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Archive for the ‘Television’ Category

New Show Introduction: Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once

Posted in New Shows, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »

On January 1, the new drama Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once will debut online on Netflix.

When ex-soldier Maya (Michelle Keegan) sees her murdered husband (Richard Armitage) on a secret nanny cam, she uncovers a deadly conspiracy that stretches deep into the past.

Here is a trailer for Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once:

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2023 Year-End Round Up: Faces of 2023

Posted in Familiar Faces, Movies, Music, New Faces, Pictures, Television, Year End Round Up on December 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The following list highlights the actors and actresses on TV and on the big screen who really caught viewers’ attention throughout this year.

They appear in no particular order:

Hong Chau – She has been honing her craft for the past 17 years, but since last year she has really taken the industry by storm, starring alongside Michelle Williams in the box office movie Showing Up that premiered at Cannes last year. Then she followed that up by playing a nurse opposite Brendan Fraser in his Oscar-winning role in the acclaimed indie film The Whale. She had a supporting role in the 2022 box office movie The Menu and then appeared in the popular Netflix series The Night Agent. She also appeared in the ensemble cast of the Wes Anderson flick Asteroid City.

Nicholas Galitzine – This British hunk first caught the attention of viewers with his role in 2020 in the box office movie The Craft: Legacy and the following year he starred opposite recording artist Camila Cabello in Amazon Prime’s Cinderella. Last year he starred alongside Sofia Carson in the Netflix film Purple Hearts and this year he hit it big in Amazon Prime’s movie Red, White & Royal Blue based on the book by Casey McQuiston. He will next be seen with Anne Hathaway in the box office movie The Idea of You and next year’s Starz limited series Mary & George alongside Julianne Moore.

Halle Bailey – I included Halle, a talented Atlanta actress and singer back in 2019 before the pandemic hit, causing her upcoming projects – specifically The Little Mermaid and the upcoming bold new take on the beloved classic The Color Purple, which will be in theatres on Christmas Day – to be put on hold, but she is finally getting the attention she deserves.

Myha’la Herrold – Going by only her first name now, Myha’la stars in the HBO series Industry that follows a group of hungry, young graduates plunged head-first into the exhilarating world of international finance. This year she has been on the big screen in the box office movie Dumb Money, which told the nearly unbelievable if it wasn’t true story about how everyday people got rich by turning GameStop (the video game store) into the world’s hottest company. And she will soon be seen alongside Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawk and Mahershala Ali in the box office Leave the World Behind.

Archie Madekwe – For three seasons, Archie appeared in the Apple TV+ series See, playing the visually-abled son of Jason Momoa’s Baba Voss. He then appeared in this year’s box office flick Gran Turismo alongside David Harbour and Orlando Bloom and with Gal Gadot in the Netflix movie Heart of Stone. He can currently be seen in the much-buzzed about movie Saltburn.

Bella Ramsey – This talented 20-something Brit first came to the attention of TV viewers through her role in Game of Thrones, but it has been her role in the acclaimed TV adaptation of The Last of Us alongside Pedro Pascal that has really garnered her attention. She was also the scene-stealing lead in the box office movie Catherine Called Birdy last year.

Sandra Huller – Sandra has been a working actress for over 20 years, but she has received acclaim from critics and reviewers all over the world for her latest roles in two very different films from this past year. First in The Zone of Interest she played the wife of the commandant of Auschwitz, who strives to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp; and her lead role in Anatomy of a Fall, where she played a woman suspected of her husband’s murder, and their blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness.

Mia Goth – After appearing in the back-to-back buzzworthy, albeit horror, flicks last year – X and Pearl – Mia landed a plum role in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Blade that will star Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in the lead role; and her next project is another horror flick MaXXXine.

Who are some of the faces from this year who caught your attention either on television, in music or in film? Please share.

TOMORROW: New Faces of 2024

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TV Recommendations: Saturday, December 30

Posted in Recommendations, Reminder, Television on December 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:

NOTE: There will be a marathon of episodes of Yellowstone on Paramount Network all day today while the finale of season two of What If…? will air online on Disney+.

6 PM:
Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
A Homecoming for the Holidays movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
Black Hawk Down movie on BBC America
The Breakfast Club movie on CMT

6:45 PM:
Ambulance movie on Starz

7 PM:
The Princess Bride movie on Sundance TV

7:30 PM:
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 movie on TNT
Rampage movie on USA Network

8 PM:
Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore)
NCIS: Hawai’i on CBS (Reair)
The Christmas Promise movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
Clueless movie on CMT
My Fair Lady (classic) movie on StartTV

8:50 PM:
Men in Black 3 movie on Freeform

9 PM:
Black Adam movie on HBO 2
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) movie on Starz
A Knight’s Tale movie on Sundance TV
Rampage movie on USA Network

10 PM:
Christmas Made to Order movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
A Little Christmas Charm on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
Mafia Mamma movie on Showtime

10:15 PM:
She’s All That movie on CMT

10:30 PM:
Black Panther movie on TNT

Enjoy!

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TV Recommendations: Friday, December 29

Posted in Recommendations, Reminder, Television on December 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:

NOTE: There will be a marathon of episodes of Yellowstone on Paramount Network all day today.

5 PM:
The King’s Man movie on FX

6 PM:
The Royal Nanny movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
Christmas Tree Lane movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
Back to the Future movie on Bravo
John Wick movie on USA Network

6:05 PM:
Edge of Tomorrow movie on HBO

6:35 PM:
Fast & Furious movie on Syfy

6:40 PM:
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 movie on Encore

7 PM:
The Princess and the Frog (animated) movie on Freeform

7:15 PM:
Thor: Ragnarok movie on TNT

7:30 PM:
Hidden Figures movie on FXM

8 PM:
A Season for Family movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Encore)
Blue Bloods on CBS (Reair)
Christmas Under Wraps movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
The Lion King (animated) movie on Disney
National Treasure movie on FX
American Sniper movie on HBO
John Wick: Chapter 2 movie on USA Network

8:30 PM:
300 movie on Syfy

9 PM:
Back to the Future Part II movie on Bravo
The Little Mermaid (animated) movie on Freeform

9:30 PM:
Now You See Me movie on HBO 2

10 PM:
Ms. Christmas Comes to Town movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Encore)
Cross Country Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
Terminator: Genisys movie on MGM+ (formerly EPIX)
Miss Congeniality movie on POP
Golda (2023) movie on Showtime 2

Enjoy!

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2023 Year-End Round-Up: TV Ratings

Posted in Ratings, Television, Year End Round Up on December 28, 2023| Leave a Comment »

With the actors and writers strikes both impacting much of the year, this year’s ratings report is much different than those in the past; namely, it’s much lighter on programming because for half of the year there were a lot less shows airing new episodes, and the fall TV season was nearly non-existent.

However, like every year, what is to follow is the list of ratings for the TV dramas – and only TV dramas – that have aired on the major and cable networks during the last half of the 2022-2023 TV season and the first half of the much truncated 2023-2024 TV season. The numbers provided below are the average of the overnight viewership for each drama; they do not include any additional days or adjustments.

Then at the bottom of this piece, just like in years past, I will provide all of the made-for-TV movies on the major and cable networks where ratings could be tracked down.

