1) “Night Court” season-finales, 8 and 8:30 p.m., NBC. These may be the final new episodes for a once-strong show has seemed headed to cancellation. Abby (shown here) has been the “fun judge,” as was her dad; now another judge gets the title. In the second episode, she’s in charge of two runaway teens. Read more…
The too-short lifespan of “The Equalizer” (shown here) says a lot about current TV.
Here was one of the heroes of the pandemic. When TV was at its low point, it leaped to No. 2 in the ratings.
Now, after a modest five seasons, it’s been canceled. The season-finale (10 p.m. Sunday, May 4, on CBS) has also become the series-finale.
“Equalizer” had exactly two flaws: It’s expensive and it’s from the wrong company. TV is like that these days. Read more…
1) “The Neighborhood” season-finale, 8 p.m., CBS. It’s graduation time for Malcolm and Grover, so their moms plan a double party (shown here). That’s in the first half-hour; in the second, Malcolm heads into a new world – but still in Los Angeles. This fall, “Neighborhood” returns for its eighth and final season. Read more…
After pausing for a sports-stuffed June, ABC will start its summer line-up in July.
It will be a trimmed-down one, though, with no “Bachelorette.”
Instead, there will be two nights of game shows — including Martin Short hosting a “Match Game” revival — plus “Bachelor in Paradise” (shown here in a previous season). There will also be lots of room for reruns, plus Disney movies on Sundays. Read more…
Like most good things in life, good TV shows make us wait.
They have shorter seasons, further apart. And they’re worth it.
Which is to say that “Poker Face,” one of TV’s best shows, is finally back.
The first, brilliant season ended in March of 2023. The second returns to Peacock with three terrific episodes on May 8, then has one a week for seven more Thursdays. It again ripples with sharp wit and quick twists, reflecting the two people in charge: Read more…
1) “Miss Austen” opener, 9 p.m., PBS. Facts and fiction blend neatly in a four-parter. A decade after the death of novelist Jane Austen, another death forces her sister Cassandra (Keeley Hawes) into action, hoping to preserve Jane’s legacy. Her goals are iffy, but the terrific Hawes keeps us rooting for her, amid a sea of speculative flashbacks (shown here with the three Austen sisters.) Read more…
Here’s a double dose of good news. Two of TV’s best shows are finally returning, less than a month apart.
It will be:
— “Poker Face,” May 8 on Peacock. It has three episodes that first day, then seven more on consecutive Thursdays.
— “Resident Alien,” at 11 p.m. — yes, 11 p.m. — Friday, June 6 on both Syfy and USA Read more…
1) “The Masked Singer” finale, 8-10 p.m., Wednesday, Fox. Last week, the show propelled all four singers to the finals. Instead, it unmasked its “Lucky Duck” helper — Taika Waititi, the director, producer, actor, Oscar-winning writer (“Jojo Rabbit”) … and husband of panelist Rita Ora. Now Ora (shown here in a previous event) starts the finale by singing “Pink Pony Club” with the final four. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. After a two-week pause, “SNL” starts its season’s final three episodes.. Tonight, Quina Brunson, the “Abbott Elementary” star, has her second turn as host (her first is shown here) and Benson Boone has his first as music guest. Next week has Walton Goggins and Arcade Fire; the May 17 season-finale has Scarlett Johansson and Bad Bunny. Read more…
(This is the latest chapter in the book-in-progress, “Television, and How It Got That Way.” For the full book (so far) in order, click “The Book” under “categories.”)
For a brief, pleasant time, the cable universe seemed logical.
A few networks tried to do everything. Those were the early arrivals — TBS in 1976, USA in ’77 — plus TNT in 1988.
The others settled for handy niches. Cable was like a magazine rack or a radio dial, filled with specialized choices.
You could find channels for rock music (shown here) and country music and classical arts; for young kids and old movies; for religion and Playboy; for news and weather and sports; for food and travel and learning and more.
And then? Well, everything got jumbled. Read more…
