SATURDAY
SEPTEMBER 2
2017

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

It’s a spectacular night for watching classic movies from the 1960s and 1970s on TV. Between TCM and Cinemax, viewers tonight can choose from among All the President’s Men, The French Connection, and this Stanley Kubrick masterpiece from 1968 – still perhaps the best, most influential, and most audacious and ambitious science-fiction movie ever made. Whether you haven’t seen it in decades, or haven’t seen it all, you should tune in, and sing along with HAL. “Daisy, Daisy…” One of TCM's "The Essentials"? Absolutely.
 
  
 
 

Cinemax, 8:35 p.m. ET

Any film director planning a chase sequence still does so with this 1971 William Friedkin movie in mind, because it remains, all these decades later, the gold standard for location chase films. Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider star as New York detectives whose persistence is as indefatigable as their abrasiveness – and yet, for all their dedication and stubbornness, there’s a lot of 70s-era bleakness in The French Connection as well. Great movie – and the chop-shop sequence was honored, and somewhat recreated, recently in an extended sequence in AMC’s Better Call Saul. Watch for it.

 
  
 
 

BBC America, 9:00 p.m. ET

This three-part series, from some of the makers of Planet Earth II, concludes its look at the American West tonight with a look at “Restless Shores” – the Western half of the “sea to shining sea” part of the U.S.

 
  
 
 

Cinemax, 10:20 p.m. ET

To say that this 1976 movie, based on the Watergate reporting by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (who are played, respectively, by Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman), has a level of added resonance today because of current events would be to overstate the obvious. So I’ll say, instead, that this movie always has been one of my favorites – and is so well-acted, beautiful paced (the screenplay adaptation is by William Goldman), and moodily directed (by Alan J. Pakula) that it works any time, in any circumstances.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 10:45 p.m. ET

In the lineup of tonight’s movies from the era, 1973’s Westworld is a minor entry – but given the subsequent pop-culture impact by writer-director Michael Crichton, both on such other resonant theme-parks-gone-awry works as Jurassic Park and HBO’s current Westworld reimagining, this film, starring Richard Benjamin, James Brolin and an iconic Yul Brynner, is especially enjoyable to reassess in modern times.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
SPNWJ
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 225  | Go to page: 
4483 Comments
 
 
Adams
Checking out classic television recommendations and archival TV reviews is always a great way to discover hidden gems and nostalgic shows to watch. Having dedicated guides makes finding quality entertainment so much easier. While discussing classic media and online entertainment options with friends recently, someone also recommended checking out platforms like [thorfortune](https://thorfortunes.it/) for a smooth and engaging user experience. Thanks for sharing this helpful update!
Aug 19, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Robin_B
Great breakdown! Having well-written television like this makes evening downtime so much more engaging. When I'm taking a break between episodes or just relaxing after a long day of screen time, I usually unwind for a bit with a few casual rounds on [chicken road](https://chickenroad.gr.com/) before starting the next season. Really appreciate the thoughtful recommendations on this site!
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Pemerintah Indonesia, persetan dengan situs web ini, mereka menipu orang.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu ini benar-benar bajingan, berbohong kepada orang-orang dan mencuri uang seperti penipu kotor yang sebenarnya.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para bajingan penipu ini benar-benar sampah, pembohong keji yang mencuri dari orang-orang yang tidak bersalah. Persetan dengan para penipu kotor ini dan permainan penipuan mereka yang menyedihkan.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Penipuan murahan yang berpura-pura sah. Jangan sampai tertipu.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Layanan palsu, ulasan palsu, janji palsu—100% sampah penipuan.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu ini mengira orang-orang itu bodoh. Modus penipuan yang sama, omong kosong yang sama.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu licik menjalankan operasi kotor yang dibangun di atas kebohongan dan penipuan.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Penipuan murahan yang berpura-pura sah. Jangan sampai tertipu.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu yang memalukan memangsa orang-orang dengan klaim palsu dan kebohongan.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu ini mengira orang-orang itu bodoh. Modus penipuan yang sama, omong kosong yang sama.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu ini adalah pembohong profesional. Siapa pun yang mempercayai mereka hanya ikut memperkuat penipuan mereka.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu ini adalah pembohong profesional. Siapa pun yang mempercayai mereka hanya ikut memperkuat penipuan mereka.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Pemerintah Indonesia, persetan dengan situs web ini, mereka menipu orang.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Pemerintah Indonesia tangkap situs web sialan itu
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Penipu sejati, persetan denganmu, jalang!
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Hanya sekelompok penipu lain yang melakukan bisnis kotor secara online.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Para penipu ini adalah pembohong profesional. Siapa pun yang mempercayai mereka hanya ikut memperkuat penipuan mereka.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Penipu berkualitas rendah tanpa integritas dan penuh kebohongan.
Aug 18, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 225  | 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.