TUESDAY

JANUARY 24

2017

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

PBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

It was 55 years ago that Rachel Carson published her bestselling book, Silent Spring, that sparked a national debate about the adverse affects of pesticides, and is widely credited with giving birth to the modern environmental movement. (I’m of the minority but stubborn belief that Walt Disney’s early nature film shorts, seen in theaters and on TV in the 1950s and 1960s, were an even earlier spark.) Tonight, American Experience presents a biographical profile of Carson, whose life is much less familiar than her 1962 book and its legacy. For a full review, see Gerald Jordan’s Crossing Jordan. Check local listings.

THIS IS US

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

In tonight’s new episode, the scenes set in the past have to do with a birthday celebration – three of them, at the same time.

MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET

This new story arc, about the potentially sinister awakenings of the Life Model Decoy known as Aida, already is more satisfying than last year’s long and disappointing Ghost Rider arc. And Mallory Janson, as Aida, is getting to play an increasingly juicy role – not only as the current incarnation of her LMD renegade, but as a previous model, decapitated but slowly being brought back to life, at least from the beck up, by some of the members of S.H.I.E.L.D. If you’re a young actress in Hollywood, landing a showy dual role such as this is one way to get a head…

FRONTLINE: "TRUMP'S ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE"

PBS, 10:00 p.m. ET

Last week’s superb four-hour Frontline documentary, The Divided States of America, explained how we as a nation got to this point in our politically bifurcated history, with Donald Trump as President of the United States and with rallies staged nationwide, and beyond, to support alternate policies and ideals. Tonight, Frontline explains not how we got there, but how Trump did. Check local listings.

TABOO

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

Each episode in this new FX series gets a little more complicated, and a lot more intriguing. Tom Hardy’s starring central performance, though, has been excellent throughout – as has the performance of Zilpha by Oona Chaplin. Oona’s first name comes from her grandmother, an actress – and her last name comes from her grandfather, who also was in show business: Charlie Chaplin.

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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.

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BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

PBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET

PBS, 10:00 p.m. ET

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

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