Eric Deggans

Tv and Media Critic for the Saint Petersburg Times

Eric Deggans appears in the following:

TV Networks Court Advertisers At This Year's Upfronts

Thursday, May 16, 2019

The Upfronts are a yearly presentation by broadcast and cable networks to advertisers. Despite the media coverage of streaming services like Netflix, broadcast networks are still huge profit centers.

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Tim Conway, Who Relished The Role Of Comedic Co-Star, Dies At 85

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Conway built a career playing goofballs who rarely took center stage. On The Carol Burnett Show, he developed a reputation for sidesplitting improvisations that cracked everybody up.

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Nick Hornby's 'State Of The Union' Is A 10-Minute Dramatic Comedy Inside A Local Pub

Monday, May 06, 2019

10 episodes, 10 minutes each, with a couple talking about their marriage in a London pub just before their therapy sessions. Chris O'Dowd and Rosamund Pike star in State Of The Union.

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HBO's 'Chernobyl' Is A Dramatization Of 1986 Nuclear Accident

Monday, May 06, 2019

HBO's five-part series Chernobyl is a compelling drama about one of the world's worst nuclear accidents. It's also a look at the dangers of a government where politics are more important than reality.

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Ground-Breaking Director John Singleton Dies At 51

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Filmmaker John Singleton died Monday after complications from a stroke. He made history with 1991's Boyz n the Hood as the first African American nominated for a best director Oscar.

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HBO Airs First Episode Of 'Game Of Thrones' Final Season

Monday, April 15, 2019

Winter is here. At least on HBO's Game of Thrones, which premiered its final season Sunday night. It was packed with uncomfortable reunions — unleashing massive implications for the story to come.

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PBS' 6-Episode 'Les Misérables' Miniseries Focuses On The Story Instead Of Music

Friday, April 12, 2019

PBS premieres a new version of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, starring Dominic West of The Wire and The Affair. This version has no music and tries to be closer to the source material.

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Jordan Peele Puts His Spin On TV's Classic: 'The Twilight Zone'

Monday, April 01, 2019

Oscar-winning filmmaker Jordan Peele has created a new version of TV's classic anthology series — The Twilight Zone — for the streaming service CBS All Access. The show debuts April 1.

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TV Review: 'Barry' Turns In A Stellar Second Season

Thursday, March 28, 2019

After major Emmy wins for the first season of HBO's dark comedy Barry, the biggest question left was simple: Can they do it again?

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Apple Announces Streaming TV Service And New Products

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Apple unveiled a number of new services Monday, including a credit card, a gaming app and a TV app which combines other streaming services and adds new shows just for Apple.

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Disney Closes On $71 Billion Acquisition Of Fox's Entertainment Business

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

At the end of 2017, Disney announced that it would acquire large parts of 21st Century Fox. On Wednesday, shortly after midnight eastern time, the $71.3 billion deal finally was completed.

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'The Inventor' Is A Compelling And Critical Look At Startup Culture In Silicon Valley

Monday, March 18, 2019

The The Inventor tells the story of the spectacular rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. The startup duped people into investing in a blood testing technology which never completely worked.

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Streaming Preview: Idris Elba In 'Turn Up Charlie' And Aidy Bryant In 'Shrill'

Thursday, March 14, 2019

We have reviews of two shows that premiere on Friday: Turn Up Charlie starring Idris Elba on Netflix, and Shrill starring Aidy Bryant on Hulu.

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'Leaving Neverland' Makes Powerful But One-Sided Case Against The King Of Pop

Friday, March 01, 2019

Two men who met Michael Jackson as children in the '80s allege the pop star sexually abused them for years. Reliance on personal testimony is both the strength and weakness of HBO's Leaving Neverland.

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News Brief: Congressional Democrats Investigate Trump's Business, North Korea Summit Fallout

Friday, March 01, 2019

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has scheduled an open interview with former Trump Organization business booster Felix Sater on March 14.

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Jussie Smollet Of 'Empire' Charged With Filing False Police Report

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Chicago police charged Jussie Smollett with disorderly conduct after he allegedly filed a false report about being attacked. The story has been wracked with controversy since it emerged last month.

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Review: PBS'American Masters - Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Sammy Davis, Jr. could sing, dance and act. In PBS' American Masters documentary, a central theme is how Davis coped with the realities of life as a black entertainer in a racist America.

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Winter Is Coming — So Are These Shows And TV Subscription Services

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

As the Television Critics Association winter press tour wrapped up Wednesday, it became clear that viewers will have more shows and more platforms to choose from in the coming year.

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Super Bowl Ads 2019: Stunts, Self-Deprecation And Celebrity Sightings

Monday, February 04, 2019

Marketers focused on finding the humor in this year's crop of Super Bowl ads. Here's what worked — and so much more that didn't — on the world's biggest showcase for TV advertising.

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Review: Netflix's 'Black Earth Rising' Stars British Actress Michaela Coel

Friday, January 25, 2019

Black Earth Rising is a fictional thriller about the modern repercussions of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The series, which debuts Friday, offers a compelling look at the atrocity.

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