Daily Best Bets
Best-bets for Nov. 3: monsters & zombies, funny & not Best-bets for Nov. 3: monsters & zombies, funny & not Best-bets for Nov. 2: Mulaney on “SNL”; country stars at fundraiser Best-bets for Nov. 2: Mulaney on “SNL”; country stars at fundraiser Best-bets for Nov. 1: cops in crisis, joy in afterlife Best-bets for Nov. 1: cops in crisis, joy in afterlife
Stories

It’s a wild world — even in our cities

By Mike Hughes / November 1, 2024
Stories

Preston’s husband becomes her “Elsbeth” foe

By Mike Hughes / October 28, 2024
Stories

“Lincoln Lawyer” juggles sleek and serious drama

By Mike Hughes / October 25, 2024
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News and Quick Comments

Olympic opening: flash, fluff and Gaga

(One final note to this story, which was written after the first hour: The opening ceremony ran four hours, with moments of magnificence. Two of the greatest came late, involving solo singers: Juliette Armanet gave a softly moving performance of “Imagine,” emphasizing John Lennon’s eternal lyrics. And, for the finale, Celine Dion — long sidelined by illness — with a powerhouse French anthem. Don’t miss those. Now the original story.)
Yes, you’ll want to see the Olympic opening ceremony tonight.
You’ll quickly see Gaga, dancers on scaffolding, ladies on sway poles and young lovers trashing a gorgeous library. And that’s in the first hour.
The telecast is from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 or so today (Friday, July 26) on NBC and Peacock. And it’s actually the second time through.
It started live at 1:30 p.m. ET (which was 7:30 in Paris) and will rerun – with an “enhanced” edition – in prime time. By watching the afternoon version, I can promise you’ll see: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 26, 2024
Stories

August is TV’s Julie-and-Blake month

It seemed like one of those weird Hollywood mismatches.
Blake Edwards was a writer-director, fresh from movies with big, goofy sight gags. Julie Andrews was a singer-actress, fresh from mega-musicals.
He was Hollywood; she was London and Broadway. They were miles apart … and then, after their marriage in 1969, constantly together, sometimes making fluff and other times creating serious comedy/dramas like “Victor/Victoria” (shown here), which is the centerpiece of an Aug. 4 cable marathon..
“Seeing the shift in her career, when Blake … urged her to take on very different roles, I found was fascinating,” said producer Michael Kantor. And now, by coincidence, each gets a separate focus in August: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 26, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for July 27: Now the games begin

1) Olympics begin. In a bold move, NBC is dumping its time-shift approach. Instead, it’s showing every event live — NBC, USA or CNBC, plus Peacock – when it happens, then repackaging it from 8-11 p.m. daily on NBC. That starts today, with some medals being handed out in swimming (shown here), diving, skateboarding and more. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 25, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for July 26: The Olympic party begins

1) Olympics opening ceremony, NBC. With a six-hour time difference, NBC will air this twice – live at 1:30 p.m.. ET (with a preview at noon) and again at 7:30. Mike Tirico, Kelly Clarkson and Peyton Manning will anchor, as the Seine River (shown here) has a parade of athletes. There are 10,500 of them from 206 countries, including 592 from the U.S. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 24, 2024
News and Quick Comments

News: Next lover for “Bridgerton,” final season for “Shadows”

Two quirky series – each with a vibrant fan base – bring fresh news.
For “What We Do In the Shadows,” it’s the date for the sixth and final season. That will be Oct. 21, for an 11-episode run.
And for “Bridgerton,” the timing is still unknown but the focal point is set Next season turns to Benedict Bridgerton (shown here), the artist who’s had a Bohemian lifestyle. Details are: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 23, 2024
News and Quick Comments

“Big Brother” switches timeslot … already

A week into its summer run, “Big Brother” (shown here) is already shifting its timeslot.
Beginning Thursday (July 25), the show moves up to the 8 p.m. spot on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Only on Sundays (when “Tulsa King” is at 8) will it stay at 9.
Originally, the network had set the 8-p.m.-Wednesday slot for new hours of “Let’s Make a Deal.” Now, however, that show will wait until Aug. 16; it will be at 8 p.m. Fridays, nudging “Lingo” to 9. The new line-up: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 23, 2024
Stories

It’s a wild world — even in our cities

By Mike Hughes / November 1, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Nov. 3: monsters & zombies, funny & not

By Mike Hughes / October 31, 2024
Weekly Previews

Week’s top-10 for Nov. 4: election … and alternatives

By Mike Hughes / October 31, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Nov. 2: Mulaney on “SNL”; country stars at fundraiser

By Mike Hughes / October 31, 2024
Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Nov. 1: cops in crisis, joy in afterlife

By Mike Hughes / October 30, 2024