TUESDAY

MAY 1

2012

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

PBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

This new one-hour biography of Jesse Owens, whose speed mocked Adolf Hitler’s vision of Aryan supremacy at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, is itself presented at a breathtaking, exhilarating pace. Narrated by Andre Braugher, and co-produced by Stanley Nelson (who wrote it) and Laurens Grant (who directed it), Jesse Owens, like its subjects, bursts out of the blocks with no wasted motion – and never slows down. For a full review, see Gerald Jordan’s Crossing Jordan review HERE. Check local listings.

GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD

HBO2, 8:00 p.m. ET

The same day this four-hour documentary is released on home video, HBO2 repeats it, showing Part 1 tonight and concluding with Part 2 at the same time tomorrow. To order the DVD, click HERE. And to watch the Beatles’ complete rooftop concert, with links to previous Material World reviews by Eric Gould and me, click HERE.

THE VOICE

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

This is the elimination night that gets us down to the Final Four. All I’m saying is, Juliet Simms had better be one of them. Even when they make her go on stage dressed as a fallen angel to sing an Aerosmith song, as they did last week (see photo), she takes those two strikes and somehow manages to score a hit. And last night, she channeled James Brown -- and got very good reception. For a report about the British version of this show, now in its first season over there, read new contributor Kim Akass' story HERE.

FRONTLINE: "MONEY, POWER & WALL STREET"

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

Parts 3 and 4. This four-hour examination of the current financial crisis, and how we got to this point, is very informative, but also very depressing. And there’s no avoiding the conclusion that we’re not close to being out of the woods yet. But we knew that already, didn’t we? Check local listings.

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

TCM, 10:15 p.m. ET

Long before Peter Benchley went to the sea with Jaws, but long after Herman Melville did it with Moby-Dick, Ernest Hemingway dove into his own aquatic allegories with this short, terse story about an aging fisherman and his persistence in his quest to catch an elusive, glorious marlin. Spencer Tracy stars in this 1958 movie version, directed by John Sturges. The author’s fourth wife, Mary Hemingway, can be seen in the film very briefly, playing a tourist.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>

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)


Type in the verification word shown on the image.

Page: 1 of 226 | Go to page:

4504 Comments

betplay

I have browsed most of your posts. This post is probably where I got the most

Aug 24, 2026 | Reply

They can be tips related to numerous composition categories, including college applications and complex assignments like Kaplan assignment help

Aug 24, 2026 | Reply

jasa blogroll

I’m happy this one is so great. Keep up the excellent work

Aug 23, 2026 | Reply

jasa backlink judi

very good post, i certainly love this web site, keep on it

Aug 23, 2026 | Reply

??????

Thank you for taking the time to share with us

Aug 23, 2026 | Reply

jasa pbn backlink

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

Aug 23, 2026 | Reply

??????

You there, this is really good post here. Thanks for taking the time to post such valuable information. Quality content is what always gets the visitors coming

Aug 23, 2026 | Reply

mlb??

Yes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can't help but wonder, what about the other side? !!!!!!Thanks

Aug 23, 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

Aug 23, 2026 | Reply

??? ??? ??

??? ???? ?? ?????. ?? ?????? ?? ?? ????. ?? ??? ??? ?????. ?? ??? ?????!

Aug 23, 2026 | Reply

? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????. ????? ? ? ??? ?? ? ? ????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

?? ??? ??

???? ????? ? ?? ??? ?? ?? ? ??? ???? ??????. ? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?????. ? ??? ??? ? ???? ??? ?????. ? ???? ???? ??????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

betplay

? ??? ?? ???? ???? ??? ? ????? ????? ?? ? ????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

?? ??? ?? ???. ?? ???. ??? ??? ?????. ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ? ??? ?? ?????. ??? ?? ?? ??? ??? ? ??? ?????. ? ?? ??? ?????? ..

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

????

??? ? ???? ???? ? ?? ????. ? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?????????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

??? ??, ??? ? ???,? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ? ????? ? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???. ????? ???? ???? ??? ??????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

????

??? ???? ??? ?????. ?? ?? Diwali Bumper Lottery? ?? ? ????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?????????.? ??? ?? ?? ?????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

????

??? ???? ??? ?????. ?? ?? Diwali Bumper Lottery? ?? ? ????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?????????.? ??? ?? ?? ?????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

betplay

?? ?? ?? ??? ??? ????. ??? ? ????? ?? ?????. ?????. ? ??! ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??? ????. ?? ?? ??????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

??????

?? ??? ??? ?? ?????! ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ?????.

Aug 22, 2026 | Reply

Page: 1 of 226 | 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.

New From TVWW

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

PBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

HBO2, 8:00 p.m. ET

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

TCM, 10:15 p.m. ET

David Bianculli

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