David Bianculli appears in the following:
'Hello Tomorrow!' seals the deal with a decidedly retro vision of the future
Friday, February 24, 2023
Billy Crudup plays a traveling salesman, hawking new homes on the moon in this Apple TV+ series. Hello Tomorrow! is a colorful fantasy world, populated with characters real enough to care about.
Now in its 10th season, John Oliver's 'Last Week' is still as fresh and funny as ever
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Oliver rarely has guests, so the HBO show relies on him to sell both the jokes and the facts — which he does, always counter-punching with a punchline whenever things start getting too serious.
Clunky title aside, 'Cunk on Earth' is a mockumentary with cult classic potential
Friday, February 03, 2023
An ill-informed TV correspondent travels the world — with hilarious results — in Netflix's new oddball show. Diane Morgan's delivery is deliciously dry, and her improv skills are formidable.
A therapist stumbles on a whole new way to treat patients in 'Shrinking'
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford play therapists who're sometimes too honest with their patients — and not honest enough with themselves — in this winning new Apple TV+ comedy series.
Natasha Lyonne shows off her 'Poker Face' in a clever series inspired by 'Columbo'
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Lyonne plays a cocktail waitress with an odd psychic power: She can sense when people aren't telling the truth, which makes her a great (accidental) detective in this delightful new Peacock series.
Critic David Bianculli rounds up the best TV moments of 2022
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
There was a lot of great television this year, but the winning moment came from HBO's special, The Howard Stern Interview: Bruce Springsteen, an extended two-plus hour conversation between two icons.
All eyes on are 'Wednesday' in this playfully droll 'Addams Family' spinoff
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
The look and tone are perfect — and the characters, settings and subplots are just what you hoped they'd be — in this new Netflix series starring former Disney Channel star Jenna Ortega.
Movie stars head to TV in the winning dramas 'Yellowstone' and 'Tulsa King'
Thursday, November 10, 2022
There was a time when stars like Kevin Costner and Sylvester Stallone wouldn't stoop to appear on TV. But the landscape has changed, and now it's where they're finding some of their career-best roles.
Never mind that it's not factual, this Weird Al biopic parody is very, very funny
Thursday, November 03, 2022
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is the most entertaining musical biography satire since Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Don't expect much truth in the telling here — but do expect some over-the-top fun.
Horror fans will want to poke around in Guillermo del Toro's 'Cabinet of Curiosities'
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
The special effects are a lot more special than the stories in the Oscar-winning director's new Netflix anthology series. Still, most of the shows in this first, eight-episode run are worth watching.
'SNL' alums continue to poke fun at nonfiction films with 'Documentary Now!'
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Now in its fourth season, this anthology series claims the middle ground between a short SNL sketch and a full-length film. Its clever parodies include My Monkey Grifter, a riff on My Octopus Teacher.
Las Vegas mass shooting survivors tell their own story in '11 minutes' documentary
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
The new four-hour Paramount+ documentary is told mostly through cellphone videos and police body cams. It is surprisingly not gruesome — the visuals are selected and edited very judiciously.
You won't want to miss this funny and surprising 'Reboot'
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Hulu's new comedy series is about the rebirth of an old comedy series — one that never existed. Reboot is the funniest sitcom about making a sitcom since the Showtime series Episodes.
Ken Burns connects the past and the present in 'The U.S. and the Holocaust'
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Burns' new six-hour series brings World War II history to life — and reminds us that our life, right now, is indeed history in the making.
'Rings of Power' and 'House of the Dragon' are giant gambles. Will they pay off?
Friday, September 02, 2022
Amazon's Lord of the Rings and HBO's Game of Thrones prequels should please fans of the original works. Time will tell how well the shows set up, and are faithful to, the stories they're expanding.
'In Treatment' meets 'Dexter' in Hulu's psychological thriller 'The Patient'
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Steve Carell stars as a therapist who is abducted by a murderer. By the time The Patient is over, nearly everyone in this drama series reflects upon past actions and decisions — or dies trying.
'Better Call Saul' sticks the landing with the series finale
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
For faithful viewers the finale was one treat after another. There were unexpected returns from old characters and breathtaking surprises. Up until the end, the show defied expectations.
The Jan. 6 TV hearings conclude with some really compelling cliffhangers
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
The Jan. 6 hearings have been packaged like TV shows: Each episode has a plot, and some special guest stars, announced in advance. As a miniseries, the verdict is in: This particular show is a hit.
'The Last Movie Stars' offers an intimate portrait of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward
Thursday, July 21, 2022
A new six-part documentary, directed by Ethan Hawke, pulls from interviews with the couple as well as with their Hollywood friends to provide an unvarnished view of their careers and lengthy marriage.
In HBO's reality series 'The Rehearsal,' participants practice real-life scenarios
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Part comedy, part drama, Nathan Fielder's new show is a social experiment of sorts, where people work within elaborate sets to try to figure out ways to resolve complicated real-life situations.