Mike Hughes on TV

CBS sets details for reality shows and soaps

CBS has announced some reality-show and soap-opera details. They include:
— The 16 chefs — all of them award-winners or nominees — in “America’s Culinary Challenge,” which starts March 4.
— The 10 “classic episodes” that will rerun at 8 p.m. weekdays, leading into the Feb. 25 start of the 50th “Survivor.”
— And, jumping ahead to June, a multi-episode crossover between two soap operas — “Beyond the Gates” (shown here), which has its first anniversary Feb. 24, and “The Young and the Restless,” which began 53 years ago.
These came out during Zoom press conferences today with the Television Critics Association. Details include: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 27, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 29: big day for Fox and Shonda

1) “Next Level Chef” opener (shown here), 8 p.m., Fox. Eight professional chefs battle for five spots. (And yes, we mean “battle”; in the early minutes, two women have an intense tug-of-war over a tuna carcass.) The next two weeks will have similar competition for home chefs and for internet chefs. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 27, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 28: dirty past; funny present

1) “Dirty Talk: When Daytime Talk Shows Ruled TV” finale, 9:02 p.m., ABC. This wraps a three-week look at a dark time for daytime TV. Once the benign world of Oprah and Phil, it was overrun by rate, accusations, paternity tests and (shown here) onstage fights. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 26, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 27: agony of past and present

1) “American Masters,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. The first half-hour is compelling and deeply moving. Using his words (plus photos and stylish art), it tells of the Holocaust experience of Elie Wiesel (shown here) and the dark years after he was freed at 16. The final minutes are also moving. Some middle portions (a modern classroom, a Reagan controversy) run too long. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 25, 2026

Stories

Cozy and not, PBS savors its mysteries

(This is the second of two stories; the first was an overview of TV mysteries, “cozy” and not.)
These days, mystery shows reach our TV sets from all sides — streaming, cable, broadcast and beyond. They range from “cozy mysteries” (including “Miss Scarlet,” shown here) to their opposite.
A generation ago, however, PBS virtually had a mystery monopoly.
The British, after all, were the mystery masters. And “until the late 1980s, there hadn’t been much competition for British drama,” Rebecca Eaton wrote in “Making Masterpiece” (Viking, 2013). Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 25, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 26: “Idol” is here, with its top star

1) “American Idol” opener, 8-10 p.m., ABC. Half her life ago, Carrie Underwood, 21, was the fourth “Idol” winner. Now, 21 years later (show here), she’s sold 95 million records … won eight Grammys … and starts work as an “Idol” judge. This season, the show will be once a week, not twice. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 24, 2026

Stories

Lots of mysteries, some of them cozy

(This is the first of two story about TV mystery shows; the second one focuses on PBS.)
Sprawling across the TV landscape, mystery shows seem to fit opposite categories.
There are “cozy mysteries” (including “My Life is Murder,” shown here) and, well, uncozy ones. Sometimes, the difference is small.
And there are good and bad ones. Often, the difference is enormous.
These mysteries are especially big on two streaming networks (Acorn and Britbox), two cable channels (Ovation and Hallmark Mystery) and many Sundays on PBS. But they also reach further. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 24, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 25: football, plus lots of crime

1) Football. The Broncos (shown here) host the Patriots at 3 p.m. ET on CBS; then it’s Rams-Seahawks at 6:30 on Fox, with both winners going to the Super Bowl. The Rams were 12-5 in the regular season; others were 14-3. But the Broncos’ quarterback is injured; veteran back-up Jarrett Stidham will face the team that drafted him in the fourth round, seven years ago. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 23, 2026

News and Quick Comments

CBS renews most of its line-up

CBS is continuing a familiar habit — sticking with shows that work.
In one swoop, it has renewed 10 shows for next season. They join four previous renewals, making it easier to ask what shows are still pending.
It’s a tiny list that includes: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 22, 2026

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 24: cheers for nature and comedy

1) “Kingdom,” 8 p.m., BBC America. David Attenborough (shown here in a previous film) remains the consummate voice of nature films. Shortly before he turns 100 (May 8), he narrates two epics from BBC crews. This six-parter follows families of lions, leopards, hyenas and dogs, competing (sometimes violently) for turf. And a five-part gem on animal parenthood starts Feb. 4 on PBS. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 22, 2026

Mike Hughes on TV

Easter season brings epics, documentaries, more

For one night, at least, there will be A LOT on TV

Daytime talk is fading, but Drew’s been renewed

“Marty Supreme” heading to HBO Max

“Bachelorette” is dropped before it starts

CBS sets details for reality shows and soaps

Best-bets for Jan. 29: big day for Fox and Shonda

Best-bets for Jan. 28: dirty past; funny present

Best-bets for Jan. 27: agony of past and present

Cozy and not, PBS savors its mysteries

Best-bets for Jan. 26: “Idol” is here, with its top star

Lots of mysteries, some of them cozy

Best-bets for Jan. 25: football, plus lots of crime

CBS renews most of its line-up

Best-bets for Jan. 24: cheers for nature and comedy

Easter season brings epics, documentaries, more

Best-bets for March 23: clever comedies, plus bowlers

“Marty Supreme” heading to HBO Max

Best-bets for March 22: a big, busy night

“Bachelorette” is dropped before it starts

Mike Hughes on TV