Stories

First the day jobs, then classy British dramas

For most actors, a key step involves “day jobs.”
The lucky people are skilled waiters or carpenters or such, before rushing off to their next auditions. The others …?
“I am probably the worst magician in the world,” said Tom Durant Pritchard.
There he was, struggling to do balloons animals and magic and such at children’s parties. Fortunately, it worked out; at 37, he’s now had several good roles, two of them stirring up royals-watchers.
And now he steps into the male lead in “Miss Scarlet” (shown here) which starts its season at 8 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 12) on PBS, in front of the season-opener of “All Creatures Great and Small.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 5, 2025

Stories

“Origins” steps one Foote into the light side

Rippling through “NCIS: Origins” are all the usual elements – murder, arson, treason and generally impolite behavior.
But there’s one thing more: “There’s so much humor in the show,” David North, one of the two showrunners, told the Television Critics Association.
Well … not “Big Bang” or Three Stooges humor, but neat niches of levity from Caleb Foote (shown here) and others. Viewers can sample that as “Origins” reruns the start of its season.
So far, 10 episodes have aired. Before the second half of the “Origins” season starts (Jan. 27), all will have had a second run.
Two reran early. Now come the others – one on Monday, Dec. 30; three on Wednesday, Jan. 1; one Monday, Jan. 6; the other three on Sunday, Jan. 12. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 31, 2024

Stories

Here’s the line-up of new shows and season-openers

Here’s a list of 42 shows — debuts or season-openers — coming this mid-season. Some are terrific (“The Americas” is shown here), some aren’t, but all provide fresh choices. The story below this has more details.

NEW SCRIPTED SHOWS
— “Going Dutch,” 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, Fox. The career of a tough colonel (Denis Leary) implodes. He’s sent to a gentle Dutch base, run by his estranged daughter. The opening episode is flat; the second is better.
— “Doc,” 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, Fox. Here’s a brilliant concept, beautifully executed. Recovering from a traffic crash, a doctor has lost eight years of memories. Now she must update her knowledge … and adjust to her misdeeds during those years. Molly Parker leads a terrific cast. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 28, 2024

Stories

It’s time for the mid-season surge

As the New Year confetti gets swept away, TV starts its in-between phase.
At the worst, that can mean reruns and time-fillers. At the best, there’s a burst of new-show energy.
Listed separately (see story above this) are 42 shows coming to broadcast networks, ranging from the compelling “Doc” (shown here) and gorgeous “Americas” to the so-so “Watson” and “Going Dutch.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 28, 2024

Stories

Here’s a guide to New Year’s Eve TV choices

Dick Clark’s clever scheme – seamlessly blending live and taped bits into a New Year’s Eve party — has become something bigger and brasher.
This year, there will be six hours on ABC (shown here in a previous year) and five more on CBS, plus variations on CNN, NBC and PBS. There will be lots of live music – from New York, Nashville and beyond – alongside the parts taped in Los Angeles.
And in ABC’s case, there will be a title that seems longer than some shows. It’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 22, 2024

Stories

Here’s a revised list for the 12 days of Christmas

Back on Thanksgiving Day, we posted a Christmas-on-TV mega-list. Now here’s a fresh version, covering only the 12 days of Christmas (Dec. 14-25). We’ve added some shows (especially in the “key movies” category, “comedy” and the new “drama” category, plus extra details on others. Here we go:

“HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS” (cartoon version)
This animated gem (shown here) remains one of TV’s two great Christmas moments. The other, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” is on Amazon Prime.
— On NBC: 8 p.m., Dec. 25.
— TBS: 10 a.m., Dec. 14; 2:45 and 3:15 p.m., Dec. 15; 10 and 10:30 p.m., Dec. 19.
— On TNT, 7 and 9:45 p.m., Dec. 15; also, 12:30 a.m. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 13, 2024

Stories

Little Brenda: a big (and long-lasting) star

In the old days, there were familiar routes to power. It helped to be older … and bigger … and male.
Brenda Lee was none of these. She signed her first record deal at 11; years later, she still didn’t fit the image of a teen pop star.
“I was singing all these unrequited-love songs,” Lee, who turned 80 on Dec. 11, says on “American Masters,” at 10 p.m. Monday (Dec. 16) on PBS, “and I’d never had a date …. I was 4-foot-9.”
But in the recording studio, she stood tall. She helped decide what songs to sing and how to sing them. The results were impressive. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 11, 2024

Stories

Fame, fun and a jumbo-sized concert

Fame can bring some odd moments, it seems.
For Lesley Nicol, that was “being recognized in a field in China.” An “ancient old farmer” stared at her, she said, then told a translator: “That’s the lady from the ‘Downton Abbey’ movie.”
And for Mike Maliakel (shown here with Nicol), it was singing in front of the same mega-choir he used to watch on TV. “You physically feel it vibrating through your core.”
Both are featured in the Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concert on PBS (8 p.m. Dec. 17; 9:30, Dec. 24) and on BYUtv (often, starting 9 p.m. ET Dec. 19). Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 9, 2024

Stories

Disney: What happened after the glory years?

Looking back at the Disney studio where he’d been a star, Kurt Russell had a sharp analysis.
“They used to say, ‘nothing’s changed since Walt died,’” he said. “And I used to say to myself, ‘That’s the problem.’ Because things were constantly changing under Walt Disney. Constantly.”
Disney had some flubs, but he also had innovative triumphs, from “Snow White” and “Fantasia” (shown here) to “Mary Poppins” and the theme parks. Then came …
Well, a new book (Old Mill Press, 2024) by Stephen Anderson is called,“Disney In-Between,” sub-titled “The Lost Years 1966-86.”
That was the stretch between Disney’s death (Dec. 15, 1966, at 65) and the time when Michael Eisner (who took over in ‘84) began to show success with “Roger Rabbit,” “Golden Girls” and “Oliver & Company.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / December 4, 2024

Stories

Here’s the line-up for a big, busy TV Christmas

Here’s a list of Christmas TV, from the classics (“Rudolph” is shown here) to a few new music specials and a LOT of new movies. All of this is subject to change and (especially) additions, See separate story here, for an introduction and explanation.

PARADES
— Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Day Parade, 8:30 to noon, NBC and Peacock, repeating at 2 p.m. The 98th edition has 22 floats, 11 bands,17 balloons and 10 performance groups. NBC also adds the Rockettes and the Broadway casts of “The Outsiders,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Death Becomes Her.”
— Dec. 14: “Hollywood Christmas Parade,” 8-10 p.m., CW.
— Dec. 25: “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Parade,” 10 a.m. to noon ET (but 5-7 a.m. PT and MT), ABC. Music performances and parade at Disney World and Disneyland. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / November 28, 2024