David Bianculli

Franklin is worth watching — not only for what it reveals about how the U.S. won independence from England then – but also about the complexities of war, and international politics now.

After 25 years and 12 seasons, Curb wraps April 7. We mark the occasion with archival interviews with Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, Robert B. Weide, Timothy Olyphant, Ted Danson and others.

A new Apple TV+ documentary profiles a man who appears to have found more joy as he's gotten older — and the more you watch this documentary, the more joy you'll find as well.

Netflix's new series features one of the most complicated narratives our critic has seen on TV. But don't be thrown – things become clearer as the drama progresses and the characters pull you in.

An unexpectedly thought-provoking two-part documentary looks back at Simon's lengthy career, including his Simon & Garfunkel days, and also chronicles his process of recording his latest album.

A new, seven-part series on Apple TV+ unfolds like a period-piece Columbo. First John Wilkes Booth plans and commits the murder, then the lead investigator deciphers clues to catch the elusive killer.

In February, Oliver returned for a new season of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on HBO, and Stewart came back to host The Daily Show on Mondays. Both prove that they're the best at what they do.

Season 12 opens with Larry stuck with two women he can't eject from his life. As in its previous seasons, HBO's Curb offers a delicate combination of intricate structure and freewheeling improv.

Tony Soprano was far from the typical protagonist of a TV drama. He wasn't just flawed; at times, he was utterly amoral. But audiences stayed with him — right up until the series' perfect ending.

Tom Smothers, who died Dec. 26, was one half of the comedy duo The Smothers Brothers. We listen back to an interview with Tom and Dick Smothers from 1985, and an interview with just Tom in 1997.

Braugher, who died Dec. 11, trained at Julliard and performed in many Shakespeare productions. He won Emmy Awards for Homicide: Life on the Street and Thief. Originally broadcast in 1995 and 2006.

Critic David Bianculli acknowledges that his year-end list of TV favorites is hardly all-inclusive. Nevertheless, here's what he enjoyed watching, including Beckham, The Bear and Black Mirror.

Lear, who died Dec. 5, used humor to address racism and politics. Terry Gross spoke with Lear in 2014; Good Times actor Esther Rolle in 1983; and All in the Family director John Rich in 2006.

Emma Stone and show co-creators Benny Safdie and Nathan Fielder star in a satire about a team of would-be TV producers as they try to make a TV series about the "off the grid" homes they're building.

Reiner and Brooks have been friends since high school — and their intimacy shows in Albert Brooks: Defending My Life. The only flaw of this terrific documentary is that it's not twice as long.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Netflix's four-part miniseries tells the story of two young people — one French, one German — in the years before and during the Nazi occupation of France.

Kelsey Grammer returns in the title role in this Paramount+ series. Despite a less than impressive premiere, Frasier manages to firmly establish its characters, settings and relationships.

Netflix's anthology series presents four of Dahl's short stories — all of them written for the screen and directed by Anderson, and all of them featuring Dahl's dazzling, fairy-tale-book visuals.

The Morning Show enriches itself in its latest season by adding Jon Hamm to the cast and boring more deeply into a few major issues, including institutional racism and blackmail by computer hackers.

LaKeith Stanfield plays a young man who achieves his dreams and goals — only to have them descend into nightmares. While the ending of this Apple TV+ series underwlems, the acting keeps you watching.