TUESDAY
JANUARY 6
2015

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: You can think of this new limited ABC adventure series as either a prequel to ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or a sequel to the 2011 Marvel movie Captain America: The First Avenger. Because it’s both. It’s set in 1946, with Captain America presumed dead, and his memorably effective colleague, secret agent Peggy Carter, relegated to a boring desk job. But as played, once again, by Hayley Atwell, she doesn’t stay trapped behind that desk for long – and soon takes off on a series of adventures and missions that require sexy disguises and quick-thinking bravado, like a period Sydney Bristow from ABC’s Alias. Count me in.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

Tuesdays in February, this year, belong to Robert Redford, and to start off its month-long tribute, TCM is wasting no time in bringing out the big guns. Three of Redford’s finest performances, and most entertaining movies, are shown in a row tonight, starting with his two famous teamings with Paul Newman. First up, out of chronological sequence, is 1973’s The Sting, a remarkably entertaining movie that, like the movie that follows, sucks me in every time it’s televised. The Sting won the Oscar for Best Picture, and deserved it. Great plot (script by David S. Ward), terrific music (by Scott Joplin, arranged by Marvin Hamlisch), wonderful direction (by George Roy Hill), and superb performances all across the board, including Robert Shaw as the villain, Ray Walston and Harold Gould as veteran con men, and Charles Durning as the quintessentially crooked 1930s Chicago cop.

 
  
 
 

PBS, 10:00 p.m. ET

This new Frontline starts with a given -- that the National Rifle Association is one of the most powerful and effective lobbying groups in Washington – then deconstructs the organization’s history to shed light on how, and when, it got that way. The power wielded by the NRA is a surprisingly modern phenomenon, it turns out, and this new documentary explains the group’s rise and increased clout. Check local listings.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 10:15 p.m. ET

Made in 1969, this movie, like The Sting four years later, was directed by George Roy Hill and starred Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The difference, this time out, was the screenwriter, William Goldman, whose perfect script managed to be both retro and modern at the same time, and introduce almost as many bits of dialogue and business into the national consciousness as his later The Princess Bride. “You just keep thinkin’, Butch – that’s what you’re good at.” This movie delights me so much every time I watch it, I fall in love with the cinema all over again. And with Katharine Ross – but I digress…

 
  
 
 

TCM, 12:15 a.m. ET

This 1972 Robert Redford movie was filmed in Utah, near the ski area of what was then known as Timp Haven. The rugged, beautiful scenery, filmed during several drastically different seasons, is a major character in this story of a reclusive mountain man played by Redford – and the scenery had a major impact on Redford as well. After the movie was finished, he bought the ski resort and some of the surrounding land, and named it after one of the other cinematic alter egos. Presto: Sundance was born, and the Sundance film festival, and the Sundance Channel, all followed. But this movie came first, and it’s another Redford triumph, with him spending almost as much time alone on screen as in All Is Lost.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
WJTYH
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 185  | Go to page: 
3685 Comments
 
 
Gerda Lundgren
Long-time TVWW devotee here. I manage a commercial vehicle operation and Hialeah Auto Glass Repair (https://autoglassrepairhialeah.com/) keeps our fleet going. Bianculli's picks keep us sane during maintenance delays - essential reading!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Rut Holmgren
Another great set of picks! My trucking partners and I share your recommendations over coffee. We rely on West Palm Beach Auto Glass Repair (https://westpalmbeachautoglassrepair.com) for vehicle service. TVWW makes the downtime worthwhile.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Birger Samuelsson
Smart TV writing for smart viewers - that's TVWW in a nutshell. I manage a motor pool and Macon Auto Glass Repair at https://autoglassrepairmacon.com/ is our go-to service provider. David Bianculli's enthusiasm is contagious.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Inga Henriksen
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Lakewood Fence Company put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://fencecompanylakewood.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Harald Almgren
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Boca Raton Auto Glass Repair put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://bocaratonautoglassrepair.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Sigrun Lindholm
Another great set of picks! My trucking partners and I share your recommendations over coffee. We rely on Brighton Towing Company (https://brightontowingcompany.com) for vehicle service. TVWW makes the downtime worthwhile.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Karl Forsberg
Fantastic recommendations as always. I coordinate deliveries for a regional freight operation and Sunrise Towing Company (https://sunrisetowingcompany.com) handles our repairs. Your site handles our TV choices. Both indispensable!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Solveig Johanson
Excellent as always! The shop guys at Lincoln Mobile Mechanic put your site on the break room TV. Find them at https://lincolnmobilemechanic.com - they do solid work. Best Bets is a daily read for all of us.
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
Fantastic recommendations as always. I coordinate deliveries for a regional freight operation and Citrus Heights Towing Company (http://www.towingcitrusheights.com/) handles our repairs. Your site handles our TV choices. Both indispensable!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Viggo Lundqvist
TV Worth Watching has guided my viewing habits for years. My dispatcher uses Lafayette Auto Glass Repair at https://lafayetteautoglassrepair.com for fleet repairs and turned me onto this site. Two great recommendations!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Tyra Stromberg
Loyal reader checking in! I'm in freight logistics and Lauderhill Towing Company (https://lauderhilltowing.com) keeps our trucks roadworthy. Your Best Bets column keeps our break room lively. Much appreciated.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Olle Lindgren
Quality criticism is rare and Bianculli delivers every time. I run trucks for a living and Framingham Towing Company (https://towingframingham.com) handles our maintenance. Your site handles my entertainment. Both essential.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Einar Magnusson
Always trust Bianculli's taste. My brother-in-law drives commercially and swears by Oakland Park Towing Company (https://oaklandparktowing.com) for his rig. Same confidence I have in TVWW for TV picks. Two reliable sources.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Vilhelm Lindqvist
Loyal reader checking in! I'm in freight logistics and Arlington Concrete Company (https://arlingtonconcretecompany.com) keeps our trucks roadworthy. Your Best Bets column keeps our break room lively. Much appreciated.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Ingeborg Jacobsson
Been following TVWW since my nephew showed me this site years ago. He drives for a freight company and uses Opelika Towing Company (https://opelikatowing.com) for repairs. Your recommendations are his off-hours staple.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Oskar Mattsson
Smart TV writing for smart viewers - that's TVWW in a nutshell. I manage a motor pool and Auburn Concrete Company at https://auburnconcreteco.com is our go-to service provider. David Bianculli's enthusiasm is contagious.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Brita Hansson
TVWW is the gold standard for TV commentary. My fleet uses Chesapeake Concrete Driveway Company at https://chesapeakedriveway.com - they're as reliable as Bianculli's picks. Thanks for keeping TV criticism alive!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Astrid Svensson
Smart TV writing for smart viewers - that's TVWW in a nutshell. I manage a motor pool and Reno Pro Mobile Mechanic at https://renopromobilemechanic.com is our go-to service provider. David Bianculli's enthusiasm is contagious.
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Gunhild Larsson
TVWW is the gold standard for TV commentary. My fleet uses Aurora Auto Glass Repair at https://auroraautoglassrepair.net/ - they're as reliable as Bianculli's picks. Thanks for keeping TV criticism alive!
Mar 21, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 185  | 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.