Television

In Episodes, Matt LeBlanc plays an exaggerated version of himself, a self-centered womanizer who uses celebrity and money to coast through life, much like Larry David does in Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Arts

Matt LeBlanc Has Quietly Made 'Episodes' A Must-See Comedy

3:14pm January 07, 2015

by David Bianculli

The show, in its fourth season, was created by David Crane, who worked with LeBlanc on Friends. TV critic David Bianculli says its brand of satire is particularly timely and laugh-out-loud funny.

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Jamal (Jussie Smollett) welcomes home his mother (Taraji P. Henson), but she has about as much more on her mind as this look makes it seem like she does.

'Empire': A World Of Unbuttoned Shirts And Dishy Music Stories

1:04pm January 07, 2015

by Linda Holmes

Fox's new drama about the family behind a music mega-company is pretty standard soapy television with some nice performances and a limited understanding of music.

Sports

ESPN, Other Networks To Be Streamed On Dish Network's Sling TV

12:35pm January 07, 2015

Linda Wertheimer talks to John Ourand from Sports Business Journal about ESPN's decision to start a streaming service. The service is being done in partnership with Dish Network.

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Actors Jermaine Crawford, Maestro Harrell, Tristan Wilds and Julito McCullum portray Baltimore students in the show's fourth season.

Rewatching 'The Wire': Classic Crime Drama Seems Written For Today

3:36pm January 06, 2015

by Eric Deggans

As HBO releases the high-definition version of The Wire, NPR's Eric Deggans says that binge-watching the show feels more like reading today's headlines — especially on issues of race and class.

Carly tries a song to charm The Bachelor, Chris Soules, on the premiere of ... well, The Bachelor, obviously. This really happened, see? We weren't lying.

Arts

Small Batch: 'The Bachelor' Farms Iowa For Fresh Meat

1:48pm January 06, 2015

by Linda Holmes

A short edition of Pop Culture Happy Hour takes a look — somehow both rueful and gleeful — at the opening episode of a new season of the silliest dating show we can't believe we watch.

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Sports

Longtime ESPN Sportscaster Stuart Scott Dies At 49

9:37am January 05, 2015

by Sam Sanders

During his 22 years at ESPN, Scott became well-known for his signature catchphrases that connected with younger audiences and the hip-hop generation. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2007.

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Ellie Kemper, right, stars with Tituss Burgess in the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Arts

TV In 2015: Late-Night Shuffles, Big Goodbyes And More

8:31am January 05, 2015

by Eric Deggans

The most important TV events coming in 2015 include new voices in late-night, big goodbyes, online platforms picking up old shows and, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says, more of everything.

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Arts

Remembering The Voice Of Babe The Pig

11:59am January 03, 2015

by Jasmine Garsd

Voiceover artist Christine Cavanaugh died last month. She was the voice behind characters from Babe the pig to Chuckie Finster of Rugrats.

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Donna Douglas as Elly May Clampett, lower right. Clockwise from upper left are Buddy Ebsen (as Jed Clampett), Nancy Kulp (as Jane Hathaway), Raymond Bailey (as Milburn Drysdale), Douglas, Max Baer Jr. (as Jethro Bodine) and Irene Ryan (as "Granny").

Arts

Donna Douglas, Elly May On 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' Dies At 81

7:13pm January 02, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The actress who played the tomboy daughter of Ozark mountain man Jed Clampett also appeared on-screen alongside Elvis Presley and starred in a classic episode of The Twilight Zone.

Billy Joel, Popular Song, PBS, And Needing A Piano

2:36pm January 02, 2015

by Linda Holmes

A PBS concert special looking at the legacy of Billy Joel brings some great stuff, some less great stuff, and a chance to reflect.