Television

The Year In Television: 2015's Trends, Triumphs And Tragedies

6:08am December 28, 2015

by Eric Deggans

Television exploded with options for fans, from a record number of shows to new kinds of online platforms. Our critic examines the biggest trends that reshaped the face of television this year.

Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson on Mr. Robot.

Arts

The Best Television Of 2015

5:38pm December 27, 2015

by Eric Deggans

With so many good TV shows out there, the bar has been raised for best-of lists. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans highlights 12 shows he says are more than good — they're game-changing.

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Arts

2015 In TV: A Couple More Under The Radar Picks

8:29am December 26, 2015

Linda Wertheimer talks with Slate critic June Thomas about her underrated television pick. She chose two dramas, "Cucumber" and "Banana," about the lives of a group of gay men in Manchester, England.

Jonathan Banks (left) and Bob Odenkirk star in the AMC series Better Call Saul, which tops David Bianculli's 2015 10-Best list.

Arts

'Another Great Year For TV': David Bianculli On The Best (And Worst) Of 2015

11:44am December 24, 2015

by David Bianculli

Though broadcast TV didn't impress him much this year, critic David Bianculli says Better Call Saul and a number of other shows from cable and streaming services made 2015 a great year for viewers.

Alton Brown and "Unitasker" kitchen gadgets

Arts

The 'Unitasker' Kitchen Gadgets Alton Brown Loves To Loathe

6:35pm December 23, 2015

by NPR Staff

The Food Network host and celebrity chef has a vendetta against single-use kitchen gadgets. This year, he takes aim at meat claws, the egg cuber and the Rollie Eggmaster.

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Arts

Revisiting Mary Martin's Lighter-Than-Air Exuberance In NBC's 1955 'Peter Pan' Live

2:18pm December 22, 2015

by Lloyd Schwartz

In 1955 and '56, NBC aired live telecasts of the Broadway hit Peter Pan, starring Mary Martin. Critic Lloyd Schwartz calls the performances, now available on Blu-ray, a "tribute to freedom and youth."

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Mariah Carey appears in, directed, and provided music for Hallmark's movie A Christmas Melody.

Arts

20 Things You Desperately Need To Know About Mariah's Hallmark Movie

11:24am December 21, 2015

by Linda Holmes

Called A Hallmark Melody, the movie stars Lacey Chabert as a fashion designer who relocates to a small Midwestern town with her adorable child. The shocks continue from there.

Former Miss Universe Paulina Vega removes the crown from Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo before giving it to Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach at the Miss Universe pageant Sunday night in Las Vegas. Arevalo was incorrectly named the winner bef

Oops: Wrong Name Announced As Winner Of Miss Universe Pageant

8:52am December 21, 2015

by Doreen McCallister

Miss Colombia was crowned Miss Universe. Then host Steve Harvey apologized, saying he had read the card wrong. The real winner was Miss Philippines.

Genevieve Buechner (in pigtails), Constance Zimmer (holding microphone) and Craig Bierko star in Lifetime's UnREAL.

Arts

A Little Under-The-Radar TV: 'UnREAL'

10:55pm December 20, 2015

by Linda Holmes

Lifetime's UnREAL is one of the shows that might have gotten lost in the shuffle of television, and it's worth looking for.

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The Wiz Live! featured (from left) Elijah Kelley as Scarecrow, Ne-Yo as Tin-Man, David Alan Grier as Lion and Shanice Williams as Dorothy.

'The Wiz Live!' Defied The Skeptics, Returns For A Second Round

8:05am December 20, 2015

by NPR Staff

Live telecasts of other musicals have gotten attention mostly for the hatred they inspired. But The Wiz Live! — back for an encore Saturday night — seems to have broken that spell.

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