DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
2012
Dec
17
 
 
I’d love to report that this is an ultra-rare telecast of the brilliant 1986 Dennis Potter British miniseries – but it’s not. It’s an equally ultra-rare telecast of the 2003 Americanized movie version, which, even though Potter himself wrote the screenplay, is hampered by being severely shortened, poorly cast, and not at all inventively staged. Still, it has moments. And it also has Robert Downey, Jr. in the leading role, which almost makes up for the supporting-player mi
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
17
 
 
On this day in 1984, CBS presented an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol, starring George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
17
 
 
1600 Penn at best is a comedy that plunges off its own "fiscal cliff." Democrats and Republicans likely could unite to unanimously pass a bill in which they hereby declare, "Watch us on C-SPAN instead"...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
16
 
 
This day in 1975 marked the premiere of CBS's One Day at a Time...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
16
 
 
The best modern version of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic is shown tonight on AMC, when George C. Scott steps into the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in this splendid 1984 CBS telemovie. Scott nails the part, from the first moments of humbuggery to the triumphant final Christmas goose. And yes, I meant that description to sound a little inappropriate. Ho ho ho.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
16
 
 
Facing each other for the first time in four years, these two teams are having great seasons: The 49ers are 9-3-1, the Patriots 10-3. And it’s a quarterback duel with a lot of drama. The Patriots have imposing veteran Tom Brady, and the 49ers have impressive young replacement Colin Kaepernick, who’s stepped up big time since Alex Smith was sidelined with a concussion.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
16
 
 
SEASON FINALE:  Last week, when Dexter (Michael C. Hall) learned that Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) had drugged his sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter), he gave Debra the evidence to put Hannah behind bars. But their story may not end there – and Dexter, thanks to evidence piling against him, may be headed for prison himself, unless he can do something drastic. Which, for Dexter, isn’t that much of a stretch.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
16
 
 
Here’s a classic version of a classic: Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, in this 1951 adaptation of the Dickens story. This one manages to be scarier than most, and Sim’s performance is wonderful.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
16
 
 
SEASON FINALE: Given the framework of this series, either Carrie (Claire Danes) or Brody (Damian Lewis) could die in this Season 2 finale – or they could both live. My guess is that Carrie’s character has become too valuable to lose, but Brody has served his purpose. Yet this series, at its best, confounds expectations – so let’s see what happens.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
Dec
15
 
 
On this day in 1954, ABC's anthology series, Disneyland, aired the first installment of Davy Crockett...