Feb 2015
Neither shallow or deep: CBS' Battle Creek
02/27/15 03:19 PM
Battle Creek, from the creator of Breaking Bad and its Better Call Saul prequel, has its late-arriving premiere on CBS Sunday. Our review is here.
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are paced by the season finale of ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder.
Ed Bark
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are paced by the season finale of ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder.
Ed Bark
Coming Sunday: Fox's The Last Man On Earth and ABC's Secrets and Lies
02/26/15 03:53 PM
Sunday, March 1st heralds new series on ABC, Fox and CBS. Our review of the latter network’s Battle Creek is still coming. But we’ve knocked off the other two. The review of ABC’s Secrets and Lies can be found here. And look here for the review of Fox’s The Last Man On Earth.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Charting D-FW's February newscast "sweeps"
02/26/15 01:05 PM
Nielsen’s latest ratings “book,” the February 2015 “sweeps,” is in the rear view mirror and ready to be charted and analyzed. The major D-FW local newscasts results -- plus comments -- are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Plus, Fox’s Empire again proved unbeatable in D-FW on the last night of the “sweeps.” Highlights are here.
Ed Bark
Plus, Fox’s Empire again proved unbeatable in D-FW on the last night of the “sweeps.” Highlights are here.
Ed Bark
Sex Box shacks up on WE tv
02/25/15 04:06 PM
Sorry. Just couldn’t resist. Our review of Sex Box -- “the most radical therapy ever seen on television” -- can be found right here.
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is in.
Ed Bark
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is in.
Ed Bark
Amazon Prime's Bosch plays like a keeper
02/24/15 05:28 PM
Bosch, Amazon Prime’s latest original drama series, began streaming in mid-February. Your friendly content provider has now seen all 10 Season One episodes. And here’s the review.
Plus, NBC’s The Voice returns in a very big way in Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings while local newscast numbers are pumped up by “Arctic Blast” coverage.
Ed Bark
Plus, NBC’s The Voice returns in a very big way in Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings while local newscast numbers are pumped up by “Arctic Blast” coverage.
Ed Bark
Winterizing with D-FW TV's frozen chosen
02/23/15 03:26 PM
An “Arctic Blast” descended on North Texas Monday, with legions of reporters sent to battle the elements while their bosses rubbed their hands at the thought of some big bad weather ratings. We salute the storm troopers in words and pictures on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Plus, the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights Sunday night’s diminishing returns for the 87th annual Oscars.
Ed Bark
Plus, the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights Sunday night’s diminishing returns for the 87th annual Oscars.
Ed Bark
Smithsonian Channel curates Legend of Lead Belly
02/20/15 01:46 PM
Late, great folk artist/bluesman Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter, who had strong ties with both Dallas’ Deep Ellum district and the Texas prison system, is recaptured in a new docu-film premiering Monday, Feb. 23rd on the Smithsonian Channel. Our review of Legend of Lead Belly is here.
Also, Thursday’s local Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights a number of battles between big-ticket series, including the finale of Two and a Half Men. Details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Also, Thursday’s local Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights a number of battles between big-ticket series, including the finale of Two and a Half Men. Details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
George Riba: the storied career of a consummate sports storyteller
02/19/15 01:13 PM
Gannett8 sports reporter George Riba is calling it a career at the end of this week. And what a career it’s been. Our appreciation includes an interview with Riba and video of his last sports story. It’s all on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Plus, Fox4 adds reporter Diana Zoga to its news room. And Empire again gives Fox/Fox4 many happy returns in Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark
Plus, Fox4 adds reporter Diana Zoga to its news room. And Empire again gives Fox/Fox4 many happy returns in Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark
Good Morning Texas losing long-running co-host Amy Vanderoef
02/18/15 03:22 PM
Amy Vanderoef, who joined Dallas-based Gannett8’s Good Morning Texas in 2006, will be leaving the program early next month. Details and an interview with Vanderoef are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
All aboard for Season 3 of Vikings
02/18/15 01:44 PM
Season 3 of History channel’s signature series comes vividly into view on Thursday, Feb. 19th. Our review of Vikings is here.
Also, the latest D-FW ratings “snapshot” is a Monday-Tuesday combo that looks at the curious case of three local TV news providers opting to throw out their President’s Day Nielsen numbers by taking holiday exemptions.
Ed Bark
Also, the latest D-FW ratings “snapshot” is a Monday-Tuesday combo that looks at the curious case of three local TV news providers opting to throw out their President’s Day Nielsen numbers by taking holiday exemptions.
Ed Bark
Diminishing returns with CBS' labored remake of The Odd Couple
02/17/15 02:11 PM
CBS for some reason is launching yet another new version of The Odd Couple, this one largely the work of Matthew Perry. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Another flurry of D-FW weather activity -- for scant chance of snow flurries
02/17/15 12:24 PM
We’ve noted previously in these spaces that weather is the top priority for all four major D-FW television news providers. It leads the news at the drop of a degree or the potential for any and all wet stuff falling from the skies. But Monday’s 10 p.m. newscasts outdid themselves -- which is hard to do these days. Our closer look is on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page, with a kicker featuring Fox4 anchor Clarice Tinsley’s late arrival after meteorologist Dan Henry’s top-of-the-news dispatch.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Uncle Barky swerves through 40 years of Saturday Night Live
02/13/15 05:08 PM
Sunday night’s big 40th anniversary Saturday Night Live special, now elongated to three-and-a-half hours after a preceding red carpet special, promises to be perhaps the biggest people-watching spectacle of the season. Our list of random observations is on the Network News & Reviews page.
