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FRIDAY
JULY 6
2012

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 
2012 WIMBLEDON TENNIS

ESPN, 8:00 a.m. ET

Andy Murray, the Scottish tennis player who has just battled his way to his fourth Wimbledon semifinal, has yet to win this U.K.-hosted event, but always has the home crowd squarely rooting for him. Today, the 4th-seeded Murray, after emerging victoriously from a dramatic match with seventh-seeded David Ferrer, faces No. 5 seed Jo-Wilifried Tsonga of France. Tune in early – and if Murray manages to battle his way to the final, get ready to witness bedlam. Well, not the actual Bedlam – though that’s relatively nearby. 

 
  
 
 
DELIVERANCE

AMC, 8:00 p.m. ET

Forty years after it was made, this 1972 John Boorman film remains powerful, potent and, in terms of adventure stories set on and near the water, pretty much unsurpassed – it’d be the perfect double feature with The African Queen. Deliverance stars Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty as suburbanites out for a weekend adventure on a river about to be dammed, and getting a lot more adventure than they imagined. It’s a primal movie, with music, sequences, images and lines of dialogue that will never, ever leave you. Squeeeeal like a pig!

 
  
 
 
POPEYE

HBO Family, 8:30 p.m. ET

This 1980 movie isn’t shown much on TV, and some of our TVWW readers have asked about its availability on DVD – so it’s worth pointing out that here it comes again, in case anyone wants to record it for a home library. Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall star, and Robert Altman directs, but the biggest and most surprising draw here is that the music and lyrics are written by Harry Nilsson.

 
  
 
 
THE RICKY GERVAIS SHOW

HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET

This is the penultimate installment of this animated series, and boy, am I going to miss it when it’s gone. This show, week in and week out, has given me more laughs on a Friday night than I thought anyone or anything could coax out of me. On tonight’s new installment, Karl Pilkington explains to Ricky Gervais that before he donates a kidney to someone, he’d like to meet the would-be organ-donor recipient beforehand to size them up. Even if it’s a sickly little kid – because, Karl asks, what if the kid is a jerk?

 
  
 
 
FLYING WILD ALASKA

Discovery, 10:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: Ariel Tweto is used to rugged plane trips: her father, Jim, runs the small Alaskan airline featured in this series, servicing the bush country as well as coastal towns. Earlier this year, she was featured on a cushier trip, as one of the invited guests when CBS’s The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson went to Scotland – and was thoroughly charming. So tune in and see more of her, as she continues to pursue her dream of earning her pilot’s license.

 
  
 
 
 
 
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251 Comments
 
 
Mac
Fridays in May have been really interesting on TCM.Rather than concntrate on things essential,host Illeana Douglas has been finding films that fell between the cracks,yet deserve a second look.Not quite Underground,these films are pretty much mainstream,which is part of the charm as to how they got made and never found an audience.Anytime TCM spools "Ace In The Hole",Billy Wilder's lost classic,is a night to rejoice.Ace is only available on a pricy,but worthwhile,Criterion set.
May 17, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Jay Kogen
David,
My name is Jay Kogen. I'm an Emmy Award winning writer/producer from The Simpsons and Frasier. I'm making a new show called "Wendell & Vinnie" which I'm trying to make a smart show for adults that kids can watch too. I'm trying to break the mold at Nickelodeon and I've been trying to get you to review my show. Good or bad, let's get it out there. This week's episode "Pick Ups & Drop Offs" is a typical one. It's got parent/child issues at the center and many adult jokes spread around. I wrote to you months ago and got no reply. I hear you on Fresh Air and even though I don't know that you'll love my show, I want to hear your opinion. Anyway, cheers and thanks. Jay.
May 17, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Dennis Paul
Thing I find funny about the Office is that it took 10 years to get a documentary made. They should have just made a reality show and it would have been on all this time and then a documentary about making the reality show. I just gave myself a headache.
May 16, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Maggie in NJ
Thanks for saying something nice about "Nashville". "Nashville" and "Vegas" were my must-watch shows of this season.
May 15, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Brian Becker
Yesterday I was watching an episode of Crackle's "Chosen" on Roku. Today the entire series is gone, vanished. Even a search on their site momentarily provides results and then shows no results. It's a mystery almost befitting the show itself. Any idea why? Thanks.
May 13, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Re: Doctor Who on May 11, 2013 on BBC America. Tonight's episode is NOT the season finale of Doctor Who - that's on May 18, 2013 with the episode of 'The Name of the Doctor.'
May 11, 2013   |  Reply
 
