David Bianculli
Stories
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'Always Sunny' and 'Abbott Elementary' mash-up in a unique network crossover
In January, the characters of the FX series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia showed up as court-appointed volunteers on an episode of the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary. The crossover continues July 9.
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'Dear Ms.' documentary tells the story of the groundbreaking feminist magazine
HBO's new documentary is divided into three parts, each focusing on a different aspect of Ms. Taken together, the film captures what made the magazine and its contents so unusual and meaningful.
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Why 'The Bear' is the best series on television right now
Hulu's Emmy Award-winning series about a restaurant in Chicago returns for Season 4, with a cast of emotionally real characters and a set of writers determined to defy expectations.
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'Law & Order' star investigates her own family's tragic car crash in 'My Mom Jayne'
Mariska Hargitay has only the vaguest memories of her mother, Jayne Mansfield, the sex-symbol movie star who died in the 1967 crash. Now, Hargitay examines her family history in a new documentary.
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'Good Night, and Good Luck' brings its knock-out punch to CNN from Broadway
On Jun 7, CNN is presenting a live telecast of George Clooney starring on Broadway as the pioneering CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow. TV critic David Bianculli calls it the TV event of the season.
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'Succession' creator takes on tech -- and revolution -- in 'Mountainhead'
Jesse Armstrong's new HBO film is set in a Utah retreat where four rich techno-wizards scheme while playing poker. Mountainhead is an unpredictable drama about powerful men vying for control.
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Paul Reubens steps out from behind his famous character in 'Pee-Wee as Himself'
Before his death in 2023, Reubens filmed an HBO documentary in which he explained why he refused to be seen or interviewed as himself for the whole time Pee-Wee Herman was starring in TV and films.
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Singer-songwriter Janis Ian proves a gifted storyteller in 'Breaking Silence'
Ian had her first hit record as a teenager in the 1960s and went on to win two Grammys. A new documentary tells her life story through a combination of vintage footage and newly recorded interviews.
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Conan O'Brien proves a worthy recipient of Mark Twain award in a new Netflix special
Back in March, a group of comic luminaries — from John Mulaney to Nikki Glaser — gathered at the Kennedy Center to celebrate O'Brien for receiving the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
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'The Four Seasons' plays as a rom-com -- with a much wiser perspective than many
Tina Fey co-created and stars in a Netflix series about three middle-aged couples who meet for four short vacations each year. It's a mature, laid-back show, evoking more smiles than belly laughs.