Stories

“Lincoln Lawyer” juggles sleek and serious drama

The latest “Lincoln Lawyer” mini-series (shown here) is sleek, smart and kind of fun.
It also puts Netflix back in its sweet spot – light mini-series that thrust a hero into weirdly complicated cases.
Other streamers also do that, of course. The best is Hulu’s annual “Only Murders in the Building,” which wraps its fourth season Tuesday (Oct. 29).
But Netflix does it most often. It’s had Vince Vaughn in the 10-part “Bad Monkey,” Arnold Schwarzenegger in the eight-part “FUBAR,” Edgar Ramirez in the seven-part “Florida Man.” And its most consistent success is “The Lincoln Lawyer,” with Manuel Garcia-Ruffo; it recently released its third 10-part season. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 25, 2024

Stories

Reba’s still juggling an overloaded life

Long ago, Reba McEntire received some astute maternal analysis.
“Momma always said I had the attention span of a 2-year-old,” she told the Television Critics Association.
That hasn’t changed much, now that she’s 69. It will be evident Tuesday (Oct. 22), when NBC displays her as:
— A comedy actress. At 8 p.m., it reruns the opener of “Happy’s Place” (shown here with Belissa Escobeda and McEntire) following its debut at 8 p.m. Friday (Oct. 18).
— A music judge. At 8:30 is a 90-minute version of “The Voice.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 17, 2024

Stories

No longer a teen cliche, Georgie brings quiet charm

We sort of figured we knew Georgie Cooper.
When “Young Sheldon” started, he was a high school quarterback who charmed girls. He quit the team, quit school, bought an RV that was a mobile bedroom. He was sort of a generic TV teen, easy to ignore.
Then that changed. Even before “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ (8 p.m. Thursdays, starting Oct. 17, on CBS) began, he had evolved.
“He’s growing up and becoming the man of the household,” Montana Jordan (shown here), who plays him, told the Television Critics Association. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 15, 2024

Stories

Harmons combine to give Gibbs his prequel

After living with his dad’s show for more than half his life, Sean Harmon had
an epiphany: Hey, this really needs a prequel.
Now it has one: “NCIS: Origins” (shown here) airs its intense opener from 9-11 p.m. Oct. 14 on CBS, then settles in at 10 p.m. Mondays.
The idea came, Harmon recalled, as “a lightning bolt moment, when we were shooting episode 400 of ‘NCIS.’”
That one – which aired in November of 2020 – flashed aback to when Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a young widower, joining what would become the NCIS. Mark Harmon was in his 18th season as Gibbs and Sean (his son) had his seventh episode as young Gibbs. He was playing, he said, “a guy who’s got something broken inside, … at risk of going down a much darker path.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 7, 2024

Stories

Lonely hero is back, quietly tracking

Our screens used to be populated by quietly heroic loners.
There was Shane and Paladin and Johnny Yuma and more, including The Man With No Name. They roamed the Old West, sometimes saving people.
They vanished in the age of anti-heroes, but sometimes re-appear. The key show is “Tracker” (shown here) which returns at 8 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 13), to launch CBS’ belated fall season. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 6, 2024

Stories

His irrational choice turned out well

Jesse L. Martin is becoming an expert on the wonderful weirdness of the human psyche.
In “The Irrational” – which starts its second season at 10 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 8) on NBC — he’s a professor who helps catch crooks while offering details about behavior..
“It’s like all these little nuggets,” said Travina Springer, who plays his sister. “Every episode, there’s moments like that.”
That’s ironic, because Martin (shown here) made one of life’s most irrational choices – becoming an actor. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / October 4, 2024

Stories

Pre-debate: wrestlers, movies and a small-town gem

Waiting for the vice-presidential debate, some viewers might fidget.
The event starts at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday (Oct. 1). At 8 p.m., the choices include … well, political previews on ABC, CBS, NBC and news channels.
Alternatives? I’d recommend “Murder in a Small Town” (shown here), 8 p.m.on Fox; it might be the season’s best surprise. But let’s look at the others first: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 28, 2024

Stories

Every vote counts? It depends on where you are

In a presidential election year, democracy hits overdrive.
Candidates and campaigns blitz to every state. Every issue is vital, every vote matters, every citizen is important, every ….
Oops, we meant to say every vote matters – IF it’s from one of the swing states. All citizens matters – IF they’re among the ones (less than 18 per cent of the nation) who live there.
“There are only about seven states that are going to make a difference in this election,” Polly Baca – featured in a PBS documentary at 10 p.m. Monday (Sept. 30) – told the Television Critics Association. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 25, 2024

Stories

“Matlock” transforms into an essential pleasure

Strange things happened in our living rooms during the pandemic.
“Everyone was back on the couch, watching television and film,” Skye Marshall told the Television Critics Association. “And for the very first time as an actor, I felt like an essential worker.”
And strange things happened in TV offices, as people scrambled for new ideas … or, preferably, new old ideas. That’s sort of what sparked “Matlock” (shown here with Jason Ritter, Kathy Bates and Marshall) which is — like its title character — deceptively brilliant. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 20, 2024

Stories

Frasier’s back, bringing joyful pomposity

We expect streaming networks to deliver the odd and the obscure. Space men are good; dragons are better.
But Paramount+ also has one of the most familiar characters in TV history. Its “Frasier” sequel (shown here) starts its second season Thursday (Sept. 19).
Frasier Crane has already been in 481 TV episodes, dubbed into languages worldwide. “The guy who does the Spanish one is very good,” said Kelsey Grammer, who plays him.
And the reruns seem inescapable. “We go to England quite a bit,” Grammer told the Television Critics Association. There, “Frasier” has been a morning rerun “for 30 years, I guess. (My) kids are like, ‘Oh God, Dad’s on.’” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 18, 2024