1) “Quantum Leap,” 8 p.m., NBC. After pausing last week for a debate, NBC returns to its Wednesday strength – new drama hours that are slickly entertaining. “Leap” has an especially good one: Ben time-travels to Princeton, shortly after the death of his hero, Albert Einstein. For the first time, he meets someone (shown here) he met in a previous leap; she was a waitress then and he helped tranform her life. Read more…
1) “NCIS: Sydney” opener, 8 p.m., CBS. Lots of cop cliches are bundled here, but they’re done with crisp skill. The two main cops — an Australian man and an American woman — are loose cannons, tough and cocky and (of course) terribly attractive. They battle each other, until an authority figure tries to take over; reluctantly, they work together. Olivia Swann and Todd Lasance (shown here) lead a first-rate blend of action, drama and occasional humor. Read more…
At first, this seemed like desperation.
Faced with strike-time voids, CBS imported shows from other countries. Not just from Canada (which is really just America with more outer-wear), but from Australia and England.
“NCIS: Sydney” arrives at 8 p.m. Tuesday (Nov. 14), with eight episodes; “Ghosts UK” (shown here) is at 9 and 9:30 p.m. Thursday with 34. Both deals were set before the tentative settlement of the actors’ strike; now the shows fill gaps until the regular ones return.
But the good news is that both of these temporary stand-ins are worth watching. One is adequate; we could dub it “Ghosts OK.” The other is surprisingly good, in its own copycat way. Let’s take a look: Read more…
1) “Blackberry,” 10 p.m., AMC. At its peak, we’re told, Blackberry had 45 percent of the cell-phone market; now it has zero. That story was told in a movie that (with scenes added) is now this mini-series (shown here), continuing Tuesday and Wednesday. Jay Baruchel, Matt Johnson (who wrote the script) and Glenn Howerton (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) star in a story that includes one scheme to move the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team to Canada. Read more…
1) “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” 9 and 10 p.m., CBS. After escaping from slavery during the Civil War, Reeves farmed in Indian country. A decade later, the U.S. marshal heard about his skill with native languages; Reeves became the first Black deputy west of the Mississippi, a job he held for 32 years. Now his story is a Paramount+ series starring David Oyelowo (“Selma”), shown here, and produced by Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”); the first episodes air here. Read more…
1) “NCIS: Sydney” opener, 8 p.m. Tuesday, CBS. Lots of cop cliches are bundled here, but they’re done with crisp skill. There’s the steel-tough beauty (a newer cliché) and the handsome, cocky cop (an older one). They’re loose cannons who battle each other, until authority figures try to smite both. Olivia Swann and Todd Lasance (shown here) lead a first-rate cast. Americans and Aussies merge, for an entertaining blend of action, drama and occasional humor. Read more…
So the strikes are apparently ending … at last.
Writers were on strike for 148 days, before a deal was reached – tentatively on Sept. 24, officially a few days later. Now actors – on strike for 118 days – have reached a deal; it goes to the board Friday (Nov. 10) and then to the membership for a vote.
For some movie people, the effect is simple: The Christmastime films have already been made; now the stars will soon be free to promote them.
TV, as always, is more of a moving target. Writers have been working on the scripts for six weeks; it’s just a question of how quickly things can get back to work. Let’s take CBS as an example: Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. After missing some weeks because of the writers’ strike, “SNL” is busy. This is its fourth new episode in five weeks, with a fifth one (Jason Mamoa hosts) next week. Tonight is the second time as host for Timothee Chalamet, 27, whose “Wonka” (shown here) is coming Dec. 15. The music guest is the three-woman indie group, Boygenius. Read more…
There’s another step in TV’s transformation:
Next year, two broadcast networks will have weekly wrestling shows. One will even have minor-league (sort of) wrestlers.
Beginning next October, “WWE NXT” (shown here) will have a weekly spot on the CW network – the first time it’s been on a broadcast network, instead of cable. Meanwhile, the main WWE show continues on Fox.
NXT began 13 years ago, as a WWE launchng point. In the most recent “WrestleMania,” more than 90 percent of the people had been in NXT. Read more…
1) “Salute to Service,” 9 p.m., PBS. On Veterans Day eve, Jon Stewart offers a warm tribute. There’s great music from Amanda Shires, Mickey Guyton and Mandy Gonzalez (shown here in a previous performance) … and from soldiers. We hear military people who are gifted musicians, singers and (yes) rappers. Stewart also meets Evelyn Kandel: At 18, she was the pretty blonde chosen to represent her fellow Marines; 72 years later, we meet a helicopter pilot, one of four sisters who are West Point grads. Read more…
Best-bets for Feb. 13: a day for love and skates 
Best-bets for Feb. 12: Olympians and a “6-8 lunch lady” 
Best-bets for Feb. 11: early mammals, evolved skaters 
