- John Hansen
- September 21, 2016
First episode impressions: ‘This Is Us’ (TV review)
It was already a strong show for its first 41 minutes – and had firmly earned a Week 2 return from me – but in
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- John Hansen
- September 20, 2016
First episode impressions: ‘The Good Place’ (TV review)
Exhibit A in the case that network TV is dying is the bevy of reboots that no one asked for, and Exhibit B arrived Monday
- John Hansen
- September 23, 2015
First episode impressions: ‘Blindspot’ (TV review)
“Blindspot” (10 p.m. Eastern Mondays on NBC) unquestionably has the best opening hook of the fall TV season: An amnesiac, fully tattooed woman wakes up naked
- John Hansen
- August 22, 2015
2015: The summer of horror TV (Commentary)
Entertainment trends are a funny thing. Horror movie releases have slowed to a trickle, whereas a decade ago there was a new one in theaters
- John Hansen
- January 14, 2015
‘Parks and Recreation’ adds another comedy element by jumping to 2017 (TV review)
“Parks and Recreation” (7 p.m. Central Tuesdays on NBC) isn’t the first show to do a time-jump. Off the top of my head, “Dawson’s Creek” jumped
- John Hansen
- March 17, 2014
‘Hannibal,’ ‘Walking Dead,’ ‘Bates Motel’ provide 1-2-3 TV horror punch (TV commentary)
I have a friend, Shaune, who’s a big horror movie fan, but he has found the current character stuff on “The Walking Dead” rather boring.
- John Hansen
- March 6, 2014
First episode impressions: ‘About a Boy’ (TV review)
Although I’m a big fan of the Nick Hornby novel and the Hugh Grant movie, when I heard that “About a Boy” (8 p.m. Central Tuesdays on
- John Hansen
- January 24, 2014
Kristina Braverman ‘Won’t Back Down’ as ‘Parenthood’ bravely tackles school choice (TV commentary)
Mainstream TV dramas, most of which are produced in statist Hollywood, are still far from libertarian-leaning. But “Parenthood,” which as recently as last fall had Jasmine talking
- John Hansen
- April 6, 2013
‘Hannibal’ makes tasty transition to the small screen
In 1999, Thomas Harris’ novel “Hannibal,” the third of the now-four-part book series, was all the rage among my friends, who passed the hardcover around. For whatever
- John Hansen
- September 22, 2012
First episode impressions: ‘Parks and Recreation’ Season 5 (TV review)
“Parks and Recreation” (8:30 p.m. Central Thursdays, NBC) started off its fifth season this week with an episode that was ambitious in terms of setting (Washington,