TUESDAY
DECEMBER 16
2014

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET

The former and still champion: the best TV Christmas special ever made. And I don’t, for a second, think it would be made by any commercial network today with the same fidelity to animator Charles Schulz’s spirit, and spiritual message. Gather the kids.

 
  
 
 

Nickelodeon, 8:00 p.m. ET

I have a soft spot for this particular subject. Tonight on a new edition of Nick News, Linda Ellerbee looks at nontraditional schools, and their various methods of teaching – some turning every learning activity into games, others giving students unusual amounts of freedom and responsibility. I attended Nova High School in Florida, a place that was  boldly experimental then – and which gave me my first, indelibly important exposures to newspapers, television and theater. In this documentary, see whether today’s students are as lucky – and as grateful.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

SEASON FINALE: The winner is announced for this final cycle of 2014 – but on this show, the contestants tend to take a back seat to the judges. That’s especially true tonight, when the coaches are among the acts performing tonight, as part of the effort to turn a 10-second announcement into a two-hour finale. But as for this cycle’s final entrants, Matt McAndrew, daring to sing his original song “Wasted Love,” deserves the win for an unexpectedly strong display of both performing and songwriting.

 
  
 
 

Syfy, 9:00 p.m. ET

Part 2 of 3. This new Syfy miniseries imagines a 100-year space voyage from Earth to some unpopulated but hospitable planet, and picks up the drama at the halfway point, 51 years in. By coincidence, tonight’s episode, the second of three parts, marks the halfway point as well – and if you watched last night, I’m betting you’re sticking around for the rest of the trip. For a full review, see Eric Gould’s Cold Light Reader.
 
  
 
 

Comedy Central, 11:00 p.m. ET

Pay attention, fellow Beatlemaniacs: Tonight’s guest is Sir Paul McCartney.

 
  
 
 

CBS, 12:35 a.m. ET

Craig Ferguson, over the years, has done a devastating impersonation of Larry King – yet that hasn’t kept them from developing an ongoing and mutually appreciative friendship. Tonight, King shows up to schmooze on one of Ferguson’s very last shows – as does another Ferguson favorite, Angela Kinsey.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
RKCEL
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 201  | Go to page: 
4010 Comments
 
 
I definitely enjoying every little bit of this blog. It is a great website and nice share. I want to thank you. Good job! You guys do a great blog, and have some great contents. Keep up the good work
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???,? ???? ??? ?? ??????. ? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????!
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???,? ???? ??? ?? ??????. ? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????!
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ??? ??????. t ? ?? ind personilly wtll certitnly dtgtt? ?????. t'm conftdent ??? thts webstte?? gitned ? ????
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I will right away clutch your rss feed as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me recognize so that I may subscribe.
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ??? ?????? ????? ? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????. ??? ???? ??? ?? ? ??? ?? ???? ?? ? ? ????.
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This Post is providing valuable and unique information, I know that you take a time and effort to make a awesome article
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a fantastic website, thanks for sharing. There's no doubt i would fully rate it after i read what the idea about this article is. You did a nice
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a fantastic website, thanks for sharing. There's no doubt i would fully rate it after i read what the idea about this article is. You did a nice
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
It’s really a fantastic website, thanks for sharing. There's no doubt i would fully rate it after i read what the idea about this article is. You did a nice
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thank you for taking the time to share with us
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Cool stuff you have and you keep overhaul every one of us
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is my first time i visit here. I found so many entertaining stuff in your blog, especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the leisure here! Keep up the good work. I have been meaning to write something like this on my website and you have given me an idea.
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
i was just browsing along and came upon your blog. just wanted to say good blog and this article really helped me
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I was surfing net and fortunately came across this site and found very interesting stuff here. Its really fun to read. I enjoyed a lot. Thanks for sharing this wonderful information
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thank you so much as you have been willing to share information with us. We will forever admire all you have done here because you have made my work as easy as ABC.
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I discovered your this post while hunting down some related data on website search...Its a decent post..keep posting and upgrade the data
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Uncommon tips and clear. This will be to a great degree supportive for me when I get a chance to start my blog
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??
I really enjoyed reading this since it focused on useful points. Well done on putting this together.
Jun 13, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to undertand. Unlike additional blogs I have read which are really not tht good. I also found your posts very interesting. In fact after reading, I had to go show it to my friend and he ejoyed it as well
Jun 13, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 201  | 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.