Day: August 14, 2023

Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 16: finales for “Wonder Years,” “Food Stars”

1) “The Wonder Years” finale, 9 and 9:30 p.m., ABC. It’s been a so-so season for this comedy-drama (which, alas, often forgets about the comedy), but it ends surprisingly well. Both episodes have large stories, solid drama and adequate comedy. First (shown here), Dean’s dad (Dule Hill) fumes when his brother (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) makes a splash at their father’s birthday. Then this 1969 Alabama family plans a whirlwind week — a Texas college visit and Disneyland. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 14, 2023
Stories

Here’s what’s coming in the strike-torn fall

TV networks – and TV viewers – are near their make-do phase.
Even if the writers’ and actors’ strikes are settled soon, the usual shows won’t be back until mid-season. Starting next month, networks will make do with tacked-together schedules; viewers will make do by sticking to streamers and cable (also wounded by the strikes) or maybe even reading a book.
But yes, the traditional networks will have shows this fall – even some scripted episodes (incluing “Magnum,” shown here) you haven’t seen before. Here’s a round-up of the commercial broadcast networks, plus the scripted shows on PBS: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 14, 2023