‘Californication’ Ends with Whimper
Having generally worn out its welcome several seasons earlier, "Californication" ended its seven season run Sunday with the kind of whimper Hank Moody himself would disdain. The series about a…
Starting Tonight: Grim World of ‘Leftovers’
There has probably never been a pilot episode for a new series as glum, anguished and depressing as that of tonight's "The Leftovers" (HBO, 10 p.m.) the new series in…
Blown Up to Hellers on ’24’
Jack Bauer has spent a lot of his career protecting various Presidents of the United States. So the idea of assisting a sure death would be something of anathema to…
‘Louie’s After School Pot Special
No wonder Louis C.K. took a year to produce his latest season of “Louie.” Every few episodes unfold like a little movie, with the deadpan flavor of 70s independent film.…
Fisticuffs and Inspirational Speeches
The new AMC drama "Halt" and Catch Fire had some big shoes to fill. Sliding into the "Mad Men" timeslot was struggle enough, but it also came along just as…
Action Heats Up on ’24’
Cutting a season of "24" down to 12 episodes seems to have done something to its velocity, urgency and the amount of action it packs into each week’s show. This…
‘Veep’ Goes to the Debates
"Veep" is one of the few serialized series that doesn’t need to hit everyone over the head with what’s happened previously before starting every episode. Like Selina Meyer, it just…
The Very Nostalgic Rock Hall Inductions
There should be some consideration in the coming years, not to have an annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony; to skip a year or so. There is…
‘Fargo’ Finally Visits the Actual Town
Even the best series have to sometimes step back after an exceptional episode, just to sift through all that had happened, before forging on. Last week’s big “Fargo” episode had…
Robert Morse Gets His Dance on ‘Mad Men’
From the beginning, when nobody knew what "Mad Men" was, Robert Morse was the clearest connection to the grey flannel me of Madison Avenue. As the song and dance man…