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A successful hop in Disney’s latest
As the first African-American Disney princess, Princess Tiana of "The Princess and the Frog" carries great expectations.
Andre Braugher plays a role with punch lines in TNT’s new ‘Men of a Certain Age’
In his long television career, Andre Braugher has played cops, generals, thieves, doctors, plenty of competent people in command. In “Men of a Certain Age,’’ which premieres tomorrow night on TNT, he plays a barely-successful car salesman who works for his father’s Chevy dealership. His character, Owen, is pudgy and a little bit lazy, a diabetic who overeats and barely ...
Michael Engleman discusses the rebranding of SciFi into Syfy
The Syfy cable network, formerly known as SciFi, drew its best October prime-time ratings in network history last month, fueled by shows like “Stargate Universe,’’ “Sanctuary,’’ and “Ghost Hunters,’’ and by its new identity as a home for “imagination-based entertainment.’’ We spoke to the network’s vice president and creative director, Michael Engleman - a Newton native and Tufts University graduate ...
PBS can merchandise kids shows without selling out
I’m ready for my Ruff Ruffman T-shirt. And my Ruff Ruffman backpack. And maybe a Ruff Ruffman flea collar, just for show. I want Ruff consumer-product overload.
Critic’s corner
In the Spotlight With Robin Roberts: Bright Lights, Big Stars, All Access Nashville 10 p.m., Channel 5
Critic’s corner
How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin 10 p.m., Channel 2 Revolution, indeed. Award-winning director Leslie Woodhead introduces us to Russians (above) who found their way to the Beatles’ outlawed music and drew hope and inspiration from the Fab Four.
What to watch on TV tonight
Mad Men 10 p.m., AMC Last week, the show caught up with the Kennedy assassination and Betty (January Jones, above) decided to change her life. In tonight’s season finale, we might - might - find out if she follows through.
Critic’s corner
Saturday Night Live 11:30 p.m., Channel 7 Taylor Swift does double duty as host and musical guest. My money is on real-life Kanye to show up and redeem himself. (And maybe for Beyoncé to turn up, too.)
Six reasons why Elmo went from being horrible to adorable
I resisted, at first. How could I not? As someone who grew up on 1970s-era “Sesame Street,’’ then revisited the show with my own kid three decades later, I was appalled to see that my beloved Grover and Cookie Monster had lost precious airtime to a skinny red Muppet who refers to himself in the third person. Elmo is no ...
Joanna Weiss’ Critic’s corner
Fanboy and Chum-Chum 9 p.m., Nickelodeon Nickelodeon’s new animated series, starring the voices of Jamie Kennedy and Josh Duhamel, is perfectly calibrated for the mind and funny bone of a 10-year-old boy. Tonight’s premiere spoofs comic books, wizards, and all aspects of school.
‘Platinum Babies’ wallows in extravagance
I had to watch WE’s “Platinum Babies’’ twice before I figured out why this particular look at conspicuous consumption is so much less satisfying than Bravo’s “Real Housewives’’ series. Then it hit me.
Joanna Weiss’ Critic’s corner
Grey’s Anatomy 9 p.m., Channel 5 Last week’s Derek-narrated episode encapsulated what this show still does brilliantly (tension mixed with humor mixed with pathos) and horribly (world’s calmest, wisest tumor patient). Tonight, we spend some time with Arizona.
Critic’s corner
The New Adventures of Old Christine 8 p.m., Channel 4 The recent “Seinfeld’’ reunion episodes on “Curb Your Enthusiasm’’ serve as a good reminder that the most successful “Seinfeld’’ alum is Julia Louis-Dreyfus (above), who manages to make her not-so-new character both Elaine-ish at times and thoroughly unique. Tonight, Christine tries to sponge off her son’s popularity.
Critic’s corner
V 8 p.m., Channel 5 They’re back! ABC remakes the 1980s miniseries into a cool, creepy show about an alien invasion - starring Elizabeth Mitchell as an FBI agent and Morena Baccarin as a smooth-talking alien chief.
HBO’s ‘By the People’: On the campaign trail with little new to offer
In some ways, it’s instructive that the new HBO documentary “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama’’ airs a full year after Election Day, when the fizzy promises of hope and change have given way to cold reality. (Emotional summation of the Obama presidency: We still have hope, but we haven’t changed much yet, though we’ve made a few ...
It’s high time for tv to embrace sci fi
If only we had learned, a little earlier, that “Dollhouse’’ was about the end of the world.
‘Lock ’n Load’ looks at trigger-happy America
There is a coastal sensibility to “Lock ’n Load,’’ the new reality series that premieres on Showtime tonight. Viewers, the show assumes, will be amazed to learn that some Americans actually shop for guns, hold them and clean them, take them to firing ranges and fire them. Even women! Even kids!
Here’s hoping ‘Leno’ survives... with some changes
It’s hard not to root for the underdog, and Jay Leno - despite his massive salary, his fleet of cars, his ownership of five prime hours of network TV - is the underdog. Knocked prematurely off his top-rated “Tonight Show’’ perch. Mocked for being a nice guy who appeals to Middle America. And now, hated by Hollywood for dominating prime ...