Category Archives: TV

Oct 13 2023
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Books, History, Movies, Photography, Pop Culture, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Oct. 13 – Oct. 19

Brie Larson cooks up science, a new ‘Goosebumps,,’ Disney turns 100, Frasier returns and ‘Barbie’ on DVD!

FRIDAY, Oct. 13
Lessons in Chemistry
Brie Larson stars in this new series (above) as a young woman in the 1950s who becomes the host of a cooking show, where she puts her dream of becoming a scientist to work in the kitchen (Apple TV+).

Raid the Cage
Damon Wayans Jr. hosts this new game show in which players compete to correctly answer questions and grab prizes from “the Cage” before time runs out and the doors close. (9 p.m., CBS)

Goosebumps
Inspired by R.L. Stein’s best-selling Scholastic books, this new series (above) follows a group of high schoolers investigating the death of a teenager and unearthing scary secrets along the way. With Justin Long, Zack Morris, Isa Briones and Will Price (Disney+).

SATURDAY, Oct. 14
The Murdaugh Murders
Bill Pullman stars in this two-part network movie (below) based on the highly publicized real-life details of the prominent South Carolina family at the center of a sordid murder mystery (Netflix).

Pets & Pickers
Catch up in season two with the workers at the Regional Animal Protection Society, motivated by their extraordinary compassion and their feeling that all animals deserve treatment (9 p.m., Animal Planet).

SUNDAY, Oct. 15
100 Years of Disney
Kelly Ripa hosts this blowout two-and-a-half-hour event celebrating the House of Mouse milestone, with previews of upcoming projects, the world premiere of a new short film and a full screening of the award-winning animated feature film Encanto (8 p.m., ABC).

Hotel Portofino
Season two of the glamorous period drama, about an English hotel in Italy in the 1920s—set against the rise of Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime—stars Natascha McElone, Oliver Dench and Louise Binder (8 p.m., PBS).

Billy the Kid
Season two (above) continues the tale of America’s most infamous outlaw as William “Billy” Bounty (Tom Blyth) and his allies square off against the corrupt oil barons of the Sante Fe Ring, which erupts into the bloody Lincoln County War (MGM+).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Go inside the glitzy world of Hollywood in Vanity Fair: Oscar Night Sessions (Abrams), with exquisite portraits over the years by photographer Mark Seliger at one of the most exclusive events following the star-studded Academy awards.

What’s goin’ on down there? Stephen Ellcock’s marvelous Underworlds (Thames & Hudson) digs deep into the fact, folklore, legends and other flights of fancy about the many things beneath our feet—from graves to caves, subterranean worlds, animal lairs, secret bunkers, fallout shelters, gemstones and sinkholes…and places of our deepest dreams and id wanderings, like hell itself! Packed with artwork and illustrations, it’s a glorious guided tour of the many things underground, real and imagined.

Architectural and industrial photographer Chris Payne’s Made in America (Abrams) is a vibrant journey into the heart of things created and manufactured in in the good ol’ USA, with techniques ranging from hi-tech to handmade.

MONDAY, Oct. 16
The Chase
This new dramatic series centers on a British veterinary practice where dogs bark, sparks fly and dark secrets come to light (Acorn TV).

The American Buffalo
Master filmmaker Ken Burns presents his latest project, a four-hour, two-part series, taking viewers on a 10,000-year trek across North America and tracing the history and heritage of the iconic Great Plains (8 p.m., PBS).

TUESDAY, Oct. 17
Frasier
Yes, Frasier. Kelsey Grammer reprises his role as psychiatrist Frasier Crane in this new—yes, new—comedy series (below) that picks up where the old one left off, some two decades ago. Watch the first two episodes back to back tonight (9:15 p.m., CBS).

The Devil on Trial
With firsthand accounts and a shocking crime, this new doc explores the first (and only) time a defense of “demonic possession” has be used in a U.S. murder trial (Netflix)

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 18
Living for the Dead
New series from the producers of Queer Eye and narrated by Kristen Stewart follows five fab queer ghost hunters helping the living by calming the dead in places of paranormal activity (Hulu).

Nature
The iconic everything-outdoors series opens its 42nd season opens with the true story of a Tasmanian man who makes friends with a platypus, tapping experts to learn all he can about the unusual egg-laying mammal’s secret world and protect it from urban encroachment (8 p.m., PBS). 

BRING IT HOME

Maybe you heard about this little movie called Barbie, which became the world’s highest grossing film of the summer. Now you can own it on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4k (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), starring Margo Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and her guy friend Ken as two of the most iconic toys ever, who leave Barbieland and find a life-changing existential crisis in the “real world.” Includes five bonus featurettes!

THURSDAY, Oct. 19
Wolf Like Me
Season two kicks off tonight as Mary (Isla Fisher) and Gary (Josh Gadd) contemplate her pregnancy—will their offspring be a human, or a wolf? And will what happened in the outback come back to haunt them? (Peacock).

Oct 06 2023
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Books, Movies, Music, Photography, Pop Culture, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Oct. 6 – Oct. 12

‘The Caine Mutiny’ goes to court, ‘The Price is Right’ Meets ‘Amazing Race’ & Edgar Allen Poe gets a modern spin

Keifer Sutherland digs into the case at the heart of ‘The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.’

FRIDAY, Oct. 6
VHS/85
New fright flick from the director of Hellraiser about a “found footage” videotape that takes a group of viewers back to terrifying horrors of a former era (Shudder).

Shark Tank
The investment “sharks” hear pitches about reusable sandbags, leggings for men and a new twist on Latin American food (8 p.m., ABC).

SATURDAY, Oct. 7
Buying Back My Daughter
Vanderkpump Rules star Adriana Maddox plays a cop trying to track down a trafficked teen in this ripped-from-the-headlines movie also featuring Meagan Good (Lifetime)

Svengoolie’s Halloween BOOnanza
Kick off a month-long celebration of all things ghoul-y with TV’s iconic host, who ushers in a marathon of retro TV chills and thrills (above) beginning with a Bugs Bunny Halloween special, then galloping through episodes of classic TV westerns haunted by all sort of stranger things (9 p.m., MeTV).

