tag:www.tvweek.com,2008://7 2008-07-25T19:06:29Z The Washington Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning critic blogs at TVWeek.com with wit, humor and strong opinion. Movable Type 3.33 tag:www.tvweek.com,2008://7.41813 2008-07-25T18:49:03Z 2008-07-25T19:06:29Z

Jay Leno has arguably never been funnier—but why argue about it? As the date approaches (albeit slowly) for his exit from NBC’s “Tonight Show,” Leno is reveling in the role of Peck’s Bad Boy, tweaking NBC executives in jokes and...

Lisa Horowitz tvweek.com Jay Leno has arguably never been funnier—but why argue about it? As the date approaches (albeit slowly) for his exit from NBC’s “Tonight Show,” Leno is reveling in the role of Peck’s Bad Boy, tweaking NBC executives in jokes and... tag:www.tvweek.com,2008://7.28177 2008-03-31T20:11:24Z 2008-03-31T20:11:53Z

Why is Ralph Nader running for president again? Critics of his bid for the ballot in 2000 complain that all he did was steal votes from Al Gore, and in such a close election, that could have made the decisive...

Julieanne Smolinski tvweek.com Why is Ralph Nader running for president again? Critics of his bid for the ballot in 2000 complain that all he did was steal votes from Al Gore, and in such a close election, that could have made the decisive... tag:www.tvweek.com,2008://7.27173 2008-02-11T18:47:16Z 2008-02-11T18:47:35Z

Of all cable and broadcast networks, Turner Classic Movies is the least offensive when it comes to slapping supers all over the screen—promos and logos and “Hi, Mom” and all that other crappy clutter. This is one network that tries...

Julieanne Smolinski tvweek.com Of all cable and broadcast networks, Turner Classic Movies is the least offensive when it comes to slapping supers all over the screen—promos and logos and “Hi, Mom” and all that other crappy clutter. This is one network that tries... tag:www.tvweek.com,2008://7.26889 2008-01-28T05:00:00Z 2008-01-28T05:11:27Z

Bad media drives out good; cheap cracks get more attention than serious discussion. “You can’t jump out of a cake on fire every day of the week,” Phil Donahue once said in assessing what he considered the limited staying power...

Andrew Krukowski tvweek.com Bad media drives out good; cheap cracks get more attention than serious discussion. “You can’t jump out of a cake on fire every day of the week,” Phil Donahue once said in assessing what he considered the limited staying power... tag:www.tvweek.com,2007://7.25571 2007-10-24T18:21:38Z 2007-10-24T18:25:17Z

Marie Osmond seems 50 times more lovable than ever in the wake of her dizzy spell and collapse on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” Monday night. Network executives may be saying “this is why we shouldn’t go live” with such...

TVWeek Author Marie Osmond seems 50 times more lovable than ever in the wake of her dizzy spell and collapse on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” Monday night. Network executives may be saying “this is why we shouldn’t go live” with such... tag:www.tvweek.com,2007://7.25155 2007-09-24T08:00:05Z 2007-09-24T08:10:02Z

Sad to say, Americans are becoming so accustomed to bleeped material on television that it's hard to get a decent ruckus raised even if the bleeping is done by virtual government mandate. That's right: When Fox bleeped Sally Field during...

TVWeek Author Sad to say, Americans are becoming so accustomed to bleeped material on television that it's hard to get a decent ruckus raised even if the bleeping is done by virtual government mandate. That's right: When Fox bleeped Sally Field during... tag:www.tvweek.com,2007://7.24645 2007-08-20T05:00:00Z 2007-09-22T00:50:05Z

Some people can give a good time merely by having a good time -- or appearing to. Merv Griffin had that ability. He seemed to take tremendous delight in whatever he did, and in doing it well, and those qualities...

TVWeek Author Some people can give a good time merely by having a good time -- or appearing to. Merv Griffin had that ability. He seemed to take tremendous delight in whatever he did, and in doing it well, and those qualities... tag:www.tvweek.com,2007://7.24581 2007-08-15T16:26:59Z 2007-08-15T16:36:53Z

TVWeek Author ... tag:www.tvweek.com,2007://7.24351 2007-07-30T17:21:42Z 2007-08-15T16:28:11Z

TVWeek Author ... tag:www.tvweek.com,2007://7.24301 2007-07-24T22:23:15Z 2007-07-31T01:00:24Z

Maybe this has become a common practice – I know it’s been done before – but the latest example seems so graphically a sign of the times, and of the practical realities of business, that it stands out on the...

TVWeek Author Maybe this has become a common practice – I know it’s been done before – but the latest example seems so graphically a sign of the times, and of the practical realities of business, that it stands out on the... tag:tvweek.com,2007://7.23511 2007-06-13T23:33:41Z 2007-07-24T22:26:04Z

That 10 seconds of black that threw everyone for a loop at the end of the “Sopranos” finale on HBO—and had millions of people thinking, “The cable went out”—might have been as much as THREE MINUTES of black if auteur...

TVWeek Author That 10 seconds of black that threw everyone for a loop at the end of the “Sopranos” finale on HBO—and had millions of people thinking, “The cable went out”—might have been as much as THREE MINUTES of black if auteur... tag:newtvweek.epublishing.com,2007://7.22994 2007-05-28T05:51:55Z 2007-06-08T16:53:18Z

Hooray, it's over. Boo-hoo, I miss it. "American Idol" has wrapped up another season, its musical numbers now over and its Nielsen numbers down significantly but not catastrophically from last year. But the show is still a phenomenon: Who'd have...

TVWeek Author Hooray, it's over. Boo-hoo, I miss it. "American Idol" has wrapped up another season, its musical numbers now over and its Nielsen numbers down significantly but not catastrophically from last year. But the show is still a phenomenon: Who'd have... tag:newtvweek.epublishing.com,2007://7.22993 2007-05-19T21:43:44Z 2007-06-08T16:53:18Z

Thanks to those who commented, even those who did it insultingly, but this blog was correct in its original report: Tony Soprano shouted "I GET IT" and not "I DID IT" at the end of last week's Sopranos episode....

TVWeek Author Thanks to those who commented, even those who did it insultingly, but this blog was correct in its original report: Tony Soprano shouted "I GET IT" and not "I DID IT" at the end of last week's Sopranos episode.... tag:newtvweek.epublishing.com,2007://7.22992 2007-05-14T22:03:37Z 2007-06-08T16:53:18Z

HBO, which had a major embarrassment recently (with prez Chris Albrecht stepping down after a domestic-violence incident in Las Vegas), had a minor but curious one Sunday night, at the conclusion of “The Sopranos” and of “Entourage,” which follows...

TVWeek Author HBO, which had a major embarrassment recently (with prez Chris Albrecht stepping down after a domestic-violence incident in Las Vegas), had a minor but curious one Sunday night, at the conclusion of “The Sopranos” and of “Entourage,” which follows... tag:newtvweek.epublishing.com,2007://7.22991 2007-05-01T01:49:06Z 2007-06-08T16:53:18Z

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, as a critic often feels he is, there can still be compensations. This old scribe, having written on many more than one occasion a piece that was all but universally derided...

TVWeek Author When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, as a critic often feels he is, there can still be compensations. This old scribe, having written on many more than one occasion a piece that was all but universally derided...