WEDNESDAY

JULY 10

2019

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

Hulu, 3:00 a.m. ET

SEASON PREMIERE: This series is set in London, about 20 years before the American revolution, and in its first two seasons has delighted in the power plays of the owners and operators of rival British brothels. The owners, like the prostitutes, are female (well, most of them), and their rises and falls here are substantial. Winners get to hobnob in the Royal Court, while losers get locked up in Bedlam. But in this new Season 3, those dynamics change again, quickly and significantly – not only for these major period power players, but for their daughters. Samantha Morton, who was just so scary as Alpha on The Walking Dead, and Liv Tyler star.

LOVE ISLAND

CBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

Just in case you watched and liked it last night – remember, this show appears each weeknight on CBS this summer, so it’s here, too…

2019 ESPY AWARDS

ABC, ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET

SPECIAL: The annual mashup of sports and entertainment, with athletes rubbing elbows and fashion with actors, rappers and rock stars, is televised by both ABC and ESPN -- and hosted by Tracy Morgan.

FLORIDA GIRLS

Pop, 10:00 p.m. ET

SERIES PREMIERE: The characters and lifestyle from My Name Is Earl have a trailer-trash spiritual descendant in Florida Girls, a new comedy from Pop TV that’s basically about the type of women you might see, with blurred-out faces or speech, on any Florida episode of COPS. Lauren Chinn created this series, and stars as Shelby, one of a handful of twentysomething friends who live in a small Florida town with more goals and dreams than GEDs. As a summer TV diversion, especially to current or former Floridians, this series might hit home, as well as the funny bone. Oh, and the job, shown in the pilot, of wearing mermaid fins and swimming in a pool so that rube bar patrons can watch through “portholes” – a real thing. And for my money, the drinks are overpriced… For a full review, see Mike Hughes' Open Mike.

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1929 Comments

Mac

5/5-So TCM couldn't find a way to either shuffle TCM Underground a bit later or start things off earlier so all five of the Marx Bros. Paramounts could be shown. The missing piece-1929's The Coconuts. The first Marx film,based on their first Broadway hit, and filmed during the day as the brothers were live onstage in the evening in Animal Crackers. As an early talkie,there are indeed a few technical drawbacks, butone good thing about re-watching Marx films is picking up missed jokes. All in all,The Coconuts is a pretty entertaining package and quite successful on first release. Bonus-Margret Dumont's first screen appearance-funnier than 4 Zeppos and a Gummo. BTW,TCM doesn't show the 4 films in chronological sequence.

Jun 5, 2020 | Reply

David Sicilia

Don't shave! The weirder the better. Next, Letterman? After that, ZZ Top? Let's see where this goes.

May 30, 2020 | Reply

Mac

For those wanting to take part in the Carol Burnett marathon,go to shoutfactorytv.com and hit "TV",which will bring up slide selections. The Carol Burnett slide has a "more info" box to hit,which will take you to the marathon. Platforms include Shout's You Tube channel,Roku and lots of other places. Shout has recently announced a boatload of Johnny Carson Tonight Show episodes,sans musical moments. Hoping that Burnett's episodes have everything included.

May 30, 2020 | Reply

Mac

Re: David's suggestion on his You Tube about to shear,or not to shear seems(at least for me)have no ability to add comments. My 2 cents- David lives in New Jersey-still a hot of new cases and deaths,just behind NY. Even the gov. is holding off for Stage 2 news in openings till Mon. My take on the beard-not until more testing and more accurate numbers.
Years ago,when preparing to open a store,I vowed to the boss not to shave till opening. Delays went over a month,largely due to custom fixtures coming from a hurricane town. I,too,had that "Tom Hanks Castaway" look that truly no one,including my future wife,who tolerated this as this store would be life changing. I cleaned up by opening-11/11/89. For the next decade,life changing events,indeed-may of them spectacular. A goal was set and I still remember that metamorphosis.

