News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

Ready to stream: Poirot and lots of Greeks

Two movies – the kind we’re supposed to see in theaters – reach our TV sets this coming week.
Each was directed by its star. Each is sort of a “part three,” filmed in interesting corners of Europe. Neither is anywhere near as good as the first … but yes, they’re still worth watching.
On Tuesday – in time for one last Halloween scare – “A Haunting in Venice” (shown here), Kenneth Branagh’s third Hercule Poirot film, reaches Hulu. Then on Friday, Peacock has “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.”
In many ways, these two are opposites – one dark and foreboding, the other quite cheery. Here are looks at both: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 29, 2023
News and Quick Comments

Switching to Spanish, “SNL” soars

In the 953 “Saturday Night Live” episodes, the hosts have ranged afar.
They’ve gone from 7-year-old Drew Barrymore to 88-year-old Betty White. They’ve included actors, singers, comedians and Elon Musk, plus presidential candidates, a president’s son, a presidential spokesman and Miskell Spillman, 80, who said she needed one more thrill in life; she would have another 14 years to savor it.
Despite all the differences, most had a common thread – the English language. That sort of changed Saturday (Oct. 21), with Bad Bunny (shown here with Pedro Pascal) as host. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 22, 2023
News and Quick Comments

“Daily Show” returns, finding laughs amid agony

“The Daily Show” is daily again, and it’s quite funny.
Well … as close to funny as we can expect for now. “My big week as guest host and I get Israel/Palestine,” said Michael Kosta (shown here doing stand-up), this week’s host. — the first ones since writers went on strike May 2.
The war is not a funny subject … or one he understands. “What do I know about the Middle East? I’m from the Middle West.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 17, 2023
News and Quick Comments

‘SNL’ tried (at times) to be funny

At least we can be sure of one thing: The “Saturday Night Live” writers abided by the strike; they weren’t writing clever things in their spare time.
“SNL” returned Saturday after a 23-week gap, filling a key void in our humor landscape. A few moments were brilliant, but the rest were oddly ordinary.
We’ll have to see what happens next: “The Daily Show” finally returns this week (11 p.m. Monday through Friday, Oct. 16-19) on Comedy Central; “SNL” has its second new episode, at 11:29 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 21).
That one has Bad Bunny as host and music guest, which is OK but not promising. It was the host portion by Pete Davidson (shown here) that stood out this time. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 15, 2023
News and Quick Comments

Ready for Christmas? It sort of starts Saturday

The Christmas-movie season will start even earlier than expected.
The first new film is now set for 8 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 14), on Great American Family. It’s a sequel, “Destined 2: Christmas Once More,” with Shay Robbins and Casey Elliott (the original is shown here) and it arrives 72 days before the holiday.
GAF had originally said it would have its first new movie on Oct. 21. Hallmark one-upped that, putting its start on Oct. 20 … and then GAF moved earlier. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 12, 2023
News and Quick Comments

“Crown” and “Snow White” set streaming dates

Two classics are coming to streaming networks soon.
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937, shown here) reaches Disney+ on Monday (Oct. 16), which is the 100th anniversary of the Disney studio. And the final season of the “The Crown” arrives on Netflix in two bursts – Nov. 16, focusing strongly on Diana, and Dec. 14, focusing on her sons.
Details came in separate announcements today: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 9, 2023
News and Quick Comments

TV’s favorite twist: Start with a life crumbling

There’s a plot twist that ripples through many scripts:
Sure, it’s fun for someone to plunge into a new life. But first, why not show her old life crumbling?
That happens in “Sullivan’s Crossing” (shown here), which debuts at 8 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 4) on CW; Dr. Maggie Sullivan soon retreats home. And it happens in “The Spencer Sisters,” which debuts at 9 p.m. that night; Darby Spencer soon retreats home.
Both shows have redheads who flee to cozier Canadian settings. Darby goes to a small college town, where her showy mom lives; Maggie goes to a Nova Scotia campground, where her grumpy dad lives. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 1, 2023
News and Quick Comments

Disney saves its best for Sundays

For four months, TV’s biggest night had a giant question-mark.
Sundays are when ratings peak. But in its makeshift, strike-time schedule, ABC simply listed “Wonderful World of Disney” movies at 8 p.m., without saying which ones.
Disney movies, after all, can be as magical as “Mary Poppins,” as blah as this year’s “Haunted Mansion,” as forgettable as several I’ve forgotten. So which ones would be shown?
Now we finally know. This starts with “Jungle Cruise,” Oct. 1; “Cruella,” Oct. 8; and “Encanto” (shown here), Oct. 15. That covers a broad range — ordinary adventure, salvaged by likable stars … extraordinary adventure with awesome visuals … and an animated musical with some “Poppins-style” splendor. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 1, 2023
News and Quick Comments

Latenight shows return Monday (Oct. 2)

The latenight shows are finally returning, with new episodes.
Most of them — ABC’s Jimmy Kimnmel, CBS’ Stephen Colbert, NBC’s Jimmy Fallon (shown here) and Seth Meyers – plan to start Monday (Oct. 2). Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” arrives two weeks later, leaving only “Saturday Night Live” undecided.
Those changes follow the return of HBO’s weekly shows, with Bill Maher on Friday (Sept. 29) and John Oliver on Sunday (Oct. 1). Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 28, 2023