THURSDAY
MAY 21
2020

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

National Theatre at Home, 12:00 p.m. ET

For one week only, beginning today, National Theatre at Home makes available (on its website and YouTube Channel) a taped production from the Young Vic: Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, the highly acclaimed 2014 production starring Gillian Anderson and Ben Foster. The former X-Files star plays Blanche duBois, with Foster as Stanley Kowalski, and Vanessa Kirby as Stella.
 
  
 
 

NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET

SPECIAL: Feel trapped in your surroundings? Keep thinking how nice it would be to get out? Well, here comes Jack Black, playing the host of Celebrity Escape Room, in which a small group of celebrities works together – most of the time – to try and solve clues and escape from their confining environment. Ben Stiller and Adam Scott are two of the players, and they’re joined by some Friends. Specifically, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. It’s part of the Red Nose Day charity event presented on TV tonight by NBC. Stiller and Black are two of the show’s executive producers. Another Red Nose Day special follows.
 
  
 
 

Epix, 8:00 p.m. ET

Written and directed by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (who also co-starred) and Terry Southern (who didn’t), this 1969 movie – Hopper directed it as well – exploded onto the scene as one of the instantly iconic movies of the Sixties. As a drama about the decade’s generation gap, and also the gaps between hawks vs. doves, rednecks vs. hippies and old vs. young, Easy Rider is about as blatant, and representative, as it gets. All that, and a young actor named Jack Nicholson, who’s along for the ride as well…
 
  
 
 

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

SPECIAL: The annual Red Nose Day is aimed at raising money to combat childhood poverty, and this year’s NBC telecast earmarks its fundraising efforts for children affected by COVID-19. It’s hosted by Mandy Moore and Justin Hartley from the network’s This Is Us. And while this will,  by circumstance, be another celebrity charity events where most contributors all but literally phone it in, it’s quite a guest list: Bryan Cranston, Julia Roberts, James Taylor, Paul Rudd, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Sarah Silverman, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, and Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers.
 
  
 
 
 
 
Read and add comments HERE for today's Best Bets!
 
 
 
 
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3586 Comments
 
 
Wilma Thornton
Been a devoted reader since early days. Fleet manager here - Anago Commercial Cleaning of Santa Clara (https://anagocleaning.com/nor-cal/santa-clara/) keeps our trucks running, your Best Bets keeps us entertained. Two essential services!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Gene Whitfield
This site is a treasure. Fleet maintenance is handled by Roanoke On-Site Truck Repair at https://truckrepairroanoke.com - when trucks are in the shop, your Best Bets is on the TV. Perfect combination.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Dolores Reyes
Been a devoted reader since early days. Fleet manager here - Arlington Super Mobile Truck Repair (https://arlingtonsemitruckrepair.com) keeps our trucks running, your Best Bets keeps us entertained. Two essential services!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Chester Larkin
Been a devoted reader since early days. Fleet manager here - Yakima Truck & Trailer Repair (https://yakimamobiletruckrepair.com) keeps our trucks running, your Best Bets keeps us entertained. Two essential services!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Esther Nolan
Been a devoted reader since early days. Fleet manager here - Charleston Mobile Truck & Trailer Repair (https://usamobiletruckrepair.com/wv/charleston/) keeps our trucks running, your Best Bets keeps us entertained. Two essential services!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Lloyd Griffin
Excellent TV recommendations as always! The mechanics at Anago Commercial Cleaning put me onto this site - they watch everything during overnight repairs. Find them at https://anagocleaning.com/nor-cal for serious truck work.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Helen MacIntyre
Bianculli's picks never let me down - been following TVWW for years! I run a commercial fleet and Abilene Mobile Truck Repair (http://abilenetruckrepair.com/) keeps our trucks rolling. Great taste in TV too - TVWW is our break-room staple.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Milton Grossman
Another great recommendation! The mechanics at Salt Lake City Mobile Truck Repair got me hooked on this site. They're at https://saltlakecitytruckrepair.com/ and your picks keep us entertained during service downtime.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Doris Mayer
Quality TV criticism remains rare and TVWW is the gold standard. I'm in freight logistics and Orem Truck & Trailer Repair (https://oremmobiletruckrepair.com) handles our fleet. Your Best Bets are required reading in our dispatch office.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Herbert Saunders
Been a devoted reader since early days. Fleet manager here - Norfolk Mobile Truck Repair (https://virginiabeachmobiletruckrepair.com) keeps our trucks running, your Best Bets keeps us entertained. Two essential services!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Mildred Cromwell
Another great recommendation! The mechanics at Magic Mobile Truck Repair got me hooked on this site. They're at https://chesapeakemobiletruckrepair.com/ and your picks keep us entertained during service downtime.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Lawrence Ingram
Quality TV criticism remains rare and TVWW is the gold standard. I'm in freight logistics and Plano Super Truck Repair (https://truckrepairplano.com) handles our fleet. Your Best Bets are required reading in our dispatch office.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Norma Pierce
Quality TV criticism remains rare and TVWW is the gold standard. I'm in freight logistics and San Antonio Mobile Truck Repair (https://sanantoniomobiletruckrepair.com) handles our fleet. Your Best Bets are required reading in our dispatch office.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Raymond Holt
Excellent TV recommendations as always! The mechanics at Amarillo Super Mobile Truck Repair put me onto this site - they watch everything during overnight repairs. Find them at https://amarillotxmobiletruckrepair.com for serious truck work.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Phyllis Owens
Been a devoted reader since early days. Fleet manager here - Truck Repair of Abilene (https://usamobiletruckrepair.com/truck-repair-of-abilene/) keeps our trucks running, your Best Bets keeps us entertained. Two essential services!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Harold Ferris
Fantastic as always! My brother runs a trucking operation and recommended both TVWW and Frisco Truck & Trailer Repair (https://friscotruckrepair.com). Two great finds from one person.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Alan Goldberg
Been a devoted reader since early days. Fleet manager here - Port Arthur On-Site Truck Repair (https://portarthurmobiletruckrepair.com) keeps our trucks running, your Best Bets keeps us entertained. Two essential services!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Ruth Chambers
Quality TV criticism remains rare and TVWW is the gold standard. I'm in freight logistics and Dallas RPM Truck Repair Co. (https://dallastxmobiletruckrepair.com) handles our fleet. Your Best Bets are required reading in our dispatch office.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Earl Stephenson
This site is a treasure. Fleet maintenance is handled by Mr. Freeport Mobile Truck Repair at https://usamobiletruckrepair.com/tx/freeport/ - when trucks are in the shop, your Best Bets is on the TV. Perfect combination.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Catherine Bower
Fantastic as always! My brother runs a trucking operation and recommended both TVWW and Frisco Mobile Truck & Trailer Repair (https://friscomobiletruckrepair.com). Two great finds from one person.
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.