From best to worst on fall TV
Although new television programming comes our way all year long in the modern, multiplatform digital world, there’s still something comforting and even a little exciting about the traditional fall TV...
View ArticleFound in translation
Globalization can be seen as a curse or a blessing, but in the television business, it’s been a welcome business model. The thought came to me as I was catching up to the Franco-British TV crime drama...
View ArticleTuning in to new tube treats
The now-prevalent year-round barrage of television premieres assures viewers will receive another selection of new and returning programs throughout the summer, whether riches or rubbish. So what’s...
View ArticleHandicapping the fall TV schedule
The anticipation of the fall network television season has been diminished in part by the year-round premieres of shows on cable and, in a relatively recent wrinkle, streaming services. Nonetheless,...
View ArticleWelcome to the age of video overload: Here’s what’s worth watching
As mass media became increasingly massive during the past five decades, some pundit or scholar developed the concept of “information overload.” One might imagine a poor unfortunate in a metal helmet...
View ArticleSifting through the fall television season
Are viewers suffering from narrative fatigue due to the unprecedented year-round increase in television programming since we entered the era of streaming video content? Maybe, but they’re still...
View ArticleBinge-worthy television for wintertime
Even sunny California suffers inclement winter weather, inspiring us to spend more evenings in cozy surroundings — like in front of our video screens, rather than venturing out to movies or concerts...
View ArticleDark passage, dark night
It’s fair to assume that most wired-in people have at least one or two favorite primetime television shows that demand a weekly watch. I’ve heard the phrase “appointment TV” applied to those programs,...
View ArticleAll hail the princess and the commander in chief
Call me eclectic when it comes to storytelling. No matter the genre, if it’s done well, I’m interested. That leads me to high-quality entertainment in some unexpected places. For instance, one of my...
View ArticleMust-stream video
It’s no longer a surprise to learn that a friend who you think might have ghosted you, fallen off the grid, or — oh no! — been kidnapped has instead become entranced by some TV series and is spending...
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The empress and the stranger
Despite current production suspensions and slowdowns that have caused some of our go-to network and cable TV programs to shorten their seasons or postpone their upcoming returns, enough already...
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A good time for television tranquilizers
Now more than ever, a little escapism goes a long way to ease the stress that’s become a default setting for many of us. And if you can find a TV series or movie that generates laughter or simple...
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Portals to adventure in time and space
In times of strife, people thirst for escapism. That’s as good a reason as any to explain the current proliferation of science fiction and fantasy movies and television. One need only check the...
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Better crimes and punishments
The superb BBC miniseries The Serpent, which recently made its way to Netflix, reminded me that I’m pretty particular when it comes to TV shows about lawbreakers and the law enforcers pursuing them....
View ArticleSituation comedies meet merry melodies
It’s no exaggeration to say that we could use some laughs in times like these — in fact, anytime at all. Beyond the ostensible healing power of laughter, there’s also the welcome distraction of good...
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Brawl in the family
There’s a certain synchronicity to having the third season of Succession, the scathing satire of an obscenely wealthy clan headed by a domineering media mogul, roll out on HBO and HBO Max as...
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Globetrotting adventurers and cold cases heat up the video hearth
We’re in the middle of a perfect winter storm when it comes to the entertainment industry. Television viewing habits irrevocably changed with the expansion and proliferation of streaming services that...
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A revised ‘File’ worth investigating
The latest batch of sequels and prequels and remakes have reached screens big and small, as the movie and television industries continue to eagerly finance the tried and true — often at the expense of...
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When truth elevates drama
As much as fiction can reveal about the human condition, the account of a true story — especially one inspired by an uncommon situation — can have deeper impact by virtue of verity. Suspension of...
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Heroes reborn and revisited
Even if we seek something fresh and different to entertain and edify us, there can be satisfaction in the familiar. And it’s not always indicative of creative laziness when quintessential heroes are...
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