News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

Reiner and “Raymond” specials scheduled

Two specials — one somber and one fun — have been added to network schedules. They are:
— Tuesday (Dec. 16): “The Rob Reiner Story: A Hollywood Tragedy,” 10 p.m., ABC. This is from ABC news and will follow the ongoing news story — the death of Reiner and his wife Michelle and the arrest of their son — while also serving as a biography/obituary. It will look back at Reiner’s career, from starring in “All In The Family” to directing “This Is Spinal Tap,” “A Few Good Men,” “When Harry Met Sally” and more. On Wednesday, it will move to Hulu and Disney+.
— Monday (Dec. 22): “Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion Pt. 2,” 8 p.m., CBS. The original (shown here) aired twice on CBS, on Nov. 24 and 28, totaling just over 10 million viewers. Now CBS says it has an additional hour of clips and comments. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 16, 2025
News and Quick Comments

“Knives Out” tales: three mismatched gems

Imagine three siblings who seem to have nothing in common … yet, somehow, have everything in common that really matters.
Those are the “Knives Out” mysteries, the third of which just arrived on Netflix.
They seem like mismatched kin — one cute and perky, one sleek and high-tech, one gloomy and gothic. But they share one character (ace detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, right), the writer-director (Rian Johnson) and what counts:
Each is brilliantly crafted, with gifted actors playing compelling characters. Each has the twists, turns and surprises that a mystery requires. The films: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 14, 2025
News and Quick Comments

Kinsella’s tales captured youthful joy and optimism

You won’t often find me writing about a novel (or reading one).
But I have to comment on Sophie Kinsella, who died today (Dec. 10) at 55, of brain cancer.
Some people know her for writing two books that became the 2009 movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic” (shown here) That’s a fairly pleasant comedy (streaming on Netflix and Disney+) that stars Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.
But that was just the start. She wrote 10 books in the “shopaholic” series and 13 others, all under that “Sophie Kinsella” pen name. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 10, 2025
News and Quick Comments

Football clears the way for Fox’s new shows

This is the new reality for TV networks:
If you want a new (or returning) show to get noticed, you’d better have a football game to precede it. That’s what Fox will do for its two new shows (on Jan. 4 and 25) and its best returning one (“Animal Control,”shown here, Dec. 28).
In recent years, pro football games have thoroughly topped other shows in the Nielsen ratings. Fox has adjusted by introducing a scripted series just as the game ends, in all time zones — 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT, for instance.
This time, the network will focus on two bright shows and one darker one: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 10, 2025
News and Quick Comments

Changes for Dec. 13 bring Swift and town hall

It’s rare these days for networks to make sudden switches in their schedule.
Lately, however, there have been two in the same slot, 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. One involves politics, the other Taylor Swift (shown here):
— CBS has scheduled a “town hall” interview with Erika Kirk. She became the CEO of Turning Point USA after her husband, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated in September. It will be an invited-guest event with Turning Point members. The previously scheduled show — the Family Film and TV Awards –will be pushed back tlo Dec. 20.
— CW has inserted “Taylor,” a documentary biography of Taylor Swift. The film talks with long-time fans, music jopurnlists and music colleagues, tracing her rise from an 11-year-old knocking on Nashville doors to a global superstar. It arrives on her 36th birthday, the day after two tour-related films reach Disney+ and Hulu. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 10, 2025
News and Quick Comments

A wickedly wild set of movie choices

Wandering into the lobby during “Wicked: For Good,” I saw reassuring signs of life.
There were kids scurrying about, eager to see “Zootopia 2.” And there were the boom-boon sounds of “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.”
Together, those three films remind us that people are — at least for now — returning to movie theaters. They also remind us that: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 8, 2025
News and Quick Comments

Ready for an eight-hour Eve marathon?

We might have to order some extra drinks and chips for New Year’s Eve.
This year, ABC’s broadcast will stretch over eight hours. It will continue until 4 a.m. ET, 90 minutes longer than previous years, and add a stop in Chicago.
That’s in the latest version of “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” from the late Dick Clark’s production company. Ryan Seacrest (Clark’s chosen successor) anchors from Times Square, alongside Rita Ora.
Those New York moments tend to have live performances, with most of the others taped in advance. The New York performers haven’t yet been announced, but ABC has set 32 acts so far. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 2, 2025
News and Quick Comments

PBS mid-season: strong women, big dramas, more

When PBS hits its mid-season stride, it will have lots of strong women.
Some are real (Bella Abzug, Barbara Jordan, Vivien Hargrove), some are fictional (Eliza Scarlet, shown here), some are yet-to-be-determined (female gladiators).
All will share the channel with Henry David Thoreau, Adam Sandler, animal parents, ambitious European dramas and an age-old question: Do dogs really understand words? Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 30, 2025
News and Quick Comments

“Wild Cards” leads modest CW makeover

“Wild Cards,” the clever Canadian take on crimesolving, will start a new season on Jan. 26.
The show is one of the few successes, as the CW network tries to mine Canada for scripted series. It links a handsome cop (Giacomo Gianniotti of “Grey’s Anatomy”) and a charming con artist (Vanessa Morgan, shown here), in efforts to outsmart the thieves.
Now it will be one of four shows starting seasons in January. They are: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 19, 2025