NOW HEAR THIS

Get ready for the holidays with Now That’s What I Call Christmas a Most Wonderful Christmas (Sony), with 16 holiday tunes, including classics from the musical vault by artists Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, Brenda Lee and Andy Williams, and more recent ho-ho-hummables from Carrie Underwood, Sam Smith, Thomas Rhett and Camila Cabello.

SUNDAY, Oct. 8
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
William (The Exorcist) Friedkin directs this riveting courtroom drama based on the Pulitizer Prize-winning novel by Howard Wouk, with an all-star cast (Jason Clarke, Jake Lacy, Keifer Sullivan, Monica Raymund) in a tense tale of naval officer standing trail for orchestrating a mutiny (9 p.m., Showtime).

The Circus
Political junkies, here’s the next dose of your fix. The award-winning, dirt-digging news series returns for season eight, with hosts John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Jennifer Palmeri (below) pulling back the curtain on the high-stakes drama of the emerging race for the White House (7 p.m., Showtime). 

MONDAY, Oct. 9
The Matthew Shepard Story
Subtitled “An American Hate Crime,” this two-hour documentary special examines the legacy of the torture and murder of a gay graduate student 25 years ago that continues to resonate today as a horrific example of the discrimination, danger and violence faced by many in the LGBTQ+ community (9 p.m., ID).

Harry Wild
The Irish mystery thriller series returns tonight for season two, with Jane Seymour as a retiree sleuth with a young PI partner (Rohan Nedd) as they pursue a deepening puzzle involving a long-missing mom who suddenly turns up (Acorn TV).

The Price is Right
On tonight’s new primetime edition of the iconic daytime game show, Phil Keoghan (host of TV’s The Amazing Race and Tough as Nails) invites fans of The Amazing Race to “come on down” and compete for prizes and trips (8 p.m., CBS).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Lee Miller: Photographs (Thames & Hudson) is a new collection of more than 100 shots taken by the former Vogue fashion photographer turned war correspondent. The foreword is by Kate Winslet, who will portray Miller—real name: Elizabeth “Lee” Miller—in the upcoming movie about her amazing, ahead-of-its-time life.

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 11
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Jim Carrey is so Jim-Carrey-ish as an over-the-top sleuth specializing in missing animals in this 1994 comedy costarring Sean Young, Courtney Cox and rapper Tone Loc (10 p.m., TruTV).

The Simpsons
TV’s longest running primetime scripted series returns to the streaming service for season 34 and more shenanigans, with all-star guest voices this time around by Fred Armisen, Anna Faris, Rob Lowe, Melissa McCarthy, Aubrey Plaza and more (Disney+)

The Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Jule
Documentary about how the vaping company, at one time the fastest growing enterprise in the world, went down in flames as a cautionary tale (Netflix).

Awareness
Mind-tripping movie from Spain about a teen who uses his special ability—making people “see” things that aren’t really there—to con them…but then one of his scams hits a snag, and he becomes the target of people who want to exploit him (Amazon Prime).

THURSDAY, Oct. 12
Little Bird
Celebrated Canadian drama (below) is a six-part dramatic series featuring a cast of indigenous actors is set on a reserve in Saskatchewan and follows a young woman, Bezhig Little Bird (Darla Contois) on a search to find the truth about her birth parents, her adoption and her slblings (10 p.m., PBS).

Keke Wyatt’s World
She’s been in the music game for more than three decades, and now she’s ready to take her career to another level. Learn all about the R&B artist and how she juggles her career, home life and 11 kids! (WEtv).

BRING IT HOME

Who let the dogs out? In the riotously raunchy comedy Strays (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment) a couple of canines (voiced by Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx) who rebel against a negligent owner (Will Forte). It’s filthy, but it fetches a dog pound full of naughty laughs.

The Fall of the House of Usher
Bruce Greenwood, Carla Gugino, Mary McDonnell and Mark Hamill star in this new horror anthology series (below), which puts a contemporary spin on the Edgar Allen Poe classic about wealth, power and privilege—and dangerous family secrets (Netflix).

The Fall of the House of Usher. (L to R) Sauriyan Sapkota as Prospero Usher, Kate Siegel as Camille L’Espanaye, Rahul Kohli as Napoleon Usher, Matt Biedel as Bill-T Wilson, Samantha Sloyan as Tamerlane Usher, Mark Hamill as Arthur Pym in episode 101 of The Fall of the House of Usher. Cr. Eike Schroter/Netflix © 2023
Sep 29 2023
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Music, Pop Culture, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

September 29 – October 5

Emma is ‘Cruella,’ Brits rock, ‘Family Guy’ turns 22 & Milla fights monsters!

Emma Stone stars in Cruella on Disney+.

FRIDAY, Sept. 29
Gen V
What happens at a college especially for young adults who want to become superheroes? Find out in this zingy new series (below) connected to The Boys and starring Jensen Ackles, Patrick Schwarznegger and Lizzie Broadway (Prime).

The New York Times Presents: How to Fix a Pageant
Investigative docuseries digs into the Miss USA and Miss Universe organizations, a recent scandal, and how the “beauty pageants” are struggling to remain successful, relevant and significant in the modern world (10 p.m., FX). 

Brits Rock!
Cool! This block of programming celebrates the music and legacies three iconic British rock artists: The Beatles, Adele and David Bowie (All Arts TV).

Reptile
Benicio del Toro, Justin Timberlake (above) and Alicia Siverstone star in this new network original movie about the brutal murder of a young real estate executive and a hardened detective who attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as it seems (Netflix).

