Day: May 10, 2023

CBS’ new (new-ish) line-up this fall adds just two shows

Facing the possibility of a long strike, CBS has a novel solution: It will start the fall season with virtually no new shows.
The line-up, announced today (Wednesday), has only two newcomers – a spin-off (shown here) of “The Good Fight” and a reboot of “Matlock,” this time with Kathy Bates in the Andy Griffith role.
Two other shows will arrive later: “Tracker,” starring Justin Hartley, will debut after the Super Bowl on Feb. 11; “Poppa’s House” is a comedy with Damon Wayans, Damon Wayan Jr. and Essence Atkins. Read more…

“City on Fire” blazes with New York’s newcomers

Blazing through the “City on Fire” mini-series (ahown here) is an eternal notion: Move to New York City; transform your career, your life, your self.
That’s what Mercer, a key characters, tried. He’s from Texas; so is Xavier Clyde, who plays him.
He’s “the dreamer,” Clyde told the Television Critics Association. “He wants to be the next great American novelist and go to New York and make a difference. And I just wanted to live my dream of just doing this (acting) for a living. And to do that in one of the greatest cities in the world.”
Except dreams can evaporate. “City on Fire” opens (Friday, May 12, on Apple TV+) with a shooting; it later peaks with a citywide black-out. Read more…

Best-bets for May 12: 50 years of Broadway joy

1) “Great Performances,” 9 p.m., PBS. Celebrating its first 50 years, the show has new performances of songs from a half-century of Broadway musicals. Sutton Foster hosts and sings beautifully. There’s zesty dancing to music from “Dancin'” (shown here), “Sophisticated Ladies,” “Jelly’s Last Jam” and more. There are great voices, old (Norm Lewis, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Raul Esparza) and new (Ledisi, Solea Pfeiffer, Mamie Parris, more), plus a dandy blitz from Rob McClure. Read more…