FRIDAY

MARCH 29

2013

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

NCAA 2013 MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Various Networks, Check local listings

CBS and TBS present two more games apiece tonight. The most eagerly anticipated game, I suspect, is the late game on TBS, at 9:45 p.m. ET, when No. 3 seed Florida faces the first No. 15 seed in NCAA history to advance this far, Florida Gulf Coast. It's the Gators vs. the Eagles, so these two Florida teams ought to come out fighting tooth and claw. Respectively. The quartet of games begins at 7:15 p.m. ET on CBS, with top-seeded Louisville vs. Oregon, ranked No. 12 in the same Midwest bracket. Over on TBS at 7:30 p.m. ET, another top seed, the South's Kansas, takes on No. 4 seed Michigan. Then, on CBS, the later game, at 9:45 p.m. ET, is No. 2 Duke vs. No. 3 Michigan State.

KILL BILL

Encore, 8:00 p.m. ET

There are many times I refer to a prime-time televised movie event as a double bill, but this time it’s literal. Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 Kill Bill, Vol. 1 is televised at 8 p.m. ET, followed at 9:55 p.m. ET by its 2004 second-half sequel, Kill Bill, Vol. 2. Uma Thurman stars in both.

DR. SOCRATES

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

Here’s a rarely televised movie from the early years of sound cinema: 1935’s Dr. Socrates, starring Paul Muni as a physician who’s forced by the mob to care for one of its own. Think of it as the early version of the recent flop TV series Mob Doctor – only better. A lot better. Ann Dvorak co-stars.

AMERICAN MASTERS: "PHILIP ROTH UNMASKED"

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

This 90-minute biography, literary and otherwise, of Philip Roth is unusual for American Masters, in that the subject dominates the interview portions of the documentary. There are a handful of other voices speaking briefly, but this is mostly Roth himself, speaking about his inspirations, his career, and so much else. And it’s a charming and spellbinding way to go, especially when you realize that Roth, so glib and funny and honest, almost never made any talk-show rounds during his long, prolific, impressive career as an author. And what does he want people to say about him now? With a smile, the 80-year-old Roth provides his answer: “The poor old guy’s gonna die.” You’ve gotta love it – and him. For a full review, see Uncle Barky's Bytes. Check local listings.

GENERAL HOSPITAL ANNIVERSARY MARATHON

SOAPnet, 10:00 p.m. ET

If you’re a soap opera fan, SoapNet is serving up a truly gluttonous buffet. To celebrate the impending 50^th anniversary of ABC’s General Hospital, SoapNet is presenting a 50-hour marathon of vintage General Hospital episodes. That’s one for every year, but not one from every year. The retrospective does begin at 10 p.m. ET with the show’s very first episode (originally televised April 1, 1963), but when that’s over, the marathon immediately jumps to 1981, with a pair of episodes about the marriage of Luke and Laura – including a guest appearance by Elizabeth Taylor as Helena Cassadine. After a few more episodes, this marathon isn’t presented in chronological sequence, so if you’re looking for a particular era, or coma, stay tuned. For 50 hours. By the way, if you missed Ed Martin's recent story on five decades of GH, now's a great time to check it out.

<< 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 247 | Go to page:

4925 Comments

"would love to incessantly get updated outstanding
web blog!"

Oct 8, 2026 | Reply

?????

"would love to incessantly get updated outstanding
web blog!"

Oct 8, 2026 | Reply

????

Very interesting blog. Alot of blogs I see these days don't really provide anything that I'm interested in, but I'm most definately interested in this one. Just thought that I would post and let you know.

Oct 8, 2026 | Reply

Great information is often observed on this online weblog.

Oct 8, 2026 | Reply

????

Excellent function you may have carried out, this web site is de facto amazing with great information. Time is God’s method of maintaining almost everything from occurring at once.

Oct 8, 2026 | Reply

????

Fantastic site. Plenty of helpful info here. I’m sending it to several pals ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks to your sweat!

Oct 8, 2026 | Reply

?????

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 7, 2026 | Reply

???? ??? ??

? ? ????? ??? ???? ? ? ????.

Oct 7, 2026 | Reply

??? ??

Its a great pleasure reading your post.Its full of information I am looking for and I love to post a comment that "The content of your post is awesome" Great work

Oct 6, 2026 | Reply

?? ???

Thanks for this post. I definitely agree with what you are saying. I have been talking about this subject a lot lately with my mother so hopefully this will get him to see my point of view. Fingers crossed

Oct 6, 2026 | Reply

??? ???

? !! ? ???? ?? ???. ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?????.

Oct 6, 2026 | Reply

Persetan dengan pornografi

Singkirkan para penipu dengan cerita palsu dan hasil palsu. Jangan percaya bajingan pembohong ini.

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

Persetan dengan pornografi

Ini peringatan terakhir, selanjutnya jika saya melihat situs web Anda lagi, saya akan menghancurkan Anda.

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

Persetan dengan pornografi

Para penipu kelas rendah melakukan apa yang paling mereka kuasai—berbohong, menipu, dan menghilang dengan uang orang lain.

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

?????

It's always exciting to read articles from other writers and practice something from their web sites

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

???? ??

It's always exciting to read articles from other writers and practice something from their web sites

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

?? ???

?? ... ?? ?? ??????.? ?? ? ???? ?? ??? ??????.? ?? ?? ? ?? ?????? ??????.

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

???? ??? ??

? !! ? ???? ?? ???. ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?????

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

??? ??

????? ??, ?? ?????! ?? ???? ??? ???? ? ? ???? ????! ??, ???? ? ???

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

?????

? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?????. ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?????.

Oct 4, 2026 | Reply

Page: 1 of 247 | 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

Various Networks, Check local listings

Encore, 8:00 p.m. ET

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

SOAPnet, 10:00 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