Mike Hughes

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 10: Heaven’s last stand

1) “Fallen Hearts,” 8-10 p.m., Lifetime. We’re at the mid-point of the five-part saga based on V.C. Andrews’ Casteel Family novels. This film is the last one to center on Heaven Casteel, played by Annalise Basso, 20 (shown here). In “Heaven” (rerunning at 4 p.m.), she was dirt-poor; her mom fled and her dad sold the five kids separately – in her case, to a cruel family. In “Dark Angel” (6 p.m.), she moved to a Philadelphia mansion. In “Fallen Hearts,” she’s happy and married … and lured back to the mansion. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 8, 2019
Stories

Florida? It’s cowboy country and more

LOS ANGELES — We all know what Florida is like. Or we think we do.
“Everybody thinks we’re white sand beaches and Mickey Mouse,” Clint Raulerson (shown here) said.
He’s one of the people in PBS’ “Family Pictures” and he’s definitely no Mousketeer. Talking to the Television Critics Association, he was wearing a 10-gallon hat.
Yes, he’s a cowboy; there are a lot of of them in Florida, he said. “We still have about a million head of cattle in the state.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 8, 2019
News and Quick Comments

Emmys join the no-host parade

LOS ANGELES — Remember award-show hosts – the ones who soar or sputter while working live?
They’re increasingly hard to find. Chris Collier, head of the Fox network, said there will be no host this year for the Emmys; that comes after the no-host Oscars.
Collier said the Emmy decision was spurred partly by wanting time for tributes to several departing shows. He considered some hosts, but “that’s 15-20 minutes we can’t” use for farewells. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 7, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 9: Splendor in Vienna

1) “Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert,” 9 p.m., PBS. This isn’t what you’d expect: The setting and the orchestra are Austrian, the conductor is Venezuelan, the soloist is Chinese … and most of the music is from American composers. Really. Gustavo Dudamel (shown here) opens spectacularly with Bernstein’s “Candide” overture and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” with pianist Yuja Wang. She pauses for a Chopin waltz, but then we’re back to Sousa, Steiner and more, beautifully played and filmed. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 7, 2019
Stories

“Terror” blends two kinds of horror

LOS ANGELES — Like most of George Takei’s shows, “The Terror: Infamy” is a fictional tale.
He’s done a lot of them, before and after becoming a “Star Trek” star, a half-century ago. But this one is different: Its supernatural scares are alongside the sort of real-life horror he knew as a boy.
“I’m a Southern California kid, sent over to the swamps of Arkansas,” said Takei, 82.
That was in 1942, when Japanese-Americans were sent to internment camps. Takei was 5, going with his father (a real-estate man), mother, older brother and baby sister. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 6, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 8: “Big Bang” is back

1) “The Big Bang Theory,” 8 p.m., CBS. Life is almost back to normal at CBS. “Love Island” has ended –it will be back next summer — and only “Big Brother” (9 p.m. today) gets in the way of comedy reruns. “Big Bang” is back in its Thursday spot and has a couple extra episodes Monday. Tonight brings a tough decision for Leonard and Penny (shown here in the finale); her ex-boyfriend wants him to be a sperm donor. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 6, 2019
News and Quick Comments

ABC returns to minis and “Mermaid”

LOS ANGELES – ABC is brushing off a long-dormant notion – big-deal mini-series.
The network once soared with “Roots” and more, but in recent years all of the broadcast networks have mostly avoided movies and minis. Now ABC president Karey Burke has announced:-
– “Little Mermaid,” becoming the network’s first live musical. Auli’i Cravalho (shown here) of “Moana” has the title role, with Queen Latifah as Ursula and Shaggy as Sebastian.
— An ongoing anthology, “Women of the Movement.” That starts next season with Mamie Till, who became active after the murder of her son, a civil-rights activist. By the end of that mini, she’ll meet Rosa Parks (which she did in real life, Burke said), who will be the subject of a mini the following season. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 5, 2019
News and Quick Comments

Kimmel’s busy with old and new TV

LOS ANGELES — Two notions from TV’s glory days, “All in the Family” and live television, will return – twice.
Jimmy Kimmel announced Monday that he’ll produce two more specials next season for ABC, one at Christmastime, the other next spring.
This season, Kimmel linked with Norman Lear and Will Ferrell to produce a live special using old scripts from “All in the Family” (shown here with Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei) and “The Jeffersons.” Those could be the shows included again – both are produced by Lear, 97 – but “everything isn’t tied down yet.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 5, 2019