Flora and Son
Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in this original drama about a mom, her rebellious teenage son (Orén Kinlan) and how the transformative power of music brings them together in newfound harmony (AppleTV+).

SATURDAY, Sept. 30
Hot Dish with Franco
World-class chef Franco Noriega puts his Peruvian and Italian roots down in the kitchen for some hot-stuff, flavorful dishes in this new culinary series (12 p.m., Food Network).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

It’s never too early to think about Christmas! The Christmas Book (Phaidon) is a treasure trove of the traditions, lore, rituals and spirituality of “the most wonderful time of the year” with photographs, paintings and other pop-cultural artifacts. Santa, Scrooge, snow, nutcrackers, silent nights, nativity scenes—it’s all here, and more!

Fans of ‘80s rock will groove to Police Diaries (Rocket88), drummer Stewart Copeland’s firsthand account of the early days of The Police, the British trio that took over the charts with “Every Breath You Take,” “Roxanne,” “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” and many more hits. Packed with photos from Copeland’s deep personal archive, “it’s a big, noisy book about one heckuva ride.”

We know the ocean is big, it’s deep and it’s the stuff of folklore and legend. But Helen Czerski’s The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works (WW Norton) reminds us how the vast sea is a massive aquatic engine, constantly churning with energy, life and raw materials. Read it and marvel anew—and raise your awareness of how this ancient, gravity-defying feature of the Earth’s topography, now faces new, modern environmental threats.

Take an armchair trip to some of the world’s most scenic getaways in The Alps (Phaidon), with hundreds of photos of winter-playground places in France, Switzerland, Italy, AAustria and Germany. Here, you don’t have to be a celebrity—or a wealthy international traveler—to enjoy the views.

SUNDAY, Oct. 1
Family Guy
Seth McFarlane’s classic animated sitcom for grownups returns for season 22 tonight. Meg’s having a baby, Peter takes flight and Stewie gets his rock-star on! (9:30 p.m., Fox).

Jack Osborne’s Night of Terror
Ozzy’s son launches another season of spine-tingling paranormal investigations (below), kicking off with a trip to a haunted hotel in Santa Paula, Calif., accompanied by his mom, Sharon (10 p.m., Travel Channel).

MONDAY, Oct. 2
Spin’s 100 Greatest Rock Stars Since That Was a Thing
You wanna rock? Then tune in for this new docuseries, spotlighting all the greats—Elvis, Kurt Cobain, Jimmy Page, David Bowie, Grace Slick, and many more, with commentary from Dee Snider, Stewart Copeland, Carnie Wilson and other musical icons. Rock on! (8 p.m., AXS).

The Partridge Family
C’mon, get happy! All 96 episodes of the classic ‘70s TV musical sitcom series (below), about a peppy “family band” of rock musicians (led by Shirley Jones and David Cassidy), return to TV beginning today as part of the network’s new “Retro Binge,” which also includes The Monkees (9 p.m., AXS).

TUESDAY, Oct. 3
The Found
Shanola Hampton—she played Veronica Fisher in Shameless—now stars in this new weekly series as a foster care professional searching for a missing 14-year-old, but the case becomes much more complicated than she first imagined (10 p.m., NBC). 

Cruella
Emma Stone plays a young villainess-in-making (who’d grow up to be Cruella Deville of 101 Dalmatians) in this feisty, fab-fashion live-action 2021 remake of the Disney classic (7:50 p.m., Freeform).

BRING IT HOME

Get ready for Halloween with some of the greatest ghouls of all time: Universal Classic Monsters (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment), the new eight-disc set of restored, 4K versions of The Invisible Man, The Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and The Creature From the Black Lagoon. Plus, an accompanying book is filled with rare pix, and trivia.

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4
Monster Hunter
Not many people saw it when it was released theatrically in the early days of the COVID pandemic. Not you can watch it twice, back to back, as model-turned-sci-fi-actress Milla Jovovich kicks some serious monster butt in a futuristic, apocalyptic world, all based on a popular video game (7:20 p.m., FXM).

Quantum Leap
Season two of the sequel series to the 1989-93 TV drama stars Raymond Lee as a physicist who discovers many wrongs to right after his “unauthorized” leap into the past. Plus, he has a sweetie (Caitlin Bassett) he left behind (9 p.m., NBC).

THURSDAY, Oct. 5
Our Flag Means Death
Season two of the high-seas pirate comedy sets sail tonight, with filmmaker/actor Taika Waititi in the lead role of this swashbuckling tongue-in-cheek tale loosely based on real-life 18th century would-be buccaneer Stede Bonnet (Max).

Accused: Guilty of Innocent
What happens when someone is formally charged with a crime and sent to the courtroom? New season of the true-crime series picks up tonight with more inside stories of people facing the wheels of justice for serious crimes they are alleged to have committed. But did they?  (10 p.m., A&E).

Sep 22 2023
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Books, Movies, Pop Culture, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecst

Friday, Sept. 22 – Thursday, Sept. 28

Benedict Cumberbatch sees a future in gambling, a new book of fun Beatles facts & a visit to John Wick’s favorite hotel

Benedict Cumberbatch stars in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Wednesday).

FRIDAY, Sept. 22
The Continental: From the World of John Wick
Much-anticipated “prequel” series to the action-packed John Wick movie series (below) drops on streaming tonight, with a three-part series about the characters and the origin of the safe-space hotel for the underworld. No Keanu, sorry. But hey, there’s Mel Gibson (Peacock).

Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court
Four-part series tells the history of America’s highest level of the judiciary system, tracing its history from the turbulent 1950s into the controversial present (8 p.m., Showtime).

SATURDAY, Sept. 23
Stolen Baby: The Murder of Heidi Broussand
A baby was stolen, a murder was committed, and a woman named Helen Broussand was killed. So, what else you need to know about this ripped-from-the-headlines tale of a friendship gone bad (way bad) starring Emily Osment and Anna Hopkins? (8 p.m., Lifetime).

