David Bianculli
David Bianculli is a guest host and TV critic on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. A contributor to the show since its inception, he has been a TV critic since 1975.
From 1993 to 2007, Bianculli was a TV critic for the New York Daily News.
Bianculli has written four books: The Platinum Age Of Television: From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific (2016); Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (Simon & Schuster/Touchstone, 2009); Teleliteracy: Taking Television Seriously (1992); and Dictionary of Teleliteracy (1996).
A professor of TV and film at Rowan University, Bianculli is also the founder and editor of the website, TVWorthWatching.com.
-
The new four-hour Paramount+ documentary is told mostly through cellphone videos and police body cams. It is surprisingly not gruesome — the visuals are selected and edited very judiciously. -
Hulu's new comedy series is about the rebirth of an old comedy series — one that never existed. Reboot is the funniest sitcom about making a sitcom since the Showtime series Episodes.
-
Burns' new six-hour series brings World War II history to life — and reminds us that our life, right now, is indeed history in the making. -
Amazon's Lord of the Rings and HBO's Game of Thrones prequels should please fans of the original works. Time will tell how well the shows set up, and are faithful to, the stories they're expanding.
-
Steve Carell stars as a therapist who is abducted by a murderer. By the time The Patient is over, nearly everyone in this drama series reflects upon past actions and decisions — or dies trying.
-
For faithful viewers the finale was one treat after another. There were unexpected returns from old characters and breathtaking surprises. Up until the end, the show defied expectations.
-
The Jan. 6 hearings have been packaged like TV shows: Each episode has a plot, and some special guest stars, announced in advance. As a miniseries, the verdict is in: This particular show is a hit.
-
A new six-part documentary, directed by Ethan Hawke, pulls from interviews with the couple as well as with their Hollywood friends to provide an unvarnished view of their careers and lengthy marriage.
-
Part comedy, part drama, Nathan Fielder's new show is a social experiment of sorts, where people work within elaborate sets to try to figure out ways to resolve complicated real-life situations. -
The Breaking Bad spin-off has been excellent since it debuted in 2015. As the series wraps up, the final episodes will determine just how great a show Better Call Saul ends up being.
