Articles by Ryan Berenz

About Ryan Berenz

Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.

“I Love Lucy Christmas Special” classic episodes on CBS

December 23, 2015 Ryan Berenz

Two back-to-back classic episodes of the 1950s series I Love Lucy are featured in the I Love Lucy Christmas Special on CBS Wednesday, Dec. 23, at 8pm ET/PT. This year the “Christmas episode” (first presented in December 1956), now colorized in its entirety, is paired with the newly colorized “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” (a.k.a. “Vitameatavegamin,” first broadcast on May 5, 1952). The two episodes are seamlessly combined into one set with no interruption between the episodes.

Discovery Channel Alaskan Bush People recap: Dead in the Water

December 17, 2015 Ryan Berenz

Go Here For All Of Your AWESOME And EXXXTREME Alaskan Bush People Needs! Do the Alaskan Bush People get paid? We asked! Read our interview with the Brown family. “Alaskan Bush People? I’m tired of Alaskan Bush People!” Those were the words of my 5-year-old son when I started up this week’s ABP on the DVR. You know you’ve got problems when kindergarteners are bored with you. Bam, Bear, Gabe and Matt are in Gustavus waiting on Stevie Wonder to get his bear wood-carving done so they can haul it back to Hoonah. Somehow they end up at some guy’s place. He has […]

Idris Elba is back in BBC America’s “Luther” special

December 17, 2015 Ryan Berenz

Idris Elba returns as DCI John Luther in this long-awaited Luther special event premiering on BBC America Thursday, Dec. 17, at 9pm ET/PT. Pitted against his most chilling adversary yet, haunted by the ghosts of his past and hellbent on retribution, Luther’s drawn into a terrifyingly complex case that pushes him closer to the edge than he’s ever been. Preview: Photo: Credit: Steffan Hill © BBC

Bob Newhart returns for TBBT’s Star Wars-themed “The Opening Night Excitation”

December 17, 2015 Ryan Berenz

The Big Bang Theory episode “The Opening Night Excitation” expresses the feelings of a lot of Star Wars fans on the eve of the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. After more than five years of dating, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) spend their first night together. Also, the group must decide who will take their extra Star Wars movie ticket. Bob Newhart returns in his guest role as Sheldon’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. “The Opening Night Excitation” premieres on CBS Thursday, Nov. 17, at 8pm ET/PT. Preview: Photo: Credit: Michael Yarish/CBS ©2015 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

2015-16 college football bowl games TV schedule

December 16, 2015 Ryan Berenz

So it seems that College Football Playoff thing actually lived up to the hype. In the inaugural four-team playoff to determine college football’s national champion back in January, the 13-member selection committee took some heat for choosing Ohio State as the fourth entrant over equally deserving TCU. But the Buckeyes bucked conventional wisdom and upset No. 1 Alabama 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl semifinal, then handed it to No. 2 Oregon 42-20 in the title game. The selection committee looked like geniuses, the playoff was a phenomenal success and the championship game became the highest-rated program in the history of […]

Yet ANOTHER 2015 year-end best-of-TV list!

December 15, 2015 Ryan Berenz

17 TV THINGS WORTH CELEBRATING IN 2015 17. The Left Shark Katy Perry’s Super Bowl XLIX halftime performance amped up the camp with dancing sharks, but the choreographically challenged Left Shark stole the show. It was probably his idea to pass on second and goal from the 1-yard line. 16. Empress of the Blues Queen Latifah brilliantly embodied blues music legend Bessie Smith in HBO’s Emmy-winning biopic Bessie, a visually and audibly engrossing examination of Depression-era social issues that linger today. 15. Here for the Fear AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead helped sate TWD fans’ late-summer cravings for zombie-head-busting fun […]

2015 Heisman Trophy Presentation Saturday on ESPN

December 12, 2015 Ryan Berenz

The Heisman Trophy is awarded to the year’s most outstanding college football player in this ceremony on ESPN, with Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey, Alabama RB Derrick Henry and Clemson QB Deshaun Watson the three finalists invited to New York City. ESPN airs the 2015 Heisman Trophy Presentation on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 8pm ET.

2015 Army-Navy football game TV coverage on CBS

December 12, 2015 Ryan Berenz

Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field is the site of this year’s traditional rivalry game between the Army Black Knights (2-9) and the No. 21 Navy Midshipmen (9-2). CBS airs Army-Navy on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 3pm ET. Navy’s 17-10 win over Army last year extended Navy’s winning streak in the series to 13 games.

Discovery Channel Alaskan Bush People recap: Dock-u-Drama

December 10, 2015 Ryan Berenz

Go Here For All Of Your Hole-Digging Alaskan Bush People Needs! Do the Alaskan Bush People get paid? We asked! Read our interview with the Brown family. After whatever the hell that was last week, the saga of Brownton Abbey resumes with “Dock-u-Drama,” a delightfully punned title. In the TV business, we’ve seen shows promoted a multitude of ways by adding “docu” to them. We’ve seen “docudrama,” “docuseries” and even something called a “docusoap.” The networks and producers wanted to get away from “reality” shows, since there is so little reality in them and the word was getting negative connotations. (I wonder […]

2015 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show struts on CBS Tuesday

December 8, 2015 Ryan Berenz

The Victoria’s Secret Angels are back on the runway in New York City for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show special on CBS Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 10pm ET/PT. Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, and newest Angels Elsa Hosk, Jac Jagaciak, Jasmine Tookes, Kate Grigorieva, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell, Taylor Hill and Victoria’s Secret PINK model Rachel Hilbert are among the lingerie models strutting their stuff. Musical guests are Ellie Goulding, Selena Gomez and The Weeknd. Photo: Credit: Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS ©2015 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved