Mike Hughes

Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for July 20: Baseball begins, “Blindspot” ends

1) Baseball, Thursday and beyond, Fox and cable. In other years, we might grumble that baseball is too old and slow for TV; this year, we need the diversion – which comes in big bunches. ESPN starts things on Thursday (Yankees, shown here, and Nationals at 7 p.m. ET, Giants-Dodgers at 10) and Friday (Braves-Mets at 4, Brewers-Cubs at 7, Angels-A’s at 10). Then Fox takes over on Saturday – Brewers-Cubs at 1:05 p.m. ET, Giants-Dodgers at 4:10 p.m., Yankees-Nationals at 7:15. There’s much more coming up. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 16, 2020
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for July 18: A classic hero and a classic movie

1) “Harriet” (2019), 8 p.m., HBO. In this Black Lives Matter summer, it’s a perfect time to catch a great life. Harriet Tubman was an escaped slave who kept risking her freedom to go back and rescue others. Cynthia Erivo (shown here) received Academy Award nominations for best actress and for best song, for co-writing “Stand Up.” It’s part of a busy stretch for the British actress/singer. She’ll be Arehta Franklin in the “Genius” mini-series, which was scheduled for this summer, then delayed by the virus shutdown. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 16, 2020
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for July 17: Crime on CBS, “Porgy” on PBS

1) “Great Performances at the Met: Porgy and Bess,” 9 p.m., PBS (check local listings). Back in 1935, the Metropolitan Opera wanted to premiere this show; George Gershwin preferred a Broadway theater. Ever since, “Porgy” (shown here) has teetered between opera and musical theater. Its story – murder and romance in 1920s Charleston, S.C. – draws mixed reactions, but its music soars. Now we hear it from operatic talent, led by Eric Owens and Angel Blue … whose high-octaves voice might jolt mainstream viewers. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 15, 2020
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for July 16: “Killer” begins, “Love” leaves

1) “Killer Camp”(Shown here) debut, 8 p.m., CW. Reality shows like surprises, but this goes to an extreme: One camper simply blows up; the camp leader (Bobby Mair) then says one more will be killed each night. Mair is an actor; the others seem to be acting, but the show insists they’re real reality contestants. Chances are, they’ve figured out they won’t really die; they play along, trying to figure which camper is helping the killer. This British transplant is both goofy and gory, but it’s an OK summer distraction. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 14, 2020
Stories

It’s sorta horror and kinda fun

In his childhood, Bobby Mair (shown here) was blessed with intervals of benign neglect.
“A lot of people talk about over-protective parents,” he said. “But mine were busy doing their own thing …. No one seemed to mind that a 5-year-old was watching a horror film.”
That may have been the perfect training ground for his career as a comedian … and as the host of the first reality/horror/sometimes-comedy show to reach the U.S.
“Killer Camp” debuts Thursday (July 16), as the CW network plugs schedule holes with shows that have aired elsewhere. Viewers will get to to see some odd concoctions. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 14, 2020
Stories

Peacock joins the streaming mega-clash

For TV viewers, this is now the clash of the titans.
On Wednesday (July 15), the Peacock streaming service debuts, harnessing the power of NBC, Universal and beyond. It starts with eight new series (including “Brave New World,” shown here) and a pile of old ones, plus movies and more.
That makes it the fourth mega-streamer, alongside Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max … with plenty of near-megas – CBS All Access, Hulu, Apple TV+. Amazon, Acorn – nearby.
There are differences, including a big one: This new streamer (www.peacocktv.com) starts by being free, hoping people will upgrade to Peacock Premium, adding shows and eliminating commercials. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 13, 2020
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for July 15: Peacock struts

1) Peacock debut, www.peacocktv.com. A new streaming giant – the size of Netflix or Disney+ or HBO Max – arrives. This one is free, but you can pay extra to add shows and dump commercials. It’s stuffed with great old shows from NBC (“Frasier,” “30 Rock”) and beyond (“Downton Abbey”), plus movies, and new shows – an eight-part “Brave New World” (shown here), a David Schwimmer comedy, a conspiracy thriller, a “Psych” movie and animation, with “Curious George,” “Cleopatra in Space” and “Where’s Waldo?” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 13, 2020
News and Quick Comments

Here’s the “Sharkfest” schedule

Let’s say you want a compromise plan for this summer’s “Sharkfest.”
You’re not planning on watching the full, five-week marathon. (What, you have something better to do?) You’ll skip all the reruns – tons of them – and stick to the new shows.
Here (subject to change) are the premieres. “Sharkfest” (see separate story) starts July 19 on the National Geographic Channel, then jumps to Nat Geo Wild on Aug. 9 – the same day Discovery launches its Shark Week. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 12, 2020
Stories

“Sharkfest” attacks the TV void

As summer nears its mid-point, TV clearly needs a boost.
There are big holes in the schedules and in our days. What can fill the void? Well … sharks — ots and lots of them, in bursts:
– Sunday (July 19): “Sharkfest” starts on the National Geographic Channel, opening at 8 p.m. with Kori Garza (shown here) hoping to re-unite with a mega-shark. It continue there for three weeks, with 17 new shows and endless reruns.
– Aug. 9: NatGeo Wild takes over, with two weeks of reruns … and Discovery begins its Shark Week Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 12, 2020