Let’s get started…

The first list is the major network dramas that aired from January through approximately May, covering the last half of the 2022-2023 TV season:

NCIS (CBS) – 6.8 million viewers
FBI (CBS) – 6.7 million viewers
Fire Country (CBS) – 6.5 million viewers
Chicago Fire (NBC) – 6.5 million viewers
The Equalizer (CBS) – 6.4 million viewers
Chicago Med (NBC) – 6.2 million viewers
Blue Bloods (CBS) – 5.7 million viewers
FBI: International (CBS) – 5.5 million viewers
Chicago P.D. (NBC) – 5.1 million viewers
NCIS: Hawai’i (CBS) – 5 million viewers
S.W.A.T. (CBS) – 5 million viewers
East New York (CBS) – 4.9 million viewers *
FBI: Most Wanted (CBS) – 4.9 million viewers
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) – 4.7 million viewers
So Help Me Todd (CBS) – 4.6 million viewers
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 4.5 million viewers
Law & Order (NBC) – 4.4 million viewers
9-1-1 (FOX) – 4.3 million viewers [will be relocating to ABC in 2024]
The Rookie (ABC) – 4.1 million viewers
Station 19 (ABC) – 3.8 million viewers
9-1-1: Lone Star (FOX) – 3.5 million viewers
Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC) – 3.4 million viewers
The Good Doctor (ABC) – 3.4 million viewers
Magnum P.I. (NBC) – 3.3 million viewers
CSI: Vegas (CBS) – 3.2 million viewers
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – 3.2 million viewers
Will Trent (ABC) – 3 million viewers
New Amsterdam (NBC) – 2.8 million viewers *
Alaska Daily (ABC) – 2.7 million viewers *
The Rooke: Feds (ABC) – 2.7 million viewers *
The Resident (FOX) – 2.6 million viewers *
True Lies (CBS) – 2.4 million viewers *
Accused (FOX) – 2.3 million viewers
Big Sky (ABC) – 2.3 million viewers *
The Company You Keep (ABC) – 2.2 million viewers *
Alert: Missing Persons Unit (FOX) – 2.1 million viewers
The Blacklist (NBC) – 2.1 million viewers *
Quantum Leap (NBC) – 2 million viewers
La Brea (NBC) – 1.9 million viewers
A Million Little Things (ABC) – 1.8 million viewers *
Fantasy Island (FOX) – 1.8 million viewers *
Superman & Lois (The CW) – 664,000 viewers
Walker (The CW) – 662,000 viewers
The Flash (The CW) – 509,000 viewers *
All American (The CW) – 508,000 viewers
Walker: Independence (The CW) – 453,000 viewers *
All American Homecoming (The CW) – 448,000 viewers
Kung Fu (The CW) – 401,000 viewers *
Gotham Knights (The CW) – 398,000 viewers *
The Winchesters (The CW) – 383,000 viewers *

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending

The second list covers all of the cable network dramas from that same approximate time period: January through May 2023:

Yellowstone (Paramount Network) – 8.2 million
1923 (Paramount Network) – 3.7 million viewers [special cable network airing]
The Way Home (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Ride (Hallmark Channel) – 1 million viewers *
The Last of Us (HBO) – 809,000 viewers
Succession (HBO) – 705,000 viewers *
Mayfair Witches (AMC) – 504,000 viewers
The Ark (Syfy) – 397,000 viewers
Perry Mason (HBO) – 349,000 viewers *
Lucky Hank (AMC) – 303,000 viewers *
Your Honor (Showtime) – 285,000 viewers *
Power Book II: Ghost (Starz) – 274,000 viewers
George & Tammy (Showtime) – 252,000 viewers (approximately) *
White House Plumbers (HBO) – 184,000 viewers (approximately) *
Yellowjackets (Showtime) – 173,000 viewers
The Watchful Eye (Freeform) – 117,000 viewers *
Good Trouble (Freeform) – 92,000 viewers *

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending

NOTE: No ratings for the following cable dramas that aired during January and May could be tracked down: A Spy Among Friends, From and Godfather of Harlem on MGM+ (formerly EPIX); C.B. Strike (HBO); A Small Light on National Geographic; All Creatures Great and Small, Call the Midwife, Marie Antoinette, Miss Scarlet & the Duke, Sanditon, Tom Jones and Vienna Blood all on PBS.

The third list covers the dramas that aired on the major networks over the summer from May through approximately September/October 2023:

The Chosen (The CW) – 456,000 viewers
Family Law (The CW) – 441,000 viewers
Nancy Drew (The CW) – 404,000 viewers *
The Rising (The CW) – 361,000 viewers ^
Moonshine (The CW) – 302,000 viewers ^
Barons (The CW) – 174,000 viewers (approximately) [the show was pulled from the line-up after only four episodes]

* denotes those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
^ denotes those shows that not been renewed yet by their home networks

The fourth list covers all of the cable network dramas that aired from April through September 2023:

When Calls the Heart (Hallmark Channel) – 1.9 million viewers
Dark Winds (AMC) – 909,000 viewers
The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC) – 685,000 viewers
Justified: City Primeval (FX) – 625,000 viewers *
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC) – 493,000 viewers *
Mayans MC (FX) – 468,000 viewers *
The Lazarus Project (TNT) – 442,000 viewers (approximately)
Outlander (Starz) – 342,000 viewers
Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO) – 239,000 viewers *
The Chi (Showtime) – 165,000 viewers
Cruel Summer (Freeform) – 132,000 viewers *
Heels (Starz) – 40,000 viewers *

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending

NOTE: No ratings for the following cable dramas that aired during April to September could be tracked down: Domina on MGM+ and DI Ray, Endeavor, Grantchester, Mrose & The Last Endeavor: A Masterpiece Mystery and Ridley all on PBS.

The fifth list covers all of the major network dramas that aired during the first half of the 2023-2024 TV season, covering September/October to approximately mid-December:

NCIS: Sydney (CBS) 5 million viewers
Yellowstone (CBS) [Seasons 1 and 2] – 4.5 million viewers
The Irrational (NBC) – 3.8 million viewers
Magnum P.I. (NBC) – 3.2 million viewers
Found (NBC) – 3.1 million viewers
Quantum Leap (NBC) – 2.7 million viewers
Transplant (NBC) – 2.1 million viewers (approximately) ^^
SEAL Team (CBS) – 1.3 million viewers ^
The Chosen (The CW) – 485,000 viewers ^
Sullivan’s Crossing (The CW) – 457,000 viewers
The Spencer Sisters (The CW) – 388,000 viewers ^
The Swarm (The CW) – 334,000 viewers *

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
^ denotes those shows that have not been renewed nor cancelled yet
^^ denotes the shows that aired episodes through Christmas Day or just a few days after the holidays, and their ratings weren’t available in time for this report to be posted

The sixth and final list covers all of the cable dramas that aired from September through December:

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (AMC) – 647,000 viewers
The Gilded Age (HBO) – 522,000 viewers
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC) – 484,000 viewers *
American Horror Story: Delicate (FX) – 347,000 viewers
Fargo (FX) – 338,000 viewers (approximately)
Power Book IV: Force (Starz) – 286,000 viewers (approximately)
All Rise (OWN) – 251,000 viewers *
Billions (Showtime) – 223,000 viewers *
Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz) – 201,000 viewers (approximately) ^
SurrealEstate (Syfy) – 180,000 viewers
BlackBerry (AMC) – 125,000 viewers *
Fellow Travelers (Showtime) – 70,000 viewers (approximately)
The Curse (Showtime) – 36,000 viewers (approximately) ^

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
^ denotes the shows that aired episodes through Christmas Day or just a few days after the holidays, and their ratings weren’t available in time for this report to be posted

NOTE: No ratings for the following cable dramas that aired during September to December could be tracked down: Beacon 23, Billy the King and The Winter King on MGM+; Annika, Hotel Portofino, Little Bird, Professor T, Unforgotten, Van der Valk and World on Fire all on PBS

The final analyses of all these ratings for both the major and cable networks for the entire year are as follows:

1. NCIS reclaimed its number one status on CBS during the first half of the year with FBI hot on its heels, and Fire Country ranking as the top rated new series. On the other end, the small screen adaptation of True Lies was the lowest rated drama on the network, which is why the show was cancelled.

