“Glee” (Fox, 8 p.m.), which has previously had episode-long salutes to Madonna, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. So it’s about time they donned the one glove to salute Michael Jackson. It happens tonight as they continue their endless campaign to prepare for Regionals, singing 10 MJ songs along the way. It kicks off with a […]
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Steve Jones is the New Dunkleman
The British host may have been one of the lesser problems of the first season of “The X Factor,” American style. But Steve Jones has been cut from the show, he tweeted Monday. “I wont be hosting next seasons XFactor which is a shame,” Jones said, sans quotes nor contractions. “but I cant complain as […]
The Governor and the Talk Show
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, […]
Monday TV: Blair a Bride on ‘Gossip Girl,’ ‘Drag Race’ Revs Up Again
“Gossip Girl” (The CW, 8 p.m.) reaches a couple of milestones tonight. It’s its 100th episode, for one thing, making it ripe for syndication down the road. More substantially, it’s Blair’s wedding to Prince Louis. Seems just yesterday her biggest ambition was to be queen bee at high school. Not everybody is happy about the […]
Milch’s Faith in ‘Luck’ Audience
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 […]
How Jeremy Irons Became a Bar Rag
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 […]
Sunday TV: Patience for Good ‘Luck,’ SAG Awards
It may be difficult to muster the requisite excitement for the start of the new series “Luck” (HBO, 9 p.m.). After the pilot from David Milch and director Michael Mann already showed late last year as a “sneak peak” following the “Boardwalk Empire” finale. And tonight’s somewhat confusing, somewhat mumbly first episode doesn’t make that […]
Everybody Sings Dylan
How many Bob Dylan tribute albums have there been – just in the last decade or so? There was the international cast on the soundtrack to his “Masked and Anonymous”; the terrific covers on the soundtrack to “I’m Not There”; the gospel, blues and reggae salutes to his songbook, the live covers on the “30th […]
Saturday TV: Namath Documentary, Three TV Movies
For this weekend’s pause in pro football before next week’s Super Bowl, it’s time to recall one of the NFL’s biggest superstars. “Namath” (HBO, 9 p.m.) tells the story of Broadway Joe Willie, who rose from small town western Pennsylvania to the biggest media story in sport, as quarterback for Alabama and then the New […]
Ageless Tony Bennett Talks ‘Duets II,’ Winehouse and The Genius Audience
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 […]