Southland TNT Season 3 premiere Jan. 4, 10 p.m. Cop dramastelevision’s just lousy with ’em. How many do we really need, anyway? There are still a few police shows that are worth your weeknight hour, so the real question is: What separates the good ones from the usual dreck? Characters, mostly, as well as the […]
Danny Hooley
Bio: Danny Hooley lives in Durham, writes about television and music and plays in The Bastages.Email: [email protected]: http://twitter.com/dhoohoo
Posted inArt
Tough year? The best medicine was on television
Fact: Seven of these 10 entries are comedies. These are the days when we all need a good laugh, no? Community (NBC)This sitcom about a motley crew of community college students who bond through a study group is the “appointment viewing” of the year, enough to rival Mad Men. The movie spoofs and meta jokes […]
Posted inCulture
Five thoughts about Conan on TBS
TBS/ Team Coco Conan O’Brien returned to the airwaves on Monday night, and he—and I—couldn’t be happier. After three nights, here are five observations:1. The bearded O’Brien looks happier than ever. I always thought he looked uncomfortable on The Tonight Show, so frankly, I stopped watching. (Maybe he shared my foreboding about that whole thing.) […]
Posted inArt
Boardwalk Empire is Martin Scorsese’s very promising foray into television
Boardwalk Empire HBO Sundays, 9 p.m. Put “Martin Scorsese” in the same sentence with “crime flick,” and people are going to pack movie theaters. Now that his moniker is attached to (“it’s not TV it’s”) HBO, we have a show that commands our attention. With the premiere episode of Boardwalk Empire, of which he is […]
Posted inArt
Treme creator Eric Overmyer comes to Chapel Hill
UPDATE: We received this email from Deep Dish on Wednesday morning: “Due to a family emergency, acclaimed playwright, screenwriter and producer Eric Overmyer will postpone his visit to the Deep Dish Theater, originally scheduled for Sept. 11, until the following Saturday, Sept. 18. A reception in his honor will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the […]
Posted inArt
The lack of wit is a Weeds killer
Weeds Season premiere Monday, Aug. 16 Showtime Previously on Weeds: Nancy Botwin’s brother-in-law Andy (Justin Kirk) just hightailed it, in cowardly fashion, out of a dangerous situation. A fanatical, crossbow-wielding anti-abortionist is holding Andy’s girlfriend, Audra (Alanis Morissette), an abortion provider, hostage in her home. So Andy’s in deep doo-doo with her now. Meanwhile, Nancy’s […]
Posted inArt
Louie C.K.’s new sitcom is best half hour on TV
Louie FX 11 p.m. Tuesdays Comedian Louis C.K.’s current TV series, Louie, on FX has its detractors, but we should all agree on the greatness of its funky title song, Stories’ hit rendition of Hot Chocolate’s “Brother Louie” from 1973. “Louie, Louie, you’re gonna cry,” singer Ian Lloyd falsettos, as the star of the show […]
Posted inTheater
Hot in Cleveland: Everybody loves Betty (White)
Hot in Cleveland Premieres June 16 TV Land It goes without saying that the hottest thing about TV Land’s new sitcom, Hot in Cleveland, is Betty White, fresh off a hosting gig for Saturday Night Live that happened by popular demand (aggregated in a successful Facebook campaign). TV Land’s first foray into an original scripted […]
Posted inArt
True Blood: A vampire show for people who don’t like vampires
TRUE BLOOD Season 3 Premiere June 13; HBO Vampiresyou either love ’em or hate ’em these days. If you fall into the first camp, you’re likely to be younger than 30 and maybe even a member of Team Edward or Team-That-Werewolf Guy. Which explains the “hate” camp. Some of us are too old and cranky […]
Posted inFilm & Television
Fourth down for Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights Season premiere Friday, May 7, 8 p.m. NBC People just love underdog stories, so you’d think that NBC’s Friday Night Lights would be getting Glee ratings by now. But no. When calling Friday Night Lights an underdog story, we’re not just talking storylinewe’re talking about the show itself. It’s been shuttled around […]
