The Humans is now the Tony frontrunner

Stephen Karam's Broadway debut, The Humans, is the frontrunner in the Best Play race. Let's see how the battle with Eclipsed will shape up! My re-review of the transfer is here.

More Walking Dead!

This time, I reflect on Rick's evolution in the winter premiere. Who would have thought this guy could ever say "I was wrong"?!? Click here for the post-mortem (no pun intended).

The Walking Dead's sixth season returns

Glenn fiasco aside, I've been enjoying the sixth season of The Walking Dead tremendously. The winter premiere didn't let me down. My preview's here.

Thank God for Jokes

As a punctual person living with someone blessed with a rubbery conception of time, I really felt for Mike Birbiglia's riff on the difference between people who are on time and people who are late. He belongs to the first category, and about the second, he has this to say: "We hate you." Gently, of course -- this is Mike Birbiglia, not Triumph. Anyway, his new solo, Thank God for Jokes, is one of my picks this week. Click here to discover my skips.

Does the producer behind the feminist tweets live up to his message?

I looked him up, and the result is a half empty/half full type thing.

Interview with Giacomo Gianniotti

The interns keep rolling at Grey's Anatomy, and the latest one is Dr. Andrew DeLuca. I had a chat with Giacomo Gianniotti, the Canadian-Italian actor who portrays him. Click here for more.

Frozen comes to Broadway

Will Frozen be the new Hamilton? Or the new Wicked? Or the new Little Mermaid? More guesswork here.

The return of The X-Files

OK, so that came out a little while ago but I was away on a ski trip and thoughts of work went out the window. The takeaway: Gillian Anderson makes David Duchovny's acting look worse than ever. More here.

Skeleton Crew is my pick of the week

Skeleton Crew leads my picks this week, with a more reserved endorsement of Erin Markey's A Ride on the Irish Cream. You can skip Our Mother's Brief Affair, though. The low-down is here.

Cats is a musical that can end friendships

Cats is back and I'm happy about it! Read my take on why this show is so divisive here.

London Spy

Spying is almost an afterthought in London Spy, an excellent new miniseries on BBC America. Rather, the show looks at the construction of identity, and how said identity helps us construct our lives -- or contributes to ruin our lives. My review's here.

TV characters and their tragic flaws

Of course characters must be multi-faceted, but does one of those facets must include a drug addiction? Some examples and more in my piece here.

Mercy Street

PBS tries its hand at original drama, with unsteady results. Did we really need the brilliant surgeon to have a morphine addiction?!? My review's here.

Noises Off

One of the best things about the new Noises Off is the playbill for Nothing On, the show-within-the-show. As for the rest, this is a textbook example of a production being less than the sum of its sterling parts. My review's here.

Gillian Anderson talks X-Files

I talked with Gillian Anderson again (be still, my heart!), and this time it was about the return of The X-Files. I admit it: I got emotional when I heard that theme music again. Click here for the chat.

Looking back at MADtv with Nicole Parker

I've long been a Nicole Parker fan so it was a pleasure to chat with her about MADtv. Click here for our convo, as well as some choice YouTube clips.

January's theater festivals

What CMJ is to music fans, January is to theater lovers — especially if they go for experimental fare, because Broadway this ain't. I picked five shows that looked promising, at least to me, because in the end the one requirement is: What would I go see? Click here for more deets.

My weekend with Cristin Milioti

Cristin Milioti's in Lazarus until the end of the month, and just finished a stint in Fargo's second season. Busy! Fortunately she still goes out on weekend. See you at Bareburger!

Fiddler on the Roof

The peanut gallery was up in arms about one minute of added material to Fiddler on the Roof -- respectful, silent material! Can you imagine if some truly radical director took a stab at it? Whatever: I loved the respectful new revival. My review's here.

My chat with Mary Berry

If you're as in love with The Great British Baking Show — and even its spinoff, The Great Holiday Baking Show — as I am, you'll get a kick out of my chat with Mary Berry.

The year's best theater flops

Some were atrocious, other simply dull dull dull. Have a look to my top 5 list of theater's worst moments in 2015.

K-pop group Oh My Girl was detained at LAX because...

...well, let's just say this may have been a case of mistaken identity, at least according to the band's management company. Less charitable spirits say it was a stupid lack of visa. Click here for some K-pop fun.

