SUNDAY

MARCH 19

2017

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

2017 NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Various Networks, 12:00 p.m. ET

So here we go… Today’s games begin at noon ET, with CBS coverage of the Midwest’s Michigan (seeded No. 7) vs. Louisville (No. 2), who thus far have advanced against lower-seeded teams. Next, at 2:40 p.m. ET, is the South’s No. 2 seed, Kentucky, facing No. 10 Wichita State, one of only a handful of double-digit seeds to make it into the second round. The CBS coverage continues at 5:15 p.m. ET with the Midwest’s No. 1 seed, Kansas, battling No. 9 Michigan State – and then, the action spreads to other networks. South’s No. 1 seed, North Carolina, faces Arkansas at 6:10 p.m. ET on TNT. Midwest’s No. 3 seed, Oregon, faces No. 11-seeded Rhode Island at 7:10 p.m. ET on TBS. The East’s No. 3 seed, Baylor, faces another No. 11 seed, USC, at 7:45 p.m. ET on truTV. The East’s No. 2 seed, Duke, battles No. 7 seed South Carolina at 8:40 p.m,. ET on TNT. And I think that’s it. Good luck finding the games (I hope this helps) – and if you’re rooting for your home team, good luck there, too.

THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE BIGGEST STORY ON EARTH

Showtime, 8:00 p.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: Season 1of The Circus was subtitled Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth. For Season 2, the subtitle is slightly different, for the focus is on governance, not campaigning. But the behind-the-scenes political insights and coverage by reporters Mark Halperin and John Heilemann and co-creator Mark McKinnon are just as valuable – and these Circus animals are now attempting to offer same-week coverage of the President Donald Trump administration, with a news cycle that, if anything, is even more hectic and complicated. Fasten your seat belts… It’s Washington, D.C., in mid-March 2017, and The Circus is in town.

THE WALKING DEAD

AMC, 9:00 p.m. ET

There was, indeed, a sudden death on The Walking Dead last week, after a relative though short-lived lull. What was less surprising than who died was the manner of death, and the person doing the killing – but that all sets up tonight’s escalation of tensions, when the Saviors pay a surprise visit to the Hilltop.

BIG LITTLE LIES

HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET

This is episode 5, and things are getting more and more roiled up, like the seaside surf this miniseries keeps returning to as a mood-setter. And nothing in Big Little Lies is more frothy or intense than the troubled marriage between Celeste and Perry, played by Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgard.

HOMELAND

Showtime, 9:00 p.m. ET

Last week’s Homeland ended with gunplay, and with one character dead and another very nearly killed. And that only adds to the paranoia of the surviving characters, who seem poised in this episode to reunite and to band together – but against whom?

AMERICAN CRIME

ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET

American Crime continues with the second episode of its third season, once again telling an extended, separate story, and once again allowing many of its recurring players, including the very talented Felicity Huffman (pictured), to take on different looks, roles, and attitudes. This season, she’s a blonde – but I’m not expecting that to mean that, as the vintage hair-color TV ad used to claim, she’s about to have more fun.

FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon are terrific as, respectively, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in tonight’s Episode 3 of Feud: Bette and Joan, which delves in deeply into the on-set battles between the two actresses during the making of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? And what happens tonight is that those fights become physical as well as psychological. For a great feature on this miniseries' opening graphics title sequence, see Eric Gould's current Video Worth Watching.

LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER

HBO, 11:00 p.m. ET

For a political fix, and perspective, tonight, start on Showtime with The Circus, and end on HBO with Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Both shows are likely to teach you something – and both shows, I suspect, are well aware of both the importance and unpredictability of their current subjects.

