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AMC's Walking Dead a Halloween night corpse fest with ample room for character development

AMC's fourth original series, The Walking Dead, takes advertiser-supported TV to new levels of violence. But there's other meat as well in this adaptation of a hit comic book series. Our review is here. Plus, Game 2 of the Texas Rangers-infused World Series takes a bit of a ratings dive thanks to a super-embarrassing loss.
Ed Bark

Eighth inning from hell: why are the Rangers suddenly playing like T-ballers?

Well, that was certainly embarrassing. Humiliating. Godawful. To put it mildly. Our take on the Rangers' 9-0 Game 2 World Series loss to the Giants is here.
Ed Bark

Bubbly early morning debut for CBS11's newest anchor, Lisa Pineiro

CBS11's ratings-challenged early morning program added newcomer Lisa Pineiro to the mix Thursday on the first day of the November "sweeps" ratings period. She joins incumbent Scott Sams. Our review, with pictures, is here.
Also, the Texas Rangers' debut on the World Series stage didn't go as planned Wednesday night. But the ratings were huge, and there's always tomorrow/today. Get all the details here. And KETK-TV, the NBC affiliate station in Tyler, TX, shamefully resorts to the Dark Ages by asking viewers whether "the acceptance of homosexuality in this society will be the downfall of America?" See for yourself here.
Ed Bark

Last stand: Cowboys' crushing defeat on Monday Night Football edges Rangers resounding close-out of Yankees on TBS

The Texas Rangers nearly reached ratings parity with the Dallas Cowboys in D-FW. But the 'Pokes disastrous Monday Night Football outing against New York could still claim dubious bragging rights over the North Texas Nine's Friday night ALCS triumph over some other New Yorkers. Get all the details here.
Plus, we have Tuesday's D-FW ratings "snapshot" and a review of Syfy's new Hollywood Treasure collectibles series.
Ed Bark

He's a "baseball guy" (so deal with it) -- a swing for the fences interview with WFAA8 sports anchor Dale Hansen

WFAA8 sports anchor Dale Hansen rolls with your brushback pitches -- and throws some, too -- during a relentlessly candid interview with unclebarky.com before leaving on a jet plane for the first two Rangers-Giants World Series games in San Francisco.

Also, CW33 reporter Dan X. McGraw is resigning from the Dallas-based station's newsroom, which is pretty much in keeping with recent high-level departures at the Tribune parent company.
Ed Bark

The defense rests, letting Giants score 31 straight points after Romo's big break

Monday Night Football commentators justifiably wondered what happened to the "juice" in the Cowboys defense after the Giants fell behind 20-7. That's also a key ingredient in the game that iced QB Tony Romo for who knows how many weeks to come. Our take is here.

Plus, we're in the early stages of the biggest TV sports week in D-FW history. And with the Rangers' Josh Hamilton being compared to Mickey Mantle on several fronts, we revisit his emotional "I Am Second" video.

Also, at my home away from home, locatetv.com, check out this week's Halloween-themed TV episodes.
Ed Bark

Buh-bye to the best team money can buy. Instead it's the Rangers heisting the Series

Taking out the Yanks to make your first-ever appearance in the World Series? Dream on. But the impossible dream comes true! And we've got lotsa pictures to prove it.
Ed Bark

Welcome back: after just a short absence, here comes Sherlock Holmes again

The sleuth that stirs the drink has his own website now in another "re-imagining" of case-cracking Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Dr. Watson. The address is PBS, but also still 221 B Baker Street, for a series of three new movies that begin on Sunday, Oct. 24th. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Juan Williams fiasco casts NPR as petty, partisan tyrant

NPR has a lot of great programming, but a really stupid leader who has now put the taxpayer-funded network in the cross-hairs after her knee-jerk firing of Juan Williams. Get our opinion -- oh no!!! -- here.
Ed Bark

CBS11/TXA21 add a Ray (of sunshine?) to weather team

In a rare instance of actually hiring someone in local TV news, CBS11/TXA21 have named a replacement for retired meteorologist Mike Burger. Get the details here. Plus, we have D-FW "Nielsen ratings snapshots" of both Wednesday and Thursday.
Ed Bark

NBC News distances itself from partisan MSNBC by going the distance with its own mid-term election night coverage

NBC News doesn't come right out and say this in its announcement of "unprecedented" Nov. 2 election night coverage that will preempt both Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon. But your friendly content provider has been around the block enough to know that it signals a break from partisan MSNBC while also giving anchors Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw a comfortable home. See our commentary here.

