SATURDAY

DECEMBER 27

2014

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

BBC America, 12:00 a.m. ET

BBC America’s Doctor Who marathon, which began yesterday, continues today with more modern episodes. Season 5, featuring Matt Smith as the new Doctor, continues through 7 p.m. ET, when Season 6, also with Smith, takes over. It’s a great way to spend some time with the TV – Doctor Who, since its modern reboot, has been a very underrated series, especially in terms of its writing and acting.

MANHATTAN MARATHON

WGN America, 9:00 a.m. ET

WGN America put itself on the original series map with Salem. Then it followed up with another impressive series for an upstart start-up: Manhattan, a period of drama about the Manhattan Project and the race to develop the atomic bomb. In what can best be described as an explosive programming idea, WGN is presenting the entire Season 1 of Manhattan, beginning at 9 a.m. ET.

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET

Wes Anderson’s visually beautiful, playfully audacious 2014 movie stars Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham and a ridiculously deep talent pool of actors in eager support: Bill Murray, Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Andrew Norton, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, and even more.

THE BLACK STALLION

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

Whenever this gorgeous 1979 movie is televised, I usually take care to credit director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. And with good reason, because the visuals are stunning – pure cinematic poetry. But there’s poetry in the story, as well, so here’s to Walter Farley’s original novel, and to the screenplay, whose writers include Melissa Mathison, who also worked on the script for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

BBC America, 10:00 p.m. ET

These shows come to the U.S. the week after they’re taped and shown in the U.K., so this actually is Norton’s 2014 Christmas show. But as belated gifts go, it’s a big one. Ricky Gervais is on hand, along with Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Usher, Rebel Wilson and Ben Stiller. All in the same show.

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3685 Comments

Gerda Lundgren

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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

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Solveig Johanson

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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!

Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Frida Sundberg

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Viggo Lundqvist

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Tyra Stromberg

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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

BBC America, 12:00 a.m. ET

WGN America, 9:00 a.m. ET

HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

BBC America, 10:00 p.m. ET

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