SUNDAY, Sept. 24
Disappeared
Tonight’s episode of the true-crime series focuses on a woman who, in 2019, headed home to Chicago after visiting Iowa to care for her ailing mother—and was never heard from again. As her friends search for her, the case becomes even more mysterious. (10 p.m., ID).

MONDAY, Sept. 25
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test
Do you laugh at the fun and games of American Ninja Warrior, giggle at the naughty-bits contrivance of Naked and Afraid, or scoff at the tedious blue-collar tasks of Tough as Nails? Then you’re ready for this new reality competition (above), in which some sorta-famous people (Savannah Chrisley, Brian Austin Greene, Jack Osborne, Tara Reid, JoJo Siwa, to name a handful) put themselves through some of the world’s most rigorous training exercises (9 p.m., Fox)

The Irrational
Jessie L. Martin (he was Det. Green on Law & Order) stars in this new series as a behavioral science professor called in to investigate the murder of a fashion influencer, leading to a maze of government, law enforcement and corporate misdeeds (10 p.m., NBC). 

TUESDAY, Sept. 26
Savior Complex
Three-part docuseries unfolds the controversial story of Renee Bach, a young American missionary who felt called by God to set up a charity for malnourished children in Uganda—and later faced allegations that she, with no medical qualifications, was treating the children herself. It’s a parable about “white saviorism” and the questionable ethics of foreign aid work done in the name of religious ideals. (9 p.m., HBO).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

There has been a lot written about the Fab Four, but in Wait! What? The Beatles Couldn’t Read Music? (Norton Young Readers) author Dan Gutman offers a Yellow Submarine full of unusual and surprising facts you probably didn’t know about the lads from Liverpool—like John Lennon’s nickname of “Stinker” (because he farted so much), and how Ringo’s grandma thought he was possessed! It’s hip, humorous and geared for kids. 

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 27
Welcome to Fairhope
New docuseries goes small—into small-town America—following a multi-generational group of friends and neighbors in the community of Fairhope, Ala., where everyone knows everybody else…and usually knows their business, too (Hulu).

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Director Wes Anderson puts his whimsical, quirky touches on this beloved story by Roald Dahl about a rich man who learns he can “see” without using his eyes, then sets out to master the skill to cheat at gambling. With Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel and Ben Kingsley (Netflix).

Snake Oil
Can contestants tell the difference between “real” products and fake ones? Host David Spade challenges them to sort out the real stuff from the snake oil, guided by the opinions and expertise of celebs, athletes and other famous folk (Brad Paisley and Will Arnett, above)? (9 p.m., Fox).

THURSDAY, Sept. 28
The Kardashians
Can we ever get enough of them? (Answer: Yes, we can.). But for those who are remain fascinated by the cosmetic-surgery train wreck of this reality-show family, well, here you go. Season four starts tonight (Hulu).

Lego Masters
Will Arnett (him again!) returns to host season four of the competition series, in which Lego architects will face a new battery of challenges, including constructing an explosive volcano and a kitty-cat palace (9 p.m., Fox).

Sep 15 2023
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Books, Movies, Photography, Pop Culture, Sports, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Friday, Sept. 15 – Thursday, Sept. 21

Married life takes a murderous turn, Batman wings it all day, and Kim Kardashian’s ‘Horror Story’

Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Jenna Coleman in ‘Wilderness’

FRIDAY, Sept. 15
El Conde
Well, here’s something you don’t see every day: A dark comedy set in Chile about a fascist ruler who happens to be vampire and decides the undead life isn’t for him. Think What We Do in the Shadows with a South American twist (Netflix).

Wilderness
A cross-country dream trip turns into a domestic dilemma in this British TV-series thriller as a young wife (Jenna Coleman) stews over the infidelity of her unfaithful husband (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) as marital bliss turns into fury and revenge, with an opening song by Taylor Swift (Prime).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Game geeks, get ready! The first videogame was created about 70 years ago, but now that “novelty” has become a worldwide phenomenon. Game Changers (Phaidon) is the definitive illustrated compendium of some 300 of pop culture’s most influential and iconic games, consoles and more.

Screen Style (Lawrence King) by film fashionista media consultant Marnie Fogg lets you eyeball some of the most colorful, iconic and wowza wardrobe items from iconic TV shows and movies, including Bridgerton, Empire, Downtown Abbey, The Deuce, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Euphoria, Schitt’s Creek, The Crown and much more. And it’s packed with hundreds of full-color pics, helping exoplain how clothes “make” the man (and the woman!) by establishing time and place and character traits, and setting the tone in subtle, distinctive and absolutely integral ways.

Lovers of language (and how it sometimes gets mauled) will love Damp Squids and Card Sharks (Hardie Grant) by Robert Anwood. This lively little volume is a treat for anyone who appreciates mangled phrases, mixed metaphors, mispelling mishaps and other interesting mis-uses and outright abuses of English. 

SATURDAY, Sept. 16
WOW-Women of Wresting
Pull up your ringside seat for season two of this series about the fabulous female grapplers who it duke it out on the mat…if that’s your jam (syndicated).

Batman
Take wing with the Cape Crusader (above) and a full day of movies, include director Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed trilogy with Christian Bale (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises), plus Justice League and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (begins 10 a.m., TNT).

SUNDAY, Sept. 17
Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein
True-crime fans will flip over this new docuseries, about the serial killer and grave robber whose twisted mind and heinous acts of real-life horror inspired the movies Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (MGM+).

The Gold
Hugh Bonneville and Dominic Cooper lead the cast of this new drama (below), based on a true 1983 story about how a group of men inadvertently stumbled across some $34 million in gold bullion during a London robbery (Paramount+).

MONDAY, Sept. 18
Neighbors
New season of the Australian drama series begins tonight, following the lives, loves and challenges of residents on the fictional Ramsay Street in a suburb of Melbourne (Freevee).

