As is tradition, we use this year’s final column to recall those TV personalities we lost in the previous calendar year.
Fans of “America’s Funniest Home Video” and “Full House” were shocked to learn of Bob Saget’s unexpected death (January 9). Dwayne Hickman died the same day. His character, Dobby Gillies, is a typical high school character from the 1950s, an era that was full of teenage culture. Tony Dow, who played brother Wally in “Leaving it to the Beavers,” died July 27. “The Jack Benny Show” star Bobby Rydell (April 5) is closely associated with mid-century teens, and the kids from the musical “Grease” also attend Rydell High.
By sad coincidence, two iconic mothers in the Seinfeld cast, George’s mom Estelle Harris (April 2) and Jerry’s mom Liz Sheridan (April 15 ) died within weeks of each other. Prolific character actor Philip Baker Hall, best known for his role as the library detective on “Seinfeld,” threatened the “Jolly Boys” over an overdue book Jerry. He died on 12 June.
Screen heavyweights and Goodfellas co-stars Ray Liotta (Saints of Newark) and Paul Sorvino (Law & Order) died May 26 and July 25, respectively . Few actors have been as memorable as James Caan (July 6) as a mobster in The Godfather. Before that, he starred in the TV series “Song of Brian,” which made America cry for Brian Piccolo in 1971. Tony Sirico plays another famous wise man (July 8). His “The Sopranos” character, Paulie Walnut, often gets some of the best lines in this brilliant script — like when he dismisses the city of Boston as “Scranton with clams.”
Loretta Lynn (October 4), Naomi Judd (April 30) and Jerry Lee Lewis (October 28) — three country music titans who have been on TV for decades — pass away in 2022. While not her most famous work, Lynn has created a series of ads for Crisco shortening that emphasize her down-to-earth image and celebrate country cooking.
Louie Anderson (Jan. 21) is credited with playing the unflappable mother on “The Basket” after decades of acting and touring with rising star Roseanne Barr and others. The cute show won an Emmy.
Nichelle Nichols (July 30), whose character Uhura appeared on the deck of the USS Enterprise as a black woman in “Star Trek,” envisions the future of human racial integration in a performance praised by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. future.
Angela Lansbury (October 11) has had a stellar career in Hollywood and Broadway, starring in the smash hit “Murder, She Wrote”, arguably the British “comfortable” murder mystery genre The most popular American version of .
Kirstie Alley (December 5) faces the daunting task of adding to the first comedy and replacing popular regulars, soon to be the centerpiece of “Cheers” and later “Veronica’s Closet.”
It would be remiss to forget Howard Hesseman of “WKRP in Cincinnati” (January 29); “Hurt” star William Hurt (March 13) or “Today” co-host Jim Hartz (April 17).
I was once involved in a film released by Troma that was sharply satirized by Gilbert Gottfried (April 12) in his series All Night, Late night showings of cheap movies.
And let’s not forget Fred Ward (May 8), sports commentator Vin Scully (August 2) or beloved “Will & Grace” and social media star Leslie Jordan (October 24).
“Twin Peaks” composer Angelo Badalamenti died on December 11. Singer Julee Cruise left us on June 9th.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September was arguably one of the most notable events of the year. She completely reigned supreme in the age of television, and her influence on the medium was enormous, from her televised coronation in 1953, to her decision to use television for her Christmas message, to her inspiration for the Netflix show The Crown, so to speak One of the best – or at least the most luxuriously made – collections ever made.
To those we lost in 2022, and to a happy and healthy new year filled with unforgettable TV.
• Extensive clips and interviews in the documentary “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” (Sundays, 8 p.m., CNN) shed light on six decades of musical career.
Raised and gospel-trained in New Jersey, Warwick persisted with a college music education that made her a delicate vocal instrument on the songwriting team of Bert Bacharach and Hal David, many of whom The songs all approach the complexity of classical compositions.
For fans of Pop’s Embarrassment of Fortune, the film includes two memorable scenes that could inspire their own film. The first was when young Warwick arrived in Paris to perform to raving fans and found herself mentored by Marlene Dietrich, who taught her in haute couture.
Much later, an older Warwick decides to hold a summit with figures in the gangster rap scene and lecture them about their misogynistic lyrics and disrespectful depictions of young black women. The likes of Tupac Shakur, Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg attended a breakfast meeting that proved intimidating, to say the least. Snoopy recalls being thoroughly disciplined and “beaten” by a grandmotherly figure whom he grew to love and admire.
Don’t miss “Don’t Let Me End”. Anyone with a heart will love it.
• Jimmie Allen, Elle King and Rachel Smith host “New Year’s Eve Live: Big Bash in Nashville” (7 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
• Dick Clark & Ryan Seacrest 2023 Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Night” (7pm & 9:30pm, ABC, TV-PG) Continues Long Tradition .
• “Today” talent Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager host “Cheers to 2022!” (7 p.m., NBC).
• “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party” (9:30 pm, NBC, TV-14).
• Streaming New Year’s Eve specials include “Lizzo: Live in Concert” (HBO Max) and “Best of Stand-Up 2022” (Netflix).
• On “60 Minutes” (6:30pm, CBS): Radio Free Europe; The Looming Mass Extinction; The Obesity Crisis.
• Elton John, Tim Rice and Hans Zimmer co-produced the 1994 animated musical “The Lion King” (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
• Hugh Bonneville hosts “The Great Show – From Vienna: New Year’s Celebration 2023” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-G, see local listings).