VAMPIRE'S KISS

MGM HD, 12:25 a.m. ET

In this 1988 psychological vampire black comedy, Nicolas Cage gives a bravely larger-than-life, larger-than-death performance as a man who comes to believe he’s been stalked, and eventually turned, by a seductive female vampire. Like Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, which rewarded fans with deep knowledge of the horror films he was spoofing, Vampire’s Kiss alludes, visually and comically, to many previous films in the genre, starting with the 1922 silent classic Nosferatu. This is the film where Cage commits to his craft by eating a live cockroach on camera, which I’ve never forgotten. But most of all, I’ve never forgotten the performance by Jennifer Beals as the “is-she-or-isn’t-she?” vampire dominating Cage’s imagination. As the embodiment of both his fears and desires, she’s equally spellbinding.

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1175 Comments

Angela

Just a heads up! Season 3 of The Bureau is airing on Sundance Now. Last I checked you can watch season 1 and 2 for free. Is it worth watching? Oh, ya! As long as you like high tech international spy thrillers with lots of character depth. It is in French with subtitles. Sundance is parsing out new episodes one each week like Hulu does.

Jun 27, 2017 | Reply

Mac

Tim Allen and Kevin James are two TV stars of recent vintage to be reincarnated as copies of their former personas. These things rarely end up better than the original,which may be one reason why the current trend is just to restart the original and bring as much of the first cast back as possible. But it would make an interesting study:Is there a Godfather II in TVLand where the second foray bettered the first? James Garner's Maverick persona translated into repeated variations(including revisiting Maverick in series reboots and a theatrical film) and many compared better to the original Warner series. Was this due to Warner's cookie-cutter approach to TV drama in the '50s or Garner putting a better show on as he controlled production? Compare & contrast. Open your blue books now. Ink only,cursive hand writing. Double space. Additional blue books are available from your proctor. No talking. Arms within desks. Spit out that gum now,mister! Did you bring enough for everyone?

Jun 26, 2017 | Reply

Mac

Thinking about stars or shows that fared better later,one must include the 2010-2015 version of Parenthood. While the movie was OK and did great box office,the six season run of Parenthood Re-imagined took the timewith bright folks behind the scenes and a cast that excelled from infancy( Nora's real life twin actresses)to Craig T. Nelson as a Boomer hippie/vet in late life. Thanks to Bianculli here for his constant recommendations,I didn't get to watch this when first aired due to my job,but my wife & I have been enjoying the DVD set. We are midway through and trying not to binge to keep it going in place of the vapid network Summer fills of talent shows,game shows and faux reality stuff. I never saw the 1990 TV version,which,one would think,should find some space on a Comcast network while re-spooling the 2010 show. 115 episodes. Comcast is finally fessing up to "cord cutters" fleeing their outrageous,monopolized cable bills. Maybe a cheap but effective alternative to Law & Order.

Jun 27, 2017

George Ashur

"The rest of Nobody Speaks asks if wealthy people using their influence and resources to shut down media voices of which they disapprove is a good thing. The question should be rhetorical – but in this day and age, it’s not." -- Do you call the libelous Gawker a "media voice"? How about the video of Erin Andrews naked in her hotel room? Should we also champion our rights to see that video under the guise of a "media voice"?

Can you say "right to privacy"?

Jun 23, 2017 | Reply

Matthew Alperin

We've really gotten into "Better Call Saul." It's terrific. Was wondering if
there has ever been a prequel to an outstanding series that is both as
excellent as BCS and as critically acclaimed. Kudos to Gilligan and Gould
and the amazing cast headed by Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea
Seehorn and, of course, Michael McKean.

Jun 23, 2017 | Reply

Matthew Alperin

Ay caramba! Have mercy..

Jun 23, 2017 | Reply

Mac

6/23/17 Great British Baking Show allows David to make half-baked bread puns and his rye sense of humor. Instead of loafing on a beautiful day and stopping to smell the Wonderous flours,he goes against the grain, and stays out of the w(heat) to make some dough. My Mom told me I'd better butter up the bread punner while buttering up the bread pan. She was well bread and ingrained this in my head. I was a kneady child,yet I still come off a little sour,dough. I don't give a crepe. I'm leaven while I'm on a roll.I can barley wheat to see what others bring to the table.

