‘Family’ Season 1 (1976) ahead of its time among TV dramas
TV review: It sounds basic now (the story of a family of five in Pasadena), but “Family” revolutionized the hour-long drama.
Television
All 10 episodes of ‘James at 16’ (1978), ranked
TV shows lost to history (Review): Despite crew-versus-network turmoil after “James at 15,” this next batch of episodes feels like a logical continuation.
All 11 episodes of ‘James at 15′ (1977-78), ranked
TV shows lost to history (Review): Dan Wakefield’s groundbreaking, fondly remembered show would go on to influence “Dawson’s Creek.”
‘Century City’ (2004) gives a sneak preview of 2030
TV shows lost to history (Review): “Century City” stands out from other law procedurals by imagining how things will be in the near future.
One-season wonders: ‘Swingtown’ (2008) (TV review)
I like “Swingtown” (2008, CBS, available on DVD and Amazon streaming) almost entirely for the way it recreates the Summer of 1976, yet it’s totally defensible as a legitimate one-season wonder on its overall merits, thanks to […]
‘Designated Survivor’s’ President Kirkman is a nice guy – and an awful president (TV commentary)
ABC’s “Designated Survivor” strained throughout its first season to show that President Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) is a good, decent and refreshingly different type of president. But because the show operates on a superficial level, it’s easy […]
John’s 10 favorite TV characters at the moment (Commentary)
Here are my 10 favorite TV characters at the moment, as the traditional season winds down and the summer season begins:
Noxon’s ‘Point Pleasant’ (2005) an interesting failure
One-season wonders (TV review): Marti Noxon breaks free from the Whedonverse to take a crack at a horror drama.
Rewatching and reviewing the classics: ’24’ Season 3 (2003-04) (TV review)
After establishing itself as TV’s elite adrenaline rush in the epic Season 2, “24” Season 3 (2003-04, Fox; now streaming on Amazon Prime) gets introspective and examines how family and romantic relationships can suffer under the weight […]
First episode impressions: ‘Fargo’ Season 3 (TV review)
After eight long episodes of Noah Hawley’s literally brain-teasing “Legion,” it’s a comparative relief to get back to the familiar footing of his first hit show, “Fargo” (10 p.m. Eastern Wednesdays on FX), which launched its third […]