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

 
 
2013
Oct
20
 
 
Michael Sheen’s William Masters admits a new volunteer to his sexual study: the ex-husband of his co-researcher, Lizzy Kaplan’s Virginia Johnson. And one of the questions he asks right away is, in effect, “What’s she like in bed?” Once again, anything for science…
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
19
 
 
Last night, the St. Louis Cardinals trounced the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-0, earning its place in this year’s World Series. Tonight, the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers battle to claim the other slot. The Red Sox have the 3-2 edge in this ALCS contest, and tonight also have home-field advantage at Fenway Park, as well as momentum from having won Game 5. But if Detroit wins tonight’s Game 6, it’s an all-or-nothing final showdown tomorrow, and you know who’s rooting for tha
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
19
 
 
In anticipation of Halloween, TCM is presenting a prime-time salute to horror-film master Ted Browning. Movies in tonight’s evocative collection include 1935’s Mark of the Vampire (9:15 p.m. ET) and 1936’s The Devil Doll (10:30 p.m. ET) – but the action begins at 8 p.m. ET with Browning’s best, the spooky, creepy, unforgettable Freaks, his 1932 moody masterpiece. One of us! One of us!
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
19
 
 
SERIES FINALE: Tonight’s the night all the treachery comes home to roost. Or, if not to roost, at least to anoint a new generation of royal leaders. The kings are the centerpieces of this game – but, as in chess, it’s the queens who are the most powerful.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
19
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: Returning to the earlier, higher-profile 10 p.m. ET slot, this charming, unpredictable talk show begins its latest season with a pair of interesting leading men you don’t usually see on talk shows: Harrison Ford and Benedict Cumberbatch. (Star Wars meets Star Trek!)
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
19
 
 
MINISERIES PREMIERE: Stephen Poliakoff wrote and directed this new British miniseries import from BBC-2 –and that, alone, would make it worth watching. But there’s a lot more here, in this complex story of a fictional all-black jazz band in 1930s London, including some delightful music (original, not vintage), and strong performances. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as bandleader Louis Lester, and supporting players include John Goodman, Anthony Head and Jacqueline Bisset, all of whom are imp
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
18
 
 

Only a handful of Stephen Poliakoff’s British TV dramas have been shown in the U.S., but I’ve seen four wonderful ones. This weekend, Starz imports a fifth…

 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
18
 
 
Today in 1988, on October 18, ABC premiered Roseanne, starring Roseanne Barr, and ushered in another of TV’s influential, significant family sitcoms. Today in 2013, starting at 10 a.m. ET, We TV presents a seven-hour marathon of its favorite Roseanne episodes. The action begins with a pair of episodes from the show’s first year – so watch for George Clooney, who was a cast member the first few seasons, playing one of the co-workers at Roseanne’s factory. ER and fame, at t
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
18
 
 
Game 6. The St. Louis Cardinals are ahead in this series 3-2, but the Los Angeles Dodgers, fighting to come from behind, can tie the NLCS tonight – or lose it all. And for this game, the Cards have home-field advantage.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2013
Oct
18
 
 
Taped at Lincoln Center last year, this salute to Great Performances is a mix of stories (from Julie Andrews and others) and performances (Audra McDonald, Izhtak Perlman, and many, many others), all in honor of this long-running, culturally valuable PBS arts anthology series. Check local listings.