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Lucky day for HBO's Luck

Just two days after Sunday's premiere, HBO has renewed its horse race drama Luck for a second season. Gotta love the quick action of cable networks. These and numerous other tidbits are on the TV Bulletin Board page.

Plus, we've revived "Ask Uncle Barky" with a collection of new inquiries. And Monday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are also in the house.

And now, since they say it's my birthday -- and it is -- I'm going to take the rest of Tuesday off before starting a new month tomorrow.
Ed Bark

WFAA8 anchors Campos, McCaa hope to join fellow mainstay Hansen in re-upping (but also at reduced rates)

Dallas-based WFAA8 has three featured anchors who each have been with the station for more than a quarter-century. Sports caster Dale Hansen recently extended his deal. Now news anchors Gloria Campos and John McCaa hope to do the same, even though it will be under the new realities of diminished salaries. Our update is on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page, where you also can find the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark

Phil Ochs finally gets the American Masters treatment -- and at least one person (me) is happy about that

Phil Ochs met a tragic end of his own making after years of playing Avis to Bob Dylan's Hertz. But a relative handful of us once preferred both his voice and his ways with words. And hey, I also had some very up-close and personal experiences with PO. Our review of a new PBS American Masters film is here. As are our reminiscences.

Plus, Thursday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are a bit of a blow to American Idol.
Ed Bark

Fox4's Peter Daut leaving to anchor elsewhere

After three years as a reporter and fill-in anchor at Dallas-based Fox4, Peter Daut is leaving to become a full-time anchor. Details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

HBO has very good (but not great) Luck with Hoffman, Nolte, horse racing

There's virtually no track record for TV series about horse racing. But starting Sunday, HBO's saddles up with Luck and a group of thoroughbreds on-camera and off-. Our review is here.

Plus, Wednesday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are at best so-so for Fox's new Kiefer Sutherland drama Touch.
Ed Bark

Another courtroom defeat from afar for WFAA8 anchor/reporter Shon Gables

WFAA8 anchor/reporter Shon Gables, still a wanted woman in Michigan, is on the receiving end of another judgment against her by a circuit court judge. Details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Also, we have a collection of other local TV news morsels and the D-FW ratings for Tuesday night's State of the Union address.
Ed Bark

Fox's Touch: Kiefer segues from Action Jack to vexed baggage handler named Martin

He's still highly dependent on cell phones, but Kiefer Sutherland otherwise makes a pretty clean break from 24 to Touch. Our review is here.

Plus, a 1999 series of WFAA8 promos stir up a witches brew of a rat scare.
Ed Bark

WFAA8's next news director could be a D-FW market first

Sources say that veteran Kurt Davis, currently executive news director at San Antonio's KENS-TV, has become a leading candidate for the vacant position at Dallas-based WFAA8. If he's hired, he'd be D-FW's first African-American male TV news director. More details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Plus, Sunday's down-to-the-wire AFC and NFC championship games gave the NFL total dominance -- again. The numbers are in the weekend "Local Nielsen Ratings Snapshot." Thursday's Nielsen highlights also are posted.
Ed Bark

We hope that you enjoy the show

Our semi-annual, homemade TV "press tour" picture book is ready for you to eyeball. Take a look on the Network News & Reviews page.

Plus, another Dallas-based TV oldies station gets ready to reprise "some of the most enjoyed shows ever broadcast." And Wednesday's D-FW "ratings snapshot" shows that American Idol is still a very heavy hitter.

Furthermore, thrill to a 1992 KXAS-TV news promo in which the yet to be birthed DART is presented as a horrific runaway train. Complete with a classic Mike Snyder voice intonation.
Ed Bark

Down and out in cartoonland with FX's Unsupervised

Fox's animated version of Napoleon Dynamite and FX's Unsupervised, which premieres on Thurs., Jan. 19th, put hand-drawn teens in hardscrabble situations without any semblance of parental guidance. Who knew Bart and Lisa had it so lucky? Our review of Unsupervised is here.

Plus, the "Local Nielsen Snapshot" feature plays a serious game of catchup after a two-week absence for the winter TV Critics Association "press tour." You can find all the numbers of consequence on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Back in play after another TV "press tour" excursion out West

It's great to be back after another full immersion in the Television Critics Association winter "press tour," which ran for nearly two weeks until Sunday's last gasp.

We tweeted a couple of notable D-FW television developments while out in Pasadena. But they're reprised on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page for the many who might have missed them.

Plus, the Network News & Reviews page is newly stocked with details on a critically savaged show's quick demise and the long-benched sitcom that will replace it on Valentine's night. There's also the matter of a surprise nationally televised Wisconsin win after my native state Badgers and Packers ended their seasons with high-profile football losses.

Here comes another monthly reminder, too. Readers can support unclebarky.com by clicking on any Amazon ad on any page before making the purchases you were going to make anyway. A small percentage of whatever you spend will go toward keeping this site running. Every little bit helps, and we sincerely thank those who have been helping out.

Also, you can read full-length stories about all of the press tour ups and downs by going to locatetv.com. Topics range from the first full press conference by the old and new stars of Dallas to a one-of-a-kind exchange between your friendly content provider and Dustin Hoffman, with Nick Nolte also chipping in.

Thanks again to all for your continued readership and support.
Ed Bark