Monday TV: Midwestern Maladies
A bracing slap of reality for your new year optimism may be the striking documentary "Rich Hill" on "Independent Lens" (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings). The 2014 Sundance grand…
Back Down to ‘Downton’
Public television hasn't had anything close to as big a hit as "Downton Abbey" in its history -- nothing with as big ratings, nothing that caused as much buzz, nothing…
Also on Sunday: ‘Galavant’ vs. ‘Apprentice’
The network holiday doldrums are over and midseason has officially begun, with new episodes of everything tonight as well as a couple of new shows. The most unusual of them, "Galavant"…
Saturday TV: NFL Playoffs Begin
The NFL Playoffs begin, paving the road to the Super Bowl with the first of 11 games bringing pro football to Saturday. It starts with Arizona at Carolina (ESPN, 4:35 p.m.)…
Friday TV: Gershwin Prize for Billy Joel
The Long Island piano man is honored in D.C. in the special "Billy Joel: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize" (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings), taped in November at…
Thursday TV: Great Big New Year
Before "The Bachelor" returns to swing his emotional weight next week on network TV, here's a new series about sizable women on the prowl for men. "Big Women: Big Love"…
TCM Honors Those Who Passed in 2014
Speaking of people who died, it will be tough for the Academy Awards to beat the strong film Turner Classic Movies put together to remember those who died this year.…
Wednesday TV: Four Hour Countdowns
Once strictly a late night celebration, New Year's Eve has slipped down to fully take over prime time on most networks, sparking a four hour, full night countdowns with a…
Tuesday TV: Kennedy Center Honors
The best show of the holiday doldrums by far is The 37th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (CBS, 9 p.m.), the lone arts program of the year from broadcast TV, where…
Monday TV: Reality Show, with Singing
The odd midwestern show biz mecca of Branson, Mo., finally gets a showcase in the new "Branson Famous" (truTV, 10 p.m.), but it hardly gets outside of one theater, the…