On a very slow TV night, there are worse choices than revisiting this new BBC America series, set in London just after the Jack the Ripper killings. Even in its second season, it hasn’t quite found its voice, but it keeps trying – as tonight, when it presents a based-on-fact terrorist plot that has obvious echoes to today.

2014

Mar

SHARK TANK By David Bianculli

Here’s an edition of Shark Tank that sounds delightful: It’s a specially themed show, including only the creative and business ideas presented by kids and tweens. Expect these youngsters to come up with some great ideas – but don’t expect the adult “sharks” to treat them with kid gloves. Saaaay… kid gloves. By kids. Now there’s an idea…

2014

Mar

REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER By David Bianculli

Check out this lineup – and it’s only a partial list. Salman Rushdie is here. And Andrew Sullivan. And one of the people behind the reboot of Cosmos, none other than Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane.

2014

Mar

AMY WINEHOUSE: ONE SHINING NIGHT By David Bianculli

When Amy Winehouse released her Back to Black album in October 2006, she ended up winning five Grammys, including Record of the Year. But before that, just after the album was released, Winehouse went to Dingle, a small village in southwest Ireland, and performed with just a guitar and bass player for accompaniment, as a TV crew recorded the event. Performed in an old church, in front of a small audience, it’s an intimate concert interspersed with a vintage interview of her discussing her

2014

Mar

A CHRISTMAS STORY By David Bianculli

This 1983 movie is a Christmas holiday staple, now that TBS runs it for 24 hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But here’s a chance to see it out of season, and in a more friendly setting – one without commercial interruptions. Darren McGavin stars.

2014

Mar

VICE By David Bianculli

SEASON PREMIERE: Bill Maher continues his Friday night run of topical TV, as one of the executive producers of this gritty news series, now back for Season 2. Shane Smith is host and reporter, and begins this second season with a personal visit to Afghanistan, in which he gets up close and personal, inspecting the number and condition of Russian aircraft bought by the U.S. for the Afghans to use once the Americans pull out. Except that, according to this report, the Afghans can’t repair mo

2014

Mar

COMMUNITY By David Bianculli

NBC is calling tonight’s guest appearance by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan his first acting appearance on television. But that doesn’t count his hilarious appearance on The Colbert Report, where Stephen Colbert, such a big fan of the show, presented a brilliant video piece in which, after interviewing Gilligan about the end of his Breaking Bad series, Colbert imprisoned Gilligan in an underground “lair,” requiring him to turn out new product. But it’s always f

2014

Mar

THE BIG BANG THEORY By David Bianculli

Sheldon’s mom, Laurie Metcalf, makes a return appearance tonight – and when any of the Big Bang gang’s parents are around – whether seen or just heard – it’s always a cause for celebration, and lots of laughter.

2014

Mar

PARENTHOOD By David Bianculli

Now that Hank (Ray Ramano) has come clean to Sarah (Lauren Graham) about his personal health-related epiphany, the two of them are working closely together again. But so is her nephew Max (Max Burkholder), whose presence doesn’t exactly make the rekindling of their romance any easier.

2014

Mar

PORTLANDIA By David Bianculli

Tonight’s new installment features Steve Buscemi in the type of guest role that only a show as oddball as Portlandia could support: He plays a celery salesman. (Hmm. Does that automatically make him a... stalker?)

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