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Cuba Gooding, Jr. talks about long, winding road to O.J. during Thursday stop in Dallas

Cuba Gooding, Jr. won an Oscar 20 years ago for his role as a fictional pro football player in Jerry Maguire. After an admitted series of career missteps, he’s back in form as the title character in FX’s acclaimed and ongoing People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Gooding stopped in Dallas Thursday, and here’s our interview with him.

Plus, Thursday’s Republican presidential candidate brawl on CNN turned out to be another ratings hit in D-FW. Get all the numbers in the latest Nielsen ratings “snapshot.”
Ed Bark

Three new reviews: Netflix's Fuller House; BBC America's Prey; PBS' American Masters tribute to Fats Domino

Without further ado, here are links to my reviews of three incoming shows.

Netflix’s Fuller House

BBC America’s Prey

PBS’ American Masters salute to Fats Domino
Ed Bark

"Weathering Heights" now just a week away

The Press Club of Dallas-sponsored “Weathering Heights,” featuring a unique gathering of past and present trailblazing D-FW meteorologists, is coming just a week from today on Monday, Feb. 29th.

Your friendly content provider, a first-year Press Club board member, put the panel together. Tickets at $20 per person can still be purchased in advance online or at the door. And there are ample extras that go with that. Here are all the details and links you’ll need. It’s going to be both a memorable and historic night.

Also, the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is posted.
Ed Bark

Titan TEGNA makes big move from afar to buy off older employees

Virginia-based TEGNA, owner of Dallas-based WFAA8 and 45 other television stations, rolled out “early retirement” packages for older employees Thursday. WFAA personnel are included in the mix, with news anchor John McCaa and sports anchor Dale Hansen among the key on-camera personnel who fit the criteria. More details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

It hurts to be in Love

Netflix’s latest original series is from Judd Apatow. Which automatically gives Love a pedigree that pretty much pans out. The 10-episode Season One begins streaming in its entirety on Friday, Feb. 19th. And our review is here.
Ed Bark

"Weathering Heights" is coming soon with unique gathering of past and present trailblazing D-FW meteorologists

”Weathering Heights,” sponsored by the Press Club of Dallas and organized by yours truly, promises to be a memorable and historic event featuring a panel of trailblazing D-FW meteorologists. Get your tickets now and do unclebarky.com a solid as well. All the details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Plus, Monday night’s Grammy Awards on CBS upped its audience from last year and crushed all prime-time competition in the D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark

Hulu's 11.22.63 dispatches James Franco to thwart JFK's assassination

Countless books, movies, miniseries and documentaries have delved into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in downtown Dallas. Hulu’s 11.22.63, adapted from Stephen King’s time-traveling bestseller, is the latest and hardly the greatest. But it has its moments while veering toward a notably sweet and satisfying ending. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

CBS11's Arezow Doost is latest reporter to leave D-FW scene

It’s been a busy revolving door this year in D-FW television news, with CBS11’s Arezow Doost the fifth reporter to depart since the first of the year. More details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page, which also brought you the earlier news of Carla Wade, Melissa Cutler, Eric King and Elizabeth Dinh calling it quits in this market.
Ed Bark

Better Call Saul comes calling anew

Judging from the first two episodes, Season 2 of AMC’s Better Call Saul is in no big hurry to get where it eventually must go. But the dialogue-heavy Breaking Bad prequel is still slow-cooked to near-perfection. Our review is here.

Also, Wednesday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is posted.
Ed Bark

HBO's Vinyl makes the 1970s music scene, with Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger as tour directors

The principal executive producers of the new HBO drama series Vinyl are Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger. And they’re not messing around in this vivid and sometimes too far-out depiction of New York City’s coke-addled 1970s music scene. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Defense-dominated Super Bowl 50 takes a dip in D-FW ratings

Sunday’s landmark Super Bowl 50 on CBS had little offense and lots of defense, particularly by the winning Denver Broncos. Although the game neared the 2.5 million viewers mark in D-FW, it still fell well short of last year’s New England Patriots-Seattle Seahawks thriller. All the numbers are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

CBS11 reporter Elizabeth Dinh is heading west to anchor

Reporter Elizabeth Dinh, who primarily worked the morning shift at D-FW’s CBS11, will soon be anchoring weeknight newscasts for a Portland, Oregon station. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Television: read all about it in two intriguing new books

Two veteran TV critics have new books to their names. Alan Sepinwall’s updated addition of The Revolution Was Televised remains an instant classic. Tom Jicha’s The Top 100 American Situation Comedies: An Objective Ranking (written in partnership with Prof. Mitchell E. Shapiro) makes for good bathroom reading (in the best sense of those words). Our breakdowns are on the Network News & Reviews page.

Plus, return with your friendly content provider to the 1992 New Hampshire presidential primary, when a big gaggle of candidates unleashed an air blitz in pre-“social media” times. A look back at their saturation TV ad campaigns is on the Back Channels page.

Also, in case you missed it, veteran Fox4 reporter Melissa Cutler has left the station to try something new. Her comments and more details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

ABC's two-part Madoff gives Richard Dreyfuss a nice investment

Richard Dreyfuss has reached the stage of his career where he can play Bernie Madoff without any extra makeup or other appliances. Blythe Danner co-stars in ABC’s two-part Madoff, which premieres on Wednesday, Feb. 3rd. Our review is here.

Plus, Monday’s D-FW Nielsen ratings “snapshot” is posted.
Ed Bark

Fox gets happy returns from Grease: Live!

Fox’s first effort to capitalize on the earlier success of NBC’s live musicals paid off big-time in D-FW Sunday night. The network’s three-hour Grease: Live! had the day’s biggest haul in both total viewers and advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds. ESPN’s competing Pro Bowl came in second. All the numbers are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark