Eric Deggans

Tv and Media Critic for the Saint Petersburg Times

Eric Deggans appears in the following:

Showtime Revives 'Twin Peaks' But Says Little About 2017's Plot

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

One of the most anticipated TV shows of the new year may sound familiar. Twin Peaks is coming back more than 25 years after FBI Agent Dale Cooper first started investigating Laura Palmer's murder.

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Beyond Fake News: 2016's Most Disruptive Media Moments

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

This year was the most chaotic year America's mainstream news media have faced in a long time — and not just because of the presidential election, or the prevalence of fake news stories.

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2016 Had So Much Good TV, It Was Almost Too Much — We Pick Some Standouts

Monday, December 19, 2016

It has been a perplexing and wonderful year for TV lovers, with more good and great shows than ever, but that overload left viewers drowning in content. We've picked out some of the best for you.

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'The Man In The High Castle' Returns To Amazon For Season 2

Friday, December 16, 2016

The show imagines what it would be like if the axis countries had won World War II, and America was divided between Germany and Japan. The show's heroes struggle against totalitarianism.

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After A Year On The Job, Stephen Colbert Finds His Voice On 'The Late Show'

Saturday, December 10, 2016

At a taping of the show this week, during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden, Late Show writers and producers explain how they managed to turn the program around after a rough start.

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Trump To Retain Credit As Executive Producer Of 'Celebrity Apprentice'

Friday, December 09, 2016

President-elect Donald Trump will retain a credit as executive producer of the reality TV show Celebrity Apprentice. The new season, with new "boss" Arnold Schwarzenegger, premieres January 2. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says no one but Trump knows how involved he will be, but the news seems to contradict NBC's past assertion that it has severed business ties with Trump.

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A Case For Why TV Execs Should Face Critics

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

Press tours with networks and cable companies give TV critics an opportunity to have Q&A sessions with top executives. In January, many executives will skip a big one in LA, and that concerns critics.

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TV Executives Plan To Skip Q&A Session With Critics

Monday, December 05, 2016

It's a regular event for TV critics to gather in Los Angeles for press conferences with networks and cable companies. But this year, top executives won't hold question and answer sessions.

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'Incorporated' Imagines Dystopian Future Where Corporations Run The World

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Incorporated is a new show on Syfy executive produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. It imagines a dystopian future where corporations run the world, not governments. If you work for a corporation, you live an upper-middle class life. If you don't, you live in a slum.

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Bah Humbug! Why Are Most Christmas TV Specials So Bad?

Friday, November 25, 2016

How the Grinch Stole Christmas airs tonight — and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. It's one of a rare few watchable Christmas specials. Why is it so hard to make a good Christmas special?

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After Rough Starts, These Fall TV Shows Have Found Their Legs

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

As the fall TV season continues, a handful of shows have gone from bad to good, and some from good to great. Often it's hard to judge at the beginning of a season how good a show will be because critics just have a pilot to consider. Some shows take time to develop.

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'Duck Dynasty' Calls It Quits; Final Episode To Air In April

Friday, November 18, 2016

With the premiere of its eleventh season, the cast of A&E's hit reality show Duck Dynasty announced this will be its last season. The popular cable show has not been without controversy.

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Veteran Washington Journalist Gwen Ifill Dies At 61

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Gwen Ifill — host of Washington Week and PBS NewsHour — has died at age 61. She leaves a legacy as a pioneer among women and African-American journalists — and as a mentor to younger journalists.

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'SNL' Takes On Race And Politics Post-Election

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Comedian Dave Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live Saturday, which featured a somber opening and commentary about race relations after Donald Trump's victory.

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Media Companies Struggle To Gauge TV Ratings In Age Of Netflix

Monday, November 07, 2016

Netflix and other streaming services don't release ratings data. This makes it a hard company to negotiate with and makes it hard for competitors to know what they're up against.

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A Monarch Balances Personal And Royal Demands In 'The Crown'

Thursday, November 03, 2016

Netflix debuts its newest prestige series, a period drama that, over six seasons, will trace the life of Queen Elizabeth, from her wedding in 1947 to the present.

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'The Walking Dead' Gets Real In Season 7 Premiere

Monday, October 24, 2016

They finally did it: The producers of The Walking Dead kicked off season seven by ratcheting up the onscreen gore and brutality until it matches what appears in the original comic.

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'Black Mirror' Is Back, Reflecting Our Technological Fears

Friday, October 21, 2016

The Peabody Award-winning series returns for a third season, with six new episodes picking apart our fear of — and dependence on — technology. And it's more consistently compelling than ever.

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Issa Rae Turns Basic Into Revolutionary With 'Insecure'

Friday, October 07, 2016

Rae's new HBO show is the first premium cable scripted series created by and starring a black woman. She plays an ordinary, sometimes-awkward character, not a high-powered lawyer or music executive.

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'SNL' Season Premiere Shows What's Right — And Wrong — With Its Political Humor

Monday, October 03, 2016

Saturday Night Live has returned for its new season. Politics took center stage in the show, which included Alec Baldwin's debut as Donald Trump.

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