FRIDAY
FEBRUARY 12
2016

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

LouisCK.net, 12:00 a.m. ET

MINISERIES PREMIERE: Acting like a music superstar, Louis C.K. unexpectedly dropped a new project on the public – this time a new miniseries, which he’s unrolling slowly but surely on his own website, for a very reasonable fee: $5 for the expanded premiere episode, and $2 for episode two (the only ones available at this point). Horace and Pete is set in a bar, managed by brothers played by Louis C.K. and Steve Buscemi – and while some parts are very funny, others are raw and dramatic. Expect less of a Cheers vibe and more of a Eugene O’Neill one, and you’ll be better prepared for what you’ll encounter here. But it’s completely worth seeking out, and the price – not only because of writer-director Louis C.K.’s approach, but also because of the amazing cast. In the premiere alone, Alan Alda portrays the crankiest, most foul-mouthed person he’s ever played, and Jessica Lange and Edie Falco play two relatives who visit the bar. And on this show, even the term “relatives” turns out to be… relative. To purchase and watch, see Louis C.K.’s website.
 
  
 
 

Hulu, 12:00 a.m. ET

SPECIAL: Once again, veteran (very) funnyman Bob Smigel takes his act on the road, and on his hand: As the voice and quick-thinking mind of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, his canine hand puppet, Smigel and his crew hit the campaign trail, to follow, and occasionally interact with or haunt, actual presidential candidates. The only one with whom Triumph lands an actual interview is Mike Huckabee, which tells you a lot about power politics. But Triumph attends rallies by Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and others, and sometimes goes to unexpected lengths even when rebuffed. (Chartering his own Cruz bus with a Triumph face on it to follow the candidate from event to event, for example.) There are times when Triumph’s presence is too disruptive, but there are other moments where Triumph’s observations are quite quotable – as when, outside a large gathering at a Trump rally, Triumph says, “We are witnessing history here, folks. Specifically, Germany, 1934.” If that intrigues you more than it offends you – or even if it doesn’t, because Triumph is an equal-opportunity, two-party insulter – you can watch the entire special on Hulu.
 
  
 
 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

All this month, TCM has been leading up to the Academy Awards telecast by showing movies, moviemakers and stars that have either won or been nominated for Oscars. I mention it now only because tonight’s lineup is a quartet of movies that, taken together, are an almost unfairly strong evening of cinematic entertainment. Two Dustin Hoffman standout movies start things off, with 1982’s Tootsie at 8 p.m. ET and 1979’s Kramer vs. Kramer at 10 ET, followed by two Robert De Niro classics: 1978’s The Deer Hunter at midnight ET and 1990’s Goodfellas at 3:15 a.m. ET. And watch for Meryl Streep as the unofficial bridge: She can be seen in both Kramer vs. Kramer (pictured) and The Deer Hunter.

 
  
 
 

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

If you’re puzzled by the subtitle of this week’s new American Masters entry, B.B. King: The Life of Riley, the first thing you should know is that the late blues legend B.B. King’s real first name is Riley. This biography, like last week’s profile of the late Mike Nichols, is told mostly via vintage interviews with the documentary subject himself, along with supplemental interviews by close friends and collaborators. In this case, those interviewed include Keith Richards and Bono. Jon Brewer is the producer-director. For a full review, see David Hinckley’s All Along the Watchtower.

Check local listings.

 
  
 
 

PBS, 10:00 p.m. ET

The key thing about this new David Bowie documentary is that the Five Years in the title are sequential but not chronological. Or, if this is clearer, they’re in order, but they skip some years. The Five Years examined here start with 1971, the year of Ziggy Stardust, and end with 1983 and the Niles Rodgers-produced “Let’s Dance.” In between – well, if you want to know that, you should be watching this special. Check local listings.
 
  
 
 

HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET

What a news week – and Bill Maher will be here to comment on it all, along with NBC foreign correspondent Richard Engel, comedian Margaret Cho, and a roundtable of guests.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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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.