2. The Rookie overtook Station 19 as the highest rated drama on ABC with Will Trent ranking as the highest rated new drama. A Million Little Things, which aired its series finale in May, was the lowest rated drama.

3. Over on FOX, 9-1-1 was the highest rated drama (and ironically will be moving to ABC in March of 2024) with its spin-off 9-1-1: Lone Star coming in second place. The revival of Fantasy Island ranked as the lowest drama on the network and was subsequently cancelled after two seasons.

4. Chicago Fire is one again the top-rated drama on NBC with Chicago Med also in second place again; and Chicago P.D. was a distant third. NBC was the only network to have new, original dramas airing in the fall with The Irrational being the highest rated new drama. The lowest rated NBC drama was La Brea, which is actually coming back for its third and final season.

5. The CW is a very pale version of itself with the acquisition by Nexstar, but this time around Superman & Lois was the top-rated series followed very closely by Walker. The lowest rated original series was The Winchesters.

6. Once again, Yellowstone on Paramount Network was the highest rated series overall – even higher than NCIS – with When Calls the Heart over on Hallmark Channel a very, very distant second. The lowest rated dramas overall were Fellow Travelers and The Curse both on Showtime.

The final list – which is extremely long – covers all of the made-for-TV movies, mini-series, event series and specials that aired during 2023 on both the major and cable networks for which ratings could be tracked down.

Here is that extremely long list:

A Merry Scottish Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 3.3 million viewers
A Biltmore Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 3.1 million viewers

Christmas Island (Hallmark Channel) – 2.6 million viewers
The Wedding Veil Expectations (Hallmark Channel) – 2.5 million viewers
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up (Hallmark Channel) – 2.4 million viewers
3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost (Hallmark Channel) – 2.3 million viewers
Holiday Hotline (Hallmark Channel) – 2.3 million viewers
The Wedding Veil Inspiration (Hallmark Channel) – 2.3 million viewers
The Wedding Veil Journey (Hallmark Channel) – 2.3 million viewers
A Heidelberg Holiday (Hallmark Channel) – 2.2 million viewers
Catch Me If You Claus (Hallmark Channel) – 2.1 million viewers
Holiday Road (Hallmark Channel) – 2.1 million viewers
Sealed With a List (Hallmark Channel) – 2.1 million viewers
Sweeter Than Chocolate (Hallmark Channel) – 2.1 million viewers
A Not So Royal Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 2 million viewers
Christmas on Cherry Lane (Hallmark Channel) – 2 million viewers
Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance (Hallmark Channel) – 2 million viewers
My Norwegian Holiday (Hallmark Channel) – 2 million viewers
Navigating Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 2 million viewers
The Wedding Cottage (Hallmark Channel) – 2 million viewers

A Paris Proposal (Hallmark Channel) – 1.9 million viewers
Christmas in Notting Hill (Hallmark Channel) – 1.9 million viewers
Everything Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 1.9 million viewers
Magic in Mistletoe (Hallmark Channel) – 1.9 million viewers
Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.9 million viewers
The Secret Gift of Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 1.9 million viewers
Welcome to Valentine (Hallmark Channel) – 1.9 million viewers
Flipping for Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 1.8 million viewers
Never Been Chris’d (Hallmark Channel) – 1.8 million viewers
Where Are You, Christmas? (Hallmark Channel) – 1.8 million viewers
A Picture of Her (Hallmark Channel) – 1.7 million viewers
Checkin’ It Twice (Hallmark Channel) – 1.7 million viewers
Joyeux Noel (Hallmark Channel) – 1.7 million viewers
Mystic Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 1.7 million viewers
Our Christmas Mural (Hallmark Channel) – 1.7 million viewers
The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating (Hallmark Channel) – 1.7 million viewers
The Santa Summit (Hallmark Channel) – 1.7 million viewers
A Prince of Portugal (Hallmark Channel) – 1.6 million viewers
Christmas With a Kiss (Hallmark Channel) – 1.6 million viewers
Fourth Down and Love (Hallmark Channel) – 1.6 million viewers
Love’s Greek to Me (Hallmark Channel) – 1.6 million viewers
Made for Each Other (Hallmark Channel) – 1.6 million viewers
Reba McEntire’s The Hammer (Lifetime) – 1.6 million viewers
A Safari Romance (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Aloha Heart (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Field Day (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Game of Love (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Hearts in the Game (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Letters to Santa (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Love in the Great Smoky Mountains (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Love in Zion National: A National Park Romance (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Making Waves (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Notes of Autumn (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Round and Round (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
Under the Christmas Sky (Hallmark Channel) – 1.5 million viewers
A Winning Team (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
Heaven Down Here (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.4 million viewers
Love in the Maldives (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
Never Too Late to Celebrate (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
Retreat to You (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
The Wedding Contract (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
When Love Springs (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
The Professional Bridesmaid (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
To All a Good Night (Hallmark Channel) – 1.4 million viewers
Christmas By Design (Hallmark Channel) – 1.3 million viewers
Friends & Family Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 1.3 million viewers
Mystery on Mistletoe Lane (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.3 million viewers
Wedding Season (Hallmark Channel) – 1.3 million viewers
A Season for Family (Hallmark Channel) – 1.2 million viewers
A Very Venice Romance (Hallmark Channel) – 1.2 million viewers
Curious Caterer: Grilling Season (Hallmark Channel) – 1.2 million viewers
Dream Moms (Hallmark Channel) – 1.2 million viewers
Make Me a Match (Hallmark Channel) – 1.2 million viewers
A World Record Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.1 million viewers
My Christmas Guide (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.1 million viewers
Napa Ever After (Hallmark Channel) – 1.1 million viewers
Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.1 million viewers
Family History Mysteries: Buried Past (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1 million viewers
Ms. Christmas Comes to Town (Hallmark Channel) 1 million viewers

