Day: March 6, 2023

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for March 8: Spies, laughs and agri-romance

1) “Farmer Wants a Wife” (shown here) debut, 9 p.m., Fox. The CW tried this show 15 years ago, with one farmer and lots of city-bred prospects. Now CBS tries it, with four guys. Each is college-educated and in his 30s; two raise cattle, one has horses, one has both. Also, Hunter Grayson sings in a band, Ryan Black designs and builds houses. They meet 32 women (ages 24 to 39), including two bloggers, two therapists, a bartender and a spiritual coach. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 6, 2023
Stories

Oscar night on TV: Here’s a guide

The Academy Awards, which used to be a big deal, arrive Sunday on ABC.
And this time, they might draw some interest. They have a host, some songs, a studio audience … and some movies (including “Elvis,” shown here) people have seen.
We used to take that for granted, until things crumbled. There were two no-audience pandemic years … three no-host years … and a year with no songs during the main show. Also, nominees were obscure.
Now all of that seems to be behind us. Here’s an overview of the night; also, alongside this are two Oscar features — on front-runner Ke Huy Quan and on the oft-overlooked documentary categories: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 6, 2023
News and Quick Comments

At Oscar time, doc-makers get a fiery moment

(This is a story I posted on Jan. 28, but I thought it would be fun to bring it back now, with the Academy Award telecast coming on MRXH 12. You’ll find two other Oscar stories to the left.)
As the Academy Awards near, the nominees have a descending order of fame.
At the top this year are the stars – actors (Cate Blanchett, Angela Bassett, Judd Hirsch, etc.), a director (Steven Spielberg) and some songwriters (Lady Gaga, Rihanna). And near the bottom, every year?
“You are the lowest on the totem pole as a short-doc filmmaker,” Cynthia Wade said
That’s the short-documentary category. She won it in 2008 (for the 39-minute “Freeheld)” and had her moment on global TV, being handed an Oscar by Tom Hanks; she was nominated again in 2013. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 6, 2023