The Academy of Country Music Honors
This annual all-star fete, which was held in August at Nashville’s historic auditorium, will salute country hitmakers including Chris Stapleton, Clint Black, K.T. Oslin, Tim McGraw and Mary Chapin Carpenter (8 p.m., Fox).

Superpowers
Sean Penn directed this documentary about Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky and the country’s ongoing fight for its freedom against Russia (Paramount+).

NOW HEAR THIS

Ready for some hard-charging, guitar-slinging retro rockbilly? Brian Setzer’s new The Devil Always Collects (Surfgod Records) is a hip-cat trip to rockville with a new collection of tunes from the former Stray Cats frontman—including a blisteringly groovy take on the old Del Reeves country truckin’ anthem, “Girl on the Billboard.”

TUESDAY, Sept. 19
Celebrity Name That Tune
How well do the stars know music? Find out as more famous folks come aboard for season three and try to win big bugs for their charities. Randy Fox and Jane Krakowski return as hosts (8 p.m., Fox).

The Mask
See the 1994 superhero comedy which began Jim Carrey’s trajectory as a gonzo breakout star, established Cameron Diaz as a leading lady, and made swing music hip again. And oh, yeah, it made more moolah (at the time) than any other film ever based on a comic book (10 p.m., TruTV).

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 20

American Horror Story: Delicate
Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and Cara Delevingne are among the cast for the latest installment of the award-winning anthology horror series, which will feature episodes about witches, a traveling freak show, a haunted hotel and the apocalypse itself. It’s scary good! (10 p.m., FX).

The Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal
On March 2, 2023, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. The world watched with bated breath as a verdict was announced. The people of South Carolina’s Lowcountry had been waiting the better part of two years to understand what happened the night of June 7, 2021. Now you can find out more in season two of the documentary delving into that fateful night (Netflix).  

THURSDAY, Sept. 21
Bill Murray Moviefest
He’s done some semi-serious stuff, but Murray will always be known for making us laugh. Settle in tonight for a back-to-back mini-fest of his funniest films, including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Meatballs and Stripes (5 p.m., Pluto).

The Prank Panel In the season finale, the practical-joker pranksters (Johnny Knoxville, Eric Andre and Gabourey Sidibe) help pull off an elaborate practical joke involving a new bride and an allergic reaction (9 p.m., ABC).

Sep 08 2023
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Books, History, Movies, Music, Pop Culture, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Sept. 8 – Sept. 14, 2023

The return of ‘The Morning Show,’ the ugly history of busing & a triple slab of Adam Sandler yuks

FRIDAY, Sept. 8
Bella! This Woman’s Place is in the House
Saluting the life and work of firebrand lawyer, social activist, politician and leader of the ‘60s women’s movement Bella Abzug (9 p.m., PBS).

The Changeling
LaKeith Stanfield produces and stars in this new drama series, a grown-up fairytale with a horror-story twist, about a man searching for the love of his life, who has mysteriously vanished somewhere into a New York City he didn’t even know existed… (Apple TV+)

NOW HEAR THIS

What was it like to go to a Fleetwood Mac concert back in the band’s 1970s heyday? Well, you can find out with Rumours Live (Rhino), a time-capsule recording of the band performing all their hits (“Say You Love Me,” “Dreams,” “Rhiannon,” “Landslide,” “Over My Head” and many more) for a “hometown” crowd at the Forum in Los Angeles.

SATURDAY, Sept. 9

Adam Sandler
Chill with some comedy gold from the movie funnyman with a triple-play slate of Little Nicky, Anger Management and The Longest Yard (below) (begins 8 p.m., Pluto).

Back to the Future Trilogy
Hmmm….what to do on a Saturday? Well, how about time-traveling to your couch and watching all three BTTF films in a row? (12 p.m., TBS).

SUNDAY, Sept. 10
The Masked Singer
The landmark 10th season of the popular “disguised vocalist” completion kicks off tonight with a bang, and “unmasked” performance pair-ups by Michelle Williams and Rumer Willis, Joey Fatone and Bow Wow, and Victor Oladipo and Barry Zito (8 p.m., Fox).

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
Latest spinoff of the fan-favorite franchise centers around the character of Reedus (Dixon) as he washes ashore in France and starts to find—and fight—his way back home (9 p.m., AMC).

MONDAY, Sept. 11
The Busing Battleground
Documentary (above) explores the turbulent legacy of efforts to integrate public schools—and the wave of “white flight” that followed—in the 1970s (9 p.m., PBS).

48 Hours
The popular true-crime and justice series goes wide tonight in a new weekday best-of syndication on stations nationwide (CBS and other affiliate networks).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Music lovers will love This is What It Sounds Like (RB Mecia), author Susan Rogers’ fascinating rundown of brain science, how our musical tastes and preferences are shaped, and the way music can set our mood, reawaken old memories and shape our social (tribal) identities.

TUESDAY, Sept. 12
The Swarm
New dystopian drama series taking place several years of unrestrained pollution and relentless climate change, as a mysterious force of the deep starts using the creatures of the ocean as hostile hosts and declares war on humanity (9 p.m., The CW).

Welcome to Wrexham
The reality series—about actors Ryan Gosling and Rob McElhenney’s soccer team in North Wales, the third oldest football team in the world—returns tonight (10 p.m, FX). 

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 13
America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston
The best-selling author and avid outdoor enthusiast continues his trek across the country to further discover how nature shapes the way we work, play and interact with each other (10 p.m., PBS).

The Morning Show
Time to wake up and tune in for the third season with more juicy drama about the New York City TV show still roiling in the aftermath of a sex scandal. With Jennifer Aniston, Reece Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Juliana Marguiles and Jon Hamm (Apple TV+). 