Hannah Swensen Mysteries: A Zest for Death (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 991,000 viewers
The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 870,000 viewers
Curious Caterer: Fatal Vows (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 855,000 viewers
A Cowboy Christmas Romance (Lifetime) – 850,000 viewers
The Cases of Mystery Lane (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 824,000 viewers
Mystery Island (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 789,000 viewers
Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 788,000 viewers
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 738,000 viewers
Unexpected Grace (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 693,000 viewers
Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation (Lifetime) – 679,000 viewers
V.C. Andrews Dawn (Lifetime, Part 4 of 4) – 670,000 viewers
The Blessing Bracelet (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 657,000 viewers
The More Love Grows (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 632,000 viewers
V.C. Andrews Dawn (Lifetime, Part 2 of 4) – 610,000 viewers
Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 591,000 viewers
Come Fly With Me (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 576,000 viewers
The Jane Mysteries: Inheritance Lost (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 569,000 viewers
Guiding Emily (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 562,000 viewers
Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas (Lifetime) – 553,000 viewers
Christmas at the Chalet (Lifetime) – 498,000 viewers
Christmas Plus One (Lifetime) – 498,000 viewers
Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story (Lifetime) – 421,000 viewers
Yes, Chef! Christmas (Lifetime) – 405,000 viewers
Peppermint & Postcards (Great American Family) – 386,000 viewers
My Christmas Hero (Great American Family) – 371,000 viewers
A Christmas Intern (Lifetime) – 367,000 viewers
Merry Magic Christmas (Lifetime) – 361,000 viewers
A Royal Date for Christmas (Great American Family) – 349,000 viewers
Santa, Maybe (Great American Family) – 349,000 viewers
Mistletoe Match (Lifetime) – 348,000 viewers
The Naughty Nine (Disney) – 345,000 viewers
The Jingle Bell Jubilee (Great American Family) – 340,000 viewers
Designing Christmas With You (Great American Family) – 338,000 viewers
Planes, Trains and Christmas Trees (Lifetime) – 336,000 viewers
A Christmas Blessing (Great American Family) – 332,000 viewers
The Holiday Proposal Plan (Lifetime) – 316,000 viewers
Christmas on Windmill Way (Great American Family) – 306,000 viewers
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (Great American Family) – 294,000 viewers
A Christmas for the Ages (Great American Family) – 282,000 viewers
A Paris Christmas Waltz (Great American Family) – 265,000 viewers
Laughing All the Way (Lifetime) – 258,000 viewers
12 Games of Christmas (Great American Family) – 253,000 viewers
Dial S for Santa (UPtv) – 253,000 viewers
Monster High 2 (Nickelodeon) – 250,000 viewers
Christmas Keepsake (Great American Family) – 231,000 viewers
Christmas of Yes (OWN) – 218,000 viewers
Christmas at the Amish Bakery (UPtv) – 198,000 viewers
Royal Rendezvous (E! Entertainment) – 194,000 viewers
The Christmas Detective (OWN) – 194,000 viewers
Mistletoe Connection (UPtv) – 186,000 viewers
Prom Pact (Disney) – 182,000 viewers
A Christmas Serenade (OWN) – 176,000 viewers
A Harvest Homecoming (Great American Family) – 173,000 viewers
Christmas Time Capsule (UPtv) – 163,000 viewers
Craft Me a Romance (Great American Family) – 161,000 viewers
Country Hearts Christmas (UPtv) – 160,000 viewers
Country Hearts (UPtv) – 157,000 viewers
Married By Mistake (E! Entertainment) – 156,000 viewers
Yuletide the Knot (UPtv) -154,000 viewers
Why Can’t My Life Be a Rom-Com? (E! Entertainment) – 129,000 viewers

Ratings for the following made-for-TV movies could not be tracked down or weren’t available in time for this post:

A Belgian Chocolate Christmas (Great American Family)
A Lifelong Love (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
A Nashville Legacy (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
A Royal Christmas Crush (Hallmark Channel)
A Royal Christmas Holiday (Great American Family)
A Royal in Paradise (Great American Family)
Adeline (UPtv)
Big Sky River: The Bridal Path (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Bringing Christmas Home (Great American Family)
Charming Valentine (Great American Family)
Christmas Revisited (OWN)
Christmas With a View (UPtv)
Destined 2: Christmas Once More (Great American Family)
Fall Into Winter (Great American Family)
Finding Love in San Antonio (UPtv)
Heist 88 (Showtime)
Just Jake (UPtv)
Lease on Love (Great American Family)
Love at the Lodge (UPtv)
Love Can Surprise You (Great American Family)
Love in Aruba (Great American Family)
Lucky Hearts (UPtv)
Maybe It’s Love (E! Entertainment)
Mixed Baggage (UPtv)
Mom’s Christmas Boyfriend (Lifetime)
One Perfect Match (Great American Family)
Romantic Rewrite (Great American Family)
Something’s Brewing (UPtv)
Southern Gospel (UPtv)
Spring Breakthrough (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Sweet As Maple Syrup (UPtv)
Sweet on You (UPtv)
Swing Into Romance (Great American Family)
Take Me Back for Christmas (Hallmark Channel)
The Happy Camper (UPtv)
The Love Club: Lauren’s Dream (Hallmark Channel)
The Love Club: Nicole’s Pen Pal (Hallmark Channel)
The Love Club: Sydney’s Journey (Hallmark Channel)
The Love Club: Tara’s Tune (Hallmark Channel)
The Princess & the Bodyguard (UPtv)
The Secret Sauce (UPtv)
The Warrant: Breaker’s Law (INSP)
The Wedding Wish (UPtv)
V.C. Andrews Dawn (Lifetime, Part 1 of 4)
V.C. Andrews Dawn (Lifetime, Part 3 of 4)
We’re Scrooged (UPtv)
When Love Blooms (UPtv)
Written in the Stars (UPtv)

What TV dramas, made-for-TV movies and/or limited series have you enjoyed the most (and the least) throughout the year? Please share.

TOMORROW: Faces of 2023

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TV Recommendations: Thursday, December 28

Posted in Recommendations, Reminder, Television on December 28, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions.

NOTE: There will be a marathon of episodes of Yellowstone on Paramount Network all day today while the finale of The Long Shadow will air online today on Sundance Now.

5 PM:
Die Hard With a Vengeance movie on AMC

5:30 PM:
The Proposal movie on FX

6 PM:
Christmas on Cherry Lane movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore)
The Christmas Secret movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)

6:30 PM:
The Fablemans movie on Showtime

6:50 PM:
Deadpool 2 movie on FXM

7 PM:
Charlie’s Angels (2019) movie on Encore
Tarzan (animated) movie on Freeform

8 PM:
Letters to Santa movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore)
A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
Ghostbusters (original) movie on AMC
Free Guy movie on FX
X-Men: Days of Future Past movie on HBO

8:30 PM:
Back to the Future movie on Bravo

9 PM:
Transplant on NBC (NEW)
All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece on PBS (Encore)
Mulan (animated) movie on Freeform
The Hunger Games movie on Encore
Golda (2023) movie on Showtime

10 PM:
SEAL Team on CBS (NEW)
All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece on PBS (Encore)
A Cozy Christmas Inn movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
Five Star Christmas movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)

10:30 PM:
Free Guy movie on FX

10:45 PM:
1917 movie on Showtime

Enjoy!

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2023 Year-End Round Up: Condolences

Posted in Condolences, Movies, Music, Sports, Television, Year End Round Up on December 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The following industry personalities, athletes, politicians (etc.) passed away in 2023 and heartfelt condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans.

The celebrities we have lost this year are (in alphabetical order):

DJ Mark the 45 King (Music Producer for Eminem, Jay-Z and Queen Latifah) [He was 62]

Sharon Acker (Canadian Actress, Point Blank and rebooted Perry Mason in the 1970s)
Joss Ackland (Actor, Lethal Weapon 2 and White Mischief) [He was 95]
Scott Alexander (America’s Got Talent Magician) [He was only 52]
Martin Amis (British Author, “Zone of Interest”)
Katherine Anderson-Schaffner (Founding Member of The Marvelettes “Please, Mr. Postman”)
Kenneth Anger (Experimental Filmmaker and Artist) [He was 96]
Selma Archerd (Actress and wife of long-time Variety columnist Army Archerd) [She was 98]
Alan Arkin (Veteran Actor TV, Film and Broadway)
Clarence Avant (Music Executive and known as the Godfather of Black Entertainment) [He was 92]

