News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

“Stargirl,” a summer surprise, is renewed

Right now, we’re short of good news and of new, scripted shows in the summertime.
So here’s something that combines both: “Stargirl” (shown here) has just been renewed for next season.
The show was created for the DC Universe streaming service, then set a two-part plan: Each week this summer, a new episode reaches DC on Mondays, then airs at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on CW.
The result has been a pleasant surprise, with smart writing and sharp casting. It still has six more episodes for this summer … and now more: For next year, DC Universe will drop out; CW will air each episode first, then move it to its next-day streamers. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 6, 2020
News and Quick Comments

More Reiner tributes on the way

The first phase of TV’s Carl Reiner tribute has finished now, but there’s much more on the way.That includes “Dick Van Dyke Show” reruns on digital networks and Hulu, plus five movies July 28 on cable’s Turner Classic Movies.
That first phase included CBS rerunning two “Van Dyke” episodes that had color added by computer. One of them – Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) accidentally tells the world that her husband’s boss Alan Brady (Reiner) wears a toupee – was hilarious. The other – a nude painting of Laura, who had posed fully clothed – was only so-so; it was apparently chosen strictly because Reiner played the artist.That toupee episode reran Sunday on the digital MeTV network and will run yet again at 10 p.m. this Friday (July 10) on the digital Decades TV. And you can catch all of the “Van Dyke” episodes on Hulu.

Other tributres continue, That includes: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 6, 2020
News and Quick Comments

More on the 4th: CNN jumps in

There’s a late addition to our stay-at-home choices for the 4th of July.
This one is on CNN – a four-hour marathon that offers an early start for the West Coast. PBS ad NBC (see separate stories) start at 8 p.m. ET/PT, continuing (counting reruns) until 11; CNN goes from 8 to midnight ET … which is 5-9 p.m. PT.
Don Lemon will host for CNN from New York, with Dana Bash in Washington. This will include the fireworks from both cities, plus Houston, Nashville and Jacksonville. It adds lots of music, including Andy Grammer (shown here), who will also be on PBS. Also performing are: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 3, 2020
News and Quick Comments

Here’s a guide to at-home 4th

So now we face the prospect of a stay-at-home 4th of July.
In many places, that means no fireworks, no parades, no music. In others … well, it still seems safer to stay away this year.
Not to worry, television is ready to fill in … just as it did for Easter and Memorial Day. It has two big-deal shows, with music and fireworks – PBS (see separate story, alongside this one) in Washington, D.C. (shown here), NBC in New York. It also has shows aimed at the day’s emphasis on history or music; here’s a guide: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 30, 2020
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Supervise my bath, please

Sometimes, you pass by a sign that jolts you.
That happbned to me today. It was an election sign that simply said: “Curtis For Bath Supervisor.”
What? We elect people to supervise our bathing? The mind jumps to — well, Ernie (shown here) singing “Rubber Ducky.” Or Marilyn Monroe in a bubble-bath secne or some such.
It sort of needs context, I guess. Like the time I saw a sign that said “Rich Girls Track Team.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 30, 2020
News and Quick Comments

NBC on the 4th: country, rock & fireworks

Now we have two large-scale choices for the 4th of July. And neither involves wedging into a noisy crowd of COVID-deniers.
NBC has just announced its plan for the night. It includes some country, some rock, a tad of poetry and a lot of fireworks. That’s at the same time that PBS (see separate story) has country, pop, Broadway …. and a lot of fireworks.
The annual NBC event has been linked to Macy’s fireworks (shown here in a previous year), which were on hold for a while, while New York worked out a way to avoid people congregating: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 29, 2020
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“Pose” stars link for special tonight

This is short-notice, but let me get it out there :
At 10 p.m. today (Friday, June 26), three networks – FX. Freeform and Hulu – combine for an event called “Pose-a-thon.” Billy Porter, shown here, will co-host.
That gives you a night of virtual shows. First, catch the Daytime Emmys at 8 p.m. on CBS; then switch to “Pose-a-thon” at 10. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 26, 2020
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From isolation comes strong drama

(I posted this a week or so ago, but that was before “Isolation Stories” reached the U.S. Now it’s here, via Britbox, and worth catching. So here’s the commentary again.)
As Americans poked at the notion of social-distance drama, some Englishmen went full-throttle.
They created four separate tales. Now “Isolation Stories” (shown here) has reached the U.S.; it debuted Tuesday (June 23), via the Britbox streaming service.
Each story is only 15 minutes long, but stuffed with strong drama. Individually, most are terrific; combined … well, they need a bit more variety. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 24, 2020
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Now, the tense world of … pipe organs?

There’s a formula that keeps working beautifully in documentaries.
Find a competition – preferably a big one, national or international. Profile some contestants in advance. Then follow them and hope you get lucky.
That plan has worked for a spelling bee (“Spellbound,” 1999) … crossword puzzles (“Wordplay,” 2006) … teen scientists (“Science Fair,” 2018) … and even for duck-stamp artists (“Million Dollar Duck,” 2016). And now it works for pipe organs.
“Pipe Dreams” (shown here with Alcee Chriss) airs at 10 p.m. Monday (June 22) on most PBS stations. It visits the Canadian International Organ Competition, with young organists working instruments so massive that the judges see them only via TV screens. We meet: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 20, 2020