David Bianculli
Dear Kelly: You're right, and I'm wrong. Sorry -- and thanks for pointing it out so politely.
May 12, 2013
 
 
 
Bill Evans
Hey, David B., I used to work with you at the Gainesville Sun back when we were at the 'historic' downtown site. Love your work! I remember your start with the Sun's primitive TV Week. FYI, I'm at the Gainesville CBS-TV affiliate. Drop me a line....
May 10, 2013   |  Reply
 
David Bianculli
Bill -- What a hoot! Glad to hear you're still in Gainesville. I'll have someone to visit if the university ever brings me back. Have your people call my people. (I don't have people, but it sounds good.)
May 12, 2013
 
 
 
Justin
NHL Playoffs > NBA Playoffs
May 8, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
sandra spring
Thanks to you I hung in with Orphan Black. Original and riveting!!
May 4, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
jan
While I have not yet seen "The Gold Diggers of 1933," I have seen both the musical numbers you mentioned. You're right: "Remember My Forgotten Man" is unforgettable, and the other is just a lot of fun. In fact, after seeing "Remember My Fogotten Man," I immediately purchased the DVD of the movie just to have it. Maybe soon I will actually have the time to watch the whole film (after this semester is over).
May 4, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Neil
This is on the trivial side, but the former Mets knuckleballer is "R. A. Dickey" (not "R. J.").
May 1, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Elise
The final (of four) season of "The Big C" starts tonight, with Laura Linney and Oliver Platt. I came to this party late but imbibed the first three seasons like a drunken sailor on furlow. This series has made me laugh out loud and sob uncontrollably and really ask myself the question "What WOULD I do if...." I think this show has so much humor and fun (without making fun of!) concerning the circumstances with which this woman and her family is faced and still addresses the gravitas with grace and wisdom. I absolutely love this show and will be rapt (with laughter and tears) until the bitter and inevitable end. If viewers are up to handling the tough subject matter, this show is well worth the time spent watching it.
Apr 29, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Eileen
The Killing Fields. Simply one of the best. I defy anyone to watch the final clip of Sam Waterson & Haing Ngor embrancing, with John Lennon's "Imagine" playing in the background, and not cry. Brutal tale of war, but a true "love story" for the ages. Amazing. Should be required viewing. R.I.P. Haing Ngor and Spalding Gray; you'll forever be remembered for this masterpiece.
Apr 23, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Rini
I would like to recommend Spartacus. It is the series finale tonight. There is going to be some tears shed.
Apr 12, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Peggy
David, is there any news on the Dangerously Funny front. I really want to see that as a movie!
Apr 11, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Janet Troughton
Why oh why is Southland not on network tv and why oh why did they take it off. Thank god it continues somewhere.
Apr 10, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
SharonGS
Your NCAA description is a bit confused. Did you forget to delete something from last week's description?
Apr 6, 2013   |  Reply
 
David Bianculli
Yes, I did. And, thanks to you, I fixed it. I appreciate it.
Apr 6, 2013
 
 
 
Eileen
I'm looking forward to a tribute to Roger Ebert. His illustrious tv career began on PBS-Chicago in 1982 and continued, through various outlets, until 2010. He (& Gene Siskel) were definitely "must see" tv each week, and there has never been an equivalent of their wit & humor on any tv channel. Their pre-Oscar "If I Picked the Winners" was just that: a winner. Roger, you will be sorely missed. R.I.P.
Apr 5, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
Erin
And here I thought I could use Big Bang as escapism; dossier for tenure goes out to external reviewers in 26 days. (And I bet Leonard will find out if he gets tenure by the end of the episode, not in a year.)
Apr 4, 2013   |  Reply
 
David Bianculli
Dear Erin: Good luck to you. I'm going through the same seventh circle of hell right now. When it's all over, we should meet for a drink, to celebrate or sympathize. Even a virtual one.
Apr 6, 2013
 
 
 
David Marlow
If you can slog through the first unbearable 50 minutes of Smash, there's usually a decent song at the end that not even Bernadette Peters can ruin. Doesn't hurt that Megan Hilty is perfect.
Apr 2, 2013   |  Reply
 
 
 
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David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

Behind David in the picture is the first TV owned by his father, Virgil Bianculli, a 1946 Raytheon. (The TV, not his father. His father was a 1923 Italian.) 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 also teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University, and his most recent book, 2009's Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, has recently been purchased for film rights.  He's currently at work on another.
 
 
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