FRIDAY
MAY 23
2014

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

Fox, 8:00 p.m. ET

Here’s a same-week repeat of last Monday’s new episode. Talk about tough love: Margot (Michelle Fairley), the terrorist who’s the Big Bad of at least the first part of this rebooted, condensed 24 series, learned from her daughter Simone (Emily Berrington) that Simone’s husband was refusing to pilot the commandeered American drones in a ruthless attack on London targets. So to ensure his cooperation, after he defiantly told Margot that nothing she could do to him would make him cooperate, she instructed her right-hand man to cut off Simone’s left-hand finger. Which was done, as the husband watched in horror, then pledged his loyalty before another finger was chopped off. It was a disturbing and powerful scene – but undercut somewhat by the fact that, earlier this season on NBC’s Crisis, another terrorist pulled the same trick. Except in that case, he had his own finger chopped off by one of the terrorists, so no one would suspect he was their secret leader. It just seems odd that, in two shows dealing with high-stakes crises, television seems intent on giving viewers the finger.
 
  
 
 

Starz!, 8:00 p.m. ET

I know at least one person who will be watching this 2013 documentary in a state of fan bliss (hi, Sarah!) – but this concert film about the One Direction boy band could prove interesting to other viewers as well. Of particular note: the “origin story” sequences, which include the group’s formation, and its rise to stardom on Great Britain’s original version of The X Factor.

 
  
 
 

HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET

There are other people on the show tonight, but the one I’m looking most forward to seeing – and, in particular, hearing – is the always outspoken, usually hilarious Sarah Silverman.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 10:01 p.m. ET

SEASON FINALE: This season of Hannibal began with a flash-forward, going ahead 12 weeks in the plot, showing Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) having what looks like a duel to the death in a kitchen, with knives and refrigerator doors just two of the available weapons. In tonight’s Season 2 finale, we return to that scene – and learn both its context and its outcome. But since the show's coming back next fall, and isn't called Crawford, it's not hard to guess the outcome.
 
  
 
 
 
 
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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.