Year: 2019

Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Aug. 26: From rap to bluegrass

1) MTV Music Video Awards, 8 p.m. today (Monday), MTV, BET, CMT, VH1, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Comedy Central, Paramount. Assembling a mega-list of stars; MTV lets its sister networks simulcast the show, then reruns it at 10:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. Taylor Swift (who ties Ariana Grande with 12 nominations) does two songs; Missy Elliott (shown here), who gets the Video Vanguard award, does a medley. Also performing: Lil Nas X, Jonas Brothers, H.E.R., Normani, Lizzo, Bad Bunny, Shawn Mendes with Camila Cabello, more. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 22, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 24: Ten hours of family crises

1) “Web of Dreams,” 8-10 p.m., Lifetime. Now the Casteel saga is complete. Over five Saturdays, Lifetime has had adaptations of the V.C. Andrews novels. The first three starred young Annalise Basso as Heaven Casteel (shown here). In “Heaven” (rerunning at noon), her father sells her to a cruel family … In “Dark Angel” (2 p.m.), she finds her grandfather’s mansion … In “Fallen Hearts” (4), she’s lured back there… In “Gates of Paradise” (6), her daughter faces tragedy … Then “Web” flashes back to the family secrets. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 22, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 23: It’s time for some vintage fun

1) Movies, cable. To re-live some long-ago fun, catch the delightful “Ghostbusters” (1984) — shown here with Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd — at 7 p.m. on AMC. The fairly good “Ghostbusters II” (1989) follows at 9:35. For a newer hit, “Descendants 3” is at 8 p.m. on Disney; if you include delayed viewing, this bright musical drew an extraordinary 11.2 million viewers for its debut. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 21, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 22: Bye-bye, golf and “Baskets”

1) “Holey Moley” season-finale, 8 and 9 p.m., ABC. Each era, alas, has a different legacy. In 1969, we had the summer of Woodstock; in 2019, we have the summer when miniature golf (shown here) became a primetime, big-network sport. Now we get a champion, with sports stars dropping in. It’s golfer Michelle Wei in the first hour, gymnast Gabrielle Douglas in the second, basketball’s Steph Curry (who produces this show) in both. He even asks why there aren’t more mini-sports. Mini-basketball maybe? Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 20, 2019
Stories

On becoming desperate in Orlando, Florida

Mel Rodriguez – or what’s left of him – was discussing two important subjects.
Both are key to the Kirsten Dunst series (“On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” shown here) he co-stars in. And both have places in his life. They are:
— Multi-level, from-home marketing schemes. “My mother was in Grand Rapids, Mich., where Amway started,” he said. “She almost got into it and regrets the day that she didn’t, because she would have been really wealthy now.”
— Florida. “I’m from Florida and there’s a real hopelessness in places like Ocala and Gainesville. These are people living from paycheck to paycheck, (hoping) they can maybe not get their lights turned off.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 20, 2019
News and Quick Comments

Carrie, Dolly, Reba, more: Country women rise

For generations, the women in country music songs have been cheated and mistreated or just ignored until closing time at the bar.
Some have had revenge. Some have shrugged it off because, in Tammy Wynette’s words, “after all, he’s just a man.”
But now they (sometimes) have their day. Just announced is this year’s plan for the Country Music Association awards, Nov. 13: Carrie Underwood (shown here) will host, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton will be special guests and the night will celebrate the women of country music. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 19, 2019
Stories

An “impatient” photographer finds Arctic warmth, beauty

Ronan Donovan has spend large chunks of his life waiting – for the perfect shot, the perfect moment.
He spent three months among white wolves in the Arctic, for an epic documentary (shown here) that debuts Sunday (Aug. 25).
He spent a year in Yellowstone, filming gray wolves.“People think that I’m like the most patient human,” he said. “I’m incredibly impatient. I’m very stubborn and very obsessive in my projects, and that’s what drives me.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 19, 2019
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 20: Season ends for two potent dramas

1) “Animal Kingdom” season-finale, 9 p.m., TNT. For four seasons, this has been all about “Smurf” Cody (Ellen Barkin), guiding her sons (including Craig and Deran, shown here) and grandson in a brutal crime family. Now she’s gone – dying of cancer, she forced them to kill her – and the family is in limbo. “Smurf’s dead,” someone says. “Cody don’t mean (bleep) anymore.” That’s said twice in this hour – the second time met with vigorous dissent. Setting up next season, it’s a deeply emotional hour that returns people from Smurf’s past. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 18, 2019