open the VMAs

Here’s another sign that Madonna is forever:
She’ll do the opening number in this year’s Video Music Awards — 42 years after she was nominated as best new artist.
Back then, the VMA’s were strictly on MTV; this year, they’re 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET Sept. 27 on CBS, MTV and other networks. And this year, at 68, Madonna (shown here_ leads with 11 nominations, including song of the year (“Bring Your Love”) and artist of the year. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 16, 2026
Stories

Yes, there are new shows — a few, anyway — this fall

(This is one of three stories previewing the fall season. The other two — also under “stories” — are a main piece and a round-up of streaming shows.)
Here are this fall’s new, broadcast-network TV shows — a meager list,
Lumping together six networks, there are still only eight new series. ABC and Fox each contribute zero.
Networks seem to be waiting for mid-season, when they’ll have “Baywatch” and “Rockford Files” reboots, a “Grey’s Anatomy” spin-off and more.
Some of the new fall shows — especially “Cupertino” (shown here) — are instantly likable, some not. The list is chronological, by category; three of the eight — “Newlyweds,” “NCIS: New York” and “Private Eyes West Coast” — still didn’t have episodes available for review, as of Sept. 16: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 16, 2026
Stories

This fall, the streamer surge continues

(This is one of three stories previewing the fall season. The others — also under “stories” — are a main piece and a round-up of the new broadcast-network shows.)
As TV networks celebrate their new season, streamers are ready to spoil their party. Again.
The networks try to be giddy about their new shows — which are scarce. This fall, CBS and NBC have three each, CW has one, ABC and Fox have zero.
By comparison? The list here (not exhaustive) has 40 shows arriving this fall on streamers or premium channels; 23 of them new. It has epic ones — adapting “Lord of the Rings” and “Percy Jackson” (shown here), re-adapting “Harry Potter — and basic ones, including new takes on Steinbeck and Ali. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 15, 2026
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 17: “Traitors” and lots of laughs

1) “The Traitors: New Blood” debut, 8 and 9 p.m., NBC. The Peacock version and Alan Cumming (shown here) have already won three straight Emmys for best reality show and best host. Now we get the network version, with strangers (including “killers”) in a Scottish castle. This one skips celebrities; instead, it has a doctor, a nurse, a pilot and two lawyers, plus a rodeo guy, an ironworker, a dog groomer and more. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 15, 2026
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 16: two titles, one unwanted

1) “Nation’s Dumbest” finale, 9 p.m., Fox. A fun season ends with two bright people (shown here) who never quite win. Chase Hudson, 24, from a family of Berkeley grads, spent much of his youth as a Tik-Tok star and online student. Hilaria Baldwin, 42, the daughter of a doctor and a lawyer, has dyslexia, ADHD and seven children. Their final round is a delight. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 14, 2026