Mike Hughes

Stories

Here’s a guide to Christmas-week TV

Sure, it feels like the Christmas-TV season has already gone on forever.
The holiday movies started in November – or was it October? – and are unrelenting.
Still, coming up is when we need shows the most.By Friday, most kids – and many adults – will be on vacation. They need to be distracted, before they find all the presents and eat all the cookies.
So here’s a guide to TV, from Dec. 20 through Christmas morning (shown here with Ally Brooke at the Disney parade, taped in advance) and the final Grinchy moments. We’ll start with the kids: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 16, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Dec.18: Two winners, two Bunkers

1) “All in the Family” and “Good Times,” 8-9:32 p.m., ABC. Here’s an idea worth repeating (often). Take original scripts from Norman Lear comedies; with Lear, 97, co-hosting, perform them live. That was a big success in May; now it’s back, again with Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei (shown here) as the Bunkers, plus Ellie Kemper and Ike Barinholtz. This time, the second show switches from “Jeffersons” to “Good Times”; Andre Braugher and Viola Davis star, with Tiffany Haddish and Corinne Fox. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 16, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Dec. 17: “Voice” ends, Grinch and Snoopy return

1) “The Voice” finale, 9-11 p.m., NBC. It’s time to name the 17th champion. None of the previous 16 have found mega-success – the closest was Cassadee Pope – but the show draws big ratings. A recap is at 8 p.m., including Monday’s performances. Then the finale has music from the judges, others and the final four – Ricky Duran, 29; Jake Hood, 30; Rose Short, 34 (shown here); and Katie Kadan, 38. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 15, 2019
Stories

This new Scrooge is deeper, darker and Scroogier

For 176 years, Ebenezer Scrooge has been grumping, grumbling and bah-humbugging.
Dead-serious actors — Patrick Stewart, George C. Scott, Alastair Sim, Reginald Owen – have played him. Albert Finney and Kelsey Grammer have sung him. His story has been done by the Muppets. the Smurfs, Jim Carrey and more.
Now a new “Christmas Carol” (shown here with Andy Serkis and Guy Pearce) arrives Thursday (Dec. 19) on FX, rerunning often. “It is slightly darker and more twisted than previous versions,” said Joe Alwyn, who plays Bob Cratchit.
Or maybe much darker and MUCH longer. Consider Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 15, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Dec. 16: A singing, dancing holiday

1) “Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir,” 9 p.m., PBS. Each year, this offers music on a massive scale – a 360-voice choir plus more than 200 musicians and bell-ringers, inside a packed, 21,000-seat hall. And this year, that revolves around one tiny soul: Kristin Chenoweth, all 4-foot-11 of her, jokes, dances (shown here), rings a big bell, reads part of “The Gift of the Magi” and, of course, sings beautifully. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 14, 2019
News and Quick Comments

Will excess spoil “Empire”?

When “Empire” arrived six years ago, it brought waves of optimism.
This would be the best of both worlds: The music would be vibrant – R-&-B, rap, pop, more – and the stories (about a record mogul, his wife and their three sons) would have a Shakespearean influence.
The pilot film had a “King Lear” reference. When Trai Byers auditioned (successfully) for the role of Andre, he and co-creator Danny Strong talked about “Hamlet.”
And now? Sure, “Empire” feels a little like Shakespeare’s scenes … but just the ones where a guy talks to ghosts or where witches cackle or where someone gets a donkey head. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 13, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Dec. 15: It’s a musical night

1) “Kennedy Center Honors,” 8:30-10:30 p.m most time zones, but 8-10 p.m. PT., CBS. This is an annual gem, filled with great music and smart little films and tributes. And now it’s more pop than ever. Two great singers, Trisha Yearwood and Carrie Underwood, tackle Linda Ronstadt songs. John Legend, Ne-Yo, Cynthia Erivo and the Jonas Brothers all do the music of Earth, Wind & Fire. There’s classical music (honoring Michael Tilson Thomas), a Sally Field tribute … and even a “Sesame Street” tribute (shown here), with music from Thomas Rhett. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 13, 2019
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Dec. 16: Murphy, music, more

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m. Saturday, NBC. Eddie Murphy reached “SNL” in 1980, when it was reeling. The original stars and producer were gone; their replacements faltered. Then Murphy was added – first as an extra, then as a regular. He was 19, raw … and brilliant. He stayed for four seasons, then became a movie star. He slumped, but now has drawn raves (and a Golden Globe nomination) for Netflix’s “Dolemite is My Name” (shown here). Murphy hosts for the first time in 35 years; Lizzo is the music guest. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 13, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Dec. 14: Family fun with Rudolph, Frosty and a mermaid

1) “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman,” 8 and 9 p.m., CBS. These two classics (from 1964 and ‘69) have already had separate runs on CBS this season. Now we can catch them together … with the vastly inferior “Frosty Returns” at 9:30. If you need them again, “Rudolph” and “Frosty” (shown here) will be back-to-back on cable’s Freeform on Dec. 20, 21, 24 and 25. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 12, 2019
News and Quick Comments

A change: “Bob” is my favorite new comedy

OK, it’s time for a mid-course correction.
When the season started, I picked “Perfect Harmony” as the best new situation comedy. That was based on the near-perfect pilot film, with a prickly Princeton prof (well, ex-prof) taking over the choir at a small Kentucky church.
“Harmony” (8:30 p.m. Thursdays on NBC) remains a good show, but it’s no longer my No. 1. CBS’ “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” (shown here) keeps sneaking up on me in sly ways. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 11, 2019