SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 29
2014

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

FX, 8:00 p.m. ET

Great idea: Repeating Horrible Bosses on TV just as its sequel arrives in theaters. It’s a fun romp by all involved, and the only surprise, really, is that this 2011 comedy took three years to spawn a cinematic follow-up. With Jason Bateman at the center, and such fun-loving actors as Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston on the periphery, this is a movie series that could run for several iterations before it turns stale.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

This isn’t the Disney animated movie. This is 1946’s Le Belle et la Bete, Jean Cocteau’s moody, atmospheric, visually poetic exploration of the classic fable. It’s not intended as a children’s story, in this telling, but can be enjoyed as such by young viewers – though older ones will find a lot more in it about love, lust, honor and betrayal. Jean Marais stars as the hairy beast, and Belle is played by Josette Day, who wears costumes worthy of the most inventive Disney Imagineer.

 
  
 
 

Showtime 2, 8:30 p.m. ET

I’m pointing out this rerun on Showtime 2 just in case you haven’t yet taken the opportunity to see this music documentary. The recreations of late-Sixties Bob Dylan and the Band hanging around Big Pink are unnecessary, but the step-by-step coverage of the efforts of modern musicians to form songs from some of Dylan’s vintage, forgotten lyrics is a true study in creativity. And as with a similar behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack, you come away – at least I did – with a deep appreciation of the skills of Marcus Mumford, especially on the new song “Kansas City.”

 
  
 
 

NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET

From 2004, this vintage episode features Ben Affleck as host, and N.E.R.D. as the musical guest. The draw, for watching this a decade later, is to catch two of today’s late-night talk hosts in their sketch-comedy roles: Jimmy Fallon trading Boston accents with Affleck, and Seth Meyers as a businessman in Bangkok dealing with an unwanted item in his hotel room: a dead hooker.

 
  
 
 

BBC America, 10:00 p.m. ET

Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman from Horrible Bosses 2 are here for this new installment of Norton’s freewheeling talk show – as is Dame Judi Dench, whose previous appearances here have been thoroughly delightful.

 
  
 
 
 
 
Read and add comments HERE for today's Best Bets!
 
 
 
 
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3694 Comments
 
 
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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,

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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.
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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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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.