2015's top ten

My favorite shows of 2015 are the ones that surprised me, that made me reconsider what I thought I knew about a play, its characters, their and my emotions, the story -- and storytelling itself. Maybe that's why Hamilton isn't included: It's a very good show, but it never caught me by surprise or made me question things. Here are the finalists.

What to see and skip this week

This week's picks are the Shakespeare-Beatles hybrid These Paper Bullets! along with the revival of Once Upon a Mattress and Staceyann Chin's new solo, MotherStruck!
I was less impressed by Marjorie Prime than my colleagues, though any show with Lois Smith has something going for it. Click here for more details.

review of Luther

I used to love Luther but the show's sick fascination with perverted serial killers is getting old. Still: Idris Elba! My review's of the fourth installment is here.

I tried broomball and lived to tell the tale

The only disappointment is that no spell-casting is involved in broomball. Click here for my exploits on the Prospect Park ice.

This week's picks and pans

This week I recommend Nick Kroll and John Mulaney's Oh, Hello, as well as School of Rock. You can skip Lazarus, unless you're a huge David Bowie fan.

The Color Purple

Jennifer Hudson sings great but has little presence as an actress. Still, the show works as a massager of tear ducts. My review's here.

Is The Good Wife doomed?

I've been a huge fan of The Good Wife from day one, but this season has been trying. Not bad so much as not exciting -- sorry, show, you've trained us to expect a lot! Here's my take on the first half of season 7 before this Sunday's winter finale.

Skiing at Portes du Soleil

My ski trip to the French Alps in January coincided with the non-blizzard that cancelled all the flights in and out of NYC. I'm not complaining: I got extra days in Savoie, which, frankly, I'll take anytime. You can read about my adventures at Portes du Soleil here. This is a follow-up to my adventures at Paradiski.

Lazarus

Statistically you don't have a ticket for Lazarus, which sold out in hours. If you do, chances are you're a huge David Bowie fan and you'll get a kick out of it. Somehow. My review's here.

School of Rock

Great big return to form for Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose School of Rock is a delight. I have some quibbles, sure, but overall I'd recommend this one. My review's here.

The Walking Dead Experience

What's better than watching The Walking Dead? Experiencing its zombie-apocalypse world — for a little while. Also, without getting bitten. Click here for my preview of this immersive new show.

The Great Holiday Baking Show

The first episode of ABC's remake of The Great British Baking Show was surprisingly enjoyable — you could see them trying very hard to capture the original's unique tone. Too bad local baker Grace Langan didn't make the cut. At least she gave us a recipe.

Meet Broadway's latest hunks

I love all four of them! Don't make me choose! Click here for the goods.

This week's picks and pans

This week I recommend Gigantic and Important Hats of the 20th Century (at least the latter's first act). You can skip Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games, Invisible Thread and New York Animals -- though the last boasts some gorgeous Burt Bacharach melodies. More details here.

The Wiz Live!

NBC got it largely right with its live telecast of The Wiz. The solution was simple: get people who can sing! Still, I wish the network would just shoot its next musical in front of a live audience. It'll do wonder for the energy. My review's here.

China Doll

Will the debacle known as China Doll mark the end of David Mamet's teflon years? Because I'm not sure how his already damaged reputation could recover. My review's here.

Lin-Manuel Miranda scores the new cantina

Lin-Manuel Miranda's turf has just expanded to a galaxy far, far away: He scored the cantina scene in the new Star Wars movie. Miranda for President 2030!

A Very Murray Christmas

I'm not that into Christmas but I do love variety specials, and Netflix's new A Very Murray Christmas hits the sweet spot. Click here for my review.

Evaluating The Walking Dead midseason finale

Except for the handling of Glenn, I've been loving season 6 of The Walking Dead. But all good things must come to an end, and so they did with an utterly mediocre midseason finale. My take's here.

City on Fire take-down

It's rare that a novel makes me angry but City on Fire did just that. I only refrained from throwing it across the room because 1. it's huge and I didn't want to break something or hurt someone and 2. it was a library copy. So instead, I vented about it here.

The Walking Dead blew it with Glenn

Basically The Walking Dead set itself up for a fail no matter what happened to Glenn. What makes it even worse is that the season's been otherwise stellar. Click here for my take.

My weekend with Andrew Rannells

OK, so it's not literally my weekend with Andrew Rannells -- more like my chatting with Andrew Rannells about his weekend. Click here to see where his favorite spots are so you can happen to run into him.

