Jan 2014
TCM's And the Oscar Goes To . . . serves its main course well
01/30/14 03:56 PM
Turner Classic Movies’ 19th annual “31 Days of Oscar” fires up on Saturday, Feb. 1st. This time out there’s a terrific appetizer, too. Our review of And the Oscar Goes To . . . is right here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
BBC America's Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond charts the origins of 007
01/30/14 10:32 AM
BBC America’s four-part, four-hour miniseries Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond premieres this week and continues through Feb. 19th. Will you be shaken or stirred? Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Bianca Castro, Joangel Concepcion respectively join news staffs of NBC5/Fox4
01/29/14 04:52 PM
Fox4 and NBC5 each have added a news personality. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Back in play with a big local ratings roundup
01/29/14 01:16 PM
Your friendly content provider has returned from Florida (see below post). Therefore there’s a big D-FW ratings catchup round on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page. Of particularly note: the Grammys on a single network had substantially more viewers Sunday night than Tuesday’s prime-time State of the Union festivities on seven networks.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Taking a brief break
01/22/14 03:36 PM
Your friendly content provider will be taking a little time off for the rest of this week and early next. I’m heading to Rockledge, FL for the opening of my daughter, Liz’s, and her husband, Joseph’s, new community theater, miR (made in Rockledge). Their first effort is an original play titled Cereus Moonlight. It’s incredibly ambitious on their part, and opened to a full house for the first performance last Friday. To say the least, I’m very proud of them.
I’ll be back and firing up unclebarky.com again by Wednesday of next week. Thanks for your continued readership and support. And as always, if you’re going to buy something on amazon.com, please click on one of the Amazon ads beforehand on any of our pages. That way a small commission on whatever you were going to purchase anyway goes toward keeping this free website going.
Thanks again!
Ed Bark
I’ll be back and firing up unclebarky.com again by Wednesday of next week. Thanks for your continued readership and support. And as always, if you’re going to buy something on amazon.com, please click on one of the Amazon ads beforehand on any of our pages. That way a small commission on whatever you were going to purchase anyway goes toward keeping this free website going.
Thanks again!
Ed Bark
Broad City graduates from web series to winning Comedy Central sitcom
01/22/14 02:26 PM
Broad City has only half as many struggling twentysomething women as Girls. Its misery index also is lots lower. The half-hour Comedy Central sitcom, produced by Amy Poehler, premieres on Wed., Jan. 22nd after originating as a web series. Our review is here.
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark
Also, Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark
Fox again looks abroad, dishes up Rake
01/21/14 03:26 PM
American television’s latest “new” series will begin Season 3 in Australia later this year. Rake otherwise hits Fox on Thursday, Jan. 23rd, with Greg Kinnear starring in the reboot. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
PBS' superb Salinger doubles down as 200th episode in American Masters series
01/21/14 12:38 PM
The elongated “director’s cut” version of Salinger weighs in at two-and-a- half hours on Tuesday, Jan. 21st. But the time will go by fast with this stellar look at the famously reclusive J. D. Salinger, whose signature The Catcher in the Rye was first published in 1951. It airs under the banner of PBS’ American Masters series. And our review is here.
Plus, we have the weekend and Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings, including the numbers for Sunday’s NFC and AFC championship games.
Ed Bark
Plus, we have the weekend and Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings, including the numbers for Sunday’s NFC and AFC championship games.
Ed Bark
Hollywood Hillbillies hits Reelz Channel with a big sack of "Mema"
01/20/14 12:31 PM
Bumpkins are still cash cows in TV land. Reelz Channel hopes to milk ‘em with Hollywood Hillbillies, which premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 21st and may have a breakout attraction in a plus-size granny called “Mema.” Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Following the script: Discovery Channel''s Klondike marks another first in cable arena
01/19/14 12:51 PM
The Discovery Channel joins a growing number of cable entities mounting a maiden scripted production. In this case it’s the three-night, six-hour Klondike. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
No "coming out" parties: HBO's Looking accentuates gay pride
01/17/14 10:56 AM
HBO’s Looking, the saga of three gay male friends living in receptive San Francisco, premieres on Sunday, Jan. 19th following Girls. Comparisons are inevitable, and our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Fox's The Following returns with a big push
01/16/14 05:12 PM
Season 2 of Fox’s The Following re-starts in a prime perch following Sunday night’s NFC Champion Game between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Lifetime's Flowers in the Attic accelerates growth spurt of onetime Mad Men tyke
01/16/14 02:30 PM
Mad Men’s rapidly maturing Kiernan Shipka (who plays Don Draper’s daughter, Sally) joins veteran thespian Ellen Burstyn and former roller girl Heather Graham in Lifetime’s Flowers in the Attic. The movie, adapted from a 1979 bestselling novel, premieres on Saturday, Jan. 18th. And our review is here.
Plus, how did the Season 13 return of Fox’s American Idol do in Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings?
Ed Bark
Plus, how did the Season 13 return of Fox’s American Idol do in Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings?
Ed Bark
Connick's the tonic for Fox's new and nicer Idol
01/14/14 03:53 PM
Hoping to rebound from a fractious season and its least-watched finale ever, Fox’s American Idol returns for Season 13 on Wednesday, Jan. 15th. There’s both new blood -- hello, Harry Connick, Jr. -- and blood on the floor from all the off-season changes. Our review of the two-hour opener, with auditions from Boston and Austin, is right here.
Also, Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings show a sharp drop-off CBS’ Intelligence in its first outing away from NCIS’ protective womb.
Ed Bark
Also, Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings show a sharp drop-off CBS’ Intelligence in its first outing away from NCIS’ protective womb.
Ed Bark
The sound and the furry: Taking a break from vampires in Syfy's Bitten
01/13/14 04:37 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom
NBC and ABC sent their usual Monday night big guns head to head while CBS opted for sitcom repeats and a Hurricane Sandy special and Fox threw in a two-hour reprise of The X Factor following a short order World Series.
NBC's The Voice edged ABC's Dancing with the Stars in D-FW by a score of 337,326 viewers to 316,673. ABC then rebounded with a 9 p.m. win in another close battle. Castle had 254,715 viewers to Revolution's 240,947.
NBC ran the prime-time table, though, among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. On that front, The Voice as usual made a wallflower of DWTS, winning in this key demographic by 169,038 viewers to 63,788.
Over on ESPN, the 49ers' mashing of Arizona averaged 240,947 viewers on Monday Night Football.
In local news derby results, WFAA8 won at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 likewise swept the 6 a.m. competitions. WFAA8 had three of the other four golds, with two wins at 6 p.m. and a 5 p.m. first among 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 nipped Fox4 at 5 p.m. in total viewers.
unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom
NBC and ABC sent their usual Monday night big guns head to head while CBS opted for sitcom repeats and a Hurricane Sandy special and Fox threw in a two-hour reprise of The X Factor following a short order World Series.
NBC's The Voice edged ABC's Dancing with the Stars in D-FW by a score of 337,326 viewers to 316,673. ABC then rebounded with a 9 p.m. win in another close battle. Castle had 254,715 viewers to Revolution's 240,947.
NBC ran the prime-time table, though, among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. On that front, The Voice as usual made a wallflower of DWTS, winning in this key demographic by 169,038 viewers to 63,788.
Over on ESPN, the 49ers' mashing of Arizona averaged 240,947 viewers on Monday Night Football.
In local news derby results, WFAA8 won at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 likewise swept the 6 a.m. competitions. WFAA8 had three of the other four golds, with two wins at 6 p.m. and a 5 p.m. first among 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 nipped Fox4 at 5 p.m. in total viewers.
unclebarky@verizon.net
FX's Chozen: ugh, ick, blech
01/13/14 12:01 PM
FX for some reason is pairing the new and awful animated series Chozen with the ribald but far more artful Archer. Our review is here.
Plus, the D-FW weekend Nielsen ratings spotlight the numbers for NBC’s Golden Globes telecast and a quartet of NFL post-season games.
Ed Bark
Plus, the D-FW weekend Nielsen ratings spotlight the numbers for NBC’s Golden Globes telecast and a quartet of NFL post-season games.
Ed Bark
Girls bounces back with 12-episode Season 3
01/10/14 04:09 PM
HBO’s oft-polarizing Girls starts its third season with back-to-back episodes on Sunday, Jan. 12th. And one of the four principals is actually pretty content for now. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
HBO puts a big best foot forward with True Detective
01/10/14 12:55 PM
HBO’s True Detective, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, begins its eight-episode run on Sunday, Jan. 12th. You’re strongly encouraged to get on board. Our review is here.
