MONDAY

DECEMBER 26

2016

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

AMC, 12:00 p.m. ET

Well, I sure screwed this up. It figures I couldn’t escape from 2016 without getting sick one last time. This one appears to be a standard nasty cold – no hospital visits required – but it sure did knock me out for the count last night and, to this point, today. Sorry today’s Best Bets are posted so late, especially since they arrive too late to point to the absolute beginning of this outstanding Breaking Bad marathon. Mea culpa. To Keith Robin, and all you other wonderful readers who have passed on good and immensely warming holiday wishes, thanks so, so, so much. Don’t give up on me, or the other writers and editors, or the site just yet. We’re all hoping that 2017 is the year we end up Breaking Good…

HAIRSPRAY LIVE!

NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET

No, it isn’t, because this was broadcast live earlier this month. But it’s a good chance to revisit, or visit, the latest staging of NBC’s live theatrical productions, a tradition that goes back on TV more than 60 years. Here’s to tradition, and history – because I go back more than 60 years, too...

EVERY BRILLIANT THING

HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET

This one-man play, billed as a comedy, technically is neither “one man” nor wholly comic. Written by Duncan Macmillan and performed by Jonny Donahoe, it’s a play in which the audience around Donahoe is called on, many times, to participate. It’s also a play in which the leading character tries to process the confusion, as a child, of his mother’s suicide attempt – the first of many. The boy’s reaction is to compile what he hopes is a persuasive list of things worth living for – hence, the Every Brilliant Thing of the title.

INDEPENDENT LENS: "MEET THE PATELS"

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

Ravi Patel, the Master of None and Scrubs performer who occasionally strides outside his comfort zone as an Indian-American standup comic and actor to write or do other ambitious stuff, decides to take a big leap in this very personal documentary, filmed and co-directed by his sister, Geeta. He allows his parents to set him up on a series of arranged meetings, ostensibly to find him a wife. And for reasons this documentary will make clear, all the women have to have the same name as his already – and it’s not to match the monograms. Check local listings.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>

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Email (required) (will not be published)


Type in the verification word shown on the image.

Page: 1 of 251 | Go to page:

5020 Comments

??????

"This is easily one of the most practical guides I've read on recently. Bookmarking this page so I can reference it later when working on my project.https://??????.com https://www.totohot.net/promotion/298224

Oct 16, 2026 | Reply

Jpbosku

Sweet internet site , super pattern , real clean and employ genial .

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

Jpbosku

This is a great inspiring article.I am pretty much pleased with your good work.You put really very helpful information. Keep it up. Keep blogging. Looking to reading your next pos

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

Jpbosku

A superbly written article, if only all bloggers offered the same content as you, the internet would be a far better place

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

Jpbosku

Thank you for taking the time to publish this information very useful!

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

I am hoping the same best effort from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing skills has inspired me.

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

Online Business

This web site really has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn't know who to ask

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

??????

" '??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ? ??? ? ???? ?? ?? ????. ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?????. ?????! ??? ??, ??? ? ???,? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ? ????? ? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???. ????? ???? ???? ??? ??????.

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

Such a very useful article. Very interesting to read this article. I would like to thank you for the efforts you had made for writing this awesome article.

Oct 15, 2026 | Reply

?????

Very good topic, similar texts are I do not know if they are as good as your work out. These you will then see the most important thing, the application provides you a website a powerful important internet page:

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

??????

Nice work i love your work keep it up.....

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

??? ??? ??

I'm really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It's a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a developer to create your theme? Superb work!

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

?????

Excellent post.I want to thank you for this informative read, I really appreciate sharing this great post.Keep up your work

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. Thanks..

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

Impressive work on the essayist's part.

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

??????

After research a couple of of the weblog posts in your website now, and I really like your method of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website record and will probably be checking back soon.

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

Sweet internet site , super pattern , real clean and employ genial .

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

Very useful info. Hope to see more posts soon!.

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

I really like the new design. It is a lot easier to use and visually attractive.

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

Zonahoki28

Thanks for sharing these informations. I really like your blog post very much. You have really shared a informative and interesting blog post .

Oct 14, 2026 | Reply

Page: 1 of 251 | 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.

New From TVWW

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

AMC, 12:00 p.m. ET

NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET

HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

David Bianculli

PBS' 'Frontline’ Examines Pension Promises and — Spoiler Alert — Finds the Math Doesn’t Add Up

The Decadence of ‘Versailles’ Comes to Ovation

Prescribing Mamie Gummer in 'Emily Owens, M.D.'

Looking for a Free Ride? HBO Can Deliver

'Pass the Biscuits' Part of the Hatfield-McCoy Pop-Culture Legacy