Jun 23, 2017 | Reply

Bob516

"And the antics of these improve" I trust the work of the comics of WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? have improved over the years, but I imagine that was not the point you were making.

Jun 19, 2017 | Reply

Linda Donovan

Damn autocorrect. Fixed and thanks for the chuckle, Bob.

Jun 19, 2017

Mac

6/18-What? No mention of Megyn Kelly & Alec Jones? Maybe not the best TV can offer,but a story in the making of how NOT to do TV news. I won't be watching in real time,but I will catch up. Jones makes Rush look like Bill Buckley. Meanwhile,Huff Post has footage of Kelly's unaired last question to Putin from that wiffle ball game,and you can imagine the "Make Russia Great Again" cap Putin seems to be wearing while answering. The Donald likes his hat ,too. MAGA!

Jun 18, 2017 | Reply

Mac

Two notes on 6/17 BBB's,after the fact:
Alec & Dave didn't hang around after The Big Sleep-this was standard procedure when Bob Osborne hosted,so Ben Mankiewicz did the intros for the next phase of the evening. Next week,Tina Fey & Baldwin intro Rear Window.
Though I missed it,the MSNBC Watergate doc seems to be one from 2013,available online and credited to Discovery Communications,with Andy Lack,exec producer. The network was touting it as if this was a new effort. Lack now runs NBC News and MSNBC,so it figures. Can't wait to miss Sunday's Alex Jones fiasco on NBC with Andy's new star,Megyn Kelly,who is proving to carry her own baggage from Fox. When will we ever learn.

Jun 18, 2017 | Reply

Mac

I just saw the online doc,All The President's Men Revisited,and it is indeed riveting. Tears still flow when the truth from Deep Throat,and who he really was,steers the Post reporters in the right direction. No Deep Throat-no Nixon resignation.(There is a bio film about Mark Felt, the real Deep Throat,coming out this Sept.). NBC/MSNBC folks-Tom Brokaw,Rachel Maddow and Morning Joe show up. John Dean and Jill Wine-Banks are interviewed;both were part of the real story.Both show up these days on MSNBC for background on Trump misdeeds. Add to that,Fred Thompson,then a Republican Senator from Tennesee,is part of the real story,too. Trump just named the future Nashville Federal Courthouse after Thompson. Folks also know that Thompson was a regular on Law & Order,in effect, employed by NBC/Universal,now owned by Comcast.

Jun 18, 2017

Kenneth

Oh god s1e1 of the ranch was unwatchable within the first three minutes. First time I've seen a recommendation on here that I couldn't get with

Jun 17, 2017 | Reply

Linda Donovan

We agree, Kenneth, and we think if you look closely, you'll realize David wasn't exactly recommending it.

Jun 17, 2017

Angela

Here's a PBS show with a novel look at the opioid epidemic in America with the focus on how it affects patients with pain. http://www.pbs.org/video/2365977432/#_=_

Jun 13, 2017 | Reply

Angela

Just an FYI that the link I posted above must be copied and pasted in a web browser to work but it is a valid link.

Jun 13, 2017

Angela

Another show to watch, Hell on Earth on the National Geographic channel. The reporter wrote, ISIS is extremely smart and appealing to people—and if the world has any chance of defeating it, we have to understand why.

Jun 13, 2017 | Reply

Joe is SF

Don't forget that a new season of Face Off starts tonight on SyFy. That's the special effects make-up competition show. Very creative.

Jun 13, 2017 | Reply

Mike Bal

Danger UXB starts on Acorn TV June 12. WWII Brit bomb disposal unit at work.

Jun 12, 2017 | Reply

Angela

Thanks to Mike's heads up about Danger UXB last night I watched the first episode on YouTube. That said, it will look and sound *much* better on the Acorn web site. And because Danger UXB is such an excellent show I would want to see it in the best possible format.

Jun 14, 2017

Angela

FWIW, it's also on YouTube for free. I didn't check if all episodes are there but Netflix DVD option's missing the first episode so I checked and found it and 2 on YouTube.

Jun 13, 2017

Mary Bolduc

I meant ideally, nothing about those "reality" "dating" shows would be considered news.

Jun 12, 2017 | Reply

Mary Bolduc

Don't like admitting I ever pay attention to "Bachelor" or "Bachelorette" shows, which should not exist or not be filmed at all... nor do I want to consider anything related "breaking" "news" ... but, um, why is Bach. in Paradise cast being flown to Houston? Is it part of a publicity stunt to promote Houston? Is show based there?

Jun 12, 2017 | Reply

Frank Dracman

Is the point moot, since Gal Godot was NOT on the show? The Graham Norton Show is recorded and aired on BBC UK a week before it's on BBC America; she wasn't on it then. I thought perhaps they edited in a new segment with her, but it was the same show.

Jun 11, 2017 | Reply

George Ashur

"The other is a brand new icon: Gal Gadot (pictured), whose movie Wonder Woman just opened with a big enough box office to signal a welcome shift in big-budget superhero movies." -- A little soon to be declaring her an icon, don't you think?

More to the point, what do you mean by "a welcome shift"? From Marvel to DC? Please elaborate, David.

Jun 11, 2017 | Reply

Keith Robin

Mac,
Not quite gutted...it's got to get through the Senate, as does the AHCA. I've heard the chances aren't quite as good there (let's hope). And I hope you agree the Comey testimony IS important. You obviously watched "The Last Word", didn't you? Laurence Tribe(and kudos once again to Lawrence O'Donnell for letting his guests not just comment, but to expound!) said "...this is deadly serious!"

Jun 9, 2017 | Reply

Mac

Sorry,no time left for Hannity,though I'm hoping Newshounds("we watch Fox so you don't have to")will provide some soundbites. Rachel shined! Got to the meat of the issue-the obstruction. Trump's idiot lawyer was like Better Call Saul reversing the address digits-his time frame of events was wrong!
Special mention to O'Donnell for giving Peter O'Toole "the Last Word". Let's hope Alec Baldwin does a double feature on TCM's Essentials with O'Toole as Henry II in Becket & The Lion In Winter. Compare & contrast that,folks! Blue book,blue ink,cursive,single space-use the covers if you need more room,but keep the BS to 1 cu.ft.,please!
Meanwhile,Dodd-Franks is gutted while all of us are paying attention to Comey.

Jun 9, 2017 | 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. His next, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is coming this fall, 2016.

Good news, TVWW readers: David’s new book from Doubleday, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific is available on Amazon for $20. (Paperback will be available September 5th, here.)

Doubleday says: “Darwin had his theory of evolution, and David Bianculli has his. Bianculli's theory has to do with the concept of quality television: what it is and, crucially, how it got that way."

"The Platinum Age of Television is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV. For instance, animation evolved from Rocky and His Friends to South Park; variety shows moved from The Ed Sullivan Show to Saturday Night Live; and family sitcoms grew from I Love Lucy to Modern Family. A high point is the author’s interviews with Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Norman Lear, Bob Newhart, Matt Groening, Larry David, Amy Schumer and many others...Bianculli has written a highly readable history." —The Washington Post

New From TVWW

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

Various Networks, 12:00 p.m. ET

Showtime, 8:00 p.m. ET

AMC, 9:00 p.m. ET

HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET

Showtime, 9:00 p.m. ET

ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET

FX, 10:00 p.m. ET

HBO, 11:00 p.m. ET

MGM HD, 12:25 a.m. ET

David Bianculli

From 'Hannibal' to 'Leftovers' - Trusting TV, and Its Storytelling

‘Broadchurch’ Returns with an Assured Grip for What's Billed as Its Final Season

‘Turn: Washington’s Spies’ Writes its Final Chapters on American TV History

PBS Debuts a Prequel Worthy of the Original – ‘Prime Suspect: Tennison’

NatGeo Mines Coal’s Contradictions with ‘From the Ashes’