Month: January 2022

Stories

He has it all, from hard body to goofy helmet

Chris Smith has had a tough time lately.
He was shot in the chest and a building fell on him. He was in prison for years and in the hospital for months. Also, his dad failed to cancel his phone service and now he’s broke.
Not to worry. He still has a hard body, sturdy skills (mostly lethal), a pet eagle and, as writer-producer James Gunn puts it, “a really goofy helmet.”
The result is “Peacemaker,” starring John Cena (shown hee). It’s a brisk and witty series that debuts Jan. 13 on HBO Max. Two days later (10:15 p.m. Jan. 15) , the opener airs an HBO — right after an 8 p.m. showing of “The Suicide Squad,” the 2021 film that spawned it. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 5, 2022
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Best-bets for Jan. 6: tales of rage in 1955 and 2021

1) “Women of the Movement” debut, 8-10 p.m., ABC. Once a star student, Mamie Till became a young mother in Chicago. In the summer of 1955, she reluctantly let her son Emmett, 14, visit his cousins in Mississippi; he was soon abducted and killed, in a case that spurred the civil rights movement. His mother became a teacher (with bachelor and master degrees) and an activist; her story (shown here, with Adrienne Warren and Cedric Joe) is told in this six-hour, three-week mini-series and in a documentary at 10:01 p.m. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 4, 2022
News and Quick Comments

The mid-season rush begins

The TV Season 2.0 has begun. And yes, we really need it.
The first step came Sunday (Jan. 2), when Fox debuted “Next Level Chef,” which promptly jumps to Wednesdays. On Monday, ABC launches a new “Bachelor” and NBC has the gentle fun of “Kenan.”
But the real burst starts Tuesday (Jan. 4). Two of broadcast TV’s best shows return (“This Is Us” and “Black-ish”) and a terrific new comedy arrives — “Abbott Elementary,” created by and starring Quinta Brunson, shown here.. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 3, 2022
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 5: new “Sam,” interrupted “Race”

1) “Good Sam” debut, 10 p.m. CBS. Shows used to stir conflict simply by having a female boss. For “Prime Suspect,” for instance, that meant instant distrust. Now a drama needs more: Samantha (Sophia Bush, 39) is young to be the chief of surgery. One of her underlings (Jason Isaacs, 58), emerged from a coma, is the former chief … and a noted surgeon …. and her father. (They’re shown here.) That sets the groundwork for strong drama and occasional humor. The opener is entertaining, despite way too much medical jargon. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 3, 2022
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Best-bets for Jan. 4: TV’s top shows return

1) “This Is Us” season-opener, 9 p.m., NBC. From its first episode, this has been a rarity – a drama with twists, surprises and deep human emotions. Now its sixth and final season starts with lives in flux. In last year’s season-finale, Kevin’s wedding fell through and we saw signs that his sister Kate will lose her marriage. Tonight, they gather with their adoptive brother Randall (shown here with  Kevin in an earlier episode), to mark their 41st birthday. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 2, 2022
News and Quick Comments

Betty White: an 82-year TV career

Betty White started her TV career before people had TV sets. Really.
White– who died on New Year’s Eve, 17 days shy of her 100th birthday – described that in “Here We Go Again” (Scribner, 1995).
She had just graduated from Beverly Hills High and fancied herself – incorrectly, she later said – as a possible opera singer. She and a classmate were asked to sing a shortened version of “The Merry Widow” in front of a TV camera.
“Our telecast only carried from the sixth (floor) to the ground floor,” where it was viewed by “our parents and a small handful of interested parties.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 1, 2022
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 3: Blizzard and mobsters fill our screens

1) “9-1-1: Lone Star” season-opener, 8 p.m., Fox. Last season ended with a dust storm hitting Texas; this one starts with a blizzard. That happens just as Owen (Rob Lowe, shown here) tries to separate himself from the world. The world promptly shows up at his door, with the potential for danger, romance and heroics. This starts a multi-week story that mixes big action scenes and deeper personal moments. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 1, 2022