THURSDAY
MAY 5
2016

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

Netflix, 3:00 a.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: Netflix is making all sorts of bold moves this year to increase its reach and inventory – and this latest move, which starts today, is one I heartily applaud. Taking the approach that it can present lots of things that appeal to only a tiny fraction of its audience, so long as those viewers will be intensely appreciative, today Netflix imports Season 1 of Marseille, a new French drama series starring Gerard Depardieu as the long-time mayor of that city, about to leave office until a string of events make him reconsider his decision. It’s a high-quality French drama series, and is presented in its original form: In French, with subtitles. Telenovelas have been presented that way in the States for a while, as has some Japanese anime, but importing regular series from other countries is another boon for quality TV viewers. I used to judge international TV series at the Banff TV Festival, and wondered then why so many of the world’s best television shows never reached the United States. Maybe, through this new avenue of distribution, more of them will. Mr. Netflix, tear down that wall!

 
  
 
 

Vimeo, 10:00 a.m. ET

And here’s yet another streaming network getting into the original production game. Vimeo, which is where many people go for music videos these days, presents one of its first original comedy specials: Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci, better known as Garfunkel and Oates, doing what amounts to their first-ever comedy special.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

Red (James Spader) is still reeling from his recent loss, and still searching for people to blame. Tonight, he finds one: Susan Hargrave, the cold-hearted woman who has appeared on this show before. She returns tonight, played, once again, by Famke Janssen, known for playing Jean Grey in the X-Men movies.

 
  
 
 

CNN, 9:00 p.m. ET

The past few weeks, CNN has been juggling the order of its episodes of The Eighties, to the point where my descriptions, at this point, have been right only 33 percent of the time. Well, let’s try, try again. According to the latest information, which may or may not be accurate, tonight’s episode is supposed to be “The Tech Boom,” which looks at the rise of computers and other technology in that decade. But it could also be the postponed “Video Killed the Radio Star” episode, about the birth of MTV. Or something else entirely… but so far, every episode has been entertaining and informative, so tune in, and go with the flow.

 
  
 
 

BBC America, 10:00 p.m. ET

Last week’s episode was able to mix humor and horror, juggling plots about unearthing a long-buried corpse and trying to extricate, from at least one of the clones, a potentially lethal and definitely mysterious parasite burrowed into her cheek. And tonight, Rachel gets stronger, while some of the other clones try to, in essence, heal thyselves.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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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.