Stories

A smaller Billy wraps a big success

During the five-year run of “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” (shown here), lives have transformed.
Folake Olowofoyeku became a star, Gina Yashere became an American, Chuck Lorre became rich (well, richer). And Billy Gardell became barely more than half his size.
“I was in a place with my health that I needed to make a severe change,” Gardell told the Television Critics Association. He did, with bariatric surgery and careful living.
The Gardell we’ll see on the series finale (8:30 p.m., May 6, on CBS) is about 5-foot-11, 207 pounds. There were times when he apparently topped 370. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 30, 2024

Stories

“Veil” brings Mossy intrigue to spy life

Two real-life stories – involving a retiring grandma and a retired spy – helped propel “The Veil” (shown here), the deeply layered mini-series streaming on Hulu.
The first comes from Steven Knight, who wrote the six-parter: A British friend, he told the Television Critics Association, “had a grandmother, and she was 65, and she was retiring. She called everyone to Sunday lunch (and) said: ‘For the past 35 years, I’ve been an MI6 spy.’”
Yes, Grandma was a British spy, sort of like James Bond. Then there’s the other story, from producer Denise Di Novi.
The French spy agency, the DGSE, is intensely quiet, she told the TCA. But one night, at a hotel bar, a retired agent “had too much to drink and started telling me these things about how difficult it was that they had to start working with other agencies.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 27, 2024

Stories

Gina’s fierce fun ripples through “Bob” comedy

On the “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” set, people were semi-celebrating a semi-successful run.
The show has spent much of its five seasons in the top-25 of Nielsen ratings. It’s been a rare throwback to the days when comedy was king.
So members of the Television Critics Association directed questions to its stars (Billy Gardell, Folake Olowofoyeku) and producer Chuck Lorre — who made one thing clear: “We would have never gone far with the show had we not found Gina.”
That’s Gina Yashere, ready for her close-up. In the show, she’s Kemi, a noisy friend who’s there for a few quick laughs. In the second-to-last episode (8:30 p.m. Monday, April 29, on CBS), she finally gets the focus (shown here), with a Las Vegas wedding.
But the core of the show – including its culture conflict – springs from Yashere.
“They found me on Google,” she said later. “I turned it down. But my best friend and my brother said, ‘You’re being stupid.’” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 24, 2024

Stories

After 40 years (throat permitting), Bon Jovi rocks on

Like a good father should, John Bongiovi Sr. took his son to a some music teachers.
One was at the school, one was private, both said the same: The kid was not a singer.
Except now he is one. As Jon Bon Jovi (shown here), he’s one of the top-selling rock frontmen. His band has soared beyond 100 million records; five of his Grammy nominations (including his one win) are for vocals.
“I pride myself on having been a true vocalist,” he said. “I’ve sung with Pavrotti. I know how to sing; I’ve studied the craft for 40 years.”
That adds to the poignancy of a four-part documentary that debuts Friday (April 26) on Hulu and Disney+. Alongside a history of his band, it focuses on Bon Jovi struggling with vocal issues – trying other steps and then resorting to surgery. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 21, 2024

Stories

TV is ready for Earth’s big day

The Earth, it seems, is a really large place. Maybe not compared to Jupiter or the sun, but compared to you, me and a chihuahua.
And Earth Day is a really big subject for TV. There will be a flurry of specials that day (Monday, April 22) and the weekend before it, starting Wednesday(April 17) with Netflix’s “Our Living World” (shown here). Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 16, 2024

Stories

The octopus becomes an Earth Day star

It’s easy to fall for something that’s cute, cuddly and koala-like. An octopus might be a bigger challenge.
Almost 2,000 years ago, Pliny, a Roman commander/philosopher. said: “No animal is more savage.” As recently as 20 years ago, writer Sy Montgomery told the Television Critics Association, people “thought: ‘Aren’t they monsters? Aren’t they gross?’”
They do look odd, but they also have remarkable skills and personalities And now, as researcher Christine Huffard put it: “Octopuses are having a moment.”
There was the fictional Hank in “Finding Dory” and real-life creatures in PBS’ “Octopus: Making Contact” (2019) and the Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher” (2020). Next is an Earth Day documentary mini-series from James Cameron. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 15, 2024

Stories

“Franklin”: a charm offensive to save a revolution

Ben Franklin kept exceeding limitations.
That was true involving education. “He didn’t go to school past 12 years old,” said Michael Douglas, who plays him (shown here) in a mini-series that starts Friday on Apple TV+. So everything is sort of self-learned.
And it was true involving age. In 1776, where “Franklin” begins, he was already 70 or (some sources say) 71. By comparison, Washington was 44 or 45, Jefferson was 33, Hamilton was 21 or 19.
That senior citizen had a crucial assignment, Douglas, 79, told the Television Critics Association: “The Continental Congress decided, ‘Well, we need Ben,’ because he was was well-known around the world, to do sort of an undercover diplomatic trip to France, to get their support.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 9, 2024

Stories

Elton and Bernie: lots of hits, lots of lore

Somehow, Montgomery Clift turned into Marilyn Monroe and then into Princess Diana.
And that begat the No. 1 (or maybe No. 2) single record of all time.
Bernie Taupin, Elton John’s lyricist, had lots of such stories, while discussing a top honor: They’re this year’s winners of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. ‘It’s a joy,” he told the Television Critics Association. “I’ve got the best job in the world, man.”
John (shown here in a previus concert) and Taupin seemed joyful during the ceremony, which airs at 8 p.m. Monday (April 8) on PBS. Their songs were done by stars with roots in country (Garth Brooks, Maren Morris), gospel (Jacob Lusk), rock (Metallica), Broadway (Billy Porter) and pop: Joni Mitchell, Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile … and, for the final three songs, John himself. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 4, 2024

Stories

Off the sidelines, “Sheldon” sets its final push

For two weeks, TV’s top comedy was on the sidelines, waiting for the basketball tournament to end.
Now “Young Sheldon” (shown here) is back – for a while. It returns April 4, has the wedding of Georgie and Mandy a week later … then moves toward its May 14 finale, with the return of Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik as the not-young Sheldon and his wife Amy.
And that’s it … except for reruns and a Georgie-and-Mandy spin-off next season.
That may sound like there’s been a master plan, but co-creator Chuck Lorre insists he and the others have been improvising. “The whole process has been learning as we go.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 31, 2024

Stories

An auto passion propelled him to “Parish”

As Giancarlo Esposito talks, rich passions come pouring out.
There’s his love of acting … and people … and cars, which makes “Parish” (show here) seem ideal.
This is a bracing, six-part mini-series that starts at 10:15 p.m. Sunday (March 31) on AMC, right after the conclusion of “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.” He plays a former getaway driver, nudged back into hiis old life to save a friend.
“I’ve lived wiith it for so very long, through many incarnations and developments,” he told the Television Critics Association. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 25, 2024