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Emmys: Hostless night sometimes turned dreary

For a while, it looked like the no-host Emmys might actually work
.There was a brilliant bit with Ben Stiller and Bob Newhart. There were funny moments from Anthony Anderson and from three people who should have hosted – Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers. The show was fast and funny and …
Then it skidded to a stop, reminding us why hosts are crucial. Sure, there were a few great moments, including the acceptance speech of Michelle Williams, a winner in the “Fosse/Verdon” mini-series; more often, people drably thanked their agents and such. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 23, 2019

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Here’s the schedule for the big-four networks

It’s time for TV’s four big broadcast networks to have their turn.
In one crowded week (starting Monday, Sept. 23). they’ll launch of of their fall shows. That includes 13 of their 16 new shows, starting with the low-key charm of “Bob (hearts) Abishola” (shown here); the others arrive a week later.
Here, subject to change, are the daily line-ups. We’ll have separate stories on CW, when it starts two weeks later. And stories on the others – PBS, cable, streaming – are ongoing. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 17, 2019

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No-host Emmys? Maybe a no-fun evening

This year’s Emmy telecast will have lots of hosts – smart, slick, funny ones.
It’s just that … well, none of them will be hosting. No one will.
Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert have all been witty award-show hosts; Billy Porter (shown here) would be another good one. This time, alas, they’re merely presenters. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 14, 2019

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Reboots? Some are fine; “BH90210” isn’t

As “BH90210” wraps its noisy little season, we’ll just shrug.
A great idea got so-so execution. The result was almost adequate by lowly, end-of-summer standards.
The finale is 9 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 11) on Fox, promptly rerunning at 8 p.m. Friday. Like previous hours, its self-effacing humor is often quite good; its drama is more-often quite awful. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 11, 2019

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With death and dismay, ‘Snowfall’ nears season-finale

From the start, “Snowfall” had delivered sharp jabs.
Lucia had most of her family killed … then vanished. Franklin, the brainy teen, became a drug boss; his friends became killers.
Still, nothing matched the latest jolt: Franklin casually killed Andre, the honest neighborhood cop. On the day of the funeral, Melody – Andre’s daughter, Franklin’s ex-girlfriend– shot him three times and left him to die.
What’s going on? As the season-finale arrives, viewers might incorrectly expect the worst: Maybe Franklin’s being killed and the show – whose co-creator, John Singleton (shown here), died in April at 51, after a stroke – is being cancelled. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 9, 2019

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What to know before Conan buys Greenland

As Conan O’Brien prepares to help Donald Trump buy Greenland, let’s admire the symmetry.
Greenland was discovered (or re-discovered) by Eric the Red. He has:
— A little in common with O’Brien, whose special airs at 10 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 3) on TBS. Mostly, it’s just the red hair.
— A lot in common with Trump. Eric, it seems, was a felon, a colonialist, a control freak, a slaveholder, a multiple killer and a guy who exaggerated the value of real estate.
.That last one, incidentally, is the part that directly relates to Trump. (I just thought the others provided extra information.) Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 1, 2019

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Country concert: A great night on PBS

Before the new season starts, there’s already encouraging news
.Yes, TV – the regular kind that you don’t pay extra for – is occasionally capable of greatness. Fresh proof arrives Sunday (Sept. 8), wih a country concert on PBS
.I’ve already babbled that “Country Music,” the eight-night documentary that starts Sept. 15, is one of the best shows ever. But that shouldn’t surprise us: It’s directed by Ken Burns, written by Dayton Duncan, with compelling stories to tell; that’s a quick route to greatness.
But the concert is a bonus, packing some of country’s best moments into two hours. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 30, 2019

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Wrestling’s ready for its third TV era

As TV began, people imagined a grand concert hall – orchestras and opera stars and such.
Or not. Viewers often prefer o see angry people crashing into each other.
Now we’re sort of re-entering that era. That starts Sept. 7, with Tessa Blanchard (shown here) defending her WOW title; wrestling will be expanding on cable and even returning to the broadcast networks.And yes, we’ve been here before. Flash back 70 years, to the fall of 1949. In primetime, viewers had: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 28, 2019

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Seeking a life of ease and e’s

vr notic how important th lttr “” is in daily lif?
I did rcntly, whn it scapd from my computr. Thn I …
OK, I’ll quit doing that and start using the “e” again. I just wanted to show what my life was like for a while: Suddenly, inexplicably, my laptop’s “e” didn’t work. In the aftershock, Bjork (shown here) became my favorite star. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 23, 2019

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Carrie, Dolly, Reba, more: Country women rise

For generations, the women in country music songs have been cheated and mistreated or just ignored until closing time at the bar.
Some have had revenge. Some have shrugged it off because, in Tammy Wynette’s words, “after all, he’s just a man.”
But now they (sometimes) have their day. Just announced is this year’s plan for the Country Music Association awards, Nov. 13: Carrie Underwood (shown here) will host, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton will be special guests and the night will celebrate the women of country music. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 19, 2019