• Jamie sticks with “Yellowstone” (7 p.m., Paramount, CMT, TV-MA).
• “Worst Chef in America” (7 pm, Food, TV-G) enters its 25th season.
• The Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL game (7:15 pm, NBC).
• Only a special type of worker can become a “sewer driver” (8 PM, Discovery, TV-14).
• Teonna tortured by a nun in “1923” (8 PM, Paramount, CMT, TV-MA).
• After the divorce, Tammy returned to the charts, while George returned to the charts on “George & Tammy” (8 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
Cocktail-drinking Manhattanites (Myrna Loy and William Powell) and their dog Asta star as amateur detectives in the 1934 mystery comedy “The Thin Man” (Saturdays, 7 p.m., TCM, TV-G), followed by “After the Thin Man.” ” (8 :45 pm, TV-G) and “Another Thin Man” (10:45 pm, TV-G) from 1936 and 1939, respectively.
Two hours of “Hell’s Kitchen” (7 and 8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14).
‘The Simpsons’ Notoriety on YouTube (7 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … in three episodes of ‘Fire Nation’ (CBS, r, TV-14): A Chance for Parole (7:30 p.m.); A town in peril (8:30pm), freezers insane (9:30pm) … staff scandal in the ‘Great North’ (7:30pm, Fox , TV-14) … Keep Watching the Sky on “Bob’s Burgers” (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-PG) … “Family Guy” (8:30 p.m., Fox, r, Film noir suspense on TV-14).
– Well, that’s weird. The week’s most unexpected stories involve Felicity Hoffman (“Desperate Housewives”) and “When the Heart Calls” (Sundays, 7 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G) star Lori Love Lim’s scandal, their bribery/deception plot to get their respective daughters into elite colleges.
This is clearly an ongoing case and all parties will have to have their say in court. But the central motivation of the story is worth discussing. It concerns the dire need to get children into elite schools at all costs. As if anything “smaller” was unthinkable.
Television plays no small part in this insecurity. I can’t remember how many times I’ve had to describe an ABC legal drama where every character hails from the most exclusive Ivy and most of the pilot blows it off.
Not long ago, John Grisham wrote bestsellers about young, barely qualified lawyers from no-name institutions who took on impossible cases, took on big corporations, and ended up win. And got girl, boot.
So the neurotic obsession with elitism and inequality of our day is hardly innate.
If anything from this sordid affair, it’s that a sleazy effort at snobbery is always inherently pathetic. Or on classic TV, comedy. Watching “Gilligan’s Island,” we identify with Marianne and the captain, and empathize with the millionaire and his wife.
— CNN presents “Tricky Dick,” a four-hour documentary (Sundays at 8 p.m.) that follows Richard Nixon’s decades in public office and eras, from the early days of the Cold War to the Clinton era.
— An anxious new mom joins a group seeking solidarity and support, only to discover the group has a darker side in 2019’s shocking “Mom Group Murders” (7 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14) plan.
— Thunder and Warriors meet in NBA game (7:30 p.m. ABC).
— An old kidnapper returns on “Ransom” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— On “60 Minutes” (6 p.m. CBS): Embassy workers in China and Cuba complain of mysterious illness; AOL founder Steve Case and his investment in neglected U.S. small businesses Future plans for towns and cities; visit Monaco.
— The duel begins on “World of Dance” (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
— Continuing with “American Idol” auditions (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
— Lex Luthor gets away with it on “Supergirl” (7 p.m., The CW, TV-PG).
—Mr. Wednesday is ready to fight on “American Gods” (7 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
— After learning about her royal lineage, an adopted 10-year-old becomes a petty tyrant in 2019’s shocking “Mama’s Little Princess” (7 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14).
— A secret room hides danger on “Charming” (8 p.m., The CW, TV-14).
— Hidden secrets revealed on “The Walking Dead” (8 p.m., AMC, TV-MA).
— New trial for “The Case Against Adnan Syed” (8 p.m., HBO, TV-14).
—Ax is determined to destroy Taylor in the “Billions” Season 4 premiere (8 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
— Ulysses pursues conspiracy theories about “Apocalypse Now” (8 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
– “Unsung” (8 p.m., TVONE) introduces the Jets.
– Pacific’s offer to “Madam Secretary” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
– Tensions on “Good Girls” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Mo’s past is revealed on “Black Monday” (9 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).
— St. Patrick’s Day has inspired many traditions. Syfy offers a marathon of “Leprechaun” movies, from “Leprechaun 5: In the Hood” (Saturdays 4pm, TV-14) to “Leprechaun 2” (8pm). TCM takes a traditional approach to John Ford’s 1952 romance “The Quiet Man” (Sundays, 7 p.m., TV-PG) with Technicolor rhetoric.
“Dateline” (7pm, NBC, TV-PG)…”NBA Countdown” (7pm, ABC)…Kids on “MasterChef” (8pm, Fox, r, TV-PG) Everything works fine on… “48 Hours” (9 p.m., CBS)…retro help on “Saturday Night Live” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).
An old friend’s visit inspires Miles in “God Friended Me” (7 p.m., CBS, TV-PG)… Homer can’t leave Bart’s virtual realm on “The Simpsons” (p.m. 7 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … sympathy for everything in “Bob’s Burgers” (7:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
Walking the aisles on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14)… and in two episodes of “Family Guy” (Fox, TV-14), Meg’s Winter Olympics ( 8 p.m.), fighting over a widow (8:30 p.m., right) … Pain on “Shark Tank” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
