Mike Hughes on TV

Stories

Acorn stuffs May with new, old mysteries

May will now be “Murder Mystery Month,” the Acorn streamer has proclaimed.
Then again, every month is murder-mystery time at Acorn. May provides handy alliteration (March would have also worked) and good timing:
Some mystery shows are wrapping up their seasons now. On CBS, “Matlock” has already finished and “Elsbeth” will do so on May 8.
So Acorn takes that time to load up. Some of its shows have weekly episodes on Mondays — “Murdoch Mysteries” (yes, more alliteration), “The Brokenwood Mysteries” and the new “The One That Got Away” have already started their seasons; “Harry Wild” (shown here) joins them on May 5. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 28, 2025

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for March 30: wild night for Max & Sherlock

1) “Wild Cards” season-finale,” 8 p.m,, CW. This show often has a bright, bouncy feel, but now it’s time to get serious: Ellis learns who was responsible for his brother’s death — and who is protecting the killer. Meanwhile, Max (shown here undercover in last week’s episode) sifts clues in the office of Ashford (Martin Sheen). Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 28, 2025

Stories

Want some culture shock? Try Utqiavik, Alaska

A little culture shock can be disconcerting … but how about a 114-degree temperature change?
That’s what Liliana Penuelas experienced. A Cuban native living in Puerto Rico, she decided to join a friend in Alaska’s northern-most city.
When she left, she tells Pati Jinich in a PBS film Tuesday (April 29), it was 90 degrees. When she arrived, it was minus-24. “I thought, ‘What are you doing?!?’”
But she stayed. Now, 34 years later, she’s married to a Mexican native. They have what Jinich (shown here, left) assures us is the only sit-down Mexican restaurant in Utqiagvik, Alaska.
Many such surprises emerge in “Pati Jinich Explores Panamericana,” at 10 p.m. Tuesdays. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 27, 2025

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 29: library joy, Arctic cool

1) “Independent Lens,” 10-11:30 p.m., PBS. Here is a joyous journey through the world of libraries. We see grand temples in big cities … tiny oases in small towns (an example is shown here) … and a bookmobile roaming Baton Rouge. We hear of crises – tax revolts, segregation, book-banning – and heroes who brought books to everyone from inner-city kids to rural Wisconsinites. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 27, 2025

Stories

Big money, big risks: Turner networks soared

(This is the newest chapter of a book-in-progress, “Television, and How It Got That Way.” For the full book (so far) in order, click “The Book” under “categories.”)

Ted Turner’s business philosophy – and maybe his life – can be summed up in one word: “more.”
That’s an approach that took him through big gambles, big movies (including “Gone With the Wind,” shown here) and big changes in the cable-TV world.
Turner had one cable channel (TBS) and wanted many more. “It’s all about shelf space,” he told the Television Critics Association.
More channels mean more places to sell ads and (eventually) more money in per-subscriber fees. The catch is that you have to fill those shelves with things people want. You need programs and a purpose. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 26, 2025

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 28: two finales, one of them potent

1) “NCIS: Origins” season-finale, 10 p.m., CBS. The bad news for Gibbs (shown here) is that he’s being investigated for murder; the worse news is that he and others know he did it. That adds up to a tense hour that we see through Cecelia (known as Lala), his steely colleague. It’s a gripping hour with a closing jolt. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 26, 2025

News and Quick Comments

Fox stuffs summer with games, new cartoon episodes

The Fox network will stuff its summer with reality shows in general and Gordon Ramsay in particular.
We kind of thought it would. But Fox will also offer a surprise – new cartoon episodes (including “The Great North,” shown here) every Thursday, starting May 29 Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 25, 2025

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 27: a great night for dramas

1) “Dark Winds” season-finale, 9 p.m., AMC. Four potent stories wrap up in a deeply moving hour. Joe (shown here) chases the killer who haunts a terrified teen. He agonizes over the FBI agent pursuing him … and over his wife, who left when his agony became overwhelming. Also, his ex-deputy is on a one-person battle with a cartel. It’s a superb finish. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 25, 2025

Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for April 28: season-finales and final-finale

1) “NCIS: Origins,” 10 p.m. today, CBS. It’s tough when you’re investigated for murder … and tougher when you actually did it. That’s the situation for Gibbs, after what he considered a righteous killing. Now we see the crisis through the eyes of Cecelia (known as Lala, shown here), his intense colleague. It’s a gripping and well-made hour that includes a closing jolt. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 24, 2025

News and Quick Comments

“SNL 50” sets its final three hosts

After a two-week pause, the 50th “Saturday Night Live” season is ready for its big finish.
Beginning May 3, it will have new episodes hosted by Quinta Brunson, Walton Goggins and Scarlett Johansso (shown here). Details include: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 24, 2025