THURSDAY
JULY 7
2016

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

ESPN, 8:00 a.m. ET

Yesterday’s quarterfinal match in the 2016 Wimbledon men’s division served up (so to speak) a match for the ages: Seven-time Wimbledon champion and No. 3-ranked Roger Federer, who last won the tournament (and one of his 17 majors) in 2012, came back from two sets down to gut out a five-set victory over No. 9-ranked Marin Cilic. Today, there’s an equally inspiring potential comeback story, on the women’s side of the semifinals. Venus Williams, whose last appearance in a final was in 2009, when she lost to sister Serena, is back at Wimbledon, seeded No. 8 – but Venus has made it to the semis, and plays today at 10 a.m. ET. Her opponent: No. 4 seed Angelique Kerber, who beat sister Serena to win this year’s Australian Open. Serena has made the quarterfinals, too, and plays today as well, in the day’s first women’s semifinal game at 8 a.m. ET – but she faces Elena Vesnina, a Cinderella entrant who’s not even seeded.

 
  
 
 

ESPN, 2:30 p.m. ET

Wales didn’t score against Portugal yesterday, so ended its own Cinderella run, but with its head held high. Today’s other semifinal game is between two perennial powerhouses: France and defending champion Germany.


 
  
 
 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

Another special movie night this month on TCM is Thursday’s “America in the ’70s,” a tribute that kicks off tonight with a roster of some of my favorite films of all time. It starts with 1976’s All the President’s Men, which is now 40 years old, but just as potent, and important, as when it was first released. Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford star, Alan J. Pakula directs, and William Goldman wrote the teleplay, based on the Watergate book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 10:30 p.m. ET

Made in 1972, this Michael Ritchie film starred Robert Redford as a candidate for the senate who begins an improbable and somewhat disillusioning rise in the polls.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 12:30 a.m. ET

Made in 1976, director Sidney Lumet’s treatment of Paddy Chayefsky’s savage skewering of network TV, and particularly TV news, is 40 years old now – but uncannily, unsettingly prescient. Like All the President’s Men, it’s another of my very favorite films. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. And Peter Finch, as loose-cannon network newscaster Howard Beale? Incomparable.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 2:45 a.m. ET

This 1974 drama is one of director Francis Ford Coppola’s most underrated films (his even earlier You’re a Big Boy Now is another), and also one of his best. Gene Hackman stars as a surveillance expert who stumbles upon the proof, or at least the sounds, of a major conspiracy. Costars include Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, and John Cazale, who lived long enough only to make a few films, but each was astounding, including The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather: Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 4:45 a.m. ET

Made in 1971, this was another Seventies triumph directed by Alan J. Pakula, and this one starred Donald Sutherland as the title character, and Jane Fonda in a career-redefining turn as Bree, a high-priced prostitute who is threatened by a serial killer. So moody. So dark. So good – especially the acting, by both Sutherland and Fonda.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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)
 
VGEMT
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 251  | Go to page: 
5011 Comments
 
 
Very good topic, similar texts are I do not know if they are as good as your work out. These you will then see the most important thing, the application provides you a website a powerful important internet page:
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Nice work i love your work keep it up.....
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I'm really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It's a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a developer to create your theme? Superb work!
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Excellent post.I want to thank you for this informative read, I really appreciate sharing this great post.Keep up your work
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. Thanks..
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Impressive work on the essayist's part.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
After research a couple of of the weblog posts in your website now, and I really like your method of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website record and will probably be checking back soon.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Sweet internet site , super pattern , real clean and employ genial .
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Very useful info. Hope to see more posts soon!.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I really like the new design. It is a lot easier to use and visually attractive.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thanks for sharing these informations. I really like your blog post very much. You have really shared a informative and interesting blog post .
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This is a fantastic website, thanks for sharing. There's no doubt i would fully rate it after i read what the idea about this article is. You did a nice
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
very nice post, i surely really like this website, go on it
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I’ve read some good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to create such a great informative website.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Fabulous post, you have denoted out some fantastic points, I likewise think this s a very wonderful website. I will visit again for more quality contents and also, recommend this site to all. Thanks.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I got what you mean , thanks for posting .Woh I am happy to find this website through google.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Good post but I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Appreciate it!
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Thanks for the nice blog. It was very useful for me. I'm happy I found this blog. Thank you for sharing with us,I too always learn something new from your post.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I got too much interesting stuff on your blog. I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here! Keep up the good work.
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Excellent article. Very interesting to read. I really love to read such a nice article. Thanks! keep rocking
Oct 14, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 251  | 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.