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Re-floating NBC's trippy 1999 Noah's Ark miniseries

The big-screen epic Noah, starring Russell Crowe, opens on Friday, March 28th at a popcorn emporium near you. Whatever liberties it takes surely can’t match those on display in NBC’s 1999 Noah’s Ark miniseries. Jon Voight played the bible’s most famous oceanic navigator in a cast that also included Mary Steenburgen, F. Murray Abraham and James Coburn. Our review is recycled on the Back Channels page.

Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark

Charting a cavalcade of spring/summertime TV series premieres

The summer season hasn’t been a complete throwaway for several years now. But this time around there may well be as many or more new series premieres as there will be in the fall. NBC, for one, is launching six new scripted shows, the most in 21 years according to the Peacock. We’ve got the descriptions and premiere dates of all the newcomers on NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox. So browse at your leisure on our Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark

CBS' new Friends with Better Lives is anything but the network's best

CBS has a way of making just about any of its Monday night comedies good to go for multiple seasons. Which is another way of saying that the network’s new Friends With Better Lives could be critic-proof. It previews after the March 31st one-hour series finale of How I Met Your Mother. And our review is here.
Ed Bark

Eva Marie Saint nearing 90, still aglow in TCM interview/tribute to vintage Hollywood star

Her big-screen leading men included Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Montgomery Clift and Gregory Peck. And Eva Marie Saint is one of the few actresses from that era who’s still around to talk about it. Our look at the very watchable Eva Marie Saint: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival, is on the Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark

On the rebound, WFAA8 finds another newspaper fella

Regular readers of unclebarky.com know that WFAA8 and The Fort Worth Star-Telegram have been romancing one another of late. On Wednesday evening it became official. They’re now officially content-sharing partners. Details and a commentary are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Surviving Jack gives Fox a lead dog best known for drama (and little known for long-ago sitcom flops)

Fox’s Surviving Jack sitcom stars Christopher Meloni in the title role after he came to prominence on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Bad fit? Not at all, considering how Meloni broke into prime-time TV . Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Syfy's Creature Shop Challenge has a nice way with all things Henson

Another “reality competition” series hits prime-time on Tuesday, March 25th. The Syfy network’s Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge is both visually stimulating and groaningly same-old. But a nice finishing kick may lure viewers back for more. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Biased while pretending to be otherwise: CNN's Reliable Sources and Fox News Channel's Media Buzz

Both shows are supposed to be media watchdogs without any bias when it comes to evaluating how news stories are handled or over-handled. But Howard Kurtz and Brian Stelter, respective hosts of Fox News Channel’s Media Buzz and CNN’s Reliable Sources, were toadies in the service of their corporate masters during Sunday’s analysis of how cable news networks have covered the missing Malaysian Flight 370. We take a lengthy look at how the two competing programs forfeited their credibility. It’s all on the Network News & Reviews page.

Plus, the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings show the might of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Also, reporter Doug Magditch of Dallas-based CW33 is leaving for another opportunity. More details on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Fox4's Good Day juggernaut

Fox4 sweeps the early morning D-FW ratings like clockwork. But Thursday’s edition was unusually dominant, particularly in the most-watched 6 to 9 a.m. portion. We take a closer look on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Also, the TV Bulletin Board section has some new muncha cruncha tidbits.
Ed Bark

Fonda, Tomlin sign up for Netflix sitcom

Netflix has signed Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin to star in Grace and Frankie, a 13-episode comedy series from the creator of Friends. Details are on the TV Bulletin Board page, along with news of a geriatric ex-politician face-off Monday on the New York late nighters hosted by Jimmy Fallon and David Letterman.
Ed Bark

Conan announces guest list for Dallas shows

The March 31-April 3 Conan shows from Dallas now have a guest roster. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Dallas-based KXTD-TV shutting down The Texas Daily

Launched with a constellation of former D-FW television news stars, KTXD-TV’s The Texas Daily is riding into the sunset. Its last telecast will be on Friday, March 21st. All the details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Two new reviews: CW's The 100 and HBO's Doll & Em

Prime-time’s mid-season action resumes with two Wednesday newcomers. Our review of The CW’s The 100 is here. And the critique of HBO’s Doll & Em is here.
Ed Bark

NBC early morn reporter Kendra Lyn details her decision to leave

NBC5’s Kendra Lyn, who’s been a street reporter on the early morning shift, is heading back to Orlando, FL after two years with the Fort Worth-based station. Her reasons for leaving are detailed on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings also are in, and they mark a first for late night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Plus, we take a closer look at CBS’ mass renewal of prime-time series -- and the handful that haven’t made the cut. It’s all on the TV Bulletin Board page.

