Month: June 2023

Stories

CW fills out its summer line-up

The CW network – in the midst of a year-round makeover – has finally set the rest of its summer plans.
Even before the writers’ strike, the mini-network (under new ownership) was shedding its expensive superhero adventuress. Instead, it’s going for unscripted shows or scripted ones from other countries.
An example of the former is “Inside the NFL,” coming to CW this fall, after previous runs on HBO, Showtime and Paramount+.
That fall line-up will have several Canadian shows, which are also key to the plans now (including “Family Law,” shown here). Here’s the summer line-up: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 7, 2023
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for June 12: no-rerun comedy, mysteries, zombies

1) “The Wonder Years” season-openers, 9 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, ABC. In a rerun-and-reality summer, here’s a surprise – a new season of a pleasant-enough comedy-drama (shown here in a previous episode), set in the late 1960s. Both episodes – one in New York, the other back in Alabama — have key guest roles. In the first, Travis Burgess is a surprising neighbor. In both, Phoebe Robinson (“Everything’s Trash” and “2 Dope Queens”) is Dean’s fun (and wild) aunt. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 7, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for June 9: “SWAT” survives, streamers grow

1) “SWAT,” 8 p.m., CBS. Twice, this has survived almost being banished. CBS canceled it for next season … then reversed itself and gave it a final 13 episodes. It planned to bump it for a reality show, starting tonight … then pushed that back two months. So here is “SWAT” (shown here in a previous episode) in its usual spot, with a rerun from last October: The unit’s armored vehicle has been stolen and could be used in a terrorist attack. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 7, 2023
News and Quick Comments

Podcasts and murders combine for fun (again)

(This is an updated version of the “Based on a True Story” review)
In the modern media world, two genres have entwined.
There are true-crime podcasts and there are streaming networks’ comedy-dramas. Mix them together and you have a delight.
First was “Only Murders in the Building,” the Steve Martin gem that starts its third season Aug. 8 on Hulu. Now comes Peacock’s “Based on a True Story” (shown here) with its entire first season Thursday (June 8). Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 6, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for June 8: fun with geese and judgements and such

1) “Animal Control,” 9 and 9:30 p.m., Fox. Both reruns manage to blend big sight gags and clever dialog. In this hour, we literally see a wild goose chase and a pig in a blanket; we hear about a red herring and an elephant in the room. We also see Frank (Joel McHale, shown here in a previous episode, left) scramble to duck blame for taking a tranquilizer dart. And in some hilarious moments, two folks who had iffy student behavior must now give a school presentation. Read more…

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

Nashville adds a burst of summer music

There’s another burst of music coming into TV’s rerun/reality summer.
The “CMA Fest” airs each summer on ABC, but this year it will be sooner (July 19) and longer (8-11 p.m.) than it used to be.
It’s being billed as the 50th anniversary and again has Dierks Bentley (ahown here) and Elle King hosting. This time, they’re joined by Lainey Wilson. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 5, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for June 7: Sunny comedy returns, basketball continues

1) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” season-opener, 10 and 10:30 p.m., FXX. There are plenty of nice, normal situation comedies that last a few years. Then there’s “Sunny” (shown here in a previous episode), the longest-running non-cartoon sitcom ever. As its 16th season (two more than “Ozzie & Harriet”) starts, people are as cleverly abnormal as ever. The opener has a funny chat about inflation, then some wild schemes. The second is darker, with relatives, toilet gags and Frank’s pistol. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 5, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for June 6: time for Pageboy and Batman

1) “The Right to Exist,” 10 p.m., ABC. On the day that his memoir (“Pageboy”) reaches book stores, here’s a profile of Elliot Page, 36. Originally known as Ellen Page, he received an Academy Awarrd nomination for best-supporting actress, playing a pregnant teen in the 2007 “Juno.” Then, in December of 2020, he came out as a transgender man. In the “Umbrella Academy” streaming series, his character (shown here) did the same, going from Vanya to Viktor. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 4, 2023
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for June 5: A cruel, busy summer begins

1) “Cruel Summer” season-opener, 9 and 10 p.m., Freeform. The first season was a surprise – a teen drama with subtlety and depth. Now the second one has new characters in a new setting, but the same quality. Sadie Stanley (who was Brea, Adam’s girlfriend in “The Goldbergs”) is perfect as a brainy kid in a pleasant town. Then a worldly exchange student (Lexi Underwood of “Little Fires Everywhere,” shown here, left, with Stanley) stirs her quiet world, over two summers and a winter. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 3, 2023
Stories

Summer surprise: There are still lots of new, scripted series

As we settle into our summertime, strike-time lives, here’s a surprise:
Even now, we can find some new, scripted episodes on broadcast networks or basic cable.
Yes, those networks have started their summer slumber … which could be prolonged. The writers’ strike is expected to linger, affecting fall line-ups. We can still find plenty of new scripted shows on premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Starz) or streamers, but are there any on broadcast or basic cable?
Surprisingly, yes. Some nights — Wednesday (“Wonder Years” is shown here) and Sundays — are loaded. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 2, 2023