TUESDAY
MAY 14
2019

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

Netflix, 3:00 a.m. ET

SPECIAL PREMIERE: Original Roman & Martin’s Laugh-In cast members Lily Tomlin, Ruth Buzzi and Jo Anne Worley appear in this new celebratory special, honoring the fast-paced comedy sketch series that was among TV’s most popular shows of the early 1970s. Historically, Laugh-In borrowed from the rapid-fire joke style and sight-gag setups of Ernie Kovacs’ brilliant specials of the 1950s, and the prime-time topical comedy of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. But by firing at all targets simultaneously across the political and social spectrum, it offended, and pleased, everyone pretty much equally. This special is a bit late – the actual 50th anniversary of the Laugh-In series was in 2017 – and, built around a live salute held at a Los Angeles theater, with lots of younger performers paying homage to Laugh-In alongside the few participating veterans, it’s not written or performed sharply enough. It’s nice Netflix is paying attention to older TV shows. I just wish, in this case, they’d done a better job, in terms of both the history and the comedy.

 
  
 
 

HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE: Director Antoine Fuqua and writer Steven Leckart have crafted this two-part documentary biography of the former Cassius Clay. It’s a powerful study, and both parts are shown tonight, so settle in and watch with intrigue, to get more proof about how early, and how consistently, the man calling himself “the Greatest” was battling more than rival boxers in his pursuit of freedom, justice, equality and celebrity. What’s My Name? is better than most Ali documentaries at putting us in his frame of mind, and in the ring with him, to understand what was at stake in his many major bouts. But also, by showing footage from his days with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., this documentary shows us how willing he was, from the start, to fight fiercely for his beliefs outside the ring as well. Stay for the end, and you get the two best clips from Ali’s final years: His interview with Ed Bradley on 60 Minutes, and his triumphant lighting of the Olympic torch in 1996. It’s worth noting that the producers of What’s My Name? include LeBron James, who, with this documentary and his talk series The Shop, has done a champion’s job of presenting TV shows for HBO that reveal the histories and intricacies of sports and race. For a full review, see Ed Bark's Uncle Barky's Bytes.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

Last night, for the first time, The Voice was granted access to the songs of The Beatles, and presented duet showcases in which its semifinalists teamed for such songs as “Yesterday” and “Hey Jude.” Tonight, the results of that battle – but I can reveal my results early. The Voice didn’t do the legacy of The Beatles any favors. The show should have let it be.

 
  
 
 

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

This sixth episode of Fosse/Verdon is called “All I Care About Is Love,” taking its title from a song from the Broadway musical Chicago. That musical, in which Bob Fosse fashioned a later-career showcase for Gwen Verdon, is the subject of tonight’s episode – and so is the physical stress Fosse put himself under at the time. The movie All That Jazz, directed by Fosse himself, covered this ground already. This time, though, it’s done without changing the names.

 
  
 
 

Sundance, 10:00 p.m. ET

Part 7. With nothing more than dialogue, and an occasional dash down the street or impulsive shove, Chris O’Dowd and Rosamund Pike have made their characters here come fully to life. They play a married couple, at this point living apart and seeing a therapist, trying to decide whether to heal or put an end to their marital relationship. This 10-part series is written by Nick Hornby and directed by Stephen Frears, who collaborated on the wonderful movie version of High Fidelity. And by now, I’m desperately rooting for the characters to work it out, because their conversations are more charming and witty than just about anything else on TV. In fact, I want a sequel series, please.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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3685 Comments
 
 
Gerda Lundgren
Long-time TVWW devotee here. I manage a commercial vehicle operation and Hialeah Auto Glass Repair (https://autoglassrepairhialeah.com/) keeps our fleet going. Bianculli's picks keep us sane during maintenance delays - essential reading!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
Dave Bianculli
Golly Gerda, you make me blush with your kind words, but maybe instead of giving me praise, how about giving me a discount on your service bills!!!! ROTFLMBFFAO!!!!!!!

