Year: 2021

Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Aug. 9: Post-Olympic surge of openers

1) “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” season-opener, 8 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday, NBC. Some 16 months after the seventh season ended, the eighth and final one arrives, as part of NBC’s post-Olympics surge. It will be brief (just 10 episodes), but welcome. The early seasons were awash in praise – the show won two Golden Globes and was nominated for two Television Critics Association awards and 11 Emmys. As this season starts, Amy is returning from maternity leave and her husband Jake (they’re shown here) is working a case with Rosa. Then Captain Holt creates a weekend getaway. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 8, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 10: A debut, three returns and more

1) “Fantasy Island” debut, 9 p.m., Fox. In a summer of reality and reruns, here’s a surprise – a lush, scripted drama on a big network. It reboots the series that ended in 1984 – now with Roselyn Sanchez (shown here), of “Grand Hotel” and “Devious Maids” as the grand-niece of the original Mr. Roarke. Like him, she looks great in white and guides people to self-discovery; there are key guest stars, starting with Bellamy Young of “Scandal.” Still, the opener has a somber tone and is merely an OK viewing experience. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 8, 2021
News and Quick Comments

Want true-crime? Hulu has it straight or funny

As the true-crime trend surges, Hulu will approach it from all sides.
One documentary will be a straight-forward crime tale. Another will view the long-range impact of such stories. And a fictional tale (“Only Murders in the Building”) will turn the trend into comedy.
That last one is from Steve Martin, who says he’s a true-crime fan. “Steve’s a deep well (of knowledge) when it comes to podcasts,” producer Dan Fogelman told the Television Critics Association.
Martin hatched the idea of three crime-buffs obsessed with a possible murder in their apartment building. He stars with Selena Gomez (shown here) and Martin Short, in a 10-part comedy-drama that starts Aug. 31. “This is one of the most unusual things that I’ve done,” he said, “because it actually has a plot.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 7, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 9: “Bachelorette” ends, “Ninja” resumes

1) “The Bachelorette” finale, 8 p.m., ABC. The last two episodes have left the show in tatters. Michael Allio left to be with his son; then Greg Grippo left after he said he loves Katie Thurston (shown here) and she (vowing not to mention love until the finale) didn’t reciprocate. She wept in the bathroom and asked for a flight home. Now – barring her departure or Greg’s return – she has overnight dates with Blake Moynes and Justin Glaze, followed by a decision. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 7, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 8: Olympic finale leads a big night

1) Olympics finale. It’s time for more spectacle, complete with pomp and people, plus (we’ll assume) dancers and fireworks (shown here is the 2016 ceremony) and more. You can catch the closing ceremony live at 7 a.m. ET on Peacock or on tape at 8 p.m. on NBC. In between, there are tapes of finals: At 9 a.m. ET, USA has women’s basketball; from 1-6 p.m. ET, NBC has women’s volleyball and handball and men’s water polo, plus cycling and group rhythm gymnastics. It also has a wrap-up at 7. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 6, 2021
Stories

No reservation about it: Here’s a fun show

Growing up 8,000 miles apart, these two men emerged with similar tales and memories.
Sterlin Harjo is from small-town Oklahoma, with Seminole and Muscogee roots; Taika Waititi is from New Zealand, with Maori roots. They could easily swap boyhood adventures.
“The stories were never sad or depressing,” Harjo said, in a virtual session with the Television Critics Association. And these fun accounts “are not the stories that ever get told about native people.”
At least, not until now. “Reservation Dogs” (shown here), starting Monday on the FX hub of Hulu, offers a sly wit. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 6, 2021
Stories

Reluctant hero? Not in Courtney’s superworld

Science-fiction fans are used to the reluctant superhero, someone longing for an ordinary life.
Then there’s the opposite. Courtney Whitmore transforms into Stargirl – eagerly.
“She is so looking for villains, looking for trouble, even (when) there is none,” said Brec Bassinger (shown here), the star of “Stargirl,” which starts its second season Tuesday (Aug. 10) on CW. “She just loves being a superhero.”
To Geoff Johns, who created the character and produces the show, that’s logical. “If you’ve got superpowers, I would think that you’d really enjoy it and you’d leap into things,” he said. At least, that’s the way he might approach it … and, more importantly, the way his late sister would. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 5, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 7: Olympic stars, nature’s stars, “Star Wars”

1) Olympics. The final day of competition has lots of finals. Peacock (6-11 a.m. ET) has six in track-and-field, many of them (including women’s high jump, shown here from the 2016 games) rerunning on NBC tonight. Then there’s the live coverage of team gold-medal matches: men’s soccer, 7:30 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Network … men’s volleyball, 8 a.m., NBC … women’s basketball, 10:30 p.m., NBC … and women’s volleyball, 11:30 p.m., USA. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 5, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 6: Tough “Truth,” tough athletes

1) Olympics. In a day filled with finals, things start early and continue late. In the morning, Peacock has six track-and-field finals (6-11 a.m. ET), NBC Sports Network has men’s bronze-medal soccer (7:30a.m.) and USA has women’s field-hockey finals and volleyball semi-finals (6-10 a.m.). At night, NBC has the men’s basketball gold-medal game (an earlier game is shown here) at 10:30 p.m. ET. Also at night (after 8), NBC reruns many of the day’s track finals and CNBC has the bronze and gold matches in men’s beach volleyball. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 4, 2021
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 5: Football begins, Olympics nears the end

1) Football pre-season opener, 8 p.m. ET, Fox, pre-game at 7:30. Yes, football is back. The Olympics continue and baseball still has a third of its regular season (including Braves-Cards at 8:15 p.m. today on ESPN), but pro football has its annual Hall of Fame game. Well, almost annual. Last year’s game was cancelled because of COVID. It would have had the Steelers (shown here) and Cowboys, both coming off 8-8 seasons. The Steelers then soared to 12-5, the Cowboys fell to 6-10; now they finally collide. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 3, 2021