Marc Hirsh

Tweaks, Retooling, And When To Give Up: A Tale Of Two Singing Shows

Marc Hirsh — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:37:00 +0000

As The Voice returns to NBC this week for its fourth season, viewers are seeing two new, if quite familiar, faces as Shakira and Usher occupy the coaches' seats vacated by Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green. Its talent-show rival over on Fox, The X Factor, will also see two new judges when (if?

A Farewell Salute To 'Ben & Kate,' A Show About Friends Who Are Actually Friends

Marc Hirsh — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:32:00 +0000

Whether this week's announcements that both ABC's Don't Trust The B- In Apt. 23 and Fox's Ben & Kate are being yanked from the schedules mark the beginning of the Great Sitcom Massacre of 2013 remains to be seen. It almost certainly means the end of two strong shows whose casts were clearly having a blast making them.

In the case of Ben & Kate, it also means that television's current comedy slate is losing one of its rare shows where everyone likes everyone else.

It's Who You Know: Predicting How 'The Newsroom' Will Get Its Next Scoop

Marc Hirsh — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 12:07:00 +0000

If there's one thing that HBO's The Newsroom is especially good at, it's portraying journalists who aren't especially good at journalism.

Well, maybe that's not fair.

The Perfect Listen: Fiona Apple As A Lesson In Irrational Music Rituals

Marc Hirsh — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:32:00 +0000

On June 19, a week and a half ago, Fiona Apple released a brand new album, her first in seven years. The entire album had been available for streaming by NPR Music for a week and a half by then. Three days later, my copy arrived in the mail. It hasn't left my desk since.

I still haven't listened to it.

Mind you, I've been looking forward to The Idler Wheel... more than maybe any other album this year.