Mike Hughes

Stories

The new season: Here’s a preview

(As the new season nears, I wanted to put my three season-preview stories in one easy-to-find spot. Here they are; I’ve updated them slightly and will continue to. First, an overview of the broadcast networks, which used to dominate each fall.)
A new TV season is ready to go..
It has a starting date (Sept. 19), a few shows and a lot of promos. What it lacks is the old blend of Hollywood hope, hype and a sense of something big.
There have been big things lately, but not on the broadcast nrtworks, the ones that send out shows for free (with commercials) over the air.
A “Game of Thrones” prequel on HBO collided with a “Lord of the Rings” prequel on Amazon Prime, both spending mega-money – reportedly $200 million for 10 HBO episodes, $465 million for eight Amazon ones. What’s a mere broadcast network to do? Not much; consider: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 12, 2022
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 14: Three shows name their winners

1) Finale fever, 9-11 p.m., CBS and NBC. Two summer reality shows simultaneously pick their winners. CBS’ “The Challenge: USA” names its first champion, who will then go on to an international contest; at the same time, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” has its 17th winner. On Tuesday, viewers saw 11 finalists — four music acts, two magicians and more, including the Mayya dance troupe, shown here. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 12, 2022
Stories

Bard’s Black lover? It’s a dance-song-poetry blend

This show sounds like an implosion of borders and genres.
Here is Will Shakespeare in Olde England and a lover (maybe) with African roots. The show links ballet, poetry and two musicians, one Italian, the other African-American; it was created in Nashville.
That’s “Black Lucy and the Bard” (shown here), at 9 p.m. Friday on PBS, under the “Great Performances” banner. It makes sense when you meet Caroline Randall Williams, a true genre-buster.
“I really get to merge these things fully and try to tell the story of my Black American body, but also engage with the Anglophilic part of my brain,” she told the Television Critics Association. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 12, 2022
News and Quick Comments

Final “Atlanta” season: sorta weird, sorta “grounded”

When the “Atlanta” series was being created, the tone was clear.
On the first day, writer-producer Stefani Robinson said, Donald Glover (the creator and star, shown here) “said. ‘We are going to get canceled because of what we’re going to try to do …. So let’s have fun.’”
That’s how Stephen Glover – a writer-producer and Donald’s brother – recalls it.. The idea, he said, was: “If we’re here only four episodes, they’re going to be the best four episodes ever.”
And then? It became four seasons, not four episodes. The show became popular and honored … and then not so much. It starts its final season (10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, on FX), relishing its quirks. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 11, 2022
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 13: country stars and reality finales

1) Academy of Country Music Honors, 8-10 p.m., Fox. The network is busy corralling country fans. It has already aired the “Monarch” opener twice and will run it again at 9:02 p.m. Wednesday; also, that show’s star, Trace Adkins, performs tonight. The show honors Miranda Lambert (shown here), Chris Stapleton, Shania Twain, Morgan Wallen and the “Yellowstone” series. Other performers include Carly Pearce (who hosts), Dierks Bentley, Wynonna Judd, many more. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 11, 2022
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 12: daytime shake-up, then the Emmys

1) Emmy awards, 8-11 p.m., NBC. Kenan Thompson (shown here in a “Saturday Night Live” sketch) hosts, with plans for a big opening number. He’s not much of a monologue guy, but other “Saturday Night Live” people (past and present) will be there. They include Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon and Vanessa Bayer. Others range from Will Arnett to Natalie Zea, plus two people from “Squid Game,” a first-year show that’s up for best drama, in a field led by “Succession.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 10, 2022
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 11: musical “Monarch,” historical monarchs

1) “Monarch,” about 8 p.m. ET (after football), Fox. Eight days before the new season starts, here’s the first arrival. It links good music (often soft and subtle) and bad soap opera (sometimes loud and blunt). Trace Adkins (shown here) and Susan Sarandon play the leaders of a Nashville dynasty. They have one daughter who looks like a star (Anna Friel) and one who sings like one (Beth Ditto), plus a business-like son. Then a big event changes everything. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 9, 2022
Stories

Here’s a potent (and personal) look at hazing

As he talks about hazing, Byron Hurt (shown here) is left with tough questions:
Why did he hit people? Why did he let people hit him?
“There was a real strong connection between the culture of masculinity and the … violence we see in hazing culture,” he said.
Now he’s directed “Hazing,” which airs at 10 p.m. Monday (Sept. 12) on PBS. The documentary includes two men who were deeply impressed by football and by family heroes: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 8, 2022
News and Quick Comments

Royal coverage continues through Sept. 19 funeral

After the quick rush of monarchy coverage, there’s more coming this weekend.
On Friday (Sept. 9), ABC has two primetime hours about the late Queen Elizabeth II (shown here), from 9-11 p.m. Also, CBS’ Norah O’Donnell will be in London for her 6:30 p.m. newscast.
Then CBS continues coverage on Sunday: At 9 a.m., Jane Pauley anchors a 90-minute special; at 7 p.m., “60 Minuts will include an update. In addition, PBS has collected reruns in its pbs.org website. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 8, 2022
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Sept. 12: Emmys, finales, debuts

1) Emmy awards, 8-11 p.m. today, NBC. Kenan Thompson (shown here) hosts, planning to have a big opening number. He’s not much of a monologue guy, but he’ll have lots of other “Saturday Night Live” people (past and present). They include Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon and Vanessa Bayer. Others range from Will Arnett to Natalie Zea and two people from “Squid Game,” a first-year show that’s up for best drama. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 8, 2022