Month: March 2023

News and Quick Comments

Oscars brought laughs, warmth and Gaga

Okay, this was what we were hoping for from an Academy Award telecast – a hearty blend of humor, warmth and potent music.
And one thing more: A clever guy (Jimmy Killmel)n was at the core, making sure it was fun.
There were a few flaws along the way. The long plug for “Little Mermaid” was annoying … the acceptance speeches were mostly bland … I kept waiting for David Byrne’s song to discover a melody … and it’s never fun to see the same show keep winning. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 13, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best bets for March 15: “Lasso,” “Lies,” Leslie Odom Jr.

1) “Ted Lasso” (shown heere) season-opener, Apple TV+. Ted’s success coaching English soccer has been surprising … especially for an American football guy who knew nothing about soccer. Now that leads to a new problem: The team has been promoted to the top league, where it’s predicted to finish last; the owner is furious about the prospect of losing to her ex-husband’s team. The result skillfully mixes humor and drama, adding warmth as Ted’s son ends his summer visit. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 13, 2023
Stories

Marie Antoinette: A ditz? A rebel? A well-dressed enigma

More than two centuries after Marie Antoinette’s death, there are opposite views. She was:
— A ditz and a spendthrift who ignored her countrymen’s poverty. She didn’t really say “let them eat cake,” but she might have thought it.
— Something much more. “She was totally a rebel,” said Emilia Schule (shown here), who stars in the eight-part “Marie Antoinette,” debuting at 10 p.m. Sunday (March 19) on PBS.
In the glittery Versailles palace, Marie was a rule-breaker — something Schule sort of understands. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 13, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for March 14: A super Batman sort of night

1) “Gotham Knights” debut, 9 p.m., CW. In the opening moments, we know everything has changed. Batman is dead; young thieves have been framed. Now they’re part of a reluctant band of allies, including Batman’s adoptive son (shown here), the Joker’s estranged daughter and a new version of Robin. They have nothing in common except being young, angry and telegenic. It’s a great start (repeating at 9 p.m. Wednesday), delivering the CW’s usual taut visuals. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 12, 2023
News and Quick Comments

An “easy money” plan lingers, then crumbles

It began as a stop-gap plan. Banks were failing, economies were fading; quick steps were needed.
And then the approach lingered. “It became a semi-permanent part of the past decade,” James Jacoby said. “Then, during the pandemic, this went into overdrive.”
Now his “Easy Money” documentary, from 9-11 p.m. Tuesday (March 14) on PBS’ “Frontline,” views short-term steps that somehow stayed, leading to crypto-currency commercials (shown here) and corporatge spending sprees. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 12, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for March 13: good lawyer, great performances

1) “The Good Doctor,” 10 p.m. today, ABC. Shaun, the autistic surgeon, faces a malpractice suit. His lawyer (Felicity Huffman) advises a settlement, but her researcher (beautifully played by Kennedy McMahon, shown here, the “Nancy Drew” star) disagrees. She’s also autistic and this is a pilot for a “Good Lawyer” series. We’re not sure it would work as a series, but it makes a strong and moving episode. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 11, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for March 12: Oscars … and plenty of alternatives

1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. ET, ABC. We can expect some laughs; Jimmy Kimmel is host and a few presenters (Melissa McCarthy, Mindy Kaling, Julia Louis-Dreyfus) know humor. There will also be music from Rihanna, Sofia Carson, David Byrne and the actors who did “Naatu Naatu,” plus Lennie Kravitz in the “In Memoriam” segment. We’ll also see clips of nominees, some of them well-known; that includes “Top Gun: Maveric” (shown here), “Avatar: Way of the Water,” “Elvis” and “Everything, Everywhere All at Once.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 10, 2023
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Martch 13: lucky Hank, angry youths

1) “Lucky Hank” debut, 9 p.m. Sunday, AMC, rerunning at 10:01, 11;02, 12:03. As soon as Hank (Bob Odenkirk, shown here) unleashes his rant, we know this is special. He’s a writing professor at, he says, a mediocre college. He’s deeply flawed, but so are the other faculty members, each in a different way. His wife (Mireille Enos) is the world’s kindest vice-principal, but he’s in a perpetual funk, overshadowed by a famous father. The result ripples with great dialog. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 9, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for March 11: movie night on Oscars eve

1) “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (shown here), 6:35 p.m., Showtime. On the eve of the Academy Awards, we can catch some of the nominees. This fantasy tale – an ordinary soul (Michelle Yeoh) whisked through multiple lives – is the Oscar leader with 11 nominations. Ke Huy Quan has swept supporting-actor wins from the Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globes and Critics Choice. Yeoh won best-actress from SAG and the Globes; the film won best picture from the critics. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / March 9, 2023