May 30, 2020 | Reply

Mac

5/29-Watching 7:12AM CNN live feed,including the arrests by State Police of an on-scene reporting crew headed by a black reporter 1/2 hr. ago. My personal reason for watching is because of my son not only lives nearby the scene but worked for years at the nearby Hub Bike Co Op,just feet from the 3rd Precinct station. Meanwhile,MSNBC had live on-air coverage,including Ali Velshi. And Fox News online headlines Trump's Twitter blast,already flagged by Twitter for "glorifying violence." Who is in charge here?

May 29, 2020 | Reply

Mac

5/28-TCM's month of Edward G. Robinson films ends tonight with a uncharacteristic portrayal of a loving father to Margret O'Brien in the small farming town,inhabited by Norwegian immigrants. Dalton Trumbo's last credited script before being blacklisted for Communist leaning writings. What is displayed here is the "we're in this together,good times and bad" idea that permeates everything today. Fairness,helping those in need-pretty radical,huh? Sappy? Yeah,but a tremendous payoff. The film was kinda hidden because of Trumbo's blacklisting,but shows up at TCM many times,sometimes at Christmas. O'Brien is still with us,just 83, and knows how important this role is to her filmography. A true weepy to clean out the tear ducts but not a false moment.

May 28, 2020 | Reply

Stephen Meskin

Barkskins looked good but ads on Nat. Geo ruined it and drove me away! Please warn us in future.

May 26, 2020 | Reply

Mac

With David's Best TV for 5/25,the History Channel's Grant docs,this reminds me of a great James Thurber short story,or a casual as they have been called:If Grant Had Been Drinking At Appomattox. I think this showed up on the single season of My World & Welcome To It,a sit-com with William Windom portraying a Thurberesque character in 1969. Why this much-requested show never made it to video is a true crime. Lost in the ether? Destroyed? Windom won an Emmy and the show itself won for Best Comedy Series ,though cancelled. Windom would portray Thurber onstage for years afterwards in a one man show.

May 25, 2020 | Reply

Tom Davis

I was lucky to watch the filming of 'My World & Welcome To It' back in 1969. My brother, Larry Hovis, was a regular on 'Hogans Heroes' and they were filmed on the same lot. I was bored so my brother pushed me over to the 'My World' set and was able to stand around for a few scenes. I loved James Thurber but I had to be dragged back to the 'Hogans' set by a friend. William Windom was very quiet and never complained about a few retakes he was making of a particular scene. My brother and I both believed 'My World' had the best writing.

May 30, 2020

Mac

Is Disney just as lazy as CBS for recycling material to fill a dead Sat. night of TV? CBS continues with recycling Paramount blockbusters of relatively recent vintage on Sun. nights-5/24 it's Titanic,stretched from 3 1/4 hours to a 4 1/2 hour slot,with ads. Disney is airing their ESPN/Netflix documentary about Michael Jordan on ABC,censored,and in two hour blocks,which started last night and continues through 6/20. It goes behind the Netflix paywall in July. Verdict? Just as lazy,but at least more recent and at least no game show nonsense.

May 24, 2020 | Reply

Mark H Flannery

The description for "Billions" is the same as that for "I Know This Much Is True"

May 24, 2020 | Reply

Mary B.

"Labor of Love" is a lazy title for a show with a disappointing premise. Wouldn't it be better to call it "Crock of Love," "Steaming Pile of Love," or "Labor of Crock"?

May 24, 2020 | Reply

Mac

I had no idea what Labor of Love was,so,after finding out(ties to the insipid Bachelor),I found that the first show pulled in less than a million folk,and an abysmal number for the desired demographic(source-The Hollywood Reporter).

May 24, 2020

Mary B.

Could call it "Falling of Rock" or "Weakness of Premise." As Steve Ray Vaughn sang, "That's a cold shot.." a slap at women.

