TV Reviews

ABC's reboot of American Idol is hosted by Ryan Seacrest and judged by Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.

'American Idol' Reboot Has 3 Potential Problems, But The Pitch Ain't One

1:31pm March 12, 2018

by Eric Deggans

American Idol was a powerful brand before Fox canceled it in 2016. It'll be tough for this new version to reignite interest, but it has one thing going for it: a huge heart.

Why The Revival Of 'American Idol' Might Just Work

4:20pm March 09, 2018

by Eric Deggans

ABC will revive Fox's onetime blockbuster music competition American Idol on Sunday. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says the first episode reveals lots of reasons why the reboot was probably a bad idea — including a tarnished host in Ryan Seacrest. But there are also a couple of surprising arguments for why it just might work.

Queue Listen Now

Arts

'Jessica Jones' Returns, Her Rage Especially Resonant In The #MeToo Era

2:35pm March 08, 2018

by David Bianculli

Netflix's drama about a woman who rebels against conformity and power structures returns for a second season on Thursday. Critic David Bianculli says Jessica Jones "transcends the superhero genre."

Queue Listen Now

In season two, Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) is still haunted by Kilgrave (David Tennant), the man who once abducted her.

Arts

'Jessica Jones' Season 2 Is Full Of (Politically Inspired) Rage

6:00pm March 07, 2018

by Eric Deggans

Showrunner Melissa Rosenberg says, for season two, she and the show's writers channeled their anger over the 2016 election. "We walked in really pissed off," she says.

Arts

Comedy Is Drenched With Foreboding On Season 2 Of 'Atlanta'

2:32pm February 28, 2018

by John Powers

Donald Glover's Emmy-winning FX series returns for its second season on Thursday. Critic John Powers says Atlanta is simultaneously "strange and angry and hysterically funny."

Queue Listen Now

Mae Whitman as Annie, Christina Hendricks as Beth, and Retta as Ruby in the NBC comedy Good Girls.

Arts

'Good Girls' Can't Live Up To Its Very Good Cast

5:00am February 26, 2018

by Linda Holmes

The NBC series Good Girls, which follows three moms who turn to crime to support their families, has a terrific cast. Unfortunately, it can't master a consistent tone.

Arts

'Blue Planet II' Celebrates The Beauty Of Nature Across The Globe

2:39pm February 23, 2018

by David Bianculli

Scientists and filmmakers capture images in unprecedented, truly breathtaking ways in the BBC nature documentary series. Critic David Bianculli calls Blue Planet II a "dazzling piece of television."

Queue Listen Now

Rachel Bloom as Rebecca, Donna Lynne Champlin as Paula, Vella Lovell as Heather and Gabrielle Ruiz as Valencia on the CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Arts

The 25 Songs Of 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' Season 3, Rigorously And Definitively Ranked

5:19pm February 21, 2018

by Glen Weldon

The recently concluded third season of The CW's darkly hilarious musical comedy series featured 25 original songs; once again, Glen Weldon ranks them all with cool, scientific precision.

Books
Arts

'This Is What Happened' And 'Babylon Berlin' Deliver Thrills And Intrigue Aplenty

2:43pm February 05, 2018

by John Powers

Critic John Powers says Mick Herron's latest novel sucks you in from the opening page, and a Netflix series imported from Germany is both fun and binge-able.

A screenshot of Mountain Dew and Doritos Blaze's 2018 Super Bowl ad.

Sports
Arts

Super Bowl Ads 2018: The Best, The Weirdest And The Most Complicated

11:59am February 05, 2018

by Eric Deggans

Advertisers were careful about which messages they showcased this year, and the results felt handcuffed — so cautious that they were just, well, disappointing.