I love ‘Fringe’ (TV review)
“Fringe” (8 p.m. Central Thursdays on Fox) has become such a good show in its own right that it goes beyond being a good “X-Files” rip-off. Even if that’s all it was, I’d love it — […]
‘Gossip Girl’ a welcome break from reality (TV review)
I admire shows that address the recession — it’s part of the fabric of “Medium” and “Friday Night Lights,” and “The Simpsons” had a nice episode about it last year. But I also like shows […]
They canceled ‘Privileged’ for this ‘Melrose Place’ relaunch? Really? (TV review)
In its large ensemble cast, “Melrose Place” (8 p.m. Central Tuesdays on The CW) has one likeable character. He’s a 25-year-old comic book fan and budding filmmaker. He asks his girlfriend of five years to marry him, […]
‘Glee’ gets subtler, but big songs still drive the show (TV commentary)
There was no second-episode jinx for “Glee” (8 p.m. Central Wednesdays on Fox) when it returned to the schedule this week. It’s too early to declare it the best new show of the fall, but it’s definitely […]
Fall TV 2009: 7 new developments on old shows (Commentary)
Here are seven plot developments I’m looking forward to on old favorites this fall season. (Technically, TV’s best show, “Friday Night Lights,” is a fall returnee — Oct. 28 on DirecTV — but I’ll be […]
Mystery, mysticism and politics: Denning’s ‘Abyss’ continues the ‘Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi’ series (Book review)
The early “Star Wars” novels — “Splinter of the Mind’s Eye” and the “Han Solo Adventures” — followed the lead of “A New Hope,” where adventure was the writer’s main concern. With “Heir to the […]
Fall TV 2009: 6 new shows to watch (Commentary)
Here are six new shows you might want to check out: 1. “Community” (8:30 p.m. Central Thursdays on NBC, starts Sept. 17) — When I first heard about this show about a hodgepodge of students at a […]
What show will make Entertainment Weekly’s Fall TV Preview cover? (Commentary)
I’ve already picked up the fall TV previews from TV Guide and Sci Fi magazine (yeah, it’s still called that, even though the channel is called SyFy). It’ll be a couple weeks before I get […]
Preston & Child do their usual, compelling ‘Dance’ — this time with zombies (Book review)
I used to describe Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child as “like Michael Crichton, only better.” I now know that’s a simplistic comparison, but it’s still useful. The late, great Crichton’s “Lost World” came out in 1995, and […]
Fall movie preview: 3 with Jason Bateman, and 4 others (Commentary)
Here are seven fall films you wouldn’t have to drag me to: “Extract” (Friday) — This is “Office Space” turned on its head: Here the bosses are sane, and the employees are nuts. So, obviously, this […]