News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

“Only Murders” is back and better

The streaming world is full of brief pleasures — movies … six-episode series … epics that take two years between seasons.
But then there’s “Only Murders in the Building” (shown here). Each summer, it brings a fresh, 10-episode season; each seems even better than the previous ones.
That’s especially true of this fourth season, which arrives Tuesday (Aug. 27) on Hulu. It’s fresh and different, yet richly mines its past. Many actors return from previous seasons … even some whose characters were killed or jailed. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 26, 2024
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PBS has fresh surge of election specials

As the political conventions ended, networks retreated to their previous lives.
They have new game shows and old cop shows. The election is confined to their newscasts and occasional debates.
With one exception. PBS was the only broadcast network to give all of prime time to the conventions; now it has more coverage. In addition to “PBS News Hour” (7-8 p.m. weekdays on most stations) and any debates, that includes:
— “Counting the Votes” (shown here), 9:30 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 27). Margaret Hoover starts with Jeb Bush and the bipartisan reforms that followed the 2000 election chaos in Florida. She goes on to tour other states and finds, among other things, that virtually every presidential vote is now on paper. (I posted a story on this previously, but I’ll include it at the end of this list.) Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 23, 2024
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Donahue led the golden years for daytime talk

Phil Donahue, who died Sunday at 88, reflected a time when we could find neat surprises in odd parts of the day.
There were entertaining shows – Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore, Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres. And there were the two masters who could do it all – Donahue (shown here) and Oprah Winfrey.
And yes, those entwined. As a kid, O’Donnell would rush home from school to watch Griffin; Winfrey has said there would be no “Oprah” show if there wasn’t a “Donahue.”
Those two might talk lightly with stars one day … do family issues the next (Donahue even had on-air DNA tests) … then tackle major issues. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 19, 2024
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Blake’s films were fun to watch … and to make

Blake Edwards had this odd notion. Movies, he felt, should be fun to make and to watch.
That first always seemed true. “He would fall off his chair laughing,” Lesley Ann Warren told the Television Critics Association.
And the second? Audiences loved most of his Pink Panther movies, shrugged at some of his other films, then buzzed about “10” and “Victor/Victoria.” Edwards received an honorary Academy Award, then was semi-forgotten.
Until now. At 8 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 27), PBS’ “American Masters” offers a jaunty journey through Edwards’ life.
This was a writer/director known for broad comedies like “The Pink Panther” (show here). But his work was different: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 19, 2024
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Debate sets site, moderators, more

The Sept. 10 debate – which once seemed iffy – has some specifics now.
ABC today offered these details:
— It will be at the National Constitution Center (shown here) in Philadelphia, at 9 p.m. ET.
— The moderators will be David Muir and Linsey Davis. They’re the anchors of the newscasts of, respectively, ABC and its streaming service, ABC News Live. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 16, 2024
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Hallmark+ sets a Sept. 10 debut

On Sept. 10, viewers will face a rare dilemma: Should they watch the first Harris-Trump debate or obsess on Hallmark?
Hmmm … fate of the free world or love amongst the chaste and beautiful. Why is life always so complicated?
Actually, you could catch both. It’s just that Sept. 10 (already the date of the ABC debate) is now the starting date for Hallmark+.
Company executives had previously laid out the general idea. (See separate story.) A small streaming service (Hallmark Movies Now) will be folded into this larger one. In addition to shows from the two Hallmark cable channels, it will soon include other movies (shown here), plus a series, a mini-series and a surge of reality shows. Now the details are available; they include: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 14, 2024
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Florida noir? “Bad Monkey” nails it

There’s a genre that we might call “Florida noir” and “Florida Gothic.”
Or we might not. “Noir” and “Gothic” imply darkness and gloom; Florida implies blue skies, clear water and open possibilities.
That contrast helps propel these tales. They include some of the novels by Carl Hiaasen, Dave Barry and Elmore Leonard and occasional mini-series. Last year was Netflix’s “Florida Man”; now the delightful “Bad Monkey,” with Vince Vaughn (shown here) is Wednesdays on Apple TV+, starting Aug. 14. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 13, 2024
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With extra resources, Cameron goes bigger and deeper

Imagine that you suddenly have great gobs of money and resources. What’s next?
Some people buy an island or a movie studio or Twitter or trouble. James Cameron dives deeper (literally and figuratively) into his work.
“They’re going to have to drag me out kicking and screaming,” he told the Television Critics Association.
Cameron turns 70 on Aug.16; two days later, he debuts an ambitious project. For three Sundays (Aug. 18 through Sept. 1), “OceanXplorers” (shown here) will have episodes at 9 and 10 p.m. on the National Geographic Channel, probing unseen parts of the world. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 4, 2024
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ABC adds Henson film and Underwood

ABC has come up with two surprises involving superstars, past and present.
The former is the late Jim Henson (shown here). A documentary about his life will air at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 11.
And the latter is Carrie Underwood. This winter, she’ll become a judge on “American Idol,” the show that thrust her to fame 20 years ago. Details include: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / August 1, 2024
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“Volpe” is back, with strong mystery movies

Right now, good scripted shows are hard to find.
Sure, it’s fun to have Olympics and game shows and such, but we still need good stories to slip into. “Signora Volpe” (shown here) has returned, just in time.
For its second season, the show has three movie-length tales. They debut on Mondays (starting July 29) at 6 p.m. on BBC America and on the Acorn streaming service … providing a clear upgrade. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 28, 2024