The Other Black Girl
New original series about Nella (Sinclair Daniel), the only Black employee at a New York publishing firm, who comes to suspect that something sinister is going on—and it is! (Hulu)

THURSDAY, Sept. 14
Southern Charm
Pack up and get ready to go south with a new season of this reality series (below) about good-lookin’ young’uns down in Charlotte, S.C., pursuing romance, friendship and careers (9 p.m., Bravo).

Remembering William Friedkin
The iconic director, who died last month, is celebrated with a section of his classic 1970s and ’80s films—The French Connection, To Live and Die in L.A. and The Boys in the Band (8 p.m., TCM).

Sep 01 2023
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Pop Culture, Sports, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Friday, Sept. 1 – Thursday, Sept. 7

‘The Little Mermaid,’ love in the Smoky Mountains & a sordid scouting scandal

Disney’s live-action ‘Little Mermaid’ comes ashore for streaming this week.

FRIDAY, Sept. 1
The Wheel of Time
Season two begins tonight, about a farm boy who may destroy the world and a group of sorceresses fighting his power and madness (below). With Rosamund Pike (Prime Video).

Power Book IV: Force
The hit franchise returns tonight, as Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora) charts new territory, capitalizes on his competitors’ weaknesses and makes a play at becoming Chicago’s top drug dealer (8 p.m., Starz).

SATURDAY, Sept. 2
Unforgotten
No, it’s not the Clint Eastwood Western, which was Unforgiven—but rather season five of the British crime series in which London detectives solve a new variety of cold-case disappearances and murder (9 p.m., PBS)

SUNDAY, Sept. 3
Love in the Great Smoky Mountains
Arielle Kebbell and Zach Roerig (above) star as a pair of former sweethearts who rediscover romance while working together on a project in the nation’s most-visited national park (8 p.m., Hallmark).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

You’ll get the “feels” with Motherhood (Tate Publishing), a heartwarming collection of visual representations of motherhood as depicted by artists over the centuries.

A host of vocalist all-stars tell what it’s like to do what they do in The Singers Talk (Permuted Press), featuring more than 70 revealing, wide-ranging interviews, including Tony Bennett, Emmylou Harris, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson, Stevie Nicks, Ozzie Osborne and many more!

Fans of everything royal will delight at Queen Elizabeth II: A Photographic Portrait (Thames & Hudson), a splendid collection (and reflection) on the royal highness and her 70 years on the throne, from her first official baby portrait to her Platinum Jubilee last year. More than 200 images, from acclaimed photographers, trace her life and reign, with essays by bestselling historian and author Philip Ziegler.

MONDAY, Sept. 4
Secrets of Penthouse
Four-episode series tells the true story of the rise and fall of Bob Guccione, who made millions as the founder of Penthouse magazine, which challenged Playboy for the girlie-mag market—and pushed the envelope of adult publishing further than it had ever been before (9 p.m., A&E)

Ancient Empires
Three-night event explores the legacies of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra (8 p.m., History).

While We Watched
Strong-stuff documentary offers an unfiltered looks at NDTV, once the bastion of information within India’s TV networks, now spiraling downward in waves of fake news, financial setbacks, creeping nationalism and extremist attacks on truth. It’s a snapshot of a world in crisis, told through the microcosm of one television network that stands as a representative of modern journalism (10 p.m., PBS). 

TUESDAY, Sept. 5

BRING IT HOME

Worlds collide in the acclaimed Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment), in which multiple versions of the character intersect in a dazzling spectacle of animated adventure. With Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali and Oscar Isaac.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City
The reality series returns for a new season (below) with frigid family dynamics, red hot international travel and a shocking betrayal that none of the women saw coming (9 p.m., Bravo).

One Shot: Overtime Elite
Six-part sports documentary series follows the new generation of NBA top draft-pick rookies, led by Amen and Ausar Thompson, Jakhi Howard, Rob Dillingham and Eli Ellis (Prime).

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6
Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America
How did the Scouts try to cover up one of history’s most horrific sexual abuse scandals? Find out in this documentary, which talks to whistleblowers, survivors and former BSA employees (Netflix).

The Little Mermaid
Disney’s recent live-action re-imagining of its “under the sea” music-filled classic comes today to streaming, with Halle Bailey as Ariel, Javier Bardem as King Triton and Melissa McCarthy as the evil Ursula (Disney+).

THURSDAY, Sept. 7
The Dead Files
Season three of the spooky reality series finds psychic medium Cindy Kaza and homicide detective Steve DiSchiavia teaming up again for more investigations of the paranormal (10 p.m., Travel).

Virgin River
Alexandra Breckinridge (above) returns as midwife “Mel” Monroe for season five of the romantic drama series as the characters face a shocking breakup, a wrenching court trial and a wildfire that threatens their northern California town (Netflix). 

Aug 25 2023
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The Entertainment Forecast

Aug. 25 – Aug. 31

Cinderella gets a new shine, life in Ireland, way-out crimes & Elvis’ Army days

FRIDAY, Aug. 25
Cinderella
Disney returns to its roots with this newly restored high-def version of its 1950 animated film classic. And didja know: A young Mike Douglas, who’d later become famous as a TV talk-show host, provided the singing voice of Prince Charming!  (Disney+).

The Escape of Carlos Ghosn
New docuseries details the true story of a CEO turned fugitive, his relentless climb to the top the corporate ladder in Japan, his shocking arrest and unbelievable escape to Lebanon (Apple TV+).

SATURDAY, Aug. 26
Napa Ever After
Above: After inheriting her grandmother’s winery in Napa Valley, a high-powered attorney (Denise Boutté) decides to renovate the property, with the help of a handsome local handyman (Colin Lawrence) (9 p.m., Hallmark).

Attenborough: Behind the Lens
Find out how the revered documentary filmmaker, who recently celebrated his 97th birthday, kept pushing for new ways to tell natural history for viewers using the latest technologies around the world, in every kind of climate (8 p.m., BBC America).

SUNDAY, Aug. 27
The $100,000 Pyramid
In tonight’s season finale, Wendi McLendon-Covey (from The Goldbergs) pits wits with Matt Walsh (Veep), and Amanda Kloots (host of The Talk) vies with Marcus Lemonis (The Profit) for a spot in the winner’s circle (8 p.m., ABC). 

MONDAY, Aug. 28
Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland
New series (above) takes you inside the country, and alongside the real people living in its ongoing conflict (check local listings, PBS).

Love Island
Above: Which of the beautiful couples/contestants will win the viewers’ votes will win the reality competition—set in a secluded villa where they are followed constantly (Big Brother style) with cameras and recorded by microphones—in its season 5 finale? Reality? Hardly! (Peacock).

TUESDAY, Aug. 29
A Murder at the End of the World
New murder mystery series stars Emma Corrin as an amateur sleuth trying to put the pieces of a horrific crime together inside the remote and isolated compound of a reclusive billionaire. With Clive Owen (Hulu).

Archer
The hip award-winning animated series returns tonight for its 14th and final season as Sterling Archer navigates the changing landscapes of the modern spy world (10 p.m., FXX)

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 30
Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zone
Travel the world with author Dan Buettner to discover five unique communities where residents live extraordinarily long and vibrant lives (Netflix).

My Strange Arrest
An in-depth looks at people who are arrested for (allegedly!) committing some really weird, way-out crimes (10 p.m., A&E).

BRING IT HOME

Far, far away from The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence stars in the wildly raunchy comedy No Hard Feelings (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) as a young woman hired to “make a man” of a wealthy couple’s son before he leaves for college. Yeah, that.

Learn all about the movies with The Complete Story of Film (MusicBox Films), the new box set of two acclaimed, immersive documentaries from director Mark Cousins with  definitive discourses on the development, innovations and themes of cinema around the world.

THURSDAY, Aug. 31
One Piece
A young man and his pirate crew explore a fantastical new world in search of treasure in this new adventure-filled live-action adaptation of a Japanese manga series (Netflix).

The Pact
It’s season two of the is edge-of-your-seat morality tale with lovable, complex characters under extreme pressure, navigating blood ties and divided loyalties while facing the ghosts of their past. Starring Rakie Ayola, Lloyd Everitt, Aaron Anthony and Mali Ann Rees (Sundance Now and AMC+).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

You’ve probably seen the G.I. days of Elvis referred to in documentaries and such, but usually as a passing chapter of his life before he came “home” to continue rockin’. Now in My Army Days with Elvis (Xulon Press), author Johnny Lang recalls his time as Presley’s Army buddy (in Germany, 1958-1960), where they trained, played football…and partied! It’s a rare, personal glimpse in the musical superstar during a period when he was serving his country, and from from the glare of the celebrity spotlight.

Aug 11 2023
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Books, DVDs, Movies, Television, TV

The Entertainment Forecast

Aug. 11 – Aug. 17

A double dose of Elvis, a search for barbecue & telemarketer whistle blowers

FRIDAY, Aug. 11
Men In Kilts: A Road Trip with Sam and Graham
Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish hit the road again (above) for a second season of adventures, this time exploring the Down Under world of New Zealand (9:30 p.m., Starz).

Red, White and Royal Blue
In this new feature film, the son of the U.S. president and a British prince find themselves in the middle of a tabloid frenzy, out of which a deeper relationship develops. With Uma Thurman and Clifton Collins Jr. (Peacock).

NOW HEAR THIS

Celebrate the milestone 50th anniversary of Elvis Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite with a deluxe reissue of the groundbreaking 1973 event and album, loaded with bonus content—three discs of remastered and enhanced material, including a dress rehearsal, plus a 28-page booklet and the first-ever Blu-ray release of the original broadcast. Groove to such Elvis classics “Burning Love,” “My Way,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Suspicious Minds” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and a hunka-hunka lot more!

SATURDAY, Aug. 12
Hip Hop Treasures
Have you any hip hop treasures? You might, and LL Cool J and Ice T can let you know when they come to your door. They’re hosting this new series in which they track down down conic memorabilia from the musical era of hip hop, now celebrating the format’s 50th anniversary (10 p.m., A&E).

Kings of Barbecue
Black-ish star Anthony Anderson and comedian Cedric the Entertainer (above) travel across the country and fire up the grill in search of their one of their favorite foods, and the people who make it, in this new docuseries (9 p.m., A&E).

SUNDAY, Aug. 13
Telemarketers
Docuseries about two amateur sleuths in the early 2000s who set out to expose a crooked industry from within. It’s a madcap, sometimes witty odyssey stretching over 20 years into the dark side of American capitalism and the misuse of consumer trust (10 p.m., HBO).

Billions
The award-winning hit series (above), exploring a group of suit-and-tie money moguls embroiled in an escalating war driven by power, money and greed, returns for its seventh and final season, with Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Corey Stoll and Maggie Siff (8 p.m., Showtime).

MONDAY, Aug. 14
Solar Opposites
Season four begins of the animated chaotic comedy series (below) about a group of space aliens who can’t decide if Earth is awesome, or awful. Voices by Dan Stevens, Thomas Middleditch, Mary Mack and Sean Giambrone (Hulu).

TUESDAY, Aug. 15
Re-Inventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback
Documentary examines the dramatic creation of the groundbreaking hour-long TV event that triggered the comeback of Elvis Presley (Paramount+).

The Love Experiment
New dating-game twist features a relationship expert guiding three young women through a literal “hall” of eligible men, and coaching them on how to make the best choices (10 p.m., MTV).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Go deep into football’s past in Gridiron Legacy by Gregg Ficery (Gramarye Media/The Story Plant), which traces the sport’s origins all the way back to its muddy roots in the late 1800s. It’s a treasure trove of forgotten sports history and pics, long before the Super Bowl and millionaire superstar athletes were a thing.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 16
Grown-ish
Oh, more college drama! Dean Miller recruits Aaron (Trevor Jackson) to convince Andre (Marcus Shribner) and the rest of their fraternity to cultivate a relationship with a problematic alum (10 p.m., Freeform).

