Last night’s solo performances were, on average, average. Five of the 12 contestants singing last night will be voted off tonight – but not before getting the chance to sing duets with former American Idol contestants, including Kellie Pickler (sixth season contestant, seen here), Jordin Sparks, and David Cook. Unfortunately, last week’s duets, with the other 12 Idol singers still in this final year’s mix, were, on average, below average. To stay alive past tonight, this

2016

Feb

THE BIG BANG THEORY By David Bianculli

How much have these characters grown during this sitcom’s nine seasons? Howard (Simon Helberg) not only got a girlfriend, Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), and eventually married her, but now they’re expecting a child. I know, that’s the normal plot trajectory for sitcoms that last so many years on the air, but the four geeks at the center of The Big Bang Theory started out so stunted emotionally, it’s an especially impressive evolutionary achievement in this case. And they sta

2016

Feb

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS By David Bianculli

Two fantastic, visually opulent movie musicals are shown in prime time tonight by TCM. Leading things off: Gene Kelly in 1951’s An American in Paris, with an extended dance climax, set to the George Gershwin suite, that not only brings painted masterpieces on canvas to life, but is a masterpiece in itself.

2016

Feb

THE BAND WAGON By David Bianculli

The second fabulous movie musical shown tonight is 1953’s The Band Wagon, in which Fred Astaire plays an over-the-hill dancing star who tries to mount a comeback in a new musical based on the story of Faust. His dance with Cyd Charisse is as beautiful as she is, which is saying a lot. Both this film and the one shown before it on TCM, An American in Paris, are directed by Vincent Minnelli.

2016

Feb

JOIN OR DIE WITH CRAIG FERGUSON By David Bianculli

SERIES PREMIERE: For some reason, History didn’t send a DVD preview copy or press website link of this new series to me, and I didn’t notice that until it was too late to ask. So I’m recommending, and diving into, this new series sight unseen. That’s because its host is Craig Ferguson, whose conversational gifts and intellectual interests are sufficiently impressive and varied to make him a well-chosen host for a show that talks about, and has fun with, history. So let&rs

2016

Feb

GO WEST AND GO HUGE By Eric Gould

Kanye West is apparently $53 million in debt so he’s looking for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to not only get him out of debt, but to also pony up $1 billion to back West’s startup, called Donda... Stephen Colbert runs down the whole story for you...

2016

Feb

AMERICAN IDOL By David Bianculli

Last week, 12 of the remaining 24 contestants had to sing solo, then were paired with returning Idol alumni, such as Fantasia, to sing duets – after which the judges voted several of them off (the current contestants, not the returnees). The same thing happens tonight and tomorrow night, but with a different set of returning Idol players.

2016

Feb

SURVIVOR: KAOH RONG – BRAINS VS. BRAWN VS. BEAUTY By David Bianculli

CYCLE PREMIERE: Instead of castaways squaring off as usual, this time it’s more of a triangle. There are three tribes competing to survive in Kaoh Rong: brains, brawn, and beauty. Sight unseen, I’d bet on the beauties – but with three different approaches to each problem, and each challenge, a lot could go Rong.

2016

Feb

THE ODD COUPLE By David Bianculli

Neil Simon’s Broadway comedy smash hit is turned into a fabulous movie, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau as mismatched roomies Felix and Oscar. The performances are as breezy and delightful as Simon’s script, and that’s saying a lot. There’s one joke in here, delivered by Matthau’s Oscar about the nagging notes Felix leaves around the apartment, that may be the most perfectly written line of comedy dialogue in Broadway and movie history. You’ll know it

2016

Feb

MODERN FAMILY By David Bianculli

Let’s hear it for the economic rebirth of small businesses: In tonight’s episode, Gloria (Sofia Vergara) begins to market her hot salsa in local stores. The life-sized cut-out of her used to sell her product, though, is considered by some customers almost as hot as her salsa – which doesn’t sit at all well with husband Jay (Ed O’Neill).

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