THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 25
2014

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

CBS, 8:25 p.m. ET

Two high-profile 1-2 teams do battle on CBS’s new prime-time showcase. The Washington Redskins lost to the Philadelphia Eagles five days ago in a sprawling, brawling loss, while the New York Giants finally notched its first win of the season, beating the Houston Texans 30-17. Whichever team wins tonight will end September at .500.  That’s not great – but it is, by definition, average.

 
  
 
 

ABC, 9:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: This season of Scandal picks up two months after the events shown at the conclusion of last season’s cliffhanger, which had Olivia (Kerry Washington) closing her crisis-handling D.C. firm, putting an end to her presidential affair and her status as FRirst Mistress, and flying away with freelance hit man Jake (Scott Foley). Series creator Shonda Rhimes now owns the entire night on ABC, and this series now is positioned as the evening’s centerpiece – after Grey’s Anatomy, but before the new How to Get Away with Murder.

 
  
 
 

ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: Viola Davis is fun to watch as a law professor and trial lawyer who, as my friend and fellow critic Mark Dawidziak summarizes her, is part John Houseman from The Paper Chase and part Glenn Close from Damages. Exactly – and that’s a very intriguing mixture.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: The bad news is that this is the final season for Parenthood. The good news is that it gets a final season, which was by no means guaranteed when NBC started putting together its fall schedule. (Especially since, when looking at the network’s programming development for the new season, it’s clear that quality was not a mitigating factor.) One thing I’m really, really looking forward to this year: the continuation of the romance between Sarah (Lauren Graham) and Hank (Ray Romano), and especially getting to know Hank’s ex-wife, Sandy, played by returning player Betsy Brandt from Breaking Bad.

 
  
 
 

IFC, 10:00 p.m. ET

SEASON FINALE: Riki and Kate end their season by trying to get better adjusted. Especially Kate, who sees a therapist, and tries to act on the advice – though it isn’t easy, or particularly helpful.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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Gerda Lundgren
Long-time TVWW devotee here. I manage a commercial vehicle operation and Hialeah Auto Glass Repair (https://autoglassrepairhialeah.com/) keeps our fleet going. Bianculli's picks keep us sane during maintenance delays - essential reading!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
Dave Bianculli
Golly Gerda, you make me blush with your kind words, but maybe instead of giving me praise, how about giving me a discount on your service bills!!!! ROTFLMBFFAO!!!!!!!

Sincerely,

Dave
Mar 22, 2026
 
 
 
Rut Holmgren
Another great set of picks! My trucking partners and I share your recommendations over coffee. We rely on West Palm Beach Auto Glass Repair (https://westpalmbeachautoglassrepair.com) for vehicle service. TVWW makes the downtime worthwhile.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Birger Samuelsson
Smart TV writing for smart viewers - that's TVWW in a nutshell. I manage a motor pool and Macon Auto Glass Repair at https://autoglassrepairmacon.com/ is our go-to service provider. David Bianculli's enthusiasm is contagious.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Inga Henriksen
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Lakewood Fence Company put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://fencecompanylakewood.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
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Harald Almgren
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Boca Raton Auto Glass Repair put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://bocaratonautoglassrepair.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
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Sigrun Lindholm
Another great set of picks! My trucking partners and I share your recommendations over coffee. We rely on Brighton Towing Company (https://brightontowingcompany.com) for vehicle service. TVWW makes the downtime worthwhile.
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Karl Forsberg
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Solveig Johanson
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Lincoln Mobile Mechanic put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://lincolnmobilemechanic.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
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Arvid Berggren
Long-time TVWW devotee here. I manage a commercial vehicle operation and Colorado Springs Mobile Mechanic (https://coloradospringcosmobilemechanic.com) keeps our fleet going. Bianculli's picks keep us sane during maintenance delays - essential reading!
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Frida Sundberg
Fantastic recommendations as always. I coordinate deliveries for a regional freight operation and Citrus Heights Towing Company (http://www.towingcitrusheights.com/) handles our repairs. Your site handles our TV choices. Both indispensable!
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Viggo Lundqvist
TV Worth Watching has guided my viewing habits for years. My dispatcher uses Lafayette Auto Glass Repair at https://lafayetteautoglassrepair.com for fleet repairs and turned me onto this site. Two great recommendations!
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Tyra Stromberg
Loyal reader checking in! I'm in freight logistics and Lauderhill Towing Company (https://lauderhilltowing.com) keeps our trucks roadworthy. Your Best Bets column keeps our break room lively. Much appreciated.
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.