THURSDAY, Aug. 17
The Wonder Years
The family embarks on a road trip to Austin College, the makes a stop at Disneyworld, where Bill (Dulè Hill) meets up with some old bandmates and reflects on his life choices (9:30 p.m., ABC).

Tracy Morgan: Takin’ It Too Far
The former SNL star goes on stage for this stand-up comedy special from the Wilbur Theater in Boston, where he takes on a variety of topics, including the 2014 car crash that left him with several broken bones and a brain injury (Max).

Jul 21 2023
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The Entertainment Forecast

Friday, July 21 – Thursday, July 27

Nicole K roars like a lioness, hot dogs in Cali, dystopian drivers & a Zoey reunion!

Nicole Kidman stars in the new terrorism thriller ‘Special Ops: Lioness’

FRIDAY, July 21
Praise Petey
Animated series about a New York City “it” girl who attempts to modernize her father’s small-town cult. With voices by Annie Murphy, John Cho, Stephen Root, Amy Hill and Christine Baranski (10 p.m., Freeform).

Minx
Season two begins tonight of the L.A.-based workplace comedy, in which a young feminist (Ophelia Lovibond) aligns with a scrappy adult-magazine publisher (Jake Johnson) to create the first erotic magazine for women in the ’70s (9 p.m., Starz).

Jake Johnson and Ophelia Lovibond star in season two of ‘Minx,’ inspired by the rise in the 1970s of fem-centric magazines like ‘Playgirl’ and ‘Cosmopolitan.’

SATURDAY, July 22
Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators
Jo Joyner (who plays Lu Shakespeare) and Mark Benton (as Frank Hathaway) wrap up season one tonight with double episodes of this lively BBC crime-solving drama about a hard-boiled detective and his rookie sidekick poking around crimes and misdemeanors in Stratford-Upon-Avon (Ovation).

SUNDAY, July 23
Special Ops: Lioness
Espionage thriller stars Zoe Saldana as a CIA operative trying to prevent the next terrorist attack on America. With Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman (Paramount+).

Carnival Eats
In tonight’s episode, “Some Like It Hot Dog,” host Noah Cappe travels the country to sample more fair food, including the Devil Dog at the OC Winterfest in Costa Mesa, Calif., and other goodies in Tucson and West Palm Beach (9 p.m., Cooking Channel).

Shark Week!
Who better to host than the guy who lives under the sea? Jason Momoa (he plays Aquaman in DC movies) hosts this week-long dive into all stuff shark-y (Discovery).

MONDAY, July 24
Futurama
After a decade-long hiatus, the satirical animated sci-fi series (created by The Simpsons’ Matt Groening) returns, with voices by Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio and Billy West (Hulu).

The Golden Boy
Put ‘em up! Boxing fans will feel like they’re in the ring with this two-part doc on a gloved legend, Oscar De La Hoya, the “Golden Boy” who won an Olympic gold medal at age 19 and went on to become a pro boxing legend—and a role model to the Mexican-American community (HBO).

TUESDAY, July 25
Under G-D
Kicking off a new season of the acclaimed PBS shorts, this 24-minute documentary looks at the abortion controversy through a group of Jewish women fighting to protect rights, uphold the separation of church and state, and oppose rabbis and other clergy who want to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade (available on streaming via PBS.org and the PBSApp).

BRING IT HOME

Another new release for movie buffs, Soundies: The Ultimate Collection (Kino Lorber) spotlights some 200 musical “jukebox” short films that kept Americans entertained during the World War II era. These early music videos included performances by Doris Day, Cab Calloway, Liberace, Duke Ellington, Spike Jones, Merle Travis and many more, and they played on coin-operated machines in neighborhood bars and taverns all over the country.

The madcap comedy thriller So I Married an Axe Murderer, starring Nancy Travers and a pre-Austin Powers Mike Myers, is 30 years old! Can you believe it? The new 4K anniversary release contains half an hour of unused and deleted scenes (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).

WEDNESDAY, July 26
On the Case with Paula Zahn
In tonight’s episode, chilling evidence found inside a quaint Utah bookstore leads to the murderer of its beloved owner—or does it? (10 p.m., ID).

Abbott Elementary
It’s not quite back-to-school time, but classroom is in full session of TV’s award-winning comedy series. Tonight, the AE teachers must decide which two of them deserves a plum district award—a pair of courtside tickets to a 76ers game (9:30 p.m., ABC).

LISTEN UP!

Unleash your white winged dove and fly high with Stevie Nicks: Complete Studio Albums and Rarities (Rhino). Available digitally, as a 10-CD box 16 LPs, it’s all of her solo albums, newly unearthed tracks (of course) her hits, including “Stop Dragging My Heart Around” (with Tom Petty), “Leather and Lace” (with Don Henley) and more. Get your Stevie on! 

THURSDAY, July 27
The Slumber Party
Coming of age comedy fiim, based on a YA novel about a hypnotism stunt gone wrong, stars Darby Camp, Emmy Liu-Wang, Valentina Herrera and Dallas Liu (8 p.m., Disney).

Twisted Metal
Anthony Mackie (above) Wil Arnett and Thomas Hayden Church star in this new series, a rock-‘em, sock-‘em adaption of a 2001 video game about drivers and their cars in a Mad Max-ian dystopia (Peacock).

Zoey 102
Jamie Lynn Spears, Erin Sanders and other castmates from the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 return for this new film about an over-the-top wedding and a wild high school reunion (Paramount+).

READ ALL ABOUT IT

What’s Fido thinking? Canine behaviorist Louise Glazebrook’s Teach Yourself Dog (Lawrence King) is a fun matching “memory game” of cards leading you to learn how to “speak dog” by recognizing their gestures and looks as signposts to what your fur babies are feeling.

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