Year: 2024

News and Quick Comments

Emmy telecast: At least, it was fun and funny

If you’re planning an awards show, here’s the essential requirement:
Make sure that Steve Martin is there early as (at least) a presenter.
Martin has been a delight working solo … or with Martin Short … or as part of the “Only Murders in the Building” triad, with Short and Selena Gomez.
That’s what he did Sunday, early in the Emmys (shown here). Alongside some great work from the hosts (Eugene and Dan Levy), we knew this would be a fun night. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 16, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 18: Reality shows conclude, begin

1) “MasterChef” finale, 8-10 p.m., Fox. This started with home chefs from four generations. But in recent weeks, the remaining older chefs (ages 52, 62, 63 and 70) were ousted. Surviving are Kamay Lafalaise, 34; Michael Leonard, 27; and Becca Gibb, 24. They’ll prepare an appetizer, entree and dessert; then the judges (shown here in a previous episode) will choose the $250,000 winner. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 16, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 17: “Talent” finale and two openers

1) “America’s Got Talent,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. The 10 finalists perform; then viewers vote … and wait a week to learn who won. The choices include two singers (including Dee Dee Simon, shown here), a comedian and a magician, plus a dance group, an acrobatic group, an aerial duo, a drone duo, a dog act and an “air dance” group. They’re from Japan, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Tanzania and the U.S. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 15, 2024
News and Quick Comments

Her quirky show helps fill a comedy void

When it comes to comedies, TV has turned upside down.
Now it’s the broadcast networks that fail to be funny. And it’s the streamers or a basic-cable network that fill the void.
Already arrived are FX’s “English Teacher” and Hulu’s “How to Die Alone” – a delight (shown here) that we’ll get back to in a minute.
Coming next are the second seasons of the “Frasier” reboot and “Colin From Accounts” (Sept. 19 and 26, both on Paramount+) and “Shrinking” (Oct. 16, Apple TV+). Also, there’s the final season of the delightful “What We Do in the Shadows” (Oct. 21, FX), with more coming. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 14, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 16: a Feudathon and more

1) “Family Feud,” 8-11 p.m., ABC. At 9 p.m., Chrissy Teigen and her husband, John Legend, (they’re shown here) face her food-show mate, David Chang. Other half-hours skip families and have colleagues from shows — two teams from “The Golden Bachelor”; “9-1-1” vs. “Jury Duty”; “Deadliest Catch” vs. “Star Trek” shows. At 10 is a “Best of Steve Harvey” compilation. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 14, 2024
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Sept. 16: “Matlock” leads start of new shows

1) “Matlock” debut, 8 p.m. Sunday, CBS. This may be the best new show on any of the broadcast networks. In a tradition that goes from Miss Marple to Elsbeth, it gives us an older woman who’s underestimated until she solves the case. Then, however, it flips that cleverly. Kathy Bates (shown here) is perfect as a lawyer who bears the same surname as an old TV lawyer. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 12, 2024
Stories

Here’s a breakdown of all the new broadcast shows

The new TV season is strong on mysteries (including “High Potential,” shown here), weaker on comedies, with a bit of non-fiction thrown in.
A previous story took an overview of the season for broadcast networks. Now here’s a show-by-show breakdown of what’s new; shows are listed chronologically, within each category.

MYSTERY
— “Moonflower Murders,” Sept. 15. In “Magpie Murders,” a book editor pondered two murders – one in a novel (set in the 1950s) and another in real life. Now she’s back at it. A book – based on a real-life murder – has hints about the real killer; one woman read it and fled. The six-week tale weaves cleverly between past and present, real and fictional. (9 p.m. Sundays, PBS).

— “High Potential,” Sept. 17. As a single mom with three kids, Morgan is a cleaning lady with little chance to flex her genius IQ. Now, however, she’s helping the police. Kaitlin Olson of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” stars. (10 p.m. Tuesdays, ABC.) Read more…

By Mike Hughes / September 12, 2024