Mike Hughes

“Masked Dancer” has Abdul judging anew

Eighteen years ago, Paula Abdul had a front-row seat for the TV revolution.

It was the very front row, as an “American Idol” judge alongside Simon Cowell (shown here, after they settled their differences). The show spurred endless variations – including “The Masked Dancer,” where she’s now a judge.
That starts Sunday (Dec. 27), then jumps to Wednesdays on Fox … which is where this all started.
In the summer of 2002, Fox tried a variation on the British “Idol,” with Abdul judging alongside Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell … whose acerbic comments startled her. Twice, Cowell wrote in “I Don’t Mean to Be Rude But …” (Broadway Books, 2003), she walked out of auditions. “The tension was so tremendous, the bad feeling so strong, that I didn’t know how we could continue together.” Read more…

Best-bets for Dec.25: cheery, soulful and Grinchy

1) “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebreation,” 10 a.m. to noon, ABC (but 9-11 a.m. PT). Christmas Day will wrap up (8 p.m., NBC) with one more chance to see the great Grinch cartoon (shown here). It starts, however, with cheery young faces singing perky songs. Performers include hosts Julianne Hough and Tituss Burgess, plus more. There’s Tori Kelly, Becky G, Jon Batiste, Trevor Jackson, Keedron Bryant, Maddie & Tae and even a gospel choir. Read more…

Week’s top-10 for Dec. 27: Stay-at-home New Year

1) “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” 8-11 p.m. Thursday and 11:30 p.m. to 2:13 a.m., ABC. Back in 1973, Dick Clark launched his clever hybrid: He was in Times Square live, cutting to music that was taped in California. Later, competition forced him to add live music in New York. This year, that includes Jennifer Lopez and Jimmie Allen. Ryan Seacrest (shown here) hosts with Lucy Hale and Billy Porter, who duets with Cyndi Lauper. Ciara hosts the California part, with Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, Nelly and more. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 24: TV has its Eve traditions

1) “A Christmas Story” (1983) marathon, 8 p,m. (TBS) and 9 p.m. (TNT). Each year, we get a 24-hour marathon of this odd gem, viewing a 1940s holiday through the eyes of Ralphie (shown here), who simply wants a BB gun. Cleverly written by Jean Shepherd and others, this somehow manages both warmth and dark humor. With two networks, you can start it at the top of any hour. Read more…

Best-bests for Dec. 23: Rerun time for country stars

1) “Garth& Trisha Live! A Holiday Concert Event,” 9 p.m., CBS. This is no longer “Live!”; it’s a rerun of Sunday’s special, with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood (shown here, pre-pandemic) in their home studio. But it’s part of a fun night, following an 8 p.m. rerun of Dolly Parton’s “A Holly Dolly Christmas.” Togther, these people have had about 50 singles reach No, 1 on the Billboard country chart. Brooks sometimes surpasses Elvis Presley as the top-selling solo act in recording history; at 58, he’s still building his total. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 22:The end is here for evil computer, flirty bachelors

1) “Next” finale, 8 and 9 p.m., Fox. Monday’s episode ended with LeBlanc stealing a computer virus from his old office … with swarms of cops failing to rush outside and find him. There are many such moments tonight that jettison credibility. (On the first night of a black-out, people are already starving, with violent mobs roaming the street?) If you can overlook these, you’ll enjoy a tense story, as LeBlanc and Shea (shown here) try to contrive a bomb  and destroy a computer program that’s keen on world domination Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 21: “Next,” “Bachelorette” set up finales

1) “The Bachelorette,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. It’s been a strange season: First, the show was delayed because of COVID, which limited its locations. Then the original “bachelorette” decided way too soon, exiting with the guy she chose. Now her replacement (Tayshia Adams, 30, shown here) makes her choice. Last week, she ousted Ben Smith. That leaves three guys: Ivan Hall, 28, an aeronautical engineer; Brendan Morris, 30, who does commercial roofing; and Zac Clark, an addiction specialist. On Tuesday, we’ll see her decision. Read more…

“Ma Rainey”: Late, great talents converge

A musicality ripples through the “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” movie.
Some of that, you would expect. The film (which has just debuted on Netflix) is about a blues recording session in 1920s Chicago; it has snatches of great music throughout.
But that’s just part of it. The dialog itself often has the rhythm and flow of a jazzy riff. It offers a rich sampling of two immensely talented men who died way too soon.
One is Chadwick Boseman (shown here, left, with Viola Davis center), who died of colon cancer in August, at 43. The other is playwright August Wilson, who died of liver cancer in 2005, at 60. Read more…

Best-bets for Dec. 20: music, music, “Music”

1) “The Sound of Music” (shown here, 1965), 7-11 p.m., ABC. Here’s a holiday tradition for ABC. It doesn’t have Christmas scenes, but offers joy, warmth and great music. Loosely based on the true story of a teacher who formed a family singing group, it has Rodgers-and-Hammerstein music at its best, both whimsical (“Do-Re-Mi,” “Maria,” “Favorite Things”) and potent (“Sound of Music,” “Climb Every Mountain”). It won five Oscars, including best picture, and Julie Andrews won a Golden Globe for best actress. Read more…

Week’s top-10: Christmas movies, music, more

1) “A Christmas Story” (1983) marathon, 8 p,m. (TBS) and 9 p.m. (TNT) Thursday. At first glance, this is just a modest-budgeted film by the guy who directed “Porky’s.” But it manages a rare feat – mixing warm nostalgia with dark humor. This is the 1940s and Ralphie (shown here) has one desire — to have a Red Ryder BB gun. Cleverly written by Jean Shepherd and others, “Story” keeps surprising us. Here’s the annual, 24-hour marathon, rerunning every two hours. With two networks, you can start it at the top of any hour. Read more…