Ferrell Takes the Field: HBO presents Will Ferrell’s major league day

The titular character in Paolo Sorrentino’s new HBO limited series The Young Pope is a 47-year-old Brooklyn-born orphan named Lenny Belardo who earned his place in the Vatican by learning to play the system. Because there is always a system — even in the mother ship of Catholicism. And Lenny — now Pope Pius XIII — isn’t the least bit apologetic about how he earned his pristine white cassock and zucchetto. Or his plan while he has them. For an American audience — Catholic or otherwise, and at least in the first two episodes — it’s hard not to liken […]

At most public high schools around the country, the basketball team merely provides entertainment and school spirit for students and people in the community. At some Catholic schools like St. Patrick in New Jersey, the stakes are much, much higher. Tonight on HBO (9pm ET), we get a behind-the-scenes look at those stakes thanks to acclaimed director Marc Levin’s documentary Prayer for a Perfect Season. Levin spent a year following the 2010-11 boys basketball team at the Elizabeth, NJ, school, which culminates in a thrilling showdown with rival St. Anthony of Jersey City. For those who don’t follow high school […]

By Tom Comi Follow @ChannelGuide If there was any doubt that Jane Lynch is currently one of the brightest stars in Hollywood, one needn’t look any further for proof than her recent appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher. While every other comedian was making the same old tired jokes about Congressman Anthony Weiner’s verbal sex exchanges with a Las Vegas blackjack dealer, Maher decided to use his cable platform — and Lynch’s deadpan delivery — to recreate the dirty talk line for line. And fortunately for those of you with HBO, you can see a replay tonight at 8pm […]