Seven hundred episodes of anything is a lot of television. Real Time with Bill Maher reaches that milestone Friday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and Crave. Maher’s first guest this week is a favourite from the past, Dave Barry. The humour columnist and author is promoting a book titled, “The Memoirs of a Professional
I was living in Los Angeles in 1986 when Pee-wee’s Playhouse premiered on Saturday mornings on CBS. What a welcome sea change in children’s television. It was as if Prince and Cindy Lauper made a TV series with Captain Kangaroo. Best of all, every week, the secret word was “FUN.” The series was this incredible
It seems as if I’ve been waiting years for two streaming favourites to return: The Diplomat (Netflix) and Somebody Somewhere (HBO/Crave). It has actually only been a year and a half. Those actors and writers strikes from 2023 contributed to the delays. Both shows feature intriguing leads at their best, surrounded by other interesting characters.
In the summer of 2012, Ethel Kennedy — who died October 10 at 96 — made an appearance in Los Angeles at a Television Critics Association press tour. She was accompanied by her daughter, Rory Kennedy, who directed “Ethel,” the HBO documentary about her famous mother, the widow of slain senator and presidential candidate Robert
Am I disappointed in the new HBO/Crave documentary “Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos”? Fagettbout it. The two-part film, streaming now on Max in the US and Crave in Canada, is brilliant. Oscar winning director Alex Gibney (“The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicone Valley”) turns the tables by putting Chase, now 79, in
In the past few weeks, I’ve posted a couple of “From the Vault” episodes over at brioux.tv: the podcast. One featured a 2014 interview with Bill Daily talking about his boss on The Bob Newhart Show; the other was another 2014 interview, this time with WKRP in Cincinnati creator Hugh Wilson. I’ve done others in
Back in 1995, during my days writing for TV Guide Canada, I had a memorable encounter with Faye Dunaway. At the time, the Academy Award-winning actress had a reputation for being difficult; certainly on a set during a production but also in exchanges with reporters. “Good luck,” I was warned after landing the assignment. My
FX’s powerful historical drama Shōgun was the big winner Friday night at the 40th annual Television Critics Association Awards. The lavishly-produced, first-year series took home four wins including the Program of the Year Award. It also was voted the 2023-24 season’s Outstanding Achievement in Drama and Outstanding New Program. In addition, it earned an Individual