Lee Mendelson, who died Wednesday (Dec. 25) at 86, produced tons of pretty good television and 30 minutes of perfection
That half-hour leaves him forever in the warmest part of our memories. He recalled it in his 2000 book: “A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition.” Read more…
Television has come far from the days when it showed the Guy Lombardo Orchestra each Dec. 31
.Dick Clark’s creation, “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” keeps prospering under Ryan Seacrest (shown here). But its competitors keep growing, including Fox with Steve Harvey and Maria Menounos (who’s feaured here under “stories,” at left) and NBC.
Here’s a round-up for this year: Read more…
During the holidays, our TV tastes might mellow a tad.
We don’t need to probe the darkest recesses of our souls. We might settle for a decent drama about some nice folks.
So it’s logical that a streaming service (www.acorn.tv) is releasing the new “Murdoch Mysteries” season on Christmas Day.
This is nice-guy television. It’s pleasant, precise and likable; in short, it’s Canadian. Read more…
I’ve already babbled about “Bob (Hearts) Abishola,” the season’s best new situation comedy.
ut now is a handy time to catch up: In a 10-day stretch, you can see three key reruns. The pilot film is 9:30 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 21); others are 8:30 p.m. Dec. 25 and 30.
What you’ll see is a show with a unique style and pace. It’s not like other sitcoms – including other gems (“Big Bang,” “Mom”) from the same producer, Chuck Lorre; for that, we’ll credit Gina Yashere (shown here). Read more…
When “Empire” arrived six years ago, it brought waves of optimism.
This would be the best of both worlds: The music would be vibrant – R-&-B, rap, pop, more – and the stories (about a record mogul, his wife and their three sons) would have a Shakespearean influence.
The pilot film had a “King Lear” reference. When Trai Byers auditioned (successfully) for the role of Andre, he and co-creator Danny Strong talked about “Hamlet.”
And now? Sure, “Empire” feels a little like Shakespeare’s scenes … but just the ones where a guy talks to ghosts or where witches cackle or where someone gets a donkey head. Read more…
OK, it’s time for a mid-course correction.
When the season started, I picked “Perfect Harmony” as the best new situation comedy. That was based on the near-perfect pilot film, with a prickly Princeton prof (well, ex-prof) taking over the choir at a small Kentucky church.
“Harmony” (8:30 p.m. Thursdays on NBC) remains a good show, but it’s no longer my No. 1. CBS’ “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” (shown here) keeps sneaking up on me in sly ways. Read more…
An amiable anomaly returns tonight (Dec. 2).
“Making It” is a low-cost, low-stress show about ordinary – well, semi-ordinary – people who make things. They use wood … or balloons or noodles or electrical wires or whatever.
This show could easily be ignored, tucked in the cable crevices where how-to shows belong. Instead, it gets a prime spot – 10 p.m. Dec. 2-5 and 8-9, then 9-11 p.m. Dec. 10 – on NBC
Yes.the network that has gave us “Seinfeld,” ““ER” an.d “West Wing” is giving eight primetime hours to a show that includes the artistic use of noodles. And somehow, that makes sense. Read more…
Each December, our TV expectations become lower or looser.
We expect a few specks of greatness – Charlie Brown and the Grinch, mostly – and lots of pleasantly adequate shows. So this is a surprise: In a five-day stretch, three terrific shows will arrive.
One of those — the much-honored “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (shown here) — was expected; the others weren’t.
“The Moodys” is a comedy-drama mini-series, on a network (Fox) that’s been comedy-deprived lately. “Work in Progress” is a low-budget series with high-IQ scripts. Let’s view all three chronologically: Read more…
The Rebecca Eaton era is ending at “Masterpiece.” It has been … well, mostly masterful.
At its peak, it has provided some of the finest moments on television – “Downton Abbey” (shown here), “Prime Suspect,” “Wallander,” “Sherlock” and more, including “Little Women” and “Bleak House” reboots.
At its low point, it’s merely been bland, such as the recent “The Chaperone.” Then it has bounced back.
PBS announced recently that Eaton, 72, is being “promoted” to “executive-producer-at-large.” She’ll work at developing new drama projects, while also fundraising for The Masterpiece Trust, which has raised $20 million since she launched it eight years ago. Read more…
“The Chaperone” reaches PBS Sunday, delivering a tad of “Downton Abbey” prestige. It arrives much later than expected.
Back in 2013, plans were announced for the movie. Based on a novel, it would have a script by “Downton” creator Julian Fellowes; Elizabeth McGovern (Cora in “Downton”) would star, with her husband Simon Curtis (“Cranford”) directing.
And then – like so many indie projects – it lingered. Read more…