Also, the first week's guests have been announced for TBS' Conan -- except for the very first one. See the TV Bulletin Board page for details. And on my home away from home, locatetv.com, we note the passings of classic TV mom and dad Barbara Billingsley and Tom Bosley.
Ed Bark

Missing a chance to clinch, Rangers head back home

Wednesday afternoon's Game 5 of the ALCS featured a largely inept outing by Rangers starter C.J. Wilson and a shaky but game stint by Yankees ace CC. Sabbathia. End result. Game 6 will be Friday night in Arlington. For our take on the game and the TBS coverage, please click here.
Ed Bark

Manhattan transfers, but with nothing to show: D-FW's TV sportsters instead left to vamp outside Yankee Stadium while the game plays on

Perhaps you've noticed something about those live 10 p.m. reports from outside Yankee Stadium by a squadron of D-FW sports reporters. Basically they've been worthless due to the lengths of the games and the restrictions imposed. Get our play-by-play account right here.
Ed Bark

Rangers hit ratings milestone while stoning Yankees

The Texas Rangers trespassed into Dallas Cowboys territory Tuesday night. How so? Check out the kind of information you won't find anywhere else by clicking here. Also, your friendly content provider offers another dispatch on the latest post-season Rangers adventure, complete with pics from the TBS telecast.
Ed Bark

Frontline's season premiere rekindles Texas arson case in Death By Fire

Cameron Todd Willingham of Corsicana was executed more than six years ago after being convicted of setting his home on fire and letting his three young children die in the blaze. Frontline is the latest to pore over the ashes in Death By Fire. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Dallas-made Chase gets full-season pickup from NBC

Finally a long distance-runner -- at least among TV series being filmed in North Texas.

NBC has announced a full-season pickup for Chase, which has been limping along in the local and national Nielsen ratings but is showing growth potential, according to the Peacock. That's good news for both local production crews and the D-FW economy. Get all the details here.

Also, there's now an easier way to watch that brilliantly subversive sendup of Fox4 as the "Social Media Station." We linked to it on Monday, but now it's embedded on unclebarky.com after finding its way to youtube. You really should take a look by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the post topped by Dale Hansen's tinkling on his Lone Star Emmy. The Fox4-produced video made its debut at Saturday night's awards ceremony in Dallas.
Ed Bark

Rangers double up on Dancing with the Stars

The Rangers big win over the Yankees Monday night, with pitcher Cliff Lee in sensational form, reigned supreme in the D-FW Nielsen ratings. Get our complete report here, plus your friendly content provider's take on the game.
Ed Bark

Presenting two big D-FW recaps, featuring Cowboys/Rangers ratings and co-starring Dale Hansen, Josh Lewin and a brilliant but dicey video sendup of local TV news


Little Rock's Broadway ain't quite as highbrow as NYC's. Photo: Ed Bark

Our road trip is over, and boy, is my steering wheel tired. Destinations included Little Rock (pictured in all its glory above), Memphis and Nashville.

But enough about fried food, friendly people, tourist traps and chance meetings with four former Dallas Morning News colleagues in two of the above venues.

On our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page, you'll find items on Dale Hansen and Josh Lewin plus a very daring video sendup of Dallas-based Fox4 as "The Social Media Station."

On the same page is a full-blown local ratings catchup, comparing the audiences for Rangers post-season and Cowboys regular season games plus a special extended edition of "local news derby" results. Hope you enjoy.
Ed Bark

Jerry-iatrics: Maybe the Cowboys and their owner should get what they deserve -- him as coach

Ah yes. Back from a road trip just in time to see the Cowboys lose on the road to run their record to 1-4. Which prompts an addled suggestion: Jerry should hire Jerry as his head coach for the rest of this season. Go here to get our reasoning behind why the Cowboys' very own mad man should run his asylum.
Ed Bark

Road trip beckons -- and all resistance is futile


Man (or woman) does not live by website alone. So it's time to take a long-planned, much-needed break.

