SUNDAY

JANUARY 4

2015

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

2015 NFL WILD CARD PLAYOFFS: CINCINNATI BENGALS VS. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

CBS, 1:00 p.m. ET

For today’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, the Cincinnati Bengals will be without Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green, still suffering effects of a concussion incurred in the regular-season finale. That makes things tougher for Bengals QB Andy Dalton – but on the other side, Colts QB Andrew Luck has his offensive squad relatively intact.

2015 NFL WILD CARD PLAYOFFS: DETROIT LIONS VS. DALLAS COWBOYS

Fox, 4:30 p.m. ET

The Dallas Cowboys backed into this year’s post-season, toppling the Philadelphia Eagles in the process, and looking, surprisingly, like a team that deserves to be playing in January. But unless the Cowboys can defeat the Detroit Lions today, Dallas’ January games will be over for this year.

GALAVANT

ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: A musical series that’s a spoof of the Robin Hood era and ethos? It’s been done before, without music, on TV, but this is an odd enough experiment to sample, and maybe even support. It’s an eight-episode comedy, with two episodes shown each Sunday night on ABC – and the first two episodes, shown tonight, get better as they go along, as do the songs and lyrics. So give it a try – and a chance. For a full review, see Ed Bark’s Uncle Barky’s Bytes.

LIFE ITSELF

CNN, 9:00 p.m. ET

This 2014 documentary by Steve James, director of Hoop Dreams, is about the life and death of Roger Ebert. It was only supposed to be about Ebert’s life, but his health took a turn for the worse after filming began, and it became a chronicle of his last months as well. As such, it’s quite a powerful documentary – affirming as well as sometimes astoundingly intimate. And in the sections devoted to Ebert’s long, uneasy partnership with fellow film critic Gene Siskel, it’s often hilarious.

THE GOOD WIFE

CBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

It’s back! One of the first broadcast series to return with fresh episodes after the New Year also happens to be one of the best. Welcome back, The Good Wife!

MASTERPIECE CLASSIC: "DOWNTON ABBEY"

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

It’s back! One of the first broadcast series to return with fresh episodes after the New Year also happens to be one of the best. Welcome back, Downton Abbey! Check local listings.

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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

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Sigrun Lindholm

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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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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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

Tyra Stromberg

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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Mar 21, 2026 | Reply

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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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