1) “Guilt” season-opener, 10 p.m., PBS. Max is an upscale schemer; Jake is his down-market brother, a decent chap who’s along for the ride. In the first two seasons, Max went to prison and Jake found love. Now they’re in Chicago with Jake’s girlfriend, running a bar; in their native Scotland, others rage and run. By the end of the first hour, things merge in wild and entertaining way; they’re shown here, executing a mucky escape. Read more…
1) “Ghosts” season-finale, 8:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS. This wraps its season early, leaving room for “Young Sheldon” to have a couple two-episode Thursdays. It’s time for Isaac to have something he wouldn’t have imagined in his lifetime – a wedding (shown here) to another man … who was a British officer … whom Isaac killed in the Revolutionary War. Then a surprise guest complicate the celebration. Read more…
1) White House Correspondents Dinner, CNN. This is listed as 8 p.m. ET, but treat that warily; the good part is often closer to 10. And yes, there have been good parts, rippling with satire from comedians and presidents. That sagged with a so-so outing by Michelle Wolf in 2018, no comedian in 2019 and Covid cancellation in 2020-21. After a rebound with Trevor Noah and Roy Wood, Colin Jost (shown here with his wife, Scarlett Johanssoon) gets a turn. Read more…
On the “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” set, people were semi-celebrating a semi-successful run.
The show has spent much of its five seasons in the top-25 of Nielsen ratings. It’s been a rare throwback to the days when comedy was king.
So members of the Television Critics Association directed questions to its stars (Billy Gardell, Folake Olowofoyeku) and producer Chuck Lorre — who made one thing clear: “We would have never gone far with the show had we not found Gina.”
That’s Gina Yashere, ready for her close-up. In the show, she’s Kemi, a noisy friend who’s there for a few quick laughs. In the second-to-last episode (8:30 p.m. Monday, April 29, on CBS), she finally gets the focus (shown here), with a Las Vegas wedding.
But the core of the show – including its culture conflict – springs from Yashere.
“They found me on Google,” she said later. “I turned it down. But my best friend and my brother said, ‘You’re being stupid.’” Read more…
1) “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story” opener, Hulu and Disney+. This four-parter juggles two stories: One is semi-interesting: Jon Bon Jovi, now 62, battles throat problems, hoping to launch his band’s 40th-year tour. The other is compelling – a story of “five guys from nowhere” (led by a young Jon Bon Jovi, shown here) becoming, at times, the world’s leading rock band. Read more…
Every now and then, TV returns to something it’s quite good at – light tales that solve a mystery at the end of each hour.
That isn’t its first choice. It prefers deep, dark tales that go for weeks – good ones like “Parish” (9 p.m. Sundays, AMC) or “Veil” (starting April 30, Hulu).
But a few shows have the right, light touch. There’s the delightful “Elsbeth” (10 p.m. Thursdays, CBS) and occasional British shows on PBS and streaming on Acorn or Britbox. Right now, I’d point to Britbox’s “Beyond Paradise” (shown here). Read more…
) Pro football draft, 8-11:30 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Once barely noticed by TV, this has become an adventure that gobbles up 11 hours over three days, on three networks. And that’s not counting the previews; ESPN starts at 7 p.m., the NFL Network starts (really) at 1. Those two networks will focus more on stats and such; ABC leans to the people side, starting with Caleb Williams (shown here), whom the Bears are expected to grab with the first pick. Read more…
1) “The Masked Singer,” 8 p.m., Fox. This may be your only chance to see Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke do a Spice Girls song. The theme is “girl groups,” so they’ll open the show singing “Wannabe” with fellow judges Rita Ora and Jenny McCarthy (they’re all shown here). Later, past contestants Carnie Wilson and Raven-Symone will also perform; current ones will do such songs as “I’m So Excited.” Read more…
Like a good father should, John Bongiovi Sr. took his son to a some music teachers.
One was at the school, one was private, both said the same: The kid was not a singer.
Except now he is one. As Jon Bon Jovi (shown here), he’s one of the top-selling rock frontmen. His band has soared beyond 100 million records; five of his Grammy nominations (including his one win) are for vocals.
“I pride myself on having been a true vocalist,” he said. “I’ve sung with Pavrotti. I know how to sing; I’ve studied the craft for 40 years.”
That adds to the poignancy of a four-part documentary that debuts Friday (April 26) on Hulu and Disney+. Alongside a history of his band, it focuses on Bon Jovi struggling with vocal issues – trying other steps and then resorting to surgery. Read more…
1) “Shogun” finale, 10-11:30 p.m., FX; also, Hulu. Gorgeous visually, yet relentlessly morose, the finale ends solemnly. We see the lethal result of the castle raid and its aftershocks. We also learn of Toranaga’s long-range scheme and see hints of the fate of Blackthorne, the English mariner. Overall, the miniseries (shown here) could be considered masterful or merely a long monotone. Read more…
Best-bets for Nov. 7: ABC is back; CBS is fun 
Best-bets for Nov. 6: San Diego goes wild; Fox has fun, fun, fun 
Best-bets for Nov. 5: The election … and alternatives 