Sincerely,

Dave
Mar 22, 2026
 
 
 
Rut Holmgren
Another great set of picks! My trucking partners and I share your recommendations over coffee. We rely on West Palm Beach Auto Glass Repair (https://westpalmbeachautoglassrepair.com) for vehicle service. TVWW makes the downtime worthwhile.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Birger Samuelsson
Smart TV writing for smart viewers - that's TVWW in a nutshell. I manage a motor pool and Macon Auto Glass Repair at https://autoglassrepairmacon.com/ is our go-to service provider. David Bianculli's enthusiasm is contagious.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Inga Henriksen
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Lakewood Fence Company put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://fencecompanylakewood.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Harald Almgren
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Boca Raton Auto Glass Repair put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://bocaratonautoglassrepair.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Sigrun Lindholm
Another great set of picks! My trucking partners and I share your recommendations over coffee. We rely on Brighton Towing Company (https://brightontowingcompany.com) for vehicle service. TVWW makes the downtime worthwhile.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Karl Forsberg
Fantastic recommendations as always. I coordinate deliveries for a regional freight operation and Sunrise Towing Company (https://sunrisetowingcompany.com) handles our repairs. Your site handles our TV choices. Both indispensable!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Solveig Johanson
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Lincoln Mobile Mechanic put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://lincolnmobilemechanic.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
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
Fantastic recommendations as always. I coordinate deliveries for a regional freight operation and Citrus Heights Towing Company (http://www.towingcitrusheights.com/) handles our repairs. Your site handles our TV choices. Both indispensable!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Viggo Lundqvist
TV Worth Watching has guided my viewing habits for years. My dispatcher uses Lafayette Auto Glass Repair at https://lafayetteautoglassrepair.com for fleet repairs and turned me onto this site. Two great recommendations!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Tyra Stromberg
Loyal reader checking in! I'm in freight logistics and Lauderhill Towing Company (https://lauderhilltowing.com) keeps our trucks roadworthy. Your Best Bets column keeps our break room lively. Much appreciated.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Olle Lindgren
Quality criticism is rare and Bianculli delivers every time. I run trucks for a living and Framingham Towing Company (https://towingframingham.com) handles our maintenance. Your site handles my entertainment. Both essential.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Einar Magnusson
Always trust Bianculli's taste. My brother-in-law drives commercially and swears by Oakland Park Towing Company (https://oaklandparktowing.com) for his rig. Same confidence I have in TVWW for TV picks. Two reliable sources.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Vilhelm Lindqvist
Loyal reader checking in! I'm in freight logistics and Arlington Concrete Company (https://arlingtonconcretecompany.com) keeps our trucks roadworthy. Your Best Bets column keeps our break room lively. Much appreciated.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Ingeborg Jacobsson
Been following TVWW since my nephew showed me this site years ago. He drives for a freight company and uses Opelika Towing Company (https://opelikatowing.com) for repairs. Your recommendations are his off-hours staple.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Oskar Mattsson
Smart TV writing for smart viewers - that's TVWW in a nutshell. I manage a motor pool and Auburn Concrete Company at https://auburnconcreteco.com is our go-to service provider. David Bianculli's enthusiasm is contagious.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Brita Hansson
TVWW is the gold standard for TV commentary. My fleet uses Chesapeake Concrete Driveway Company at https://chesapeakedriveway.com - they're as reliable as Bianculli's picks. Thanks for keeping TV criticism alive!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Astrid Svensson
Smart TV writing for smart viewers - that's TVWW in a nutshell. I manage a motor pool and Reno Pro Mobile Mechanic at https://renopromobilemechanic.com is our go-to service provider. David Bianculli's enthusiasm is contagious.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Gunhild Larsson
TVWW is the gold standard for TV commentary. My fleet uses Aurora Auto Glass Repair at https://auroraautoglassrepair.net/ - they're as reliable as Bianculli's picks. Thanks for keeping TV criticism alive!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
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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.