May 24, 2020

Mac

5/22-FX, now part of the Disney,premieres AKA Jane Roe @ 9PM. It proclaims deep investigation and interviews,with the headline bombshell from Jane Roe,aka Norma McCorvey ,reneges on her long about face against abortion. Her views renouncing abortion,after being the literal poster woman for abortion rights,a law and its Supreme Court rulings, which changed everything in the U.S. The conversion against abortion,she claimed late in life,were funded in the six figures,by pro-life money,including one religious guy interviewed who has since overturned his ideas. This supersedes any programming tonight. For both sides,ya gotta see what is here. Why this night,at the start of the Memorial Day weekend? Dunno. But thankful Disney didn't hide it behind a paywall and,since they took over FX & FXX,captioning has stabilized so many more can understand this important subject. In the recent past these channels were off limits,due to the folks @ Fox lazy work. Wow! I said something nice about Disney.

May 22, 2020 | Reply

Ken

Please fix your listings for today

May 22, 2020 | Reply

Mac

Better Call Saul fans might want to look to the funny papers(available online via gocomics.com) for Ruben Bolling's scathing comic,Tom the Dancing Bug from 5/15/20. Taking the format of one of Saul's ads,it is headlined Better Buzz Barr,as in the AG William Barr as doing as much harm as Trump and McConnell. "You can smear Sessions,but you can't dis Barr! Call 1-855-LOWERTHEBARR".

May 21, 2020 | Reply

Mac

5/19-TCM's daytime theme is madness and it includes 2 brilliant and disturbing British films from director Michael Powell. 1PM The Red Shoes- A young ballerina divided between not only two men- one a composer,the other a master of dance and the ballerina's passion for her own art. 6:15PM-Black Narcissus-A group of nuns working in the Himalayans. Two of the finest examples of color with cinematography by Jack Cardiff(never miss a Cardiff film). Sandwiched in-between-Lawrence Olivier's little effort-Hamlet-but I would still concentrate on the Powell films. Too intense? Try the Cartoon Network.

May 19, 2020 | Reply

Mac

Comedian Jim Gaffigan has been showing up on CBS Sunday Morning during quarantine from his Manhattan apartment. He is not alone-his wife,Jeannie,who had a brain tumor removed 3 yrs. ago,with complications after, is active in everything. Add all five kids-ages 8 thru 15. You Tube extras include a cooking series and a Q&A with the Qs from the kids and As from expert Andy Slavitt. Past episodes via You Tube. Nothing comedic that will spurt your coffee through your nose,but a family that truly loves each other in 2020, getting through Covid-19 while living in the U.S. epicenter-Manhattan.

May 16, 2020 | Reply

Mac

Seth Meyers 5/13-New best seller on the table-not yet a mini-series starring Richard Chamberlain-The Shorn Brads. Possible You Tube videos of Messrs. Pitt,Garrett,Bird & Paisley getting quarantine haircuts?

May 14, 2020 | Reply

Mac

I don't receive AXS but Dan Rather's interview with Ian Anderson has lit up a music forum I frequent. There are many Jethro Tull fans there and the obsessive nature of many audiophiles onboard bring about a load of comments,well beyond what you would consider merely "fans". Ian Anderson's COPD is incurable and could change things rapidly for the worse if left alone. The soundbite "can still run for the bus" is more than a cliche as Anderson evidently doesn't drive. His health is of great concern to fans and it is odd that the biggest Jethro Tull album is titled Aqualung. That album turns 50 next year.

May 14, 2020 | Reply

Bill

Why go through the trouble of making a video for BEST BETS and not updating the site?
Not everyone wants to spend the time watching a video.

May 13, 2020 | Reply

Mac

A follow-up to the cable airings of Monk. The Sundance Channel put a Covid 19-themed spot with Mr. Monk in showing that he was just ahead of the game. Now Comcast's upcoming Peacock paychannel has begun teasers integrating Covid 19 with interviews. First up-hosted by Seth McFarlane,Tony Shalhoub in his Monk character and guest stars. Quite good! Peaccok is probably going to have Monk in its lineup,as Universal owns rights to the entire series(no Disney Touchstone as it started with USA) and the short is available at You Tube for free. Sad,CC only in Spanish.

May 12, 2020 | Reply

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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.

New From TVWW

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

Hulu, 3:00 a.m. ET

CBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

ABC, ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET

Pop, 10:00 p.m. ET

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