Year: 2025

Stories

UFO’s: Lots of answers … and some enigmas

The sky seems to be full of blips and blobs and blinking objects.
Any one of those might be little Billy’s new drone, or maybe Venus. It might be benign or a spy balloon or …
Our minds often leap to UFO’s, the sort (shown here) depicted in old movies. That’s “pretty harmless,” Mick West told the Television Critics Association. “People seeing things in the sky and thinking they’re UFO’s or aliens or whatever, there’s no real harm in that.”
He’s a lifelong science-fiction fan, but in a new “Nova” documentary (9 p.m. Jan. 22, PBS), he creates practical explanations for events that seem exotic. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 13, 2025
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 14: Tuesdays are funny again

1) “St. Denis Medical,” 8 p.m., NBC. After a three-week break, this is back and at its best. Two prisoners arrive in full fury, after stabbing each other; the head nurse (Allison Tolman, shown here) bets the cynical Dr. Ron that she can soothe them. Two other stories are fairly good; this one is hilarious. In the final minute, everything reaches a comedy peak. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 12, 2025
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 12: Two of PBS’ best dramas arrive

1) “Miss Scarlet” season-opener, 8 p.m., PBS. For four seasons, Eliza Scarlet was the smartest person in the room, a detective linking with the police to solve crimes in Victorian London. But now there’s a new chief inspector (they’re shown here), as sharp and well-spoken as she is; he also dislikes detectives. Here’s their first case together, filled with sharp dialog and quick twists. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 10, 2025
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Jan. 13: Yes, sitcoms are still alive

1) “St. Denis Medical,” 8 p.m. Tuesday, NBC. After a three-week break, this reminds us that it’s one of the season’s best new shows. Two prisoners (shown here) arrive, after stabbing each other; now nurses tell the cynical Dr. Ron they can soothe them. Two other stories are fairly good; the prisoner one is hilarious. And in the final minute, all the stories combine for a comedy peak Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 9, 2025
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 8: Now the networks shift gears

1) “Shifting Gears” debut, 8 p.m., ABC. Tim Allen has been a comedy force forever – nine “Last Man Standing” seasons, eight “Home Improvement” (reaching No. 2 in Nielsen ratings), endless “Santa Clause” and “Toy Story” films. He’s back, at 71, playing a widower with a car shop; then his estranged daughter (Kat Dennings, shown here with Seann William Scott) arrives with her kids. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 6, 2025