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

 
 
2014
Jan
14
 
 
I thought Portlandia hosted the weirdest comedic chemistry around, until I watched Paula Pell and James Anderson’s new web series Hudson Valley Ballers...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
13
 
 
The new American Experience documentary "1964" works effectively as both historical drama and commemorative television...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
13
 
 
As part of the wedding weekend, Marshall (Jason Segel) prepares to deliver the latest and last promised super-slap to Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) as part of their ongoing ritual of “Slapsgiving.” Since this is Marshall’s final swing at the plate – or at Barney – he admits to have undergone training to pack as potent a punch as possible. And tonight, he comes out swinging.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
13
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: This Syfy series has a better plot, and certainly a more interesting look, than most of the network’s new shows. What started off as a sort of supernatural, Sapphic Batman and Robin has evolved into a complicated battle of good and evil, fairy world style, and handled that conceit better than, say, True Blood. Anna Silk stars as Bo, a succubus with ties to both the good and evil Fae worlds, but she’s not even in the Season 4 premiere. Instead, the heavy load is
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
13
 
 
SERIES RETURN: After the brief hiatus that began before Christmas, with Red (James Spader) escaping from both his box and his handlers and enemies, the devious manipulator is back. But where? And why? And what now? So far this season, the performances, not the plot twists and turns, have made The Blacklist worth keeping track of – but these last stories of the season will be a better indication of where the show is going, and whether it’s worth following.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
13
 
 
Long before there was reality TV, there was Frederick Wiseman, the documentary filmmaker whose approach was to descend upon a particular place, and group of people, and film – and film and film and film, until his subjects forgot he was there, and acted naturally. Then, after compiling absurd amounts of raw footage, Wiseman would edit, presenting the result without narration, so the story and themes build naturally. Wiseman has been making his special sort of films since the Sixties, so it
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
13
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: The opening show of this Season 5 premiere sets up a sort of series reboot for Archer and company, but don’t worry: Regardless of the setting and circumstances, this secret agent spoof remains as twisted, and as archly amusing, as ever.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
13
 
 
Opening questions at press conferences often can set the tone for what follows. At the Television Critics Association session for HBO's Girls, a question about nudity sparked a very emotional reaction...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
12
 
 
There’s so much exciting TV today, this installment of Bianculli’s Best Bets is Super-Sized, with twice as many entries as usual. It begins with the first of today’s two postseason football games – featuring 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick against Panthers QB Cam Newton. The 49ers are 13-4, the Panthers 12-4 – and both QBs are tall, young and mobile.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2014
Jan
12
 
 
Peyton Manning and the Broncos are the team getting most of the attention for this game, but in previous years, the Chargers have won their two postseason games against the Broncos – though the lineups for both teams are significantly different. Game-time temperature is predicted to be 40 degrees, which is quite warm for Denver in January. The wind, however, is estimated to be 20 mph and up, so that might have quite an impact on the passing game.