MONDAY
JUNE 30
2014

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

TCM, 9:00 a.m. ET

TCM is filling its daytime schedule with a last-minute mini-marathon of five films starring Eli Wallach, who died last week at age 98. First up, at 9 a.m. ET, is 1964’s Kisses for My President, a comedy that’s also fascinating from an historical perspective. It stars Fred MacMurray as the husband of a politician (Polly Bergen) who becomes the first female President of the United States. In a movie made 50 years ago. Wallach plays a Central American dictator named Valdez, in a movie made in the wake of the Cuban missile crisis. Other films in today’s tribute include 1963’s Act One (at 11 a.m. ET), 1962’s epic How the West was Won (1 p.m. ET), 1961’s The Misfits 3:45 p.m. ET), and what was Wallach’s film debut, in 1956’s Baby Doll, starring Carroll Baker (pictured with Wallach, 6 p.m. ET).

 
  
 
 

ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET

Two more games are played today in the knockout round (the USA plays tomorrow). First up, starting at noon ET on ESPN (with pregame features and analysis 30 minutes prior), is France vs. Nigeria. France topped Group E in the group stage by winning two games and earning one draw, while Nigeria, in Group F, came in second in its group by notching one win, one loss and one draw. Then, at 4 p.m. ET, comes Germany vs. Algeria. Germany ended the group stage atop Group G, just ahead of the US, and Nigeria finished second in Group F. And if you’re still wondering why you should watch this year’s World Cup, you haven’t been watching.  Both of yesterday’s games, for very different reasons, were stunners that thrilled until the last minutes. Especially at the last minutes.
 
  
 
 

Fox, 9:00 p.m. ET

Last week’s episode explained that Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) had not only fooled the terrorists hijacking the drones, but us viewers as well. Then, after revealing that President Heller was still alive, 24 shook up more expectations, revealing to Jack the duplicity of the traitorous CIA chief – then calling into question the loyalties of Chloe O’Brien. But I wouldn’t believe that last one… and tonight’s episode might well clarify that one for us.

 
  
 
 

CBS, 10:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: Partly because last season’s summer run of Under the Dome was such an unexpected, undeniable hit, tonight’s Season 2 premiere has Stephen King himself hopping aboard in a big way – not only providing the story on which this drama is based, but writing tonight’s episode as well. Does that make it more newsworthy? Yes. Does that make it better? Well… no. But no better, and no worse. Under the Dome is, indeed, the equivalent of a summer beach read, where you have to leave most of your logic at the door. Or, in this case, at the dome. Enough bizarre stuff happens in tonight’s hour that viewers will be surprised, for sure. Whether they’ll accept it as dramatically plausible… well, that’s up to them.

 
  
 
 

PBS, 10:00 p.m. ET

Grace Lee Boggs is 99 years old. She’s a Chinese American. And for most of her life, she’s been a political activist – in ways, and supporting causes, that may well surprise you. For a full review of this new POV documentary, see Eric Gould’s The Cold Light Reader. Check local listings.
 
  
 
 

TCM, 2:00 a.m. ET

Tonight in prime time, and well into the night, TCM salutes composer Quincy Jones by presenting five movies for which he provided the score, or at least a featured song. These movies include 1965’s The Pawnbroker (8 p.m. ET) and 1967’s In the Heat of the Night (10:15 p.m. ET), two dramatic classics, but also includes a slightly lighter personal favorite: 1971’s $ (shown at 2 a.m. ET), written and directed by Richard Brooks and starring Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn as a very unusual bank robbing duo in Germany, with lots of very persistent victims on their trail for most of the movie.  Quincy’s score for this film is a character all its own, and includes performances by Little Richard, Doug Kershaw and Roberta Flack. The music in $ is high-energy, witty and delightful. So, for my money, is $ the movie.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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3694 Comments
 
 
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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.