And check out the video of Conan O’Brien’s new cereal drama aboard a mechanical bull. It’s a promo tied to his TBS show’s March 31-April 3 dates at the Majestic Theater in Dallas.
Ed Bark

NBC shifts to Crisis mode with new hostage-taking drama

CBS’ Hostages failed to lift off in the ratings. Now NBC’s Crisis is offering five times the number of captives, including the teen son of the President. After heavy promotion, it premieres on Sunday, March 16th. And our review is here.

The Tuesday and Wednesday D-FW Nielsen ratings highlights also are posted.
Ed Bark

Dissecting the denouement of True Detective

We’ll begin with the obligatory spoiler alert. If you don’t want to know how HBO’s True Detective ended Sunday night, then stay away from my critique on the Network News & Reviews page. But I figure that most true fans have seen it by now, and remain game to debate the merits of the outcome. For what it’s worth, you can find my take right here.
Ed Bark

Kimmel in Austin: an on-site look at his opening night

The first of five Jimmy Kimmel Live! shows from Austin is in the books. Your friendly content provider joined the crowd. Here’s a first-hand look at some of what you didn’t see or hear on the air Monday night.

Plus, the Saturday through Monday D-FW Nielsen ratings provided big opening bursts for new drama series on ABC and NBC. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Campos goes out on top -- at the very top

Anchor Gloria Campos’ final 10 p.m. newscast for WFAA8 not surprisingly outdrew the competing editions on Fox4, NBC5 and CBS11. But she also ranked as Friday’s top ratings attraction at all hours of the day or night. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Will NBC's Believe work? Doubt it

NBC adds the drama Believe to its midseason mix of series built around precocious pre-teens. But unlike About a Boy and Growing Up Fisher, the network should have very serious doubts about this one. Our review is here.

You also can find Thursday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Before her signoff: a closing appreciation and evaluation of WFAA8 anchor Gloria Campos

WFAA8 anchor Gloria Campos will call it a night on Friday, March 7th with her last 10 p.m. newscast. We take a lengthy look at what she’s meant to the station and how she’s managed to leave it all behind on her terms. WFAA8’s uncertain future also figures in. It’s all on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Fox's Cosmos touches down 34 years after the Carl Sagan original

From the creator of Family Guy comes a new Fox version of Cosmos. Not it’s not a joke, with the modern-day Carl Sagan, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, hosting this ambitious 13-hour reboot. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Dead boy walking in ABC's Resurrection

Those who have seen The Returned on SundanceTV will recognize the pretty much identical premise of ABC’s Resurrection. Zombies need not apply, and our review is here.

Plus, Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is on the page.
Ed Bark

USA's Sirens a departure from network's norm

Denis Leary’s TV followup act to FX’s Rescue Me is a comedy about EMTs. It may be an odd fit for the USA network, but Sirens is at least worth a look. It premieres with back-to-back episodes on Thursday, March 6th. And our review is here.

Tuesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” also is in.
Ed Bark

George Lopez hits the FX fast-track in Saint George

Cable television’s growing group of made-in-a-hurry “10/90 model” sitcoms gets another player in George Lopez. His Saint George premieres Thursday, March 6th on FX. Our review, and an explanation of the process, can be found right here.
Ed Bark

DWTS announces latest batch and newest twist

ABC’s fading Dancing with the Stars, hoping to do more than limp through its 18th edition, announced 12 new contestants Tuesday on Good Morning America. There’ll also be a twist involving further viewer participation. Details are on the TV Bulletin Board page along with the first batch of guests for Jimmy Kimmel’s shows from Austin next week.

Also, Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark

Here we go "Travoltifying" with a big gaggle of D-FW TV news personalities

Two can play at this “Travoltifying” game. So after John Travolta mangled singer Idina Menzel’s name at the Oscars, Uncle Barky performs similar chainsaw surgery on a big group of D-FW TV news personalities. You can find all the garble on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Reviewing Ellen and the Oscars of the Selfie (which had biggest national audience in 10 years)

Ellen DeGeneres returned as host and the social media was all atwitter. Make that Twitter, where a star-studded “selfie” was the biggest winner of all on Oscar night.

Our review is right here.

Also, the D-FW Oscar ratings are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Plus, with another month in the books, it’s time for a gentle reminder to do your amazon.com shopping by first clicking on any Amazon ad on any unclebarky.com page. A small commission on each purchase then goes into the unclebarky.com kitty. So if you like this free website, please help out by not spending a nickel that you weren’t going to spend otherwise. It’s fun, it’s easy and it all helps to keep this site going.

Thanks as always for your readership and support.
Ed Bark