On Mother’s Day, family TV shows are especially welcome – and one thing you can say about American Idol, in all its incarnations, is that it’s a show that can be watched by the entire family. So here it is, live, a two-hour competition featuring the new ABC program’s first Top 5 – and with Katy Perry invariably grabbing the biggest share of the spotlight, from contestants and judges alike, as she did on "Disney music" night last week, by dressing as Snow White...

2018

May

MASTERPIECE: "LITTLE WOMEN" By David Bianculli

MINISERIES PREMIERE: This new three-hour version of the Louisa May Alcott classic is presented over two Sundays: the first hour tonight, and the concluding two hours next week. Maya Hawke stars as Jo, but the biggest names, in this new TV adaptation of the tale of close-knit Massachusetts siblings during the Civil War, are not the actresses playing the March sisters, but the elder generation of parents and neighbors. They’re played by Emily Watson, Angela Lansbury, and Singing Detective st

2018

May

KILLING EVE By David Bianculli

Last week’s episode was an exciting and unpredictable one, with hit woman Villanelle (Jodie Comer) breaking into the home of Eve (Sandra Oh), the British intelligent agent hot on her trail – and asking for some dinner. These characters are written so well, and so quirkily, that you never know quite what they’ll do or so, which is half the fun. Last week, for example, when a man about to be killed by Eve begged for his life by saying he had children, Eve replied by asking what s

2018

May

THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE WILDEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH By David Bianculli

In some respects, this past week arguably has been President Donald Trump’s most embraced and impressive. In other respects, there’s the loose cannon that is Rudy Giuliani, and the heat-seeking, newsmaking missile that is Michael Avenatti. Presumably, today The Circus covers both ends of the spectrum.

2018

May

WESTWORLD By David Bianculli

This fourth episode of Season 2 of Westworld returns, in part, to the story of Bernard, where we learn more about the true motives of the corporation behind these high-tech amusement parks. It has something to do with invasion of privacy, and profiting from the use of private information gathered from the park’s customers. So, in a way, the Delos corporation and Facebook may have something else in common, beside the desire to attract as many people as possible…

2018

May

BILLIONS By David Bianculli

Last week’s Billions accomplished the seemingly impossible: Both Axe and Chuck walked away without being indicted or prosecuted for their crimes, and Wendy managed to retain her pivotal position as Chuck’s wife and Axe’s “spirit animal.” Tonight, both men are flush with victory, and eager to dive in… but where?

2018

May

BARRY By David Bianculli

SEASON FINALE: Barry has grown stronger and more impressive each episode – and last week, allowed both Barry and the actor playing him, Bill Hader, to do some intense, involving acting. And tonight, Barry tries to take control of his life, which might well mean taking the life of one or two others. Or maybe more…

2018

May

LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER By David Bianculli

What The Circus does Sunday nights on Showtime, this program does the same night on HBO. Except with this one, the laughs are more intentional than rueful. And no, John Oliver didn’t self-cancel his show last week, celebrating a career-high victory after getting an Australian koala chlamydia ward named after him by Russell Crowe. The rest is true – but not the part about Oliver quitting. He’s still here, I’m very, very pleased to report… with a new installment of L

2018

May

THE LATEST ADAPTATION OF 'LITTLE WOMEN' DOESN'T DISAPPOINT By David Hinckley

There’s a scene in Downton Abbey where Lady Grantham laments the fractious relationship among her three children by sighing, “No one ever tells you about raising daughters. You think it’s going to be like Little Women...

2018

May

OTTERWISE, A GREAT PERFORMANCE By Eric Gould

Critical praise is high for Benedict Cumberbatch on the premiere of his new Showtime series, Patrick Melrose... turns out, he’s a good sport, instantly game in this clip from a 2015 episode of The Graham Norton Show where Norton posted pictures from a popular meme playing on Cumberbatch’s assumed resemblance to otters...

Posts 121-130 of 204

12 13 14 15 16

New From TVWW

PBS' 'Frontline’ Examines Pension Promises and — Spoiler Alert — Finds the Math Doesn’t Add Up

The Decadence of ‘Versailles’ Comes to Ovation

Prescribing Mamie Gummer in 'Emily Owens, M.D.'

Looking for a Free Ride? HBO Can Deliver

'Pass the Biscuits' Part of the Hatfield-McCoy Pop-Culture Legacy

Dispatches From TVWW

'Extinction: The Facts' is a Sobering Call to Action

How 'Mayans' Has Been Influenced by the Show's Creator Elgin James

For Whom the Bell Tolls: Ken Burns and Lynn Novick Take on Ernest Hemingway, the Man and the Myth

In the Final Season, Sutton Foster's Liza is Now the Genuine Version of Her 'Younger' Self

Season 2 of 'City on a Hill' Returns with Kevin Bacon, Aldis Hodge, and Boston Corruption