Pop Culture

Family dramas have always been one of television's most difficult genres to do properly, without getting too sweet, too overwrought, or too predictable — but NBC's Parenthood finds the right balance. Above, Ray Romano as Hank, Mae Whitman as Amber, and

Arts

'Parenthood' Is Hard, But NBC Gets This Family Drama Right

4:41pm April 08, 2014

by David Bianculli

Critic David Bianculli says family dramas have always been one of television's most difficult genres to do properly — without getting too sweet, too overwrought, or too predictable.

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Arts

Mickey Rooney, All-American Boy For More Than 90 Years, Dies

7:29pm April 07, 2014

by Bob Mondello

Bob Mondello offers an appreciation of the career of Mickey Rooney, who died at 93.

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Arts

Your Tour Guide To The Glut Of Sunday TV

6:18pm April 04, 2014

by Eric Deggans

Is it possible there's too much good TV? Sunday nights are starting to look that way. Between Game of Thrones, Mad Men and many more, there's a lot to navigate. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans helps.

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Arts

Dave Letterman Signals He'll Soon Put Down The Microphone

7:35pm April 03, 2014

by Eric Deggans

NPR television correspondent Eric Deggans reports that David Letterman will announce his planned retirement from CBS on his show Thursday night. Letterman will leave the show and the network in 2015.

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Arts

HBO Fills Sunday Night Lineup With Entertaining Power Struggles

4:48pm April 03, 2014

by David Bianculli

This week, HBO airs the season premieres of two returning series — Game of Thrones and Veep -- and launches a new series called Silicon Valley. Fresh Air's TV critic has seen them all.

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Cesar Millan's television show Dog Whisperer on National Geographic debuted in 2004, but Millan previously spent years struggling to pursue a career as a dog trainer.

Arts

Cesar Millan's Long Walk To Becoming The 'Dog Whisperer'

5:06pm March 30, 2014

by NPR Staff

Millan is one of the world's most famous dog trainers, with TV shows and best-selling books. But his journey was arduous: He came to the U.S. illegally and was homeless before he got his big break.

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Arts

'The Good Wife' Delivers A Game-Changing Stunner

2:20pm March 28, 2014

by David Bianculli

Last Sunday, the CBS drama delivered something major and unexpected. If you don't know what happened, and don't wish to, you may not want to listen, but Fresh Air's critic has a lot to say about it.

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Over the course of Breaking Bad, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) metamorphosed from a high school chemistry teacher to a notorious outlaw.

Arts

From Walter White To LBJ, Bryan Cranston Is A Master Of Transformation

3:15pm March 27, 2014

While Breaking Bad fans were watching him portray Walt in the series' final episodes, Cranston was already reinventing himself — playing Lyndon B. Johnson in the play All the Way.

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Matthew Goode (left) as Finn Polmar and Josh Charles (right) as Will Gardner in Sunday night's episode of CBS's The Good Wife.

Arts

Fans Of 'The Good Wife' Rocked By [Spoiler Alert]

6:46pm March 24, 2014

by Elizabeth Blair

Fans of the TV program The Good Wife are reeling from a shocking episode — one that saw one of its most beloved characters exit the scene suddenly and with finality.

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Arts

To Mike Birbiglia's Parents: It's OK If Your Son Sticks To Comedy

7:37pm March 23, 2014

by NPR Staff

For comic Mike Birbiglia, getting his parents to accept his career choice was the hardest part of getting started. Appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman seemed to signal he wasn't so bad.

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