David Bianculli
Stories
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'Saturday Night' feeds on the energy, and insanity, of the first ever 'SNL' broadcast
This expertly cast film captures the rehearsals and the logistics that lead up to opening night. Saturday Night is a nonstop joy ride — and a testament to the adage that the show must go on.
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Sweet but sharp, 'Nobody Wants This' could set the rom-com standard for a new age
Netflix's 10-part series features Adam Brody and Kristen Bell as 30-something singles who meet and are attracted to one another, despite the fact that he's a rabbi and she's not Jewish.
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'SNL' opens its 50th season with Jean Smart, Jelly Roll and a heap of politics
It’ll be tricky for the writers to hit the right comic and satirical tones for the remainder of this election, but SNL has a good cast this year, with some promising new additions.
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'WandaVision' spinoff is just as creative and magical as its predecessor
Kathryn Hahn stars as a witch who's lost her powers in Agatha All Along. To regain them, she has to assemble a witches’ coven and lead them on a journey down a magical, threatening witches’ road.
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'The Penguin' is a darkly engrossing entry into the Batman cannon
With no costumes, no superpowers and no Batman, HBO's The Penguin is less like a comic book series than a crime drama — closer to The Sopranos than to the Batman movie from which it came.
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Celebrating 25 years of 'The Sopranos,' the series that changed TV
David Bianculli reviews Wise Guy, a documentary about the landmark HBO series. Plus, we listen back to archival interviews with creator David Chase, and actors Michael Imperioli and Lorraine Bracco.
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The real ‘Only Murders’ crime is that it hasn’t won more Emmys
Season 4 brings a fresh influx of guest talent to Only Murders in the Building — but the new faces don’t outshine the crimefighting, podcasting stars: Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.
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Remembering Phil Donahue, the pioneering king of daytime talk shows
Donahue, who died Aug. 18, hosted an issue-oriented, afternoon talk show that paved the way for Oprah and others. David Bianculli offers an appreciation, and we listen back to a 1985 interview.
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'Bad Monkey' mystery series gets better as it goes
The 10-part Apple+ show, based on Carl Hiassen’s novel, is loaded with twists, turns and standout performances. Bad Monkey isn’t a great show, but it’s good, Florida fun.
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Stars share the films they love On TCM's 'Two for One' series
Guest programmers, including Spike Lee, Olivia Wilde and even Donald Trump, present and discuss two favorite films on this TCM feature. It's yet another way the network celebrates the love of movies.
