Month: April 2020

Daily Best Bets

Best bets for April 13: Two new shows, one new season

1) “Baker and the Beauty” debut, 10 p.m., ABC. The Garcias are warm, hard-working folks who have a Miami bakery. They expect life to be kind of normal. Then Daniel (Victor Rasuk) and Noa (Nathalie Kelley, who was Cristal in the first year of the “Dynasty” reboot), a Kardashian-type pop-culture star, accidentally meet. You could call this a modern Cinderella, with the genders flipped … or a Latino “Notting Hill.” Either way, it’s subtly written, well-played and beautifully filmed. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 12, 2020
Stories

ERA: How did a can’t-miss amendment miss?

Back in 1972, the American society seemed to be transforming.
“You just had the Civil Rights Act and the Pay Equity Act,” said Cate Blanchett (shown here), who produced and stars in “Mrs. America,” an ambitious mini-series. “So there was already change afoot.”
The next step was the Equal Rights Amendment. It seemed easy, said director Ryan Fleck. “It had Republican support, it had Democratic support – which is sort of unheard of nowadays.
The ERA sailed through the House, 354-24 and through the Senate, 84-8. Hawaii ratified it that same day, Delaware and New Hampshire the next day, Iowa and Idaho the day after that. Then Phyllis Schlafly stepped in. That’s what “Mrs. America” is about. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 12, 2020
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 12: A packed Easter

1) “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” 7-9:30 p.m., NBC. This 2018 production was called a concert, but don’t worry: It has costumes, sets and some impressive staging – all in support of great voices and soaring music. John Legend plays Jesus, with Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdaleine, Alice Cooper (shown here) as Herrod and lots of Broadway stars. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 10, 2020
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10: It’s a Monday makeover

1) “Baker and the Beauty” debut, 10 p.m. today, ABC. Viewers know the plot: A young Cinderella type – sweet-spirited, attractive, with modest means – meets a handsome prince or mogul or such. But now the genders switch: Daniel (Victor Rasuk) is in a hard-working Miami family that has a bakery; Noa (Nathalie Kelley, who was Cristal in the first year of the “Dynasty” reboot) is a Kardashian-type pop-culture star. They meet by (shown here) in an opener that’s beautifully filmed and charmingly played. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 9, 2020
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 11: An Easter prelude

1) “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel” (shown here), 8-10:33 p.m., Lifetime. The glorious gospel sound of the Clarks is perfect for the Easter weekend … or for any other time. It’s a sound that has influenced everyone from Whitney Houston to “American Idol” contestants. So it’s logical that Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott have produced this film, which reruns at 11:30 a.m. and 10:03 p.m. Sunday. Aunjanue Ellis plays Mattie Moss Clark, molding five daughters into mainstream success. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 9, 2020
Stories

Clarks bring gospel joy to Easter weekend

The music world keeps juggling genres and descriptions. It has rock and rap and R-&-B, hip hop and pop and more.
But at their roots, some people say, is gospel music in general and the Clark Sisters in particular. “I may rap,” Queen Latifah said, “but I got Clark in my heart.”
Others agreed. “I sing R&B music,” Shelea Frazier said, “but gospel is a lifestyle. So I’m always going to sing in the name of Jesus.”
That makes their movie (shown here) logical for this weekend. Lifetime will debut “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel” on Saturday, then repeat it twice on Easter Sunday. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 9, 2020
News and Quick Comments

Elmo wants to brighten the crisis

Even in the darkest times, Elmo (shown here) remains eager and upbeat. So now, of course, he’ll have a special during the coronavirus shutdown.
“Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate” will be 7 p.m. Tuesday (April 14) on HBO, many of its sister channels, and PBS Kids. Guests include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne Hathaway and Tracee Ellis Ross. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 8, 2020
News and Quick Comments

Filling the void: CBS tries Sunday movies

As the coronavirus shutdown lingers, TV networks have empty spots at the end of their season.
Now CBS has a temporary solution: It will wipe aside its Sunday line-up – “God Friended Me,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “NCIS: New Orleans” – and replace it with movies.
During May, all five Sundays will be movie nights – two Indiana Jones films (shown here), plus “Titanic,” “Forrest Gump” and “Mission: Impossible.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 7, 2020