Jul 2017
Heading west for another bout with the summer TV Critics Association "press tour"
07/24/17 12:46 PM
A little piggy in a blanket, Uncle Barky? And so it begins yet again. Photo: Ed Bark
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Television Critics Association’s annual summer “press tour” gets underway this week, and your friendly content provider is heading west once again to arduous Beverly Hills.
The damned thing will stretch all the way through Aug. 9th, when FX typically puts an end to it with a full day of interview sessions. I’ll be there almost for the duration, missing just a handful of early panels on Tuesday, July 25th after arriving in mid-afternoon on that day.
Unclebarky.com will go dark during that time, with all of my dispatches being filed for the New York City-based tvworthwatching.com. You can read them here. (Note to readers: The publishing mechanism I use makes it very complicated to publish via a laptop or other device. And I’m not about to mess with it.)
My first press tour was in the summer of 1980, well before cable networks became a force and also pre-dating the launch of the Fox network, the Internet and latter day streamers such as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. Only ABC, CBS and NBC “presented” during that 1980 tour. Now it’s an almost impossibly crowded field.
So please wish me luck as I strive to remain both ambulatory and of reasonably sound mind. Unclebarky.com will fire up again in mid-August.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
NBC's Midnight, Texas gets its supernatural on
07/21/17 12:49 PM
From the author of the books that prompted HBO’s True Blood, here’s another otherworldly series with vampires.
But it also has a witch, a “fallen angel,” a shape-shifter, a psychic, a talking cat and even a few fairly straight humanoids without any apparent supernatural abilities. NBC’s Midnight, Texas is coming on Monday, July 24th and our review is based on watching the first six episodes.
Plus, Netflix’s Ozark begins streaming on Friday, July 21st. Watched all 10 Season One episodes before posting this review.
Also, another new D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is ready and able on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
But it also has a witch, a “fallen angel,” a shape-shifter, a psychic, a talking cat and even a few fairly straight humanoids without any apparent supernatural abilities. NBC’s Midnight, Texas is coming on Monday, July 24th and our review is based on watching the first six episodes.
Plus, Netflix’s Ozark begins streaming on Friday, July 21st. Watched all 10 Season One episodes before posting this review.
Also, another new D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is ready and able on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Saturday Night Live makes Trump grate again by co-leading all Emmy nominees
07/13/17 05:10 PM
Jet-fueled in the ratings by Donald Trump’s easily ridiculed presidency and Alec Baldwin’s impersonation of him, Saturday Night Live soared to the top of Thursday’s prime-time Emmy nominations.
It had 22 of them, sharing the overall lead with HBO’s first-year drama series Westworld. The streaming service Hulu also made its first big splash, with 13 nominations for The Handmaid’s Tale.
A complete rundown, plus some Emmy nuggets, are on our Network News & Reviews page.
Also, Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is posted right here.
Ed Bark
It had 22 of them, sharing the overall lead with HBO’s first-year drama series Westworld. The streaming service Hulu also made its first big splash, with 13 nominations for The Handmaid’s Tale.
A complete rundown, plus some Emmy nuggets, are on our Network News & Reviews page.
Also, Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is posted right here.
Ed Bark
TNT's Will and Freeform's The Bold Type coming tonight and tomorrow
07/10/17 04:15 PM
TNT’s new Will introduces a young Shakespeare on the loose and sometimes on the lam in swervy London. Premieres on Monday, July 10th, and it’s all quite enjoyable. Our review is here.
Also, Freeform sets forth on Tuesday night with The Bold Type, which wasn’t my type. Here’s the review.
Plus, the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is in. And Fox4 has a new reporter in the fold.
Ed Bark
Also, Freeform sets forth on Tuesday night with The Bold Type, which wasn’t my type. Here’s the review.
Plus, the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is in. And Fox4 has a new reporter in the fold.
Ed Bark