Television

Arts

'Justified' Ends With An Unpredictable, Poetic And Memorable Finale

2:22pm April 15, 2015

by David Bianculli

After six seasons on the FX network, Justified ended Tuesday. "What a triumph," says critic David Bianculli who adds that he loved the finale's "touches of grace" and "emphasis on character and tone."

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'Game Of Thrones' Fans Develop Formula To Determine Who Might Survive Series

7:20pm April 14, 2015

The fifth season of HBO's Game of Thrones premiered Sunday. The show is known for being "deadly," and fans know not to get too attached to characters. Now two students at Olin College in Massachusetts have come up with a way to predict who might die soonest.

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Timothy Olyphant plays Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens on FX's Justified. The series finale airs tonight.

Arts

The 'Justified' Finale Brings An End To Another TV Western

5:30pm April 14, 2015

by Eric Deggans

FX's powerful modern-day Western 'Justified' airs its series finale tonight. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says its end underscores the decline of a once-powerful TV genre.

In House of Cards, Kevin Spacey plays Frank Underwood, a politician who climbs to power using ruthless manipulation. Underwood's wife is Claire, played by Robin Wright.

Arts

Forget Right And Wrong: 'House Of Cards' Is About Pragmatism And Power

3:05pm April 14, 2015

Kevin Spacey strangles a dog in the pilot, which creator Beau Willimon says producers balked at because they'd lose viewers. But "why not provide that litmus test right at the beginning?" he says.

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Edie Falco stars in Showtime's "Nurse Jackie."

'Nurse Jackie' Ends As TV's Most Honest Depiction Of Addiction

4:46pm April 13, 2015

by Eric Deggans

Showtime's dramedy Nurse Jackie begins its final season Sunday. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says the show offers television's most realistic depiction of a high functioning drug addict.

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer on HBO's Veep.

Arts

The Hapless 'Veep' Staff Trips Itself Up As Selina Ascends

1:02pm April 13, 2015

by Linda Holmes

HBO's terrific political satire returned Sunday night as a teleprompter created a disaster.

Arts

A Good-Old-Boy Thing: Remembering Actor James Best

11:01am April 12, 2015

Actor James Best died last week at age 88. He was best known for playing Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard." NPR's Rachel Martin spoke with him in 2013.

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In American Odyssey, Anna Friel plays Sgt. Odelle Ballard, who is stationed in Mali. After her team is killed, she finds herself running for her life — which includes disguising herself as a man.

Arts

'American Odyssey': Three Ordinary People, One Thrill-Filled Plot

10:47pm April 11, 2015

by NPR Staff

The show is about a government conspiracy. But co-creator Peter Horton says beneath the action, human stories drive the show. "That's the little dirty secret," he says. "This is a character piece."

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Mulgrew starred as Captain Kathryn Janeway, the first woman to command a Federation Starship, in Star Trek: Voyager.

Books
Arts

'Born With Teeth,' Actress Kate Mulgrew On A Life Lived With Abandon

7:22pm April 11, 2015

by NPR Staff

Mulgrew played Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager and is a formidable kitchen manager on Orange Is the New Black. But her personal story is more dramatic than any she's ever played on screen.

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As the new season of Game of Thrones begins, Tyrion Lannister (played by Peter Dinklage) is on the run after killing his manipulative father.

Arts

'Game Of Thrones' And 'Veep' Anchor HBO's Killer Sunday Lineup

8:26pm April 10, 2015

by Eric Deggans

HBO's Game of Thrones, Veep and Silicon Valley all start new seasons Sunday. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says these three shows just might form the best Sunday night lineup on television this spring.

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