Burt Bacharach (Legendary Songwriter-Composer) [He was 94]
Robbie Bachman (Co-Founder and Drummer of Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive)
John Bailey (Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President and Cinematographer) [He was 81]
Rich Barancik (Last surviving member of Monuments Men and Women, who preserved European artworks and cultural treasures that Nazi Germany had looted) [He was 98]
Ady Barkan (Healthcare Activist who had ALC) [He was only 39]
Bob Barker (Legendary TV Game Show Host, Price Is Right) [He was 99]
John Barrett (Celebrity Hairdresser) [He was only 66]
Norma Barzman (Screenwriter Blacklisted During McCarthy Era) [She was 103]
John Beasley (Actor, Everwood)
Cari Beauchamp (Hollywood Historian and Author)
Jeff Beck (Guitar Master of the Rock Era)
Richard Belzer (Actor, Law & Order: SVU and Homicide: Life on the Street)
Nick Benedict (Soap Actor, All My Children and Days Of Our Lives)
Silvio Berlusconi (Italian Media Magnate and Former Prime Minister)
Tony Bennett (Legendary Singer and 20-time Grammy winner) [He was 96]
Helmet Berger (Star of acclaimed European Art Cinemas in the 60s and 70s)
Jane Birkin (British-French Actor and Singer)
Robert Blake (Actor, Baretta)
Jake Bloom (Legendary Hollywood Attorney)
Jean Boht (Beloved Actress, BBC Sitcom Bread) [She was 91]
Barbara Bosson (Actress, Hill Street Blues)
Fernando Botero (Artist of Whimsical Rotundity) [He was 91]
Michael Boyd (Artistic Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company)
Bertie Bowman (Longest-serving Black congressional staffer) [He was 92]
Howard Bragman (Veteran of Entertainment Public Relations; his clients included Cameron Diaz and Paula Abdul) [He was only 66]
Kwame Brathwaite (Celebrity Photographer and Catalyst for “Black is Beautiful Movement in the 1960s)
Andre Braugher (Emmy-winning Actor, Homicide: Life on the Street and Brooklyn Nine-Nine) [He was only 61.]
George Brown (Founding Member, Kool & The Gang)
Jim Brown (NFL Great and Actor, The Dirty Dozen)
James D. Brubaker (Producer, The Right Stuff, Cobra and Rocky IV
Dick Butkus (NFL Legend and Prolific TV Star) [He was 80]
Jimmy Buffett (American Singer-Songwriter, “Margaritaville”)
Colin Burgess (Original drummer AC/DC)
A.S. Byatt (English Critic, Novelist, Poet and Short Story Writer)
John Byrne (Creator, acclaimed TV show Tutti Frutti) [He was 83]

Sergio Calderon (Actor, Pirates Of The Caribbean and Men in Black)
Wally Campo (Actor, Little Shop of Horrors) [He was 99]
Bobbie Jean Carter (Sister of Nick and Aaron Carter) [She was only 41]
Jeffrey Carlson (Actor, All My Children) [He was only 48]
Rosalynn Carter (Former First Lady) [He was 96]
Paul Cattermole (Member British pop band S Club 7) [He was only 46]
Josephine Chaplin (Actress and Daughter of Charlie Chaplin)
Bobby Charlton (Soccer Great for Manchester United, World Cup Winner) [He was 86]
Michael Chiarello (Former Food Network Star) [He was only 61]
Tyler Christopher (Actor, General Hospital) [He was only 50]
Carol Higgins Clark (Mystery Writer and daughter of Author Mary Higgins Clark)
Angus Cloud (Actor, Euphoria) [He was only 25]
Gloria Coates (Prolific Female Composer, Wrote 17 in Her Lifetime) [She was 89]
Phyllis Coates (TV’s First Lois Lane) [She was 96]
Walter Cole (aka Darcelle XV) [World’s Oldest Drag Performer) [He was 92]
Van Conner (Co-Founder and Bassist of Alternative Band Screaming Trees) [He was only 55]
Carole Cook (Protege to Lucille Ball) [She was 98]
James “Buster” Corley (Co-Founder, Dave & Buster’s)
Manny Coto (Emmy Winning Executive Producer, 24 and American Horror Story)
Noah Cowan (Former TIFF Co-Director) [He was only 55]
Rolly Crump (Early Disneyland Animator) [He was 93]
David Crosby (Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist, Bryds and Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Catherine Cyran (Prolific Film Director, The Prince & Me)
Dick Curtis (Character Actor and Straight Man to Comedian Jonathan Winters) [He was 95]

Henri Dauman (Holocaust survivor and Celebrity Photographer) [He was 90]
Sandra Day O’Connor (First Woman to Serve as Supreme Court Justice) [She was 93]
Terence Davies (Esteemed British Director)
Ann de Toth (Screenwriter)
Kamar de los Reyes (Actor, One Life to Live) [He was only 56]
Arnold Diaz (New York TV Reporter)
Melinda Dillon (Tony- and Oscar-nominated Actress, A Christmas Story and Close Encounters of the Third Kind)
Carol Duvall (DIY Trailblazer and TV’s Crafting Queen) [She was 97]

Paul Eckstein (Co-Creator of TV Series, Godfather of Harlem) [He was only 59]
Evan Ellingson (Former child star, CSI: Miami and My Sister’s Keeper) [He was only 35]
Daniel Ellsberg (Analyst who leaked The Pentagon Papers) [He was 92]
Andrea Evans (Soap Veteran, One Life to Live)
Joan Evans (Veteran Actress, On the Loose, Skirts Ahoy! and Edge of Doom) [She was 89]

Sharon Farrell (Actress, The Young and the Restless) [She was 82]
Benjamin Ferencz (Last Surviving Prosecutor of Nuremberg Trials) [He was 103]
Senator Dianne Feinstein (Oldest Member of the Senate) [He was 90]
Shirley Anne Field (Actress, The Entertainer and Alfie)
Shirley Jo Finney (Actress “Wilma” and Theatre Director)
Frederic Forrest (Actor, Apocalypse Now and The Rose)
Andrew Freedman (Veteran News and Entertainment Publicist) [He was only 67]
Edward Fredkin (Influential Professor at MIT)
Gerald Fried (Composer, original Roots mini-series, Star Trek and Gilligan’s Island) [He was 95]
William Friedkin (Director, The Exorcist and The French Connection) [He was 87]
Andrea Fay Friedman (Actress with Down Syndrome, Life Goes On) [She was only 53]
Terry Funk (WWE Hall of Fame Wrestler)

Michael Gambon (Legendary Actor, Dumbledore of Harry Potter franchise) [He was 82]
Walt Garrison (Dallas Cowboys Running Back and Rodeo Cowboy)
Julie Garwood (Author)
Bill Geddie (Co-Creator of The View) [He was 68]
Bob George (Producer on Films like Newness, Zoe and Endings, Beginnings) [He was 51]
Astrud Gilberto (Brazilian Singer, “Girl From Ipanema”)
Louise Gluck (American Poet and Nobel Prize for Literature Winner) [She was 80]
Mark Goddard (Actor, Original TV Series Lost in Space) [He was 87]
David Lance Goines (Iconic Berkeley Printmaker)
Bert I. Gordon (Cult Filmmaker) [He was 100]
Bob Goldman (Oscar-Winning Writer, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) [He was 90]
Jim Gordon (Drummer for Eric Clapton and Co-Writer of “Layla”)
Bill Granger (Top Chef and Entrepreneur) [He was only 54]
Bud Grant (Hall of Fame Football Coach for Minnesota Vikings) [He was 95]
Shecky Greene (Legendary Las Vegas Standup Comedian) [He was 97]
Haydn Gwynne (Actor, The Crown and The Windsors) [She was 66}