Mudd Club rummage sale

The Mudd Club is using its iconic name for a good cause with a rummage sale to benefit the Bowery Mission Women's Project. More details here.

Misery

Broadway needs more fun genre exercises like Misery and less hand-wringing couch plays. Click here for my review.

Picks of the week: A View from the Bridge, Henry IV

It was a great week for British imports: A View from the Bridge on Broadway, Henry IV off. Now that's how you do the classics!

On the other hand, I recommend you skip the clunkily earnest Allegiance, as well as Dada Woof Papa Hot and Taylor Mac's surprisingly muddled and bitter Hir. Details here.

Why Walking Dead fans need to stop whining

The series is better than never -- yes, I'm going there -- and yet fans are whining. Too much philosophizing, not enough gore? And Glenn? What happened to Glenn?!? I address these pressing issues and more here.

Theater's having a senior moment

I couldn't be happier than theater is having a senior moment -- who'd complain to see a show where the stars are Marylouise Burke and Holland Taylor? (Yeah, I loved Ripcord.) More here.

On Your Feet!

Now this is a musical that earns its exclamation mark -- and then some. Just when I was thinking this Broadway season couldn't get any grimmer, the show perked me up. My review's here.

Shonda Rhimes must do something right

In her new book, Year of Yes, super-producer Shonda Rhimes has plenty of advice based on her experience saying yes for a year. Admitted, few of us will have her problems: Should I accept Dartmouth's invitation to speak at its commencement? Should I guest-star on Mindy Kaling's show? (I have to say yes to my wife asking me to bring back more milk.) Anyway, the book should be especially fun to fans of Grey's Anatomy because it reads like one of Meredith's monologues. More here.

The British royals: off with their heads!

Of course I'd think that -- any French person would! But my colleague Johnny Oleksinski disagrees, and King Charles III sent us into a spirited debate.

The Great British Baking Show

Why did PBS change the title of The Great British Bake Off to The Great British Baking Show? No idea, but it doesn't matter: This is the only reality-TV series I watch, and here's why.

Which movie stars have fared best on Broadway

Some of them tank, others navigate the stage with ease. Some will never back, others I can't wait to see again. Click here to see who's who.

Go see The Humans and Thérèse Raquin

The Roundabout has two very different versions of drama on offer, and they're both worthy in their own ways. Click here for my critic's picks.

Matthew Broderick: why?

Matthew Broderick's in Sylvia and I wondered why he keeps getting cast in comedies when he flounders in them. Might a drama suit him better? My reasoning's here.

The Walking Dead's Thank You

The Walking Dead's sixth season is up to a fantastic start with three terrific episodes in a row. My thoughts on "Thank You," in which a character died -- really, really died.

Interview with Peaches

What's in the teaches of Peaches? Still plenty, as it turns out. Click here for more.

A short intro to Mark Rylance

Hollywood is discovering Mark Rylance thanks to his scene-stealing turn in Bridge of Spies, but theater fans have known about him for a long time. Click here for my brief intro.

The Gin Game

Man, The Gin Game is a mean-spirited play! Not that you'd know from the Broadway revival I reviewed here.

Eclipsed

Lupita Nyong'o makes a convincing NY stage debut in Danai Gurira's Eclipsed. Click here for the full review.

Stop hating on Mamie Gummer!

In a world awash in children of celebrities, Mamie Gummer is easy to like. Just don't try to make her a star. Click here for my paean to this hard-working thespian.

Old Times

I never thought I'd say that about a Pinter play, but Old Times is hot. Hot as in smoldering and pent-up, not explicit. I still can't tell what's going on in the show, but watching Clive Owen, Eve Best and Kelly Reilly undress each other with their eyes is enough, thank you very much. My review's here.

Fear the Walking Dead post-mortem

After last night's finale, I look back at Fear the Walking Dead. In short: It wasn't that great but I'll keep on watching because zombies.

Philippe Petit's dream weekend

Philippe Petit lives near Woodstock, but here we chatted about his ideal NYC weekend.

Interview with Cush Jumbo

I chatted with the lovely Cush Jumbo about her signing on as a regular on The Good Wife.

Spring Awakening

The Deaf West revival is perfectly well crafted, almost to a fault — a show can certainly be overly polished. My review's here.

