Month: April 2021

Stories

“Handmaid’s Tale” returns (at last)

The annoying thing about high-quality television is that it takes so much time to make.
Other shows can churn out 100 episodes without a thought. (Literally.) But “The Handmaid’s Tale” (shown here) – which finally returns to Hulu on Wednesday (April 28) – takes almost forever.
The first three seasons totaled only 36 episodes, while getting heaps of praise and awards. The fourth arrives 20 months after the third ended; it has only 10 episodes, three of them on opening night.
Part of that involved a six-month COVID shut-down and the changes that followed, producer Bruce Miller told the Television Critics Association. “We were constantly making adjustments to the script.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 26, 2021
News and Quick Comments

Oscar telecast: Lotsa talk, little fun

My favorite Academy Award winners this year were Anthony Hopkins and Ann Roth.
Not that I particularly thought they were best in their categories (actor and costumes) … but because they weren’t there. That meant two fewer speeches in this acceptance marathon.
Lots of jobs have been eliminated during this difficult year, but one task was absolutely vital to our happiness. That’s the bandleader who plays music when it’s time for someone to quit talking.
This year? No leader … and no band … and no end to the speeches. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 26, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 28: Biden or Maris or Nancy Drew

1) Presidential speech, 9 p.m. ET, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS and news channels. There’s no official State of the Union speech in the first year, but most presidents do a variation. Two days shy of the 100-day mark, Joe Biden has his turn. Networks have set aside two hours for the speech plus the Republican response and news analysis; in western time zones, they’ll give two primetime hours to local stations. Either way, we’ll list some 9 p.m. alternatives (including “Nancy Drew,” shown here) at the end. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 26, 2021
Stories

In the dog-limb world, he’s a superstar

Derrick Campana never expected that he’d be a BYUtv star, making artificial limbs for dogs and such.
“I had never heard of animal prosthetics,” he told the Television Critics Association.
Then again, he hadn’t heard of BYUtv. Many people haven’t.
But here he is: “Wizard of Paws” launches its second season at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday (April 28) – the same time that Joe Biden gives his first address to Congress – and reruns at midnight, on BYUtv. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 25, 2021
News and Quick Comments

CBS adds one “NCIS,” renews another

CBS won’t have an “NCIS” shortage next season, after all. And there’s no Hawaiian shortfall, either.
The network announced that it will launch “NCIS: Hawaii” … and that “NCIS: Los Angeles” (shown here) will be back for its 13th season. “NCIS” was already renewed for its 19th season.
Previously, CBS had cancelled two of its dramas: “MacGyver” ends its fith and final season Friday (April 30); “NCIS: New Orleans” ends iits seventh season and final season May 23. It renewed most of its other crime dramas, but “NCIS: Los Angeles”still  had pending negotiations. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 25, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 27: Tough bikers, tougher virus

1) “Mayans M.C.,” 10 p.m., FX, rerunning at 11. His brother warned him that you can’t be in two worlds, but EZ keeps trying. Last week, he was in a brutal (and deadly) biker battle, then went to a warm family dinner with his sweet girlfriend Gaby (they’re shown here). Now the double life implodes, in an hour that is violent and disturbing, but skillfully directed and acted. It’s often quite mellow, but then has two fierce scenes – Galindo with his wife (whom he suspects), then EZ and Gaby in a stroll downtown. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 25, 2021
News and Quick Comments

Netflix’s big Oscar night?

This is the Academy Award year that Netflix might have dreamed about … in a twisted, “Rosemary’s Baby” kind of way.
It’s the year the streaming channel leads everyone, with 37 nominations; several (including “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” shown here) would be deserving winners. But first, that reference:
In the 1968 movie, Rosemary’s husband landed a coveted role, when another actor was suddenly struck blind. That’s sort of like Netflix: It was forever considered to be second-tier, because its films show up only briefly in theaters; then came this year, when all the movies were like that.
We’re sure (well, somewhat sure) that Netflix wouldn’t want a pandemic to happen, just to give it an even playing field. Still, that’s what we have. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 24, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 26: sunny “Sesame,” vile virus

.1) “Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. It was 51-and-a-half years ago that TV hatched a rare piece of near-perfection: Yes, “Sesame Street” (shown here) has lots of educational, good-for-kids details; a platoon of researchers made sure of that. But it also has clever songs, fun graphics, crisp editing, Muppets and lots of entertainment. This special will focus strongly on the serious side – from a 1992 attempt (which was scrapped) to address divorce to the current look at racial justice. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 24, 2021
Stories

She’s a poet, a skater and a schoolkid

If the world needs another superhero, it could choose Detroit’s Alyvia Lockett.
She’s a skilled poet, a budding figure-skater … and an elementary-school student. “It’s a shame that an 8-year-old has to tell you this,” she says in a poem about violence.
Or maybe it could choose Kameryn Everett, 20, her coach. (They’re shown here.) “I know that Alyvia looks up to (her) so much,” said Vanessa Roth, producer and director of “Impact,” which arrives Monday (April 26) on National Geographic’s YouTube channel.
The show is produced and hosted by Gal Gadot, who pretends to be a superhero (Wonder Woman) in movies. These people are the real thing, she said in a virtual session with the Television Critics Association. “I keep on calling them my ‘women of wonder,’ because they are the true heroes.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 23, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for April 25: Will the Oscars remember to entertain?

1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. ET, ABC. This could turn out to be deadly dull. Lately, acceptance speeches have been dreary lists, thanking agents and such. This year’s best-picture nominees – “Nomadland,” “Mank,” “Minari,” “Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “The Father,” “Sound of Metal” and “Promising Young Woman” – are worthy, but few people have seen them in theaters. The show needs humor and music, but has no host; movie stars — Brad Pitt (shown here), Halle Berry, etc. — will help out. And songs have been banished to the pre-show. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / April 23, 2021