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.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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3694 Comments
 
 
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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
 
 
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Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
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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
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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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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
 
 
 
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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.