THURSDAY

JANUARY 8

2015

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

Fox, 8:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: Part 2 of 2. This week’s launch of Cycle 14 of American Idol continues, with, if all goes according to plan, more talent (like 15-year-old Emily Brooke, shown here), and fewer made-to-ridicule showoffs and delusionals, in the early mix.

PARENTHOOD

NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET

Earlier in this final season, Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) was rushed off to the hospital unexpectedly, after collapsing while celebrating in Las Vegas. He’s been nursing his health ever since – and tonight, he has every reason to be especially celebratory on his birthday. But with the number of episodes to the finale counting down quickly, don’t be too complacent – about the fate of Zeek, or of anyone else on this well-written, tenderly acted family drama.

ARCHER

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: The new season of this outrageously loony animated spy spoof – one that, for the most part, relies on wry dialogue rather than cartoon exaggerations for its humor – begins with Archer finding himself in one of those familiar movie plots. He finds himself isolated with a Japanese soldier from WWII who never got word that the war had ended. Archer, of course, is only too happy to be the bearer of bad news. And, as he calls it, “worse news.” Too soon? For a full review, see Eric Gould's The Cold Light Reader.

PORTLANDIA

IFC, 10:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: For Season 5, Portlandia is going forward by retreating into the past. Specifically, it’s providing stand-alone episodes that qualify as mini-movies, giving a backstory for the various characters played by series chameleons Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. Tonight, to open this new season and new approach, Portlandia dips into the past of Candace and Toni, those steely-faced feminists who run the Women and Women First bookstore. What do we find there? That they once worked, and struggled, in the corporate world.

BABYLON

Sundance, 10:00 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: Well, it’s almost the premiere, anyway. The pilot episode for this new satirical police series, co-created by Danny Boyle of Slumdog Millionaire fame, was imported by Sundance back in September. But starting tonight, the rest of Season 1 is presented, starring James Nesbitt as a Scotland Yard commissioner who hires an American public relations consultant (Brit Marling) to polish the image of his somewhat unruly police force.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>

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)


Type in the verification word shown on the image.

Page: 1 of 148 | Go to page:

2942 Comments

Pornografi Pelecehan Anak

Para penipu yang memalukan memangsa orang-orang dengan klaim palsu dan kebohongan.

Jan 18, 2026 | Reply

Yetiskin Porno

Tamamen sahtekarlar ve masum insanlari dolandiriyorlar. Bu siteye girmeyin, onlar hirsiz.

Jan 18, 2026 | Reply

Persetan denganmu

Para penipu yang memalukan memangsa orang-orang dengan klaim palsu dan kebohongan.

Jan 18, 2026 | Reply

Dave Bianculli

I hate to tell ya pardner, but if you're on the same wavelength as "Good Old Dave" as I like to be called, you're one lost buckaroo!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA! ROTFLMBFFAO!!!!

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

jasa pbn premium

I’ve been meditating on the identical issue personally recently. Pleased to see another person on the same wavelength! Nice article

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

?????

Very Interesting and wonderful information keep sharing this post

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

??????

I really appreciate the kind of topics you post here. Thanks for sharing us a great information that is actually helpful.

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

?????

I admire this article for the well-researched content and excellent wording. I got so involved in this material that I couldn’t stop reading. I am impressed with your work and skill. Thank you so much.

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

?????

Nice post! This is a very nice blog that I will definitively come back to more times this year! Thanks for informative post.

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

????

Acknowledges for penmanship such a worthy column, I stumbled beside your blog besides predict a handful advise. I want your tone of manuscript…

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

????

Acknowledges for penmanship such a worthy column, I stumbled beside your blog besides predict a handful advise. I want your tone of manuscript…

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

26000kVA transformer

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..

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

????

Very nice article, I enjoyed reading your post, very nice share, I want to twit this to my followers. Thanks!

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

??114

I would like to thank for the effort you have made in writing this post and i am very impressed by your blog design and the your quality work Great job man keep it up.

Jan 15, 2026 | Reply

Pornografi mesum

Hanya sekelompok penipu lain yang melakukan bisnis kotor secara online.

Jan 14, 2026 | Reply

Persetan denganmu

Pemerintah Indonesia, persetan dengan situs web ini, mereka menipu orang.

Jan 13, 2026 | Reply

Persetan denganmu

Hanya sekelompok penipu lain yang melakukan bisnis kotor secara online.

Jan 13, 2026 | Reply

lsm999

Thank you for your post. I sincerely thank you for your post. If you are interested in purchasing our products, you can contact us through this website

Jan 13, 2026 | Reply

Pornografi Anak

Para penipu yang memalukan memangsa orang-orang dengan klaim palsu dan kebohongan.

Jan 12, 2026 | Reply

???? ???? ??? ??

After reading your article I was amazed. I know that you explain it very well. And I hope that other readers will also experience how I feel after reading your article

Jan 12, 2026 | Reply

Dave Bianculli

Thank you!!! Did you feel a little tingling sensation in your pants after reading my article?? ROTFLMBFFAO!!!

Sincerely,

Dave

Jan 12, 2026

Page: 1 of 148 | 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.

New From TVWW

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

Fox, 8:00 p.m. ET

NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

IFC, 10:00 p.m. ET

Sundance, 10:00 p.m. ET

David Bianculli

PBS' 'Frontline’ Examines Pension Promises and — Spoiler Alert — Finds the Math Doesn’t Add Up

The Decadence of ‘Versailles’ Comes to Ovation

Prescribing Mamie Gummer in 'Emily Owens, M.D.'

Looking for a Free Ride? HBO Can Deliver

'Pass the Biscuits' Part of the Hatfield-McCoy Pop-Culture Legacy