Mike Hughes

Stories

TV celebrates (often) Broadway’s comeback

Standing before a jubilant crowd in Central Park, actress Susan Kelechi Watson noted the occasion. This marked “the return of live theater to New York City,” she said
It was clearly overdue, a colleague added. “It’s been a long year-and-a-half, you-all.”
That was last August, at the start of “Merry Wives.” Now the show is one of several reaching TV, as part of theater’s post-pandemic comeback. There’s:
— A jubilant “Anything Goes,” at 9 p.m. Friday (May 13) on PBS. It opened in London last July 23 (two months before Broadway returned), with its official opening Aug. 4. Sutton Foster (shown here) and director Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 9, 2022
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Best-bets for May 10: He was a swimmer/surfer/hero

1) “American Masters,” 8-9:30 p.m., PBS. To some, Duke Kahanamoku (shown here) was one of the all-time great athletes. He won swimming medals in three Olympics, spread over a dozen years … then popularized the sport of surfing. Statues of him are in Australia, New Zealand, California and his native Hawaii. Most amazing, however, was the day he individually saved eight people from drowning. This fascinating film even has the moment they thanked him, decades later. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 8, 2022
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Best-bets for May 9: Its time for a champion song

1) “American Song Contest” finale, 8-10 p.m., NBC. This started with 56 acts (one per state or territory), each with an original song; now it has its top 10. Michael Bolton (shown here) is here, representing Connecticut. Two others were reality-show finalists in 2015: Jordan Smith (Kentucky) was the “Voice” winner; Riker Lynch (Colorado) was the “Dancing with the Stars” runner-up.  Others are from Alabama, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Samoa. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 7, 2022
Stories

Cable’s summer borrows from HBO Max

The wall between pay-TV and cable will lower slightly this summer.
Two shows that have already streamed will have weekly runs on basic cable. “Titans” (shown here) starts July 5 on TNT, with “Love Life” July 31 on TBS; both promise “limited commercial interruptions.”
For “Titans” – based on the “Teen Titans” comics — it’s the third stop in a journey through the Warner Brothers world. The first two seasons were on DC Universe, a streaming service that produced six scripted series before folding … its third was on HBO Max, where the fourth is also expected … and now its second slides to TNT.“Love Life” has had a simpler route – two seasons, with different characters in each, on HBO Max. The first season reran on TBS last August; now the second is part of the summer “tNets” plan: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 6, 2022
News and Quick Comments

Freeform plans a scripted summer

As the broadcast networks launch their summer line-ups – even before summer starts – scripted shows are scarce.
Not to worry; cable and others are filling the gap. Freeform has set June or July starts for four of them – one new, two starting its season, one returning for the season’s second half ..,. and “Motherland: Fort Salem” starting its final season.
Some networks have been in a hurry to get their summer shows in place. ABC installed a games-and-reality night on Tuesday, May 3; Fox returns “So You Think You Can Dance” – for the first time in three years – on Wednesday, May 18.
But scripted shows are another matter. The Freeform summer has: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 5, 2022
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for May 9: a busy time for music

1) “American Song Contest” finale, 8-10 p.m. today, NBC. This began with 56 acts — one from each state and territory; now it has its top 10. That includes two Michael Bolton (Connecticut) and two people who were reality-show finalists back in 2015: Jordan Smith (Kentucky) was the “Voice” winner; Riker Lynch (shown here, Colorado) was the “Dancing with the Stars” runner-up. Others are from Alabama, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Samoa.
Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 5, 2022
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for May 7: “SNL” has a Strange host

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. After two weeks of reruns, “SNL” is ready for the season’s final burst of new shows. Tonight’s host, Benedict Cumberbatch, might not seem like a funny chap in “The Power of the Dog” or the “Doctor Strange” (shown here) movies, the latest of which opened Friday. But he’s British, he was clever in “Sherlock” films and he’s hosted “SNL” twice before. Arcade Fire is the music guest. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 5, 2022
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Best-bets for May 6: Crime shows end their seasons

1) “Blue Bloods” season-finale, 10 p.m., CBS. Nothing lasts forever on TV … unless cops and/or Tom Selleck are involved. “Blue Bloods” was recently renewed for its 13th season; first, this episode links the family of Frank Reagan (Selleck): His son Jamie and grandson Joe (Will Hochman, shown here) search for an undocumented teenager who was being sex-trafficked. Their probe converges with one by Danny (another son), after the murder of a woman who was in witness protection. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 4, 2022
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Best-bets for May 5: “Kat” ends season, “Grey’s” returns

1) “Call Me Kat” season-finale, 9 p.m., Fox. Last week, Kat’s world crumbled. The new landlord (who was, briefly, her boyfriend) raised the rent on her café and apartment. Desperate, she laid off Phil … then collapsed with an anxiety attack. Both characters – played by Mayim Bialik (shown here) and Leslie Jordan – are thoroughly likable; so is the show, even when its humor is mild. Also tonight, Max gets a big break and Carter tries to control his jealousy. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / May 3, 2022