WEDNESDAY
MAY 20
2015

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: If at first you succeed, try, try again. When ABC first launched Who Wants to be a Millionaire in 1999, it was as a special week-long “special event”: a quiz show, adapted from the British hit series of the same name, presented in prime time and spread over a single week to build momentum and interest. It was such a huge hit that ABC soon repeated the experiment, then began programming so many installments of Millionaire over so many time periods that it oversaturated the Regis Philbin-hosted quiz show – but not before its fortunes had helped raise ABC, temporarily, to Number 1. Now comes another week-long ABC quiz show, this one created by Survivor maven Mark Burnett, in which the seven-episode limited series is more like a marathon than a sprint, with contestants eliminated if they get three answers wrong in a row… on their way to try to accumulate a total of 500 correct answers and win. Tonight, it begins… and ABC will know, by tomorrow, whether success can strike twice in this arena, especially with a new show designed to look like an arena. CNN’s Richard Quest hosts.

 
  
 
 

CBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

SEASON FINALE: Speaking of Survivor creator Mark Burnett, here he is again, with another extended live finale of the franchise he launched in 2000, the year after Millionaire – and which helped CBS begin its climb to Number 1. For Survivor, this is cycle number 30, each one hosted by Jeff Probst. Talk about outlasting…

 
  
 
 

TNT, 8:30 p.m. ET

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals begins tonight, with the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks. This is the phase of the tournament where, traditionally, LeBron James shines like few other players in the history of the game – and now that he’s back in Cleveland, he has even more motivation.

 
  
 
 

Sundance, 9:00 p.m. ET

Francis Ford Coppola made this war film in 1979, waging several wars of his own: with his studio, with the elements, even with some of his rebellious actors – most notably Marlon Brando. The result of all that tortured effort? A cinematic masterpiece. Martin Sheen stars.

 
  
 
 

CBS, 11:35 p.m. ET

SERIES FINALE: Late Show will continue, but Late Show with David Letterman will not. CBS is promoting this last installment of the Letterman era as Letterman: The Final Show. And there’s no way it won’t be memorable. I expect – and I hope – some unscripted speaking from the heart, with Letterman looking directly into the camera and talking honestly. Because that’s where Letterman always has been at his very best (as with his return after 9/11, or after his heart surgery, or the death of Johnny Carson), and it’d be fitting for him to take the time to do it again here. But thanks for everything, Dave. As TV runs go, a third of a century is impressive as hell. You’ll be missed.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
RXYKI
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 202  | Go to page: 
4027 Comments
 
 
???
??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?? ?????. ?? ??? ? ???? ??? ???? ????. ?? ? ?????
Jun 23, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
https://gangnamya.clickn.co.kr/
https://gangnamya.clickn.co.kr/
Jun 23, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
https://changwoncoco.clickn.co.kr/
https://changwoncoco.clickn.co.kr/
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ???! ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
Dave Bianculli
Howdy pardner,

Did you pass out on your keyboard after getting drunk, and then just kept bouncing your head over and over and over???

ROTFFLMBFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously dude, watch more TV, drink less alcohol!!!!

Warmly,

Dave
Jun 20, 2026
 
 
 
?? ??? ???! ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ????? ?? ? ????, ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????. ? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????. ???!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ????? ?? ? ????, ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????. ? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????. ???!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ???! ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???? ????? ? ?? ??? ?? ?? ? ??? ???? ??????. ? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?????. ? ??? ??? ? ???? ??? ?????. ? ???? ???? ??????.
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???? ????? ? ?? ??? ?? ?? ? ??? ???? ??????. ? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?????. ? ??? ??? ? ???? ??? ?????. ? ???? ???? ??????.
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??????. ? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ????! ?? ??? ??, ?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??. ? ?? ??? ???? ???????. ?????. ??? ???.
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thank you so much for sharing this great blog.Very inspiring and helpful too.Hope you continue to share more of your ideas.I will definitely love to read
Jun 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ???? ?? ? ??? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?????. ? ??? ??? ?? ?????
Jun 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thank you so much for sharing this great blog.Very inspiring and helpful too.Hope you continue to share more of your ideas.I will definitely love to read
Jun 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
? ?? ?? ??? ?????.
Jun 15, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???? ??? ??????. ?? ?? ??????.
Jun 15, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Stunning! Such an astonishing and accommodating post this is. I super love it. It's so great thus amazing. I am simply stunned. I trust that you keep on doing your work like this later on moreover.
Jun 15, 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
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???,? ???? ??? ?? ??????. ? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????!
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???,? ???? ??? ?? ??????. ? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????!
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 202  | 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.