Category Archives: Winter Press Tour 2012

Werner Herzog’s Descent into Death Row

By Roger Catlin | Published: March 10, 2012

The filmmaker Werner Herzog has been peering into death row recently for the film “Into the Abyss.” But some interviews were so intense and fascinating, they made for a four part series, “On Death Row” that started tonight on Investigation Discovery. While it is the latest in a wide variety of films he’s made over [...]

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Why the Scandal Dominates ‘Clinton’

By Roger Catlin | Published: February 21, 2012

If you wrote a book about Bill Clinton and his presidency, would you spend fully a fourth of it discussing his affair with a White House intern? That’s what happens in “Clinton,” the two night presentation on “American Experince” that uses one of its four hours dealing with the fallout. Filmmaker Barak Goodman defended the [...]

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Sharon Malone’s Education of the Old South

By Roger Catlin | Published: February 14, 2012

One of the most remarkable documentaries in Black History Month is the one that premiered tonight on PBS, “Slavery by Another Name,” which recounts the decades of forced labor that followed the Emancipation Proclamation due to a loophole in the 13th Amendment. It was a brutal, little known chapter in history until it was brought [...]

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How Kevin Smith Got Back on TV

By Roger Catlin | Published: February 14, 2012

Kevin Smith wasn’t anxious to get back into television.  After all, his last “disastrous foray into TV” was an animated series based on his movie “Clerks” in 2000. “We only made six episodes and ABC only aired two,” he shrugged. So he mostly thought he wasn’t simpatico with television. But then producer Charlie Corwin of [...]

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How Much Spielberg Is In ‘Smash’?

By Roger Catlin | Published: February 6, 2012

How involved is Steven Spielberg in the new “Smash”? After all, his name appears on so many movies and TV shows these days, you begin to wonder how much involvement he has, especially in the small-screen stuff. But Bob Greenblatt, entertainment president of NBC said it was Spielberg himself who pitched the idea, while Greenblatt [...]

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Making the World Safe for Black Nerds

By Roger Catlin | Published: February 1, 2012

Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key say conditions in Washington have helped create a welcoming atmosphere for its new sketch comedy show “Key & Peele” that began tonight on Comedy Central, “Obama was the best thing for black nerds everywhere,” Jordan Peele told reporters at TV critics press tour earlier this month. “Finally we had a [...]

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The Governor and the Talk Show

By Roger Catlin | Published: January 30, 2012

Al Gore was all excited earlier this month announcing the newest show for his Current TV schedule at the TV critics press tour. Who needs another political talk show? Well this one is hosted by former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm. “With the launch of Jennifer’s show,” Gore says, “We will have a full primetime lineup, [...]

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Milch’s Faith in ‘Luck’ Audience

By Roger Catlin | Published: January 29, 2012

There’s no question that tonight’s first episode of “Luck” on HBO is a tough one – a new series about life at the track with no specific explainer about what’s going on and who’s who. This is usually accomplished in film and TV narratives by having a newcomer introduced to the scene and having it [...]

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How Jeremy Irons Became a Bar Rag

By Roger Catlin | Published: January 29, 2012

The latest credit for the distinguished Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons comes tonight on a new episode of “The Simpsons,” as a 1,000 year old piece of cloth that has ended up as the bar rag at Moe’s, narrating his own story. Speaking before reporters at the TV Critics Association winter press tour earlier this month [...]

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Ageless Tony Bennett Talks ‘Duets II,’ Winehouse and The Genius Audience

By Roger Catlin | Published: January 27, 2012

In the stylishly shot “Tony Bennett: Duets II” making its bow tonight on PBS’ “Great Performance,” everybody dresses up for the recording studio. Bennett naturally is always wearing a snappy suit, but many of those joining him, including Faith Hill, Norah Jones and Carrie Underwood, are wearing fancy gowns. For Bennett, the elegance is a [...]

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