Your friendly content provider and his lovely wife will be packing the motor vehicle and hitting the road for the next week or so. That should be enough to re-charge the batteries before unclebarky.com resumes posting and girds for the November "sweeps" on Oct. 18th.

Until then, thanks for your continued patronage and be well, safe 'n' happy.
Ed Bark

Wow, Rangers win again. And it's fun, it's easy

The address was TBS for a second Texas Rangers cruise control win at Tampa Thursday afternoon. Were you watching? Were you even able to watch? We celebrate here while hoping the Minnesota Twins -- home team for three Barky siblings -- can somehow find a way to beat those damn Yankees.
Ed Bark

Rangers' afternoon post-season win a sleeper (but not a dozer) in D-FW ratings

Well-hidden in early-to-mid-afternoon hours on TBS cable, the Texas Rangers managed to draw a decent crowd Wednesday while being no match for some of that night's prime-time attractions. Get our full report here.
Also, Glee is now bigger than The Beatles in at least one top-of-the-charts measurement. The details are here.
Ed Bark

Revelatory HBO film reprises Darkness on the Edge of Town in times when "The Boss" first became the boss

Unearthed footage of the making of 1978's Darkness on the Edge of Town captures Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at a pivotal time in their still nascent musical careers. HBO premieres the 90-minute film on Thursday, Oct. 7th while also offering ample other times to watch. You'll be glad you did. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Ballgame! Rangers win post-season opener in relative obscurity on early afternoon TBS telecast

The Texas Rangers finally are on the playoff map in a big way -- at least in the box score -- after Wednesday's key opening win at Tampa Bay. TBS made the Rangers and Rays their early afternoon lead-off game, virtually guaranteeing dinky town ratings across the country. Get our take here.
Ed Bark

Feinstein's old school American Songbook a perfect fit for cardigan-wearing PBS

PBS will sing along for the next three Wednesdays with Michael Feinstein's American Songbook. And as retro-cool entertainment, it's the tops. Our review is here. Also, Tuesday's D-FW Nielsen ratings chart the continuing down-up-down fortunes of ABC.
Ed Bark

Cuban libre: HDNet's Drinking Made Easy staggers into view

Dallas-based HDNet and owner Mark Cuban have a new series about three guys drinking their way through America. Nice work if you can get it, but a little too much of the premiere is best watched while being passed out. Our review is here. Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in the house. And on my home away from home, locatetv.com, see why today's savvy programming executive would choose Dancing with the Stars over American Idol if given half a chance.
Ed Bark

LOUD commercials seriously endangered, but slam-bang political ads may get more prime-time exposure on WFAA8 and other ABC stations

Warring Democrats and Republicans have come together on the irksome issue of commercials that are louder than the programs they pay for. Meanwhile, warring Democrats and Republicans may well get even more prime-time ABC network ad space to fire away at each other in this great nation of ours. In D-FW on WFAA8, that could mean an increased load later this month of commercials for Gov. Rick Perry and Democratic opponent Bill White. Oh joy. Get the details here.
Ed Bark

My Generation becomes second made-in-Texas series to be be herded into cancellation corral

At this rate we'll have nothing left by Halloween. The number of made-in-Texas network TV series now is down from four to two after ABC axed Austin's My Generation after two episodes. And the two still standing aren't doing so hot either. Our report is here.
Plus, we remember A-list TV writer/producer Stephen J. Cannell (The A-Team, The Rockford Files) in this Back Channels page piece from 1997. And the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show that a football game other than Texas-OU had the most D-FW viewers during a weekend without the Cowboys.
Ed Bark

Cuban-centric Fox4 newscast has some slam dunk moments

Fox4 is livening up its 9 p.m. newscasts with more live interviews and -- on Thursday -- a marathon appearance by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. We evaluate the mostly plusses, and some minuses, in this extended dispatch.

Plus, the latest D-FW newscast ratings are in, and we have a TV Bulletin Board chock full of catch-up tidbits. And let's remember the late Tony Curtis with a dated but still oddly watchable car chase clip from his 1971 TV series, The Persuaders, which co-starred Roger Moore as a fellow millionaire playboy.
Ed Bark