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are a big minus for ABC’s new The Assets.
Ed Bark
Also, Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are a big minus for ABC’s new The Assets.
Ed Bark
Fox's Enlisted gets into uniform
01/09/14 04:46 PM
Military comedies have become few and far between on network TV. But Fox is taking a shot on Fridays with Enlisted. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Going viral in Syfy's Helix
01/09/14 02:43 PM
Billy Campbell squares his jaw and affixes his usual looks of consternation in Syfy’s Helix, the 13-episode saga of a deadly outbreak of something or other within the walls of an Arctic research lab. Our review is here.
Also, check out how some new series fared in our D-FW ratings “snapshots” for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ed Bark
Also, check out how some new series fared in our D-FW ratings “snapshots” for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ed Bark
Funny ha-ha: IFC's The Spoils of Babylon
01/08/14 05:00 PM
The Independent Film Channel is the place to be on Thursday, Jan. 9th, when a delicious miniseries sendup, The Spoils of Babylon, begins its six-week run. Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Tobey Maguire and Tim Robbins are among the principal players. And our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Mark Hayes out as NBC5's early morning co-anchor
01/08/14 11:29 AM
Fort-Worth-based NBC5 and weekday early morning co-anchor Mark Hayes have parted ways after less than two years. More details on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Spinning wheel: Chicago Fire begets Chicago P.D.
01/07/14 06:24 PM
Producer Dick Wolf, orchestrator of the long-running Law & Order “brand,” is at it again with a spinoff of Chicago Fire. Our review of Chicago P.D., premiering on Wednesday, Jan. 8th, can be found right here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Awards be damned: FX's Justified is back for Season 5
01/07/14 02:19 PM
FX’s Justified returns with a 13-episode Season 5 on Tuesday, Jan. 7th. Our review is here.
Plus, check out the D-FW Nielsen ratings Monday night for college football’s last BCS championship game. It bowed out in fine form with a down-to-the-last-seconds finish.
Ed Bark
Plus, check out the D-FW Nielsen ratings Monday night for college football’s last BCS championship game. It bowed out in fine form with a down-to-the-last-seconds finish.
Ed Bark
ABC's Killer Women: set in Texas, filmed elsewhere (shouldn't have bothered)
01/06/14 04:59 PM
ABC’s Killer Women series premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 7th. It’s the saga of a “ballsy and badass” Texas Ranger named Molly Parker. Texas Ranger as in law enforcer. Our review is here.
Also, the weekend D-FW Nielsens showed the expected big numbers for football. But one attraction had more viewers than six of the Dallas Cowboys’ 16 regular season games. Get the details here.
Ed Bark
Also, the weekend D-FW Nielsens showed the expected big numbers for football. But one attraction had more viewers than six of the Dallas Cowboys’ 16 regular season games. Get the details here.
Ed Bark
Former Lost star Josh Holloway now aboard CBS' new Intelligence
01/06/14 02:09 PM
CBS’ latest crime-buster with a quirk is ready to roll, with Josh Holloway starring as a man of action with a computer chip in his brain and a plain old chip on his shoulder. Our review of Intelligence is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
CW33 anchor Amanda Salinas heading to Austin for new TV desk job
01/06/14 02:02 PM
Atter sticking it out through thin and thin, CW33 anchor Amanda Salinas is ending a five-year career at the ever turbulent Dallas-based station. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
NBC5 reporter Omar Villafranca is first departure of New Year
01/04/14 01:11 PM
Reporter Omar Villafranca, who’s spent the last five years at NBC5, is leaving the Fort Worth-based station but not the D-FW market. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Downton Abbey returns with Season 4
01/03/14 06:45 PM
One of PBS’ all-time crowd-pleasers, Downton Abbey, returns on Sunday, Jan. 5th with an eight-part Season 4 stretching to Feb. 23rd. Our review is here.
Also, get caught up with the D-FW ratings for all those holiday bowl games. The numbers are all here, with Thursday night’s Oklahoma-Alabama Sugar Bowl topping the charts.
Ed Bark
Also, get caught up with the D-FW ratings for all those holiday bowl games. The numbers are all here, with Thursday night’s Oklahoma-Alabama Sugar Bowl topping the charts.
Ed Bark