News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

Strike deal brings hope to a wobbly season

So the strikes are apparently ending … at last.
Writers were on strike for 148 days, before a deal was reached – tentatively on Sept. 24, officially a few days later. Now actors – on strike for 118 days – have reached a deal; it goes to the board Friday (Nov. 10) and then to the membership for a vote.
For some movie people, the effect is simple: The Christmastime films have already been made; now the stars will soon be free to promote them.
TV, as always, is more of a moving target. Writers have been working on the scripts for six weeks; it’s just a question of how quickly things can get back to work. Let’s take CBS as an example: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 9, 2023
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Next year, wrestling adds another network

There’s another step in TV’s transformation:
Next year, two broadcast networks will have weekly wrestling shows. One will even have minor-league (sort of) wrestlers.
Beginning next October, “WWE NXT” (shown here) will have a weekly spot on the CW network – the first time it’s been on a broadcast network, instead of cable. Meanwhile, the main WWE show continues on Fox.
NXT began 13 years ago, as a WWE launchng point. In the most recent “WrestleMania,” more than 90 percent of the people had been in NXT. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 8, 2023
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Cable and streamer set Perry “Friends” marathon

For fans of the late Matthew Perry, there are plenty of ways to watch his “Friends” episodes this week.
They can catch them early in the morning on one cable channel (TBS) or late at night on another (Nickelodeon). Or they can catch them any time on Max.
Perry (shown here, second from left) died Saturday at 54, bringing a flood of praise for his work … and fresh interest in seeing it.
The easiest way is on Max, which spent a fortune for streaming rights to all 10 seasons … then added a much-praised reunion special with the six stars. In addition, however, two cable channels stepped in, Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 31, 2023
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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
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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
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“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
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‘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
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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
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“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