CHICAGO – Theatrical satires of the Star Wars Universe are like the number of TV series the universe has wrought … too many to figure out if anything is worthwhile. But “Trade Federation” (subtitled “Or Let’s Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels”), presented by Otherworld Theatre in Wrigleyville Chicago, gets it right on.
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TV Review: Fifth Season of ‘Justified’ Launches with Dark Edge
Submitted by BrianTT on January 7, 2014 - 11:38amWhat a great time to be a TV junkie. NBC’s “Community” is back in prime form with the return of Dan Harmon. HBO launches the incredible “True Detective” on Sunday and “Sherlock” returns stateside next weekend. There’s enough quality out there that FX’s “Justified” could get lost in the shuffle. Don’t let that happen.
TV Feature: The 10 Best TV Shows of 2013
Submitted by BrianTT on December 30, 2013 - 3:37pm- Boardwalk Empire
- Breaking Bad
- Brian Tallerico
- Broadchurch
- Enlightened
- Game of Thrones
- Hannibal
- Hello Ladies
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- House of Cards
- Justified
- List
- Masters of Sex
- Orange is the New Black
- Parks and Recreation
- Ray Donovan
- Rectify
- Television
- The Americans
- The Killing
- The Middle
- The Returned
- The Walking Dead
- Veep
I’ve avoided saying it outright for a few years as it seems like an overwritten headline but one thing is too clear to ignore when looking back at this past year in television — we are currently in the most creatively vital time in the history of the form.
TV Review: Sundance Channel Continues Excellent Year with ‘The Returned’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 31, 2013 - 2:10pmCHICAGO – They have already made a statement in 2013 by broadcasting Jane Campion’s brilliant “Top of the Lake” and the riveting “Rectify” but Sundance Channel goes for the hat trick, starting tonight, as they debut the French supernatural hit “The Returned,” a brilliant twist on the undead genre that places the emphasis on mood, dread, and emotion instead of the unexpected.
TV News: Marcia Wallace, Edna Krabappel on ‘The Simpsons,’ Dies at 70
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 26, 2013 - 5:19pmLOS ANGELES – Marcia Wallace, who created two classic TV roles on “The Bob Newhart Show” and “The Simpsons,” passed away in Los Angeles, according to her agent on Saturday. She was 70 years old. In the 1970s, she was known as Carol Kester, Bob Hartley’s assistant on that Newhart show. In 1990 – one season after “The Simpsons” began – she took on the voice role of Edna Krabappel, the frazzled and man-hungry fourth grade teacher of Bart Simpson.
TV Review: Clever, Fun ‘Toy Story of Terror’ Makes ABC Debut
Submitted by BrianTT on October 16, 2013 - 9:00amCHICAGO – Was “Toy Story 3” the last great Pixar production? With the modest critical reaction to “Cars 2,” “Brave,” and “Monsters University,” it seems an entirely defensible position to take. In fact, one could easily argue that “Small Fry,” the “Toy Story” short that premiered with “The Muppets,” and “Partysaurus Rex,” which played with “Finding Nemo 3D,” should be considered higher on the Pixar hierarchy than “Cars 2” and maybe even “Brave.”
TV Review: ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ Casts a Spell
Submitted by BrianTT on October 9, 2013 - 10:46amCHICAGO – Take this with a giant grain of salt but FX’s “American Horror Story: Coven” shows incredible promise in its premiere episode tonight, setting a number of creative plates spinning in directions that could be fascinating. Why the salt? Well, “American Horror Story: Asylum” started with similar promise and quickly became cluttered and unfocused.
TV Review: NBC’s Struggles Continue with ‘Sean Saves the World,’ ‘Welcome to the Family’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 3, 2013 - 2:43pmCHICAGO – People often ask me why low-rated NBC shows like “Community” keep getting renewed (or how “Whitney” and “Up All Night” got a second season) and I often turn to a sports analogy — they have no one in the minor leagues to replace them.
TV Review: Rebel Wilson Brings Routine to TV for ‘Super Fun Night’
Submitted by BrianTT on October 2, 2013 - 10:13amCHICAGO – It seems logical that Rebel Wilson, the scene-stealer from “Pitch Perfect” and “Bridesmaids,” would get her own sitcom. Logical, yes. A good idea, maybe not. Wilson’s “Super Fun Night,” premiering this evening on ABC at 8:30pm CST after “Modern Family,” is not yet super and not too much fun to start.
TV Review: NBC’s ‘Ironside’ is Worst New Drama of 2013
Submitted by BrianTT on October 1, 2013 - 11:32amCHICAGO – As the TV world was bombarded by new shows last week, I heard a number of complaints about the new dramas and comedies. “Hostages” was too cliched. “The Blacklist” wasn’t believable. “SHIELD” wasn’t fun enough. “Lucky 7” was, well, just awful. People, those shows will look even better if you happen to stumble upon “Ironside,” premiering tomorrow night on NBC.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Hannibal’ is Best Drama on Network TV
Submitted by BrianTT on September 27, 2013 - 9:02amCHICAGO – Has there ever been a network TV show more cinematic than “Hannibal”? Especially when one watches it commercial-free in “binge” format on the newly-released Blu-ray, one can even more distinctly appreciate the fact that the first season of Bryan Fuller’s incredible show, the best on network TV, plays like long film. Scratch that.
