‘Alienist’ makes welcome, if not happy, return with ‘Angel of Darkness’
First episode impressions (TV review): “The Alienist” makes a welcome but downbeat return to TV for its second season, “Angel of Darkness.”
Movies and TV shows John is looking forward to in 2020
2020 preview: Here are 10 films and 10 television shows I’m looking forward to in the new year.
John’s top 10 TV shows of 2019
2019 television: 2019 saw the continued dominance of streaming services and the rise to prominence of standalone miniseries.
Mamet, Lemmon reteam for ‘A Life in the Theatre’ (1993)
Mamet Monday (Movie review): “A Life in the Theatre” is an intermittently engaging peek behind the curtain.
First episode impressions: ‘I Am the Night’ (TV review)
TNT found a nice way to ride the success of a series without forcing it beyond the natural end of its storyline. “The Alienist” – my No. 4 show of 2018 — became a critical and popular success a year ago, but it told a complete serial-murder mystery. That series is over, but TNT is
Movies and TV shows John is looking forward to in 2019 (Commentary)
These are the movies and TV shows I’m looking forward to in the new year:
John’s top 10 TV shows of 2018
It’s never before been so hard to pick the 10 best shows of the year, as streaming services deliver strong short series on a regular basis, and cable and network TV have mostly kept pace with the quality. Some staple entries have dropped out of my top 10 not because they got worse but simply
First episode impressions: ‘The Alienist’ and ‘Bellevue’ (TV review)
Television dropped two new murder mysteries this week, and both are worthy additions to the decade’s most popular genre worldwide. They’re quite different from each other, with “The Alienist” (9 p.m. Eastern Mondays, TNT) set in 1890s New York City and “Bellevue” (10 p.m. Eastern Tuesdays, WGN) set in present-day rural Ontario, although both have
First episode impressions: ‘Falling Skies’ (TV review)
Watching “Falling Skies” (8 p.m. Central Sundays on TNT) is like buying a greatest hits album where you already own all the songs. The opening scenes of the resistance fighters hiding in abandoned tunnels and buildings from the aliens and their mechanized drones is straight out of “Terminator.” And the “harnesses” the aliens put on the backs