FRIDAY
FEBRUARY 19
2016

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

Netflix, 3:00 a.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: The three creators of this new Netflix comedy series, all 10 episodes of which are available for streaming beginning today, are Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin and Paul Rust. Apatow and Arfin collaborated on HBO’s Girls (he as an executive producer, she as a first-season writer), and Arfin and Rust collaborate on a daily basis: They’re married to one another. Rust is on camera as well, co-starring opposite Gillian Jacobs from Community. They play thirtysomethings who find each other, but they’re in no hurry, and neither is Love. In the premiere episode, they don’t “meet cute” until literally the last moment of the episode. I’ve seen three episodes so far, and I like them all. It’s clearly a proudly uncensored comedy, in terms of sex, nudity and language – but it’s also smart. It takes a while for us to follow the lead characters to their respective jobs, but when we do, they’re workplaces worth paying more time watching. For full reviews, see David Hinckley’s All Along the Watchtower and Ed Bark’s Uncle Barky’s Bytes.

 
  
 
 

Netflix, 3:00 a.m. ET

DOCUMENTARY MINISERIES PREMIERE: Michael Pollan is the host of this four-part documentary series, which, like his book, is divided into four parts: “Fire, Water, Air, and earth. “We are the species who cooks, he begins. “No other species cooks.” All four parts are streamed beginning today, starting with the premiere, “Fire,” which includes a midpoint surprise appearance by James Taylor. Why? Ah, there’s the rub. Although, when discussing pigs in this documentary, the rub, and the ritualistic cooking, surfaces elsewhere.

 
  
 
 

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

Carole King is enjoying a very good stretch at the moment: Having a Broadway musical based on her life and work, winning a Kennedy Center Honor, and so on. Now she’s also the subject of an American Masters tribute – though I can’t imagine any tribute as moving as when Aretha Franklin belted out one of King’s songs at the Kennedy Center, dropping purse and fur to do it right. Check local listings.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

Groucho Marx is the fast-talking Dr. Hackenbush in this 1937 Marx Brothers comedy, in which – oh, look. I’m pressed for time today. It’s a Marx Brothers movie. What else do you need?

 
  
 
 

Starz!, 9:00 p.m. ET

This 2015 movie is a really bad comedy based on a really fun idea: Hostile aliens, intercepting our videogame culture from the 1980s, generate giant pixellated conquerors based on old videogame villains. Our planet’s only hope? Old gamers from that era, who know just how to evade and best the likes of Donkey Kong. Adam Sandler, Josh Gad and Kevin James star, but the premise, like each of the main characters, is mostly wasted.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
PWFXU
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 194  | Go to page: 
3864 Comments
 
 
??? ?? ? ??? ?? ?????. ?? ? ???? ?????. ?? ???? ?????
May 10, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
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
May 10, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
"??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????. ?? ???? ??? ????" "??? ??? ??? ?????" "?? ???? ???? ?? ?????. ?????.
May 10, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I truly like you're composing style, incredible data, thankyou for posting
May 10, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This site is excellent and so is how the subject matter was explained. I also like some of the comments too. Looking forward to your next post.
May 10, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a great post I seen because of offer it. It is truly what I needed to see seek in future you will proceed after sharing such a magnificent post
May 10, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????. ????? ? ? ??? ?? ? ? ????.
May 9, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???
? ?? ???? ?? ? ??? ??? ?????. ? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?????. ????? ??????. ?? ?? ? ??? ?????.
May 9, 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!
May 9, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ?? ? ??? ??? ? ??? ?? ?????. ??? ??? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ?? ????? ?????! ????? ????? ??? ?? ??? ? ?? ????.
May 9, 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!!
May 9, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Nice to be visiting your blog again, it has been months for me. Well this article that i've been waited for so long. I need this article to complete my assignment in the college, and it has the same topic with your article. Thanks, great share
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??
??? ???? ?? ?????. ?? ?????? ?? ?? ????. ?? ??? ??? ?????. ?? ??? ?????!
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Great Information sharing .. I am very happy to read this article .. thanks for giving us go through info.Fantastic nice. I appreciate this post.
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Great Information sharing .. I am very happy to read this article .. thanks for giving us go through info.Fantastic nice. I appreciate this post.
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Great Information sharing .. I am very happy to read this article .. thanks for giving us go through info.Fantastic nice. I appreciate this post.
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
you have done a great job. I will definitely dig it and personally recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this.
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Great post but I was wondering if you could write a little more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thanks in advance!
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thank you for your post, I look for such article along time, today i find it finally. this post give me lots of advise it is very useful for me
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I have been checking out a few of your stories and i can state pretty good stuff. I will definitely bookmark your blog
May 7, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 194  | 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.