Brett Hadley (Actor, The Young and the Restless) [He was 92]
Marlene Bauer Hagge (LPGA golf Champion)
Todd Haimes (Leader of New York’s Roundabout Theater Company)
Peter Hardy (Actor, McLeod’s Daugthers and Chopper)
Sheldon Harnick (Broadway Lyricist, Fiddler on the Roof) [He was 99]
Don Harold (Vintage Train Cars Collector, helped create the New York Transit Museum) [He was 91]
CJ Harris (American Idol Season 13 finalist) [He was only 31]
Steve Harwell (Former Lead Singer of Smash Mouth) [He was only 56]
Willie Hernandez (Baseball Player)
Maurice Hines (Tap Dancer in The Cotton Club, Choreographer and brother of Gregory Hines)
Stuart Hodes (Legendary Dancer, Danced with Martha Graham) [He was 98)
Elizabeth Hoffman (Veteran Actress, Sisters) [She was 97]
Dave Hollis (Former President of Worldwide Distribution at Disney) [He was only 47]
Ellen Holly (First Black Actor to Star in Daytime TV on One Life to Live) [She was 92]
Elizabeth Hubbard (Emmy-winning Actress, As the World Turns)
Hugh Hudson (Director, Chariots of Fire)
Bobby Hull (Legendary Hockey Player)

Rudolph Isley (Singer and Songwriter for the Isley Brothers, “Shout”)

Chuck Jackson (Singer, “Any Day Now”)
Glenda Jackson (Oscar, Tony and Emmy winning Actress)
David Jacobs (Creator, Knots Landing, Dallas and Paradise)
Kyle Jacobs (Husband to Country Singer Kellie Pickler) [He was only 49]
Al Jaffee (Creator, Mad Magazine) [He was 102]
Ahmad Jamal (Pianist who inspired generations of jazz musicians) [He was 92]
Dave Jolicoeur (aka Trugoy the Dove) [Co-Founder De La Soul) [He was only 54]
Scott Johnson (Composer and Guitarist)
Dean Jones (Director, Britain’s Got Talent) [He was only 56]
Rebecca Jones (Mexican American Actress, Popular Telenovelas)
Ron Cephas Jones (Acclaimed Actor, This Is Us) [He was only 66]

Ted Kaczynski (aka the Unabomber)
Bernard Kalb (Veteran Correspondent and Former CBS News Journalist) [He was 100]
Victor J. Kemper (Cinematographer, Dog Day Afternoon and National Lampoon’s Vacation) [He was 96]
Darren Kent (Actor, Game of Thrones and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) [He was only 36]
Lance Kerwin (Actor, James at 15 and Salem’s Lot)
Charles Kimbrough (Actor, Murphy Brown)
Terry Kirman (Singer, Songwriter and Founding Member of Folk-Rock Band The Assocation, known for the song “Cherish”) [He was 83]
Henry Kissinger (Former Secretary of State) [He was 100]
Bobby Knight (Legendary Basketball Coach)
Jean Knight (Singer, “Mr. Big Stuff”) [She was 80]
Marty Krofft (Creator, H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost) [He was 86]
Milan Kundera (Novelist, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”) [He was 94]

Paul La Farge (Inventive Novelist) [He was only 52]
Jim Ladd (Veteran Rock DJ and SiriusXM Host)
Denny Laine (Cofounder of The Moody Blues and longtime member of Paul McCartney’s group Wings)
Lewis Largent (Influential MTV VJ and KROQ DJ) [He was 58]
Milt Larsen (Co-Founder Magic Castle and TV Game Show Writer) [He was 92]
Michael Latt (Strategist on Social Justice Marketing Campaigns) [He was only 33]
David LaFlamme (Founder of San Francisco band It’s a Beautiful Day, who was at the forefront of the Haight-Ashbury acid-rock explosion) [He was 82]
Piper Laurie (Veteran Actress and 3-Time Oscar Nominee) [She was 91]
Norman Lear (Legendary Sitcom Creator and Producer) [He was 101]
Coco Lee (Hong Kong-Born Singer-Songwriter) [She was only 48]
Sun-kyun Lee (Actor, Parasite) [He was only 48]
Eugene Lee (Award-Winning Production Designer, Saturday Night Live)
Michael Lerner (Actor, Barton Fink)
Gina Lollobrigida (Actress and Italian Bombshell) [She was 95]
Erik Lomis (Veteran MGM Film Distribution Executive)
Cody Longo (Actor, Days of Our Lives) [He was only 34]
Lisa Loring (Former Child Actress, The Addams Family)
Laura Lynch (Founding member of the Dixie Chicks) [She was 65]
Lisa Lyon (Bodybuilding Pioneer and inspiration for Marvel’s Elektra)

Shane MacGowan (Singer-Songwriter and Frontman, The Pogues) [He was 65]
George Maharis (Actor, Route 66 and Fantasy Island)
Mark Margolis (Veteran Actor, Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad) [He was 83]
Eddie Marks (Emmy-Winning President of Western Costume company)
Ben Masters (Actor, Passions)
Thomas Kenneth Mattingly II (Astronaut, Help Apollo 13 crew return safely to Earth) [He was 87]
Burny Mattinson (Walt Disney Animation Studios Animator, Director, Producer and Story Artist)
James McCaffrey (Actor, Max Payne) [He was only 65]
David McCallum (Legendary Actor, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and NCIS) [He was 90]
Cormac McCarthy (Author, “No Country for Old Men”)
Tim McCarver (Award-Winning Broadcaster and Former World Series Champion)
Pat McCormick (4-Time Olympic Diving Champion) [He was 92]
Michael McGrath (Tony-Winning Actor, ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It) [He was only 65]
Randy Meisner (Eagles Co-Founder and Singer)
Joanna Merlin (Broadway Actress, Fiddler on the Roof then Renowned Casting Director) [She was 92]
Billy Miller (Actor, General Hospital and The Young & The Restless) [He was only 43]
Mildred Miller (Mezzo-Soprano at the Metropolitan Opera) [She was 98]
Walter Mirisch (Former President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
Richard Moll (Veteran Actor, Night Court) [He was 80]
Gordon E. Moore (Co-Founder, Intel, the California chip maker) [He was 94]
Max Morath (Pianist) [He was 96]
Ted Morgan [formerly Sanche de Gramont, the son of a French count] (Journalist and Author) [He was 91]
Jerry Moss (Co-Founder of A&M Records) [He was 88]

Barry Newman (Broadway and Film Actor, Vanishing Point) [He was 92]

Sinead O’Connor (Irish Singer, Musician and Grammy Winner) [She was only 56]
Paul O’Grady (Popular British Presenter of The Paul O’Grady Show and Blind Date)
Ryan O’Neal (Oscar Nominated Actor, Peyton Place, Love Story, Paper Moon) [He was 82]
Gail O’Neill (Former Fashion Model and The Early Show Correspondent)
Horace Ove (Pioneering Black British Filmmaker)

Jansen Panettiere (Child Actor and Brother of Actress Hayden Panettiere)
Hersha Parady (Actress, Little House on the Prairie)
Lara Parker (Actress, Dark Shadows) [She was 84]
Michael Parkinston (Legendary U.K. Talk Show Host) [He was 88]
Tatjana Patitz (Supermodel of the 1980’s and 1990’s) [She was only 56]
Anne Perry (Best-selling Crime Writer)
Matthew Perry (Actor, Friends) [He was only 54]
Gordon Pinsent (Canadian Actor, Due South and Away From Her) [He was 92]
Lisa Marie Presley (Singer and Daughter of Elvis Presley) [She was only 54]
Edward Pressman (Independent Producer, Wall Street, Conan the Barbarian and Badlands)

Phil Quartararo (Former Head of Warner Bros. and Virgin Records)

