THURSDAY
JANUARY 7
2016

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

CNN, 8:00 p.m. ET

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama went on live TV to talk about gun violence, in what already has become one of his most attention-getting speeches since his ones about “Obamacare” and race. And tonight, CNN’s Anderson Cooper moderates a live town hall event from Virginia, with the title and topic Guns in America. It’s an invitation-only question-and-answer session, and though the National Rifle Association was invited to send representatives, NRA spokesperson Andrew Arulanandam declined, saying, “The National Rifle Association sees no reason to participate in a public relations spectacle orchestrated by the White House.” How polarizing is this election-year issue, when even the discussion of it is considered controversial?

 
  
 
 

NBC, 9:00 p.m. ET

MIDSEASON PREMIERE: This year of The Blacklist begins with Liz (Megan Boone) in the glass box, where Red (James Spader) was placed as the series began. And she’s awaiting trial – but also awaiting, or at least fearing, a possible murder attempt by her enemies. That’s what Red fears is coming. And, as usual, his instincts are good.

 
  
 
 

CBS, 9:30 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: This is a CBS series that was delayed from a fall launch, and I don’t expect it to improve with age. This new Jane Lynch show would have been a better fit over at Fox, where her Glee act fit in with that network’s punky and spunky attitude. But here, her character of an abrasive guardian angel is far, far short of me declaring, It’s a Wonderful Show. Don’t expect bells to ring – here, or in the ratings.

 
  
 
 

NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: Not many people get to launch seasons of two different shows in as many days. Yesterday, Jennifer Lopez helped preside over the final season of Fox’s American Idol, and tonight she stars in a new police drama series, Shades of Blue, playing a cop whose conflicted career and home life unfurls in flashback over the course of a season. For Lopez fans, it’s a three-hour J-Lo fest: two hours of American Idol, followed by this. But for general police drama fans, it’s not so special…

 
  
 
 

Crackle, 11:30 p.m. ET

Tonight’s newly streamed episode features Steve Martin, and he and Jerry Seinfeld poke fun at each other like they’re already in a buddy-comedy road picture. They aren’t – not technically, though they’re buddies, comedians, and on the road – but they should be. To watch, visit the Comedians in Cars Geting Coffee page on the Crackle website.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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3803 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.