News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

Great “Grinch” is back … often

In a world that keeps changing, here’s some reassuring news:
This year, we can again see the original “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (shown here) … often. It will be on cable nine times, as soon as Nov. 10 (7:30 p.m.) and as late as Dec. 21 (7:30 and 10:30).
“Grinch” debuted in 1966, with a confluence of genius — a clever Dr. Seuss book, brilliant Chuck Jones animation and a booming song. It could stand at the top of TV’s holiday history, alongside “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
The difference is that Charlie is now confined to steaming (Apple TV+) “Grinch” will be on both TNT and TBS. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 7, 2025
News and Quick Comments

ABC preps for a busy Christmas season

ABC will again go into holiday overdrive. The four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas will be stuffed with music, movies and more.
Some things, of course will simply be re-re-reruns. We’ll get double Julie Andrews (“Mary Poppins” and “The Sound of Music”), plus “Home Alone,” “The Santa Clause” and some familiar cartoons.
But alongside that are:
— New specials. A third “Prep & Landing” (shown here) arrives, filling out a three-hour animation block. Also, the “Dancing With the Stars” people will have a holiday hour. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 5, 2025
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It’s a Dolly/Yogi rerun Christmas season

It will be a rerun Christmas on the CW network, ranging from Dolly Parton to Yogi Bear.
The Hollywood Christmas Parade (Dec. 12) is new each year, but it will be alongside a sea of shows that have been somewhere before. They include:
— CARTOONS (all at 8 p.m.): “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” is Nov. 28, repeating Dec. 10. The 1980 movie “Yogi’s First Christmas” is Dec. 19. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 5, 2025
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It was “The Love Boat” or “Hate It Boat”

So there we were in 1984, at a Television Critics Association session.
Jac Venza, founder of PBS’ “Great Performances” series, was talking about its latest “Dance in America” special. It had “A Song For Dead Warriors,” by the San Francisco Ballet.
And, Venza told us proudly, we might be familiar with the composer, Charles Fox. He wrote the theme song for “The Love Boat.”
At this point, we promptly did what critics do. We moaned, groaned and offered a general air of derision … before Venza could continue: “And here he is: Charles Fox.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 24, 2025
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Leaphorn leaps to LA in February

There’s good news for fans of tough, taut drama:
“Dark Winds” (shown here) will be back for its fourth season. It arrives earlier than usual (Feb. 15 on the AMC cable channel) and gets its three main characters back together.
Based on Tony Hillerman novels, the show has been produced by the late Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin, the “Games of Thrones” author. In each of its first three seasons, it had a 100-percent score among critics tabulated by Rotten Tomatoes. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 23, 2025
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CBS plans a modest-but-cheery Christmas

CBS has announced a modest-but-cheerful batch of Christmas shows.
Barring late additions, the line-up has no holiday movies, no holiday music specials and two animated specials — one new, one not. Filling in will be some other weekend specials (Kennedy Center Honors, family film awards, Latin music), plus some festive game shows. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 16, 2025
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An early Halloween: Bart vs. Satan and grease

Ah, the sweet memories of state fairs — bright lights, loud music, fast rides … and grease. Lots and lots of grease.
That’s what we see on “The Simpsons” (shown here), at 8 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 19) on Fox.
There are deep-fried pickles and deep-fried cheese steaks. There’s mac-n-cheese on a stick and fried butter sticks on a stick. There’s more.
What could go wrong? Plenty, since this is the annual “Treehouse of Horror.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 16, 2025
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“Lucy”: It took a village to create a TV miracle

(Portions of this are excerpted from “Television, and How It Got That Way,” a book-in-process. I’m running it now, because of an “I Love Lucy” profile airing at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13, on CW. For the almost-complete book, click “The Book,” on the right side of the home page.)

To ponder the miracle of “I Love Lucy,” consider the void around it.
This was 1951, when TV was young and wobbly. There were a few worthy shows — Sid Caesar, Ed Sullivan, live dramas — and a lot of others.
In a week of primetime shows that fall, you’d find wrestling (twice) and boxing (twice). You’d find “Georgetown University Forum” and “Johns Hopkins Science Review, “Youth on the March” and “American Youth Forum,” plus “Film Filler” and “Lessons in Safety.”
Into that shaky field came the “Lucy” show. “It should bounce to the top of the ratings heap,” a Hollywood Reporter critic wrote. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 10, 2025