Paco Rabanne (Iconic Fashion Designer and Perfume Maker)
Taraja Ramsess (Stunt Performer and Set Dresser, Fast & Furious, Avengers and Black Panther) [He was only 41]
Betsy Rawls (Golf Champion and Golf Executive) [She was 95]
John Refoua (Film Editor, Avatar franchise) [He was only 58]
Keith Reid (Lyricist for British group Procol Harum and Co-Writer of 1960’s hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale”)
Paul Reubens, aka Pee-wee Herman (Actor)
Adam Rich (Actor, Eight Is Enough) [He was only 54]
Bill Richardson (Former Governor of New Mexico and Champion of Americans Held Overseas)
Lance Riddick (Actor, The Wire and John Wick franchise)
Bobby Rivers (TV Personality and Movie Critic)
Dave Robb (Veteran Hollywood Labor Reporter and Variety Alum)
Pat Robertson (Controversial Televangelist and Longtime 700 Club Host) [He was 93]
Robbie Robertson (Guitarist-Songwriter-Singer-Leader of the Canadian-American rock group The Band) [He was 80]
Rodriguez (Singer-Songwriter and Subject of 2012 Documentary Searching For Sugar Man) [He was 81]
Haim Roet (Holocaust Survivor, who read out the names of people murdered by the Nazis, starting the practice that has become a part of memorial ceremonies around the world) [He was 90]
Stan Rogow (Veteran Producer and Writer, Fame and Lizzie McGuire)
Owen Roizman (Oscar-Nominated Cinematographer, The Exorcist and The French Connection)
John Romita, Sr. (Marvel Comics Icon and Co-Creator of Wolverine) [He was 93]
Cari Ross (Communications Chief at Gersh) [She was only 59]
Gary Rossington (Last Surviving Original Member of Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Windham Rotuna aka Bray Wyatt (WWE Wrestler) [He was only 36]
Richard Roundtree (Veteran Actor, Shaft and Roots) [He was 81]
Andy Rourke (Bassist, The Smiths) [He was only 59]

Ryuichi Sakamoto (Oscar-Winning Composer, Last Emperor)
Julian Sands (Actor, A Room With a View)
Carlos Saura (Spanish Auteur) [He was 91]
Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter (Built Bridal superstore Kleinfeld’s) [She was 99]
Lynn Seymour (International Star and British Ballet Dancer)
Ruth Seymour (Former KCRW General Manager, Public Radio Pioneer, Integral Part of NPR)
Mark Sheehan (Lead Guitarist, Irish rock band The Script) [He was only 46]
Suzanne Shepherd (Actress, The Sopranos and Goodfellas) [She was 89]
Wayne Shorter (Jazz Titan and Saxophonist)
Elliot Silverstein (Director, Cat Ballou) [He was 96]
Sylvia Sims (British Films Actress, Ice Cold in Alex and Victim)
Tom Sizemore (Actor, Saving Private Ryan)
Shelley Smith (Model and Actress, The Associates and For Love and Honor)
Tom Smothers (Part of Smothers Brothers Comedy Duo) [He was 86]
Suzanne Somers (Actress, Three’s Company and Step By Step)
Jack Sonni (Guitarist, Dire Straits) [He was only 68]
Arleen Sorkin (Actress, Day of Our Lives and Original Voice of Harley Quinn) [She was only 67]
Seymour Stein (Legendary Music Executive at Sire Records; He Signed Madonna, The Ramones and Talking Heads)
Norman Steinberg (Screenwriter, Blazing Saddles and My Favorite Year)
Frances Sternhagen (Veteran Actress, Cheers and ER) [She was 93]
Stella Stevens (Actress, Girls! Girls! Girls! with Elvis Presley, The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure)
Ray Stevenson (Actor, Divergent and Thor franchises) [He was only 58]
Pedro Suárez-Vértiz (Peruvian Rock Icon) [He was only 54]
Robert Swan (Actor, The Untouchables and Hoosiers)
Inga Swenson (Actress, Benson) [She was 90]

Yukihiro Takahashi (Electronic-Music Pioneer)
The Iron Sheik (aka Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri) (Greco-Roman Wrestler and WWE Legend)
D.M. Thomas (English Novelist, “The White Hotel”)
Chaim Topol (Film and Stage Actor, Fiddler on the Roof)
Camden Toy (Actor, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) [He was only 68]
Dorothy Tristan (Actress, Klute and End Of The Road)
Robert Trotman (Trainer, Competitive Swimming)
Shawna Trpcic (Emmy-nominated Costume Designer, The Mandalorian and Ahsoka) [She was only 56]
Lawrence Turman (Oscar-Nomination Producer, The Graduate) [He was 96]
Tina Turner (Legendary Singer, the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and Actress)

Robin Wagner (Broadway Set Designer, Hair, A Chorus Line and Angels in America)
John Warnock (Co-Founded Adobe Systems, best known for inventing PDF) [He was 82]
Andre Watts (Groundbreaking Classical Music Pianist)
Nicholas Lloyd Webber (Composer and Son of Andrew Lloyd Webber) [He was only 43]
Cynthia Weil (Songwriter, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Make Your Own Kind of Music” and “On Broadway”)
Raquel Welch (Legendary Actress and International Sex Symbol) [She was 82]
Ans Westra (Famed Photographer)
Paxton Whitehead (Stage Veteran and Sitcom Character Actor, Camelot, Friends and Mad About You)
Tom Wilkinson (British Actor, The Full Monty and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Cindy Williams (Legendary Actress, Laverne & Shirley)
Mars Williams (Saxophonist, Psychedelic Furs and the Waitresses) [He was only 68]
Treat Williams (Legendary Film and TV Actor, box office movie Hair and TV series Everwood and Chesapeake Shores)
George Winston (Titan of soothing Piano Instrumental Music)
Myrtle Witbooi (Domestic Servant in South Africa turned International Activist)
Oliver Wood (English Cinematographer, original Bourne trilogy and Die Hard 2)
Gary Wright (Singer, “Dream Weaver”)
John Wright (Oscar-nominated Film Editor, The Hunt for Red October and Speed)

Mike Yarwood (Comedian and Impersonator) [He was 82]
Burt Young (Actor, Rocky Franchise) [He was 83]

Benjamin Zephaniah (Acclaimed Poet and Actor, Peaky Blinders) [He was only 65]
Zeus (the Texas Great Dane who held the Guiness World Records title of World’s Tallest Living Male Dog, standing at 3 feet and 5.18 inches) [He was only 3 years old]

NOTE: This list, in no way, covers all the industry talent who passed away this year. Again, condolences are extended to one and all.

Out of respect, please take a moment of silence.

TOMORROW: TV Ratings

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TV Recommendations: Wednesday, December 27

Posted in Recommendations, Reminder, Television on December 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:

NOTE: There will be a marathon of episodes of Yellowstone on Paramount Network all day today.

