David Bianculli appears in the following:
HBO's sly new 'Irma Vep' proves there's still no business like show business
Monday, June 06, 2022
HBO's miniseries centers on a group of creatives working on a remake of the 1916 serial The Vampires. Part comedy, part satire of the film industry, Irma Vep is a winning combination.
Norm Macdonald's 'Nothing Special' gives us one last dose of the late comic
Wednesday, June 01, 2022
Most of Netflix's special features Macdonald running through his set in one unbroken take. The rest is a small group of comics, including David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, talking about their friend.
'Great Performances' goes inside Stephen Sonheim's groundbreaking 'Company'
Friday, May 27, 2022
PBS's documentary details how Sondheim's landmark 1970 musical was adapted to the current Broadway version — pivoting on a gender switch that rewrites the central role as a woman instead of a man.
'American Dream' documentary examines George Carlin's triumphs and demons
Friday, May 20, 2022
Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" act ignited an obscenity case in the '70s. We listen back to two archival interviews with the late comedian, and David Bianculli reviews a new HBO documentary about him.
'Strange New Worlds' is the most enjoyable 'Star Trek' show since the original
Thursday, May 05, 2022
The new series is an exciting throwback, connecting the dots and pulling characters and plot points not just from Discovery, but also from the very origins of the Star Trek series itself.
New TV series revisit Watergate and the original 'Godfather'
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Gaslit tells the story of Watergate, focusing on Martha Mitchell, the outspoken wife President Nixon's attorney general. The Offer focuses on the making of the first Godfather movie.
'The First Lady' is far from perfect—but its lead performances make it worth watching
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Showtime's new 10-part series dramatizes the lives of three presidential spouses: Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama, played by Gillian Anderson, Michelle Pfeiffer and Viola Davis.
'61st Street' is a well-acted — but none too subtle — crime drama
Friday, April 08, 2022
AMC's new series takes a detailed look at the intersection of crime, policing and the courts. But while its story is compelling, 61st Street is ultimately marred by a script that seems too obvious.
HBO series captures Julia Child's joy and mastery in the kitchen
Monday, March 28, 2022
Julia is a wonderful, eight-episode series that tells of story of how Child brought her recipes — and her enthusiasm for demystifying French cooking — to television.
Like the '80s Lakers, 'Winning Time' scores with an unconventional playbook
Friday, March 04, 2022
Adam McKay's new HBO series about the Los Angeles Lakers goes out of its way to be out of the ordinary. But its showboating is in keeping with the style of the basketball team it chronicles.
Still ripping from the headlines: 'Law & Order' reboot continues with tradition
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
The original series, which debuted in 1990, leaned heavily on current news stories. The new show does the same. Its debut episode centers on the crimes of a TV personality reminiscent of Bill Cosby.
'Pam & Tommy' asks smart questions about gossip, sexism and technology
Tuesday, February 08, 2022
Hulu's new series tells the story of Baywatch actress Pamela Anderson and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, whose private sex tape was stolen in 1995 and subsequently distributed over the Internet.
W. Kamau Bell asks all the right questions in 'We Need to Talk About Cosby'
Friday, January 28, 2022
Nothing is sensationalized or trivialized in Bell's four-part documentary, which reckons with Bill Cosby's legacy both as a barrier-breaking Black star and as a sexual predator.
The collision of old and new money is on glitzy display in HBO's 'Gilded Age'
Friday, January 21, 2022
Set in New York City the early 1880s, this ten-part costume drama is basically an American Downtown Abbey, complete with rich and poor, power brokers and household workers.
'Reframed' revisits Marilyn Monroe's life and legacy, from an all-women point of view
Friday, January 14, 2022
During her career and after her death, Monroe was objectified and scrutinized — mostly by male writers, biographers and historians. CNN's new docuseries tells her story from a fresh perspective.
'Fresh Air' celebrates legendary TV actor Betty White
Friday, January 07, 2022
White's television career spanned the history of TV itself. Best known for her roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, she died Dec. 31, at age 99. Originally broadcast in 1987.
'The Book of Boba Fett' adds an impressive chapter to the 'Star Wars' saga
Monday, January 03, 2022
Picking up where The Mandalorian left off, this new fantasy series on Disney+ features well-defined characters, exciting action and special effects that are as good as in any Star Wars movie.
'Being the Ricardos' dramatizes Lucy and Desi's very complicated relationship
Wednesday, December 08, 2021
Aaron Sorkin's latest film zeroes in on one very stressful week in the lives of Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem), when Lucy was accused of being a Communist.
The long and winding Beatles docuseries will enchant die-hard and casual fans
Monday, November 29, 2021
The new three-part Disney+ docuseries Get Back is a true treasure. It offers an inside look at The Beatles' creative process, as well as amazing footage from their legendary rooftop concert.
'Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time' remains faithful to the author's spirit
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
A new documentary bounces randomly, rather than chronologically, through Vonnegut's life, with music, editing, photography and sequencing that are fully in line with what, and how, Vonnegut wrote.