Month: November 2020

Best-bets for Nov. 5: Lots of laughs and a new star

1) “B Positive” debut, 8:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS. The first new, scripted show of the season is a delight, with great characters and sharp humor. Thomas Middleditch (the former “Silicon Valley” star) is great as a divorced dad who needs a kidney donor. But the real joy is Annaleigh Ashford (shown here with Middleditch) as Gina, a former high school classmate with a kidney to spare. A Broadway veteran (and Tony-winner), Ashford skillfully makes Gina seem caring and clueless, helpful to strangers and unable to help herself. Read more…

Best-bets for Nov. 4: A final night of reality overload

1) “American Ninja Warrior” (shown here in a previous week) finale, 9-11 p.m. NBC. Last week, only four of 16 finalists finished the course. There are still 11 more to tackle it tonight; then the top eight overall will face the “Power Tower” for the $100,000 prize. Lucas Reale, 21, a business student, is at the top so far. The others who finished: Najee Richarfdson, 29, a coach and ex-gymnast … Austin Gray, 22, a coach; he donated a kidney to a friend … and Jesse Labreck, 30, a gym-owner; her fiance, Chris DiGagi, fell shot. Read more…

It’s positively a good show, great star

This is just what we need as the dark winter approaches. There’s a fresh, new star – well, new to many people – in a first-rate comedy.
The show – “B Positive,” at 8:30 p.m. Thursdays on CBS – is no surprise, really. It’s from producer Chuck Lorre, whose comedies range from good to great; its Nov. 5 debut is sandwiched between two of his shows, “Young Sheldon” and “Mom.”
The first two episodes offer the sort of sharp writing we expect from Lorre, plus a bonus. That’s Annaleigh Ashford (shown here winning a Tony award), one of the show’s two stars. Read more…

Best-bets for Nov. 3: Great movies while the votes are counted

1) Election coverage, all night, everywhere. Several networks – ABC, CBS, NBC – plan to start at 7 p.m. ET, an hour before polls start closing. Fox will wait until 8, but PBS will start at 6 … and the news channels will be at it all day. But with a cascade of absentee ballots, it may be approximately forever before anyone knows the winner. While waiting, you can catch such movies as “Godfather,” “Rocky” (shown here) and more; they’re mentioned next. Read more…