FRIDAY
JUNE 8
2012

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

TCM, 9:30 p.m. ET

This 1961 version of Henry James’ moody The Turn of the Screw captures all the atmospheric creepiness of the original story, along with all the ambiguity that comes with telling a ghost story where the ghosts may or may not exist. Deborah Kerr stars as the governess who comes to suspect that the children in her charge have been possessed by former employees of the estate. Jack Clayton directs, very effectively.

 
  
 
 

HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET

This is must-see TV for me: This week, Karl Pilkingon talks to Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant about the medical profession, and medicine and health in general. Somehow, I know this will make me feel better – especially when Karl starts talking about an amazingly healthy homeless woman named “Scruffy Sandra.”

 
  
 
 

HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET

There are plenty of political guests on tonight’s new edition, but the panelist I’m most enthusiastic about seeing is filmmaker John Waters. He’s at the point in his career, and his life, where he says whatever he thinks. That’s kept him off most talk shows, but it’s made him a welcome and witty recurring visitor on this one. And, happily, here we go again.

 
  
 
 

Showtime, 10:00 p.m. ET

On a slow night, here’s a fast-moving, very entertaining movie. Nicolas Cage successfully transmutes into an action star here, but this 1996 adventure is stolen nonetheless by Sean Connery, who seems to approach each scene with the goal of providing the most memorable performance – and he succeeds, every time.

 
  
 
 

Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. ET

The brilliant Flight of the Conchords re-established the viability of the musical comedy duo as an entertaining standup form – and now, there’s a female due making its own claim, and borrowing their names from classic male musical teammates. Garfunkel and Oates, in reality, is, or are, Riki Lindhome (guitar) and Kate Minucci (ukelele). Minucci should be familiar from recurring roles on Raising Hope, where she sings a lot, and Bored to Death, where she doesn’t. They sing funny songs from a female point of  view, including such unexpected takes as “Pregnant Women are Smug.”

 
  
 
 
 
 
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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.