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights the prime-time warfare plus the odd goings-on in the early morning local newscast race.
Ed Bark
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights the prime-time warfare plus the odd goings-on in the early morning local newscast race.
Ed Bark
Revisiting Brian Williams and Matt Lauer on the topic of being both network news stars and late night entertainers
02/12/15 01:26 PM
Back in 1997, your friendly content provider interviewed Brian Williams and Matt Lauer in New York on the subject of representing a “new generation of news dude.”
Both men had become reliably glib guests on late night talk shows in addition to transmitting the news of the day -- during their day jobs. In light of recent events, what they said at the time seems to be well worth revisiting. A reprise of the interview with NBC’s fastest-rising news stars is on the Back Channels page.
Also, Fox’s Empire remained very much in power Wednesday night. Our latest D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Both men had become reliably glib guests on late night talk shows in addition to transmitting the news of the day -- during their day jobs. In light of recent events, what they said at the time seems to be well worth revisiting. A reprise of the interview with NBC’s fastest-rising news stars is on the Back Channels page.
Also, Fox’s Empire remained very much in power Wednesday night. Our latest D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
The Slap hits NBC
02/11/15 04:34 PM
NBC’s totally revamped Thursday night lineup gets its final piece with The Slap, a discordant family drama drawn from a same-named Australian series. It hits and misses, rather infuriatingly at times. But it may be enough to draw you in. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Pow! Tuesday night's news about Brian Williams & Jon Stewart
02/11/15 11:28 AM
It was a night quite unlike any other, with the news that Jon Stewart would be leaving The Daily Show breaking shortly before NBC announced a six-month unpaid suspension for anchor Brian Williams. There’s a lot to chew over, and here we go again on the Network News & Reviews page.
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is in.
Ed Bark
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is in.
Ed Bark
Land's sake, it's Schitt's Creek
02/10/15 04:31 PM
The new Pop channel (formerly the TV Guide Network) hopes to make a splash with Schitt’s Creek. It stars comedy vets Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy, plus other Levys. Our review is here.
Also, Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are posted.
Ed Bark
Also, Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are posted.
Ed Bark
Brian Williams: should he stay or should he go?
02/09/15 12:53 PM
Brian Williams clearly is in the toughest spot of his career. But is he damaged beyond repair? Our extended commentary is on the Network News & Reviews page.
Also, Sunday night was a big ratings battleground, with the Grammys on CBS squaring off against AMC’s return of The Walking Dead and premiere of the much-anticipated Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul. How did the Nielsen numbers break down in D-FW? All the details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Also, Sunday night was a big ratings battleground, with the Grammys on CBS squaring off against AMC’s return of The Walking Dead and premiere of the much-anticipated Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul. How did the Nielsen numbers break down in D-FW? All the details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Take it from Daybreak: "Morning people come in as many flavors as sunrises do"
02/06/15 11:30 AM
Gannett8’s latest promotional campaign for Daybreak positions it as “The Official Show of Morning People.” We take a closer look on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page during times when Daybreak is on an up-and-down ratings roller coaster during the ongoing February “sweeps.”
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights the first face-off between NBC’s The Blacklist and ABC’s Scandal.
Ed Bark
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” spotlights the first face-off between NBC’s The Blacklist and ABC’s Scandal.
Ed Bark
Better Call Saul at last is answering
02/05/15 03:47 PM
AMC’s long-awaited Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul, arrives on Sunday, Feb. 8th and continues on Monday. Bob Odenkirk faces the acting challenge of his career as the constantly on-camera title character. So can he tote the load? Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
HBO's The Jinx is masterwork of true crime genre
02/05/15 12:29 PM
Viewers who can’t wait for Season 2 of True Detective this summer will be more than placated by HBO’s The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.
Premiering on Sunday, Feb. 8th, it’s a spellbinding 6-part true crime docu-film from the makers of Capturing the Friedmans. Our review is here.
Also, Empire remains a ruling power in Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark
Premiering on Sunday, Feb. 8th, it’s a spellbinding 6-part true crime docu-film from the makers of Capturing the Friedmans. Our review is here.
Also, Empire remains a ruling power in Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark
NBC's Allegiance a cousin of FX's The Americans
02/04/15 01:06 PM
There are enough differences to set them apart. Still, the new NBC spy drama Allegiance draws from the same basic playbook as FX’s The Americans. Our review is here.
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is posted. And there’s a new Super Bowl entry on the TV Bulletin Board page.
Ed Bark
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is posted. And there’s a new Super Bowl entry on the TV Bulletin Board page.
Ed Bark
Talking points in D-FW television news
02/02/15 05:30 PM
Check out some of the latest interesting happenings on the D-FW TV news scene. The venue is our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Sinking & swimming with Fresh Off the Boat
02/02/15 02:34 PM
ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat premieres on Wednesday, Feb. 4th with back-to-back episodes. It’s the network’s latest effort on the diversity front, and our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Super Bowl XLIX flexes in D-FW ratings
02/02/15 11:18 AM
The New England Patriots’ dramatic Super Bowl win over the Seattle (“Hope you like our gift”) Seahawks sent the D-FW Nielsen ratings soaring Sunday. But did they sky past the 2011 edition from Jerry’s Palace? All the details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark