I know many nature documentaries always have relied, in part, on staging events for their cameras – but Parrot Confidential is the first time I’ve ever seen recreations that involved humans as well, with parrot-owner interviewees telling stories of their past interacts with their birds, which simultaneously are “acted out.” That’s ridiculous – but other parts of this hour, the real ones, are unexpectedly, effectively touching, as when we watch one rescued bird

2013

Nov

NOVA: "COLD CASE JFK" By David Bianculli

Using previously unavailable technology, Nova sorts through the available evidence, forensic, ballistic and otherwise, to examine the still-controversial events surrounding the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This new special is called Cold Case JFK, and is keyed to the 50th anniversary of that tragic event. It’s worth watching – but so was Who Shot President Kennedy?, a special with the same exact description that was presented as a Nova special back in November 198

2013

Nov

SECRETS OF THE DEAD: “JFK: ONE PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME” By David Bianculli

This one-hour special focuses almost exclusively on how CBS News – with a nod to the UPI wire service – covered the tragic events in Dallas 50 years ago this month. Plenty of documentaries already exist in which CBS anchor Walter Cronkite provided his own account, including the multi-part Cronkite Remembers, but this one fleshes out the day with a clear, compelling timeline, back in the day when even competitive network news organizations labored to confirm news before reporting it.

2013

Nov

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN By David Bianculli

In tonight’s haunting episode (or is it haunted?), Zoe, Queenie and Nan try to contact the evil spirit that seems to be occupying the school. Even from the safety of this side of the TV screen, that doesn’t seem like such a smart idea.

2013

Nov

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS By David Bianculli

Burt Lancaster continues to be saluted this month by TCM, and tonight’s lineup is, quite literally, one great movie after another. The evening begins at 8 p.m. ET with 1957’s Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and is followed at 10:15 p.m. ET by the same year’s Sweet Smell of Success (pictured, with Tony Curtis), one of the best, most caustic movies about the media ever made. And after that, sit back, or set your recorders, for 1960’s Elmer Gantry at midnight ET, and 1964&rsquo

2013

Nov

THE PARTY By David Bianculli

Simon Helberg, who plays Howard Wolowitz on The Big Bang Theory, is tonight’s TCM guest programmer. Among the four movies he chooses, two of them star Peter Sellers, beginning with this one from 1968. Sellers reteams with Pink Panther director Blake Edwards, and in this comedy plays an Indian actor who disrupts a Hollywood party. At that party are leading lady Claudine Longet and two supporting players more familiar from television: future Love Boat captain Gavin MacLeod, and memorable Ton

2013

Nov

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: "JFK" By David Bianculli

Part 2 of 2. This concluding half of a new American Experience profile of John F. Kennedy covers more political stances and issues than the first half, but not with the clarity or completeness of certain other studies. Still, it’s an interesting documentary with a sober and respectable approach – neither sensationalistic nor sensational. For a full review, see David Sicilia’s TV Moneyland. Check local listings.

2013

Nov

DR. STRANGELOVE, OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB By David Bianculli

This is one of tonight’s movie choices by guest programmer Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory), and it’s an inspired one. Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 Cold War satire, made the same year and using the same basic plot as the deadly serious Fail-Safe, is bursting with superb comic performances – several of them coming from Peter Sellers, who plays several roles, and plays them all brilliantly.

2013

Nov

SONS OF ANARCHY By David Bianculli

Jax was angry enough when he thought his own mother (Katey Sagal) had attacked his wife and caused her miscarriage. Now how angry will he be, realizing that his wife faked not only the attack, but the miscarriage and the pregnancy?

2013

Nov

THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART By David Bianculli

Tonight, get ready to spend some time with Evening Joe: Tonight’s guest, venturing from his usual early-morning MSNBC roots, is Joe Scarborough.

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