TUESDAY
JANUARY 1
2019

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

IFC, 12:00 a.m. ET

Happy New Year!!! Beginning exactly at midnight ET – Holy Happy New Year, Batman! – IFC presents a marathon of the entire first season of ABC’s mod, mad, improbably entertaining Batman series, starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader and Burt Ward as his sidekick Robin, the boy wonder.  The action begins with “Hi Diddle Riddle” and “Smack in the Middle,” the episodes introducing Frank Gorshin as the Riddler – with Jill St. John as, if my memory is correct, the only character to meet a fatal end in the entire Batman series. Burgess Meredith as The Penguin shows up next, at 1:06 a.m. ET in “Fine Feathered Finks” and “The Penguin’s a Jinx,” and Cesar Romero as The Joker is another early addition, at 2:12 a.m. ET with “The Joker Is Wild” and “Batman is Riled.” But it wasn’t until late in that first season, after actors portrayed such minor villains as Zelda the Great, The Mad Hatter and False-Face, that Julie Newmar came on to steal the show as Catwoman (pictured). You can see her, and you should, at 9:51 a.m. ET Tuesday morning, in “The Purr-Fect Crime” and “Better Luck Next Time.”

 
  
 
 

Netflix, 3:00 a.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: For the third and final season of this charming adaptation of Daniel Handler’s series of Lemony Snicket books, this Netflix series adapts the final books in the canon: The Slippery Slope, The Grim Grotto, and the two perfectly titled adventures, The Penultimate Peril and The End. Patrick Warburton continues as the author’s alter ego, playing Lemony Snicket as a sort of kid-lit Rod Serling (see above). And Neil Patrick Harris, as the recurring and chameleonic villain of the piece, is as much fun as everything else. And everything else includes the dazzling direction by Barry Sonnenfeld, so that’s really saying something.

 
  
 
 

Fox, 9:00 p.m. ET

MIDSEASON PREMIERE: Back for the second half of its second season, The Gifted begins with some members of the Mutant Underground in custody, and others seeking to survive by forming new alliances. Meanwhile, the Strucker’s teenage daughter Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lynd) is getting noticably more powerful, unpredictable – and out of control. Did I mention she was a teenager?

 
  
 
 

BBC America, 9:00 p.m. ET

SPECIAL PREMIERE: This is the first between-seasons special starring Jodie Whittaker , as the Doctor, and it promises to be a time-travel romp through Earth’s history, with a very persistent foe on his, or her, trail.

 
  
 
 
 
 
Read and add comments HERE for today's Best Bets!
 
 
 
 
Leave a Comment: (No HTML, 1000 chars max)
 
 Name (required)
 
 Email (required) (will not be published)
 
NCCGD
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 190  | Go to page: 
3785 Comments
 
 
Practical stream
I should say this is impressive. The blog shares valuable and clear information. Really enjoyed reading this and also found (music license for business)[https://practical.stream/] helpful for business music solutions.
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I truly like you're composing style, incredible data, thankyou for posting
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a great article and great read for me. It's my first visit to your blog, and I have found it so useful and informative especially this article
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I should assert barely that its astounding! The blog is informational also always fabricate amazing entitys.
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
You have a good point here!I totally agree with what you have said!!Thanks for sharing your views...hope more people will read this article!!!
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Excellent .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…I’m happy to find so many useful info here in the post, we need work out more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing.
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a great inspiring article.I am pretty much pleased with your good work.You put really very helpful information..
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Glad to chat your blog, I seem to be forward to more reliable articles and I think we all wish to thank so many good articles, blog to share with us
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Trying to say thank you won't simply be adequate, for the astonishing lucidity in your article. I will legitimately get your RSS to remain educated regarding any updates. Wonderful work and much accomplishment in your business endeavors
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I am genuinely thankful to the holder of this web page who has shared this wonderful paragraph at at this place
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Really a great addition. I have read this marvelous post. Thanks for sharing information about it. I really like that
Apr 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I’ve read some good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to create such a great informative website.
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a great article and great read for me. It's my first visit to your blog, and I have found it so useful and informative especially this article
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???
I am happy to find this post very useful for me, as it contains lot of information. I always prefer to read the quality content and this thing I found in you post. Thanks for sharing
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Impressive web site, Distinguished feedback that I can tackle. Im moving forward and may apply to my current job as a  pet sitter, which is very enjoyable, but I need to additional  expand. Regards
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???
I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Wow i can say that this is another great article as expected of this blog.Bookmarked this site..
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Amazing website sir. A great information given by you in this blog. It really informative and very helpful. Thank you.
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Very useful post. This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. Really its great article. Keep it up.
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This web site really has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn't know who to ask
Apr 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 190  | Go to page: 
 
 

David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.