5 PM:
A Few Good Men movie on AMC

5:30 PM:
The Equalizer 2 movie on FX

6 PM:
Coyote Creek Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
Downton Abbey: A New Era movie on Starz

6:30 PM:
Heist 88 movie on Showtime

6:45 PM:
X-Men: First Class movie on Encore

7 PM:
The Gilded Age on HBO 2 (Encore)
Despicable Me 3 (animated) movie on Freeform

7:50 PM:
The Amazing Spider-Man movie on FXM

8 PM:
The Secret Gift of Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore)
Miracle in Bethlehem, PA movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Encore)
Chicago Med on NBC (Reair)
Die Hard With a Vengeance movie on AMC
Toy Story (animated) movie on Disney
Skyfall movie on HBO
The Hunger Game: Mockingjay, Part 1 movie on Starz

9 PM:
The 46th Annual Kennedy Center Honors on CBS (Special)
Family Law on The CW (Reair)
Magnum P.I. on NBC (Reair)
Beauty & the Beast (animated) movie on Freeform
The Holiday movie on Lifetime

10 PM:
Catch Me If You Claus movie on Hallmark Channel (Encore)
Chicago Med on NBC (Reair)
Christmas at Grand Valley movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)

10:15 PM:
The Hunger Game: Mockingjay, Part 2 movie on Starz

10:30 PM:
Avatar: The Way of Water movie on HBO

Enjoy!

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2023 Year-End Round-Up: And the Award Goes To

Posted in Awards, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Every year there are lots of awards shows, some important, some just fun and numerous just plain silly or nonsensical, but the following list – despite the pandemic – is just some of the top winners over the course of this year:

GOLDEN GLOBES (January)

Best Picture, Drama: The Fabelmans
Best Picture, Musical or Comedy: The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Director, Motion Picture: Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Best Actor, Motion Picture, Drama: Austin Butler, Elvis
Best Actress, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture, Drama: Angela Bassett,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best Television Series, Drama: House of the Dragon
Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy: Abbott Elementary
Best Actor TV Drama: Kevin Costner, Yellowstone
Best Supporting Actress, Television Drama: Julia Garner, Ozark
Best Limited TV Series: The White Lotus

CRITIC’S CHOICE (January)

Best TV Drama: Better Call Saul
Best Actress, TV Drama: Zendaya, Euphoria
Best Supporting Actor, TV Drama: Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul
Best Actress, TV Comedy: Jean Smart, Hacks
Best Supporting Actor, TV Comedy: Henry Winkler, Barry
Best Supporting Actress, TV Comedy: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Best Limited TV Series: The Dropout
Best Foreign Language Series: Pachinko

GRAMMY AWARDS (February)

Record of the Year: About Damn Time by Lizzo
Album Of the Year: Harry’s House by Harry Styles
Song of the Year: Just Like That by Bonnie Raitt
Best New Artist: Samara Joy
Best Pop Solo Performance: Easy On Me, Adele
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Higher, Michael Bublé
Best Alternative Music Album: Wet Leg
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Encanto
Best Music Video: All Too Well: The Short Film, Taylor Swift
Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording: Finding Me, Viola Davis

NOTE: This makes Viola Davis the latest EGOT (winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) alum.

NAACP AWARDS (February)

Entertainer of the Year: Angela Bassett
Outstanding Motion Picture: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Will Smith, Emancipation
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Viola Davis, The Woman King
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture: Jalyn Hall, Till
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Angela Bassett, 9-1-1
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special: Morris Chestnut, The Best Man: The Final Chapters

PRODUCERS GUILD (February)

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: The White Lotus
Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television: Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy
The Award for Outstanding Short-Form Program: Only Murders in the Building: One Killer Question

SAG AWARDS (February)

TV, Drama Ensemble: The White Lotus
Actress, TV Drama: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus
Female Actor, TV Movie or Mini Series – Jessica Chastain, George & Tammy
Male Actor, TV Movie or Mini Series – Sam Elliott, 1883
Male Actor, Leading Role: Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Stunt Ensemble: Top Gun: Maverick

WRITERS GUILD (March)

Original Screenplay: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Adapted Screenplay: Women Talking
Drama Series: Severance
Daytime Drama: Days of Our Lives

SPIRIT AWARDS (March)

Best Lead Performance, New Scripted Series: Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Best Breakthrough Performance: Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

RAZZIE AWARDS (March)

Worst Picture: Blonde
Worst Actor: Jared Leto, Morbius
Worst Supporting Actor, Tom Hanks, Elvis
Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel: Disney’s Pinocchio

OSCARS (March)

Best Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Lead Actress: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Lead Actor: Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Best Sound: Top Gun: Maverick
Best Adapted Screenplay: Women Talking, Sarah Polley
Best Costume Design: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ruth E. Carter
Best Supporting Actress: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

MTV MUSIC & TV AWARDS (May)

Best Movie: Scream VI
Best Show: The Last of Us
Best Performance in a Movie: Tom Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick
Best Performance in a Show: Jenna Ortega, Wednesday
Best Hero: Pedro Pascal, The Last Of Us
Best Villain: Elizabeth Olsen, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Best Breakthrough Performance: Joseph Quinn, Stranger Thing

TONY AWARDS (June)

Best Play: Leopoldstadt
Best Musical: Kimberly Akimbo
Best Revival of a Musical: Parade
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play: Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Alex Newell, Shucked

NOTE: This is the first time a nonbinary has won a Tony Award

BET AWARDS (June)

Best Actor: Damson Idris
Best Actress: Angela Bassett
Young Stars Award: Marsai Martin
Best Movie: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best New Artist: Coco Jones

TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS (August)

Individual Achievement in Drama: Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul
Individual Achievement in Comedy: Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face
Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming: Ms. Marvel on Disney+
Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Succession

MTV VMA’S (September)

Video of the Year: Taylor Swift, Anti-Hero
Best New Artist: Ice Spice, 10K Projects
Group of the Year: Blackpink
Best Rock Video: Måneskin, The Loneliest
Video for Good: Dove Cameron, Breakfast
Show of the Summer: Taylor Swift

COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS (November)

Entertainer of the Year: Lainey Wilson
Single of the Year: Fast Car, Luke Combs
Male Vocalist of the Year: Chris Stapleton
New Artist of the Year: Jelly Roll

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS AWARDS (November)

Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, Killer of the Flower Moon
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, May December
Best Support Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best International Film: Anatomy of a Fall

Congratulations to all of the above winners (and the countless others who won awards) this year. Are any of the above your favorites? Do you think there was an actor or actress who was overlooked this year? Please share your thoughts.

TOMORROW: Condolences

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TV Recommendations: Tuesday, December 26

Posted in Recommendations, Reminder, Television on December 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Trying to figure out what to watch tonight? Be it new episodes of the TV season, reairs of cable series or a movie, here are some suggestions:

NOTE: There will be a marathon of episodes of Yellowstone on Paramount Network all day today.

5:50 PM:
Tombstone movie on MGM+ (formerly EPIX)

6 PM:
On the 12th Date of Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
Love You Like Christmas movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
The Whale (2022) movie on Showtime

6:30 PM:
Shrek Forever After (animated) movie on Freeform

6:40 PM:
Furious 7 movie on HBO

7 PM:
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (classic) movie on TCM

7:30 PM:
The Equalizer 2 movie on FX
The Mummy Returns movie on TNT

8 PM:
NCIS: Sydney on CBS (Encore)
The Nine Lives of Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
A Veteran’s Christmas movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Reair)
Toy Story (animated) movie on Disney
Spider-Man (2002) movie on FXM
The Hunger Games movie on Starz

8:30 PM:
Moana (animated) movie on Freeform

9 PM:
NCIS: Sydney on CBS (Encore)
Jurassic World movie on HBO 2
Golda (2023) movie on Showtime 2

10 PM:
NCIS: Sydney on CBS (Encore)
Found on NBC (Encore)
Heaven Down Here movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Encore)
My Southern Family Christmas movie on Hallmark Channel (Reair)
Top Gun: Maverick movie on MGM+ (formerly EPIX)

10:20 PM
Spider-Man 2 movie on FXM

10:30 PM:
Plane (2023) movie on Encore
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie on Starz

Enjoy!

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