Josh Groban

Another fun interview in today's paper, this time with Josh Groban.

Adrienne Truscott's Asking for It

If you only know Adrienne Truscott from the Wau Wau Sisters or her work as a choreographer, you'll learn a lot more going to her standup show. Click here for my chat with the delightful Ms. Truscott.

Fulfillment

Thomas Bradshaw's latest is fairly tame -- but only by his standards. My review's here.

How to Live on Earth

Colt Coeur strikes again with this delightful, low-key show about interstellar exploration. Or rather, those who are left behind. My review's here.

Women owned the 2015 Emmys

And how! Maybe they should be renamed the Femmys. More of my postmortem here.

Iphigenia in Aulis

I'm a huge fan of Anne Washburn and Rachel Chavkin but their adaptation of Iphigenia in Aulis is disjointed, to say the least. My review's here.

The Christians

Lucas Hnath confirms the hopes put onto him with his Disney play at Soho Rep: The Christians is thoughtful, smart, cleverly plotted. My review's here.

Judy

My take on Max Posner's play Judy is a lot more nuanced than what the headline suggests. Click here for the full review.

It's time for Dancing with the Stars to go

I've loved that show but the relationship is over: As Dan Savage would put it, DTMFA! Click here for more.

Isolde

Richard Maxwell's latest is about a love triangle. Well, sort of. My review's here.

Desire

Six playwrights adapt short stories by Tennessee Williams for the stage. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't -- big surprise, right? My review's here.

The Legend of Georgia McBride

This show is what happens when a meh play lands a great production -- it's one of the most fun plays in town right now. My review's here.

Farewell, Mamma Mia!

I couldn't love ABBA more but I'm very happy Mamma Mia! is finally closing on Broadway. Find out why here.

Music roundup

Ghost, Carly Rae Jepsen, Jordin Sparks, Grace Mitchell: last week I did a fill-in new-music roundup — just like old times! Click here for the goods.

Guide to the US Open

What, you've never been? Here are some reasons why this year a good one for a visit.

A Delicate Ship

Technically speaking A Delicate Ship isn't bad but it also represents a lot of what I dislike about current American drama: it's over-workshopped, safe, overly planned. My review's here.

Whorl Inside a Loop

Don't miss Sherie Rene Scott and Dick Scanlan's new show, if only for its fantastic cast. My review's here.

Sense of an Ending

Not much to say about this show, other than the writing is too dull to rise to the story's challenges. My review's here.

Love & Money

A.R. Gurney kinda phoned in his new show -- feels like he rotary-dialed it, too. My review's here.

More Fear the Walking Dead

The cast of Fear the Walking Dead may be new, but the characters will be familiar to Walking Dead fans. Read on.

Beautiful redux

Chilina Kennedy fares better in Beautiful than Taye Diggs does in Hedwig. The shows are very different beasts in terms of what sells them, though. My re-review is here.

Interview with Alycia Debnam-Carey

I chatted with the young Aussie star about her role on Fear the Walking Dead, with a little extra on The 100. Click here for the goods.

Mercury Fur

I wasn't overly impressed by Philip Ridley's play, which is just empty pose. And the production isn't well acted, either. My review's here.

Fear the Walking Dead

The Walking Dead prequel is here, and I like it! My review of the first two episodes is here.

Informed Consent

A good play that's thoughtful without being didactic. Click here for my review.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch redux

I went back to Hedwig and the Angry Inch, now starring Taye Diggs. My re-review is here.

My favorite Max Martin No. 1 hits

How to just pick five? Answer here.

Walks off the beaten path

I put together a small selection of offbeat walks in the city. First and foremost: Erin Markey's Annie tour. More here.

John

I'd had my doubts about the scope of Annie Baker's talent -- so far her plays have struck me as well-crafted but minor. John finally convinced me. Read my review here.

Cymbeline

Cymbeline is a decent offering from Shakespeare in the Park but it'd be great if we could get new casts and creatives next year. My review's here.

Hamilton redux

Broadway suits Hamilton: the show looks very spiffy under brighter lights. I still have problems with it, but since I'm the only one... My review's here.

Meryl Streep's best singing performances

I ranked Meryl Streep's best singing performances, all of which are probably better than Ricki and the Flash. Click here for the goods.

Odd Birdz

Israeli company Tziporela brings its brand of whimsical sketch comedy to NY. My review's here.