For fans of TV dramas, there are two pieces of good news:
“Maigret” (shown here) will return Oct. 18, for its second season on PBS. And “Sullivan’s Creek” will be back sometime next year, for its fifth on CW. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. On the day after his epic “Odyssey” (shown here)_ reaches movie theaters, here’s Matt Damon with fewer battle scars. He hosts this rerun, with music by Noah Kohan. Read more…
For one network, the start of the fall season will be tidy and uncomplicated.
Fox will stuff all of its season-openers into one week. That starts with games (“Name That Tune” and “Weakest Link”) on Monday, Sept. 21, and ends with laughs — “The Simpsons” (shown here), “Animal Control” and more — on Sunday, Sept. 27.
And yes, it will all feel familiar. The season starts with zero new shows. Read more…
When “Stuart Fails to Save The Universe” (shown here) debuts Thursday (July 23), it will bring all sorts of TV milestones.
This is the third spin-off of “The Big Bang Theory” … and the second to skip using a studio audience … and the first to have an alternate-world, apocalyptic, science-fiction concept.
The show (on HBO Max) has Stuart find a portal in his comic-book store. It’s the sort of notion the “Big Bang” guys might savor. “This is the kind of show that they would watch and argue about,” said producer Bill Prady.
But there’s one thing more that makes “Stuart” unique: It’s accompanied by strong praise for David Zaslav. Really. Read more…
As “The Big Bang Theory” neared its finale, people gathered for a ceremony.
In the front were the main stars and producers; looking on were reporters. And near the back — mostly unnoticed, as usual — was Kevin Sussman.
He had done 84 episodes as Stuart Bloom, the oft-overlooked owner of a comic book store. Sussman chatted politely with a reporter, then excused himself. “I have to go,” he said. “I have an audition.”
Life is like that for a character actor. There are scattered auditions, random roles, maybe commercials, maybe day jobs. It’s an endless cycle — except Sussman (shown here) has had two exceptions: Read more…
1) “American Experience: JFK” (2013), 9-11 p.m., PBS. The first half of this terrific film saw John Kennedy (shown here), nearly crippled by ailments, pull off upset victories to become the country’s youngest president. Now comes the hard part — Bay of Pigs, Cuban missile crisis and the Vietnam build-up. Read more…
1) “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland,” 8 p.m., Disney Channel; repeats at 9:45. Four movies — each with upbeat songs and dazzling visuals — have centered on the offspring of Disney villains. The fourth introduced Red (the talented Kylie Cantrall); now — aided by Chloe (Malia Baker, shown here with Cantrell) — sge tries to rescue her mom (Rita Ora). Also, new character arrive, including one played by Awkwafina. Read more…
Is the world ready to see “Survivor 50” (shwon here) again?
We’ll find out soon. Beginning Monday (July 20), CBS plans to rerun the entire season in one rush, between now and Sept. 15.
That’s 13 episodes, nine them 90 minutes and four of them longer. The 90-minute ones fit neatly behind the Wednesday editions of “Big Brother,” which has two previous “Survivor” contestants (Rick Devin and Season 45 winner Dee Valladares) in the house.
This 50th edition of “Survivor” was stuffed with high-profile contestants from the past. The schedule is: Read more…
1) “Nation’s Dumbest” debut, 9 p.m, Fox. Here’s an odd delight, filled with quirky touches. In a school setting, we meet 12 people, some considered brilliant — Andrew Yang, Drew Pinsky — and some not — Steve-O (shown here), Carmen Electra. They face tests of logic and knowledge, with surprising results. Jack Whitehall, the host, adds quiet wit and a British accent. Read more…
1) “Once Upon a Time in Space” opener, 9 p.m., PBS. For decades, the U.S. and Russia fought for space supremacy. Then — reluctantly, at first, in the Mir shuttle (shown here) — they merged. This is a huge story, told with third-party brilliance by British filmmakers. Over four Tuesdays, interviews with astronauts and their kin bring passion and surprising bursts of warmth and humor. Read more…
Best-bets for July 18: Spielberg, sports & “SNL” 
Best-bets for July 17: warfare in Cuba, Troy and beyond 
Best-bets for July 16: Red returns; games collide 
