Eric Deggans

Tv and Media Critic for the Saint Petersburg Times

Eric Deggans appears in the following:

NBC Touts A Silver Lining In Historically Low Viewership For The Tokyo Olympics

Monday, August 09, 2021

Average prime time viewership was just 15.5 million people, down from an average 26.7 million for the Rio Games in 2016. But NBC's broadcast ratings ranked second only to its Sunday Night Football.

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These Olympics May Feel Like Less Of A Blockbuster Than Past Games. Here's Why

Monday, August 02, 2021

A look at the viewing experience of this year's Olympic games, including its production and ratings as it streamed on both live TV and NBC's Peacock service.

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Somber Tone Lingers At Tokyo Games Opening Ceremony, Though Athletes Add Lift

Friday, July 23, 2021

Viewers who woke up early in America to watch NBC's first live morning telecast of an Olympics opening ceremony Friday were greeted with a subdued presentation, where the COVID pandemic loomed large.

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Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain' At 50: R&B, Psychedelic Rock And A Black Guitarist's Cry

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Aiming to make a record that fans would still listen to decades later, George Clinton and Funkadelic mixed R&B, psychedelic rock and a Black guitar hero's cry.

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'Ted Lasso' Is Back, And You Bet Your Biscuits Season 2 Is Just As Sweet

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Ted Lasso — the Apple TV+ series starring Jason Sudeikis as a clueless American coach taking over a British soccer team — avoids a sophomore slump with grace, heart and a lot of laughs.

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An Introverted Champion Reveals Her Earnest Heart In Netflix's 'Naomi Osaka'

Friday, July 16, 2021

A new Netflix documentary about tennis champion Naomi Osaka is a poignant, albeit curated, portrait of a young biracial woman navigating the precipice of sports superstardom.

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5 Takeaways From The 2021 Emmy Nominations

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

From a banner year for a new generation of streaming platforms to historic inclusion and unexpected exclusions, NPR's Eric Deggans unpacks the 2021 Emmy nominations.

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'Summer Of Soul' Celebrates A 1969 Black Cultural Festival Eclipsed By Woodstock

Thursday, July 01, 2021

The Harlem Cultural Festival was filled with stars from soul, R&B, blues and jazz and drew more than 300,000 people. Questlove directs this breathtaking chronicle of Black culture in a pivotal moment.

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Dear Emmy Voters And TV Lovers, Here's What You Shouldn't Miss

Monday, June 28, 2021

As the members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences wrap up voting on nominations for the Emmys, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans offers a few under-the-radar recommendations.

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After 28 Quirky Years, Conan O'Brien Is Leaving Late Night

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Despite his longevity, O'Brien has always seemed like a host who never fit in easily on television – perhaps, at least in part, by design. He plans to debut a weekly variety show on HBO Max.

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How TV Dramas Informed And Misinformed Perceptions Of The War On Drugs

Friday, June 18, 2021

From Miami Vice, to The Wire, to Orange Is the New Black, scripted TV shows have had a serious and sometimes unrecognized impact on public attitudes about drugs in America.

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Column Explains How Tom Hanks Could Be Anti-Racist — Not Just Non-Racist

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Actor Tom Hanks wrote an essay calling for more widespread teaching of Black American history, leading to NPR's Eric Deggans' response: Tom Hanks Is A Non-Racist. It's Time For Him To Be Anti-Racist.

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Colbert Welcomes Back A Live Audience To 'Late Show'

Monday, June 14, 2021

CBS Late Show host Stephen Colbert will tape his show in front of a live studio audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater for the first time since the pandemic shut down live performances.

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Opinion: Tom Hanks Is A Non-Racist. It's Time For Him To Be Anti-Racist

Sunday, June 13, 2021

TV critic Eric Deggans says the Oscar-winning actor whose career has been rooted in films based on U.S. history needs to take responsibility for helping dismantle the notion of white exceptionalism.

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'The Bachelor' Host Chris Harrison Exits Franchise

Tuesday, June 08, 2021

Host Chris Harrison is out as the host of The Bachelor after almost twenty years with the franchise.

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Marvel Takes A Big Swing On The Small Screen With 'Loki'

Tuesday, June 08, 2021

Tom Hiddleston is arguably the biggest Marvel star to do a streaming series. Loki premieres Wednesday and continues the adventures of a character who was technically killed in Avengers: Infinity War.

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3 Documentaries You Should Watch About The Tulsa Race Massacre

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Monday is the 100th anniversary of one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history. A spate of books and documentaries are marking the moment; we round up three to watch this weekend.

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Amazon To Acquire Hollywood Movie Studio MGM

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

A deal was announced on Wednesday in which Amazon will acquire MGM, the storied Hollywood movie studio.

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'Master Of None' Returns With Mixed Results — And Unanswered Questions

Saturday, May 22, 2021

The new season of Netflix's Master of None is back, with lingering questions for star and co-creator, Aziz Ansari — questions the show tries to dodge by shifting its focus to Lena Waithe's character.

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'Master Of None' Shifts Gears For Its 3rd Season

Friday, May 21, 2021

The third season of Netflix's show, Master of None drops on Sunday. The show has changed focus from star Aziz Ansari following an allegation against him of misconduct on a date.

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