David Zurawik
Z on TV
Kris Allen & Adam Lambert: Ricky Nelson meets Elvis
May 15, 2009
Who knows how honest the vote tabulations on "American Idol" are? After all, no outside source verifies them. But no matter how Fox and the producers of the series managed to get here, they now have their most culturally potent finale ever in the showdown between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen.
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Branagh brilliant in PBS' 'Wallander'
May 10, 2009
The opening sequence is visually stunning and ultimately horrifying. It includes a scruffy, middle-aged man rushing through a field abloom in golden blossoms. For a sense of the field, think of the feature film Everything is Illuminated.
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There's more than just one shining moment on TV
May 3, 2009
You can tell a lot about the mood of the country by the kinds of stories we tell ourselves through our popular culture. And there is no better measuring stick than TV with its huge audiences and minute-by-minute measurements of those viewers.
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'American Idol' judges spring to forefront
April 19, 2009
I would hate to think that the producers of American Idol are playing us like suckers again, trying to drum up some kind of judges' controversy for better ratings. But you have to admit that the judges have been in the news a lot lately, particularly Simon Cowell - and this is the time of year when there is almost always a flap, fight or faux pas involving the judges that adds drama and controversy down the home stretch of the Idol season.
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'House' character's suicide inspires real mourning
April 12, 2009
Last week, the producers of the Fox medical drama House pulled off one of the more difficult tricks in TV these days: They cut through the clutter of a not-so-terrific year for prime-time scripted series and caused a major stir with the out-of-the-blue suicide of a character, Dr. Lawrence Kutner (Kal Penn).
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Back to 'Chef' reality
November 12, 2008
After all the drama and importance of watching the presidential campaign play out on TV in recent months, I felt like it might be a long, long time before I could ever get hooked on a reality TV series again.
