THURSDAY
OCTOBER 31
2013

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET

Originally televised by CBS in 1966, this is one of the two perfect Charles M. Schulz Peanuts specials – the other, of course, being the first, A Charlie Brown Christmas. And like that one, this is, at bottom, a cartoon about the value and strength of faith. This time it’s epitomized in Linus’ belief that the Great Pumpkin will visit him on Halloween, a faith that puts him, for a while, in a rough patch.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET

This prime-time special is a compilation of Halloween skits from past shows – and since there are nearly 40 years from which to draw, it ought to be filled with many more treats than tricks.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

All over the TV cable and satellite spectrum today, you can see marathons of spooky movie franchises: the Halloween movies on AMC (beginning at 10 a.m. ET), most of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies on Syfy (beginning at 9n a.m. ET), even the Saw movies on IFC (beginning at 3:45 p.m. ET). But for Halloween purists, one better place, especially if there are younger eyes still watching, is TCM’s lineup of classic horror films starring Vincent Price. The action starts at 8 p.m. ET with 1961’s The Pit and the Pendulum, a start that’s entire apro-Poe – and  continues all night and even into Friday morning, when TCM concludes with two of the best: 1968’s creepy witch-hunting drama The Conquerer Worm (at 6:30 a.m. Friday) and the wittiest serial-killer movie ever made, 1973’s Theatre of Blood (8:15 a.m. ET Friday), co-starring Diana Rigg and using the works of Shakespeare as inspiration for vengeful, imaginative bloodshed.

 
  
 
 

Comedy Central, 8:30 p.m. ET

This 1984 supernatural movie comedy may be the ultimate post-Halloween TV treat. Enjoy it with kids, and have marshmallows or Smores ready to enjoy at the climax. Bill Murray stars, Dan Aykroyd is wonderful, and Sigourney Weaver is great – especially when she’s possessed.

 
  
 
 

Sundance, 9:00 p.m. ET

MINISERIES PREMIERE: This eight-part miniseries from France is a lot of things even Sundance’s promos won’t tell you. First, it’s subtitled – but don’t let that deter you. Second, it unfolds so deliberately, revealing its surprises and shocks so meticulously and patiently, that to give even the most basic summary would rob The Returned of some of its fun, and wonder, and eerieness. The less you know about this eight-part psychological thriller going in, the better, so all I’ll say is this: Set in a remote small town in the French Alps, it starts with a disaster, introduces a pair of increasingly mysterious sisters (pictured), and eventually introduces a serial killer, a series of mysterious characters and events, and an overall creepiness that makes this a drama that lingers with you long after each episode is over. Truly, impressively creepy. For a full review, see Bianculli's Blog.

 

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
VAKTI
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 202  | Go to page: 
4025 Comments
 
 
https://changwoncoco.clickn.co.kr/
https://changwoncoco.clickn.co.kr/
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ???! ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
Dave Bianculli
Howdy pardner,

Did you pass out on your keyboard after getting drunk, and then just kept bouncing your head over and over and over???

ROTFFLMBFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously dude, watch more TV, drink less alcohol!!!!

Warmly,

Dave
Jun 20, 2026
 
 
 
?? ??? ???! ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ????? ?? ? ????, ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????. ? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????. ???!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ????? ?? ? ????, ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????. ? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????. ???!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ???! ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????!
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???? ????? ? ?? ??? ?? ?? ? ??? ???? ??????. ? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?????. ? ??? ??? ? ???? ??? ?????. ? ???? ???? ??????.
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???? ????? ? ?? ??? ?? ?? ? ??? ???? ??????. ? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?????. ? ??? ??? ? ???? ??? ?????. ? ???? ???? ??????.
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??????. ? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ????! ?? ??? ??, ?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??. ? ?? ??? ???? ???????. ?????. ??? ???.
Jun 17, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thank you so much for sharing this great blog.Very inspiring and helpful too.Hope you continue to share more of your ideas.I will definitely love to read
Jun 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ???? ?? ? ??? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?????. ? ??? ??? ?? ?????
Jun 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thank you so much for sharing this great blog.Very inspiring and helpful too.Hope you continue to share more of your ideas.I will definitely love to read
Jun 16, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
? ?? ?? ??? ?????.
Jun 15, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???? ??? ??????. ?? ?? ??????.
Jun 15, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Stunning! Such an astonishing and accommodating post this is. I super love it. It's so great thus amazing. I am simply stunned. I trust that you keep on doing your work like this later on moreover.
Jun 15, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I definitely enjoying every little bit of this blog. It is a great website and nice share. I want to thank you. Good job! You guys do a great blog, and have some great contents. Keep up the good work
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???,? ???? ??? ?? ??????. ? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????!
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ???,? ???? ??? ?? ??????. ? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ? ??? ?? ???? ?????!
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
??? ??? ??????. t ? ?? ind personilly wtll certitnly dtgtt? ?????. t'm conftdent ??? thts webstte?? gitned ? ????
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I will right away clutch your rss feed as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me recognize so that I may subscribe.
Jun 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 202  | 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.