SATURDAY

FEBRUARY 14

2015

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE REWIND MEGA-MARATHON

VH1 Classic, 11:30 a.m. ET

The build-up to NBC’s Sunday night Saturday Night Live anniversary special continues – and not just on NBC. VH1 Classic has been counting down through 39 seasons of SNL, showing every episode in reverse chronological order. Now that we’ve gotten past the abysmal 1980-1985 years – the show’s Dark Ages, when producer Lorne Michaels had left the series – it’s safe to go back to the TV set again. Especially at 11:30 a.m. ET, when VH1 Classic presents the Season 2 episode, from 1976, hosted by Paul Simon, and with George Harrison as special musical guest. Perched on stools and playing acoustic guitars, they join forces for both “Homeward Bound” and “Here Comes the Sun,” an all-time SNL highlight. Also today, from 2:30-10 p.m. ET: a special block presenting five of Steve Martin’s appearances as host.

THE RED BALLOON

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

This 1956 Oscar-winning short film is a French fantasy by director Albert Lamorisse, and is very much a family affair. It’s the simple, charming story of a young boy whose toy balloon exhibits an increasingly strong personality – and the boy is played by the director’s own son, Pascal. Oh, and the little girl who has a seemingly sentient balloon of her own? She’s played by Pascal’s sister, Sabine.

THE FIFTH ESTATE

Showtime, 9:00 p.m. ET

Benedict Cumberbatch, up for an Oscar this month for playing a very smart man who deals with secrets, plays another in this 2013 movie. He plays Julian Assange, the controversial founder of WikiLeaks. And Cumberbatch, who also plays the title role in TV’s Sherlock, isn’t the only high-profile British TV star in this docudrama: Another is Peter Capaldi, now the latest actor to portray the titular role in Doctor Who.

9 1/2 WEEKS

Sundance, 9:00 p.m. ET

Here’s a Valentine’s Day offering right in tune with the release of the Fifty Shades of Grey film. From 1986, it’s the same story from a previous generation: Kim Basinger plays an innocent young woman who becomes fascinated by a wealthy and handsome hedonist, played by Mickey Rourke, with a taste for BDSM.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

NBC, 11:29 p.m. ET

Tomorrow in prime time, NBC presents a giant anniversary special devoted to Saturday Night Live. But tonight, in the regular SNL Saturday night time slot, NBC repeats, in its entirety, the original series pilot, from October 1975. George Carlin is the host, and the musical guests are Billy Preston and Janis Ian. For my column about why I owe my career as a TV critic to Saturday Night Live, see Bianculli’s Blog.

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3685 Comments

Gerda Lundgren

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Dave Bianculli

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Sincerely,

Dave

Mar 22, 2026

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Arvid Berggren

Long-time TVWW devotee here. I manage a commercial vehicle operation and Colorado Springs Mobile Mechanic (https://coloradospringcosmobilemechanic.com) keeps our fleet going. Bianculli's picks keep us sane during maintenance delays - essential reading!

Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Frida Sundberg

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Viggo Lundqvist

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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.

New From TVWW

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

VH1 Classic, 11:30 a.m. ET

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

Showtime, 9:00 p.m. ET

Sundance, 9:00 p.m. ET

NBC, 11:29 p.m. ET

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