News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

Cheers for low-concept, high-quality comedies

(This is the “Raymond”/”Cheers” over view that was written previously. Now CBS has set a rerun of the “Everybody Loves Raymond” reunion for 9 p.m. Nov. 28.)
When Les Moonves took over CBS, he was in a hurry.
The network’s only top-15 show was “60 Minutes.” He needed something that would make a quick impact.
“I was told he wanted high-profile shows with big stars,” Phil Rosenthal recalled in his memoir. “What chance did we have?”
He had a semi-known star (Ray Romano), in a show that was mostly family members talking. But Moonves liked it and audiences gradually agreed. From 8-9:30 p.m. Monday (Nov. 24), CBS will celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Everybody Loves Raymond” (shwon here).
That same night, “TV We Love” (9-10 p.m. on CW) will celebrate “Cheers,” a show in a similar mode: It started with no stars (Sid Caesar and William Devane auditioned unsuccessfully) and an unflashy format; it scored big. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 19, 2025
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Double diva: Ariana and Cher

Two divas — generations apart — will be on the Christmas-week “Saturday Night Live.”
Ariana Grande (shown here), 32, will host for the third time. Cher, 79, will be the music guest for only the second time; the first was in 1987 … six years before Grande was born.
That’s part of the latest batch of new shows “SNL” announced today. After a two-week rerun break (Nov. 22 and Nov. 29), it has: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 17, 2025
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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
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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