Matt Roush

Matt Roush

Matt Roush's fondest professional memory is moderating a sold-out cast reunion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer at PaleyFest in Hollywood. Among his many TV appearances, recent favorites include playing Guest Programmer for Turner Classic Movies, and being a panelist on SundanceTV's The Approval Matrix. As a nationally respected television journalist, he has served on the jury for the American Film Institute's annual AFI Awards for more than a decade, selecting the best TV shows of the year. He has also served on the nominating committee for the Broadcast Television Journalists Association's Critic' Choice Awards. He was USA Today's television critic and columnist and he is currently TV Guide Magazine's Senior Critic. (PLUS: To get Matt's top TV picks in your inbox every Thursday, sign up for our What's Worth Watching e-mail newsletter.)

Articles byMatt Roush

The Beauty -- Pictured: Bella Hadid as Ruby.

Behold ‘Beauty,’ ‘Percy Jackson’ Finale, Queer Eye’s Capital Season, Sophie Turner for the ‘Steal’

Star Search Season 01. L to R: Chrissy Teigen, Jelly Roll, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Anderson in Star Search Season 01. Cr. Matt Sayles/Netflix © 2025

‘Star Search’ Reborn, ‘Doc’ in the Hot Seat, Doggie Doings on ‘Will Trent,’ Will Smith Goes Low and High

Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates a touchdown during the second quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2026 in Pasadena, California.

College Football Championship, NBA Tripleheader, Justice With Judy, Spend ‘120 Hours Behind Bars’

Peter Claffey as Dunk, Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg in 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'

A Good ‘Knight,’ NFL Divisional Playoffs, ‘Landman’ Finale, an ‘Industry’ Birthday

Peter Claffey as Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg in 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'
Review

Roush Review: ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Is an Endearing Spinoff for the Ages

Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Ben Affleck as Det Sergeant JD Byrne in 'The RIP'

Damon and Affleck Together Again, ‘Power Book IV: Force’ Finale and a ‘Nowhere Man’ on Starz, ‘Stumble’ and the Pro Cheer League

L-R: Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka and Holly Hunter as Chancellor Nahla Ake in season 1 , episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+.

‘Starfleet Academy,’ Agatha Christie’s ‘Seven Dials,’ Spying with ‘Ponies,’ Job Opening on ‘9-1-1’

L-R: Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka and Holly Hunter as Chancellor Nahla Ake in season 1 , episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+.
Review

Roush Review: ‘Star Trek’ Gets Schooled in ‘Starfleet Academy’

Hijack

Idris Elba ‘Hijack’-ed Again, Daytime TV’s ‘Dirty Talk’ Era, ‘Palm Royale’ Finale, ‘Riot Women’ on BritBox

Owen Cooper at the Golden Globe Awards 2026

Ask Matt: TV Deaths That Linger, the Golden Globes & More

Will Smith prepares to dive under the ice with Dr. Allison Fong to collect samples in the waters of the North Pole

On the Road With Will Smith, On the Run With Glen Powell, Will Trent MIA, Medical Drama and Comedy on Fox

Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, and Finn Wolfhard in 'Stranger Things' Season 5

The Making of ‘Stranger Things’ Finale, ‘Brilliant Minds’ Goes to the Rodeo, Late-Night Spotlight on ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ & ‘Heated Rivalry’

Nikki Glaser Golden Globes host

Golden Globes, Return of ‘Industry’ and ‘Night Manager’, ‘All Creatures’ and PBS Sunday, ‘Fear Factor’

Andrew Lincoln as John — 'Coldwater'

Andrew Lincoln in ‘Coldwater,’ ‘Thousand Blows’ Returns, Peach Bowl, TMZ on the Reiner Murders

Noah Wyle as Robby, Ned Brower as Jesse, and Supriya Ganesh as Mohan — 'The Pitt' Season 2

Back to ‘The Pitt,’ Globes Preview, More ‘Traitors’ Deception, ABC’s Thursday Relaunch, ‘Law & Order’ Crossover, ‘Hunting Party’ Back in Business

Mr. Beast in Beast GAmes

Strongest vs. Smartest on ‘Beast Games,’ ‘Abbott’ Goes to the Mall, True Crime With Harlan Coben, ‘Masked Singer’ Returns

The Pitt
Review

Roush Review: Back in ‘The Pitt’ for Another Grueling, Riveting Day

Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in 'Heated Rivalry' Season 1

Ask Matt: ‘Heated Rivalry’ Hype, TV Taking Backseat to Movies at Awards Shows & More

WILL TRENT - “….Speaking of Sharks” (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.) RAMÓN RODRIGUEZ

‘Will Trent’ Manhunt, ‘Rookie’ Goes to Prague, Hacker Drama on ‘Doc,’ ‘Finding Your Roots’ With America Ferrera and Darren Criss

Tamberla Perry as Dr. Carol Pierce, Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf in 'Brilliant Minds' Season 2 Episode 11, '10 Minutes'

Hospital Drama (‘Brilliant Minds’) and Comedy (‘St. Denis’), Antiques Roadshow at 30, ‘My Life Is Murder,’ New ‘CBS Evening News’ Anchor

BEST MEDICINE: Josh Charles iin the special advance series

Josh Charles Practices ‘Best Medicine,’ When Calls the Heart, Critics Choice Awards, Wrapping up ‘Paper’

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 18 key art

Rupaul’s Drag Race Returns, ‘MonsterQuest’ Mysteries, Flashback Fridays on TCM, True Crime on Sundance Now

Chevy Chase in 'SNL' Season 1

All About Chevy Chase, College Football Quarterfinals, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Highlights, Shetland’s 10th Season

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 18: The New Year's Eve ball drop numerals for 2026 are displayed in Times Square on December 18, 2025 in New York City. The numbers will be on display in Times Square from December 18 to December 22, before being hoisted to the top of One Times Square, where they'll light up when the ball drops to mark the beginning of 2026. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Diana Ross Having a (New Year’s) Ball, Ringing in 2026 on TV, ‘Stranger Things’ Finale, a Carol Burnett Reunion on ‘Palm Royale’

'Ricky Gervais: Mortality' on Netflix

Ricky Gervais Laughs at Mortality, True Crime on Netflix and ID, Animal Shenanigans on TCM

Robin Roberts 'The Year 2025'

Robin Roberts Relives 2025, ‘Midsomer Murders’ Finale, Maine Cabin Masters, a Real-Life Palm Royale

Melissa Barrera as Michelle, Simu Liu as Alexander in 'The Copenhagen Test'

Simu Liu in ‘Copenhagen Test’ Thriller, ‘Robin Hood’ Finale, a Latin Music Celebration, John Stamos Pays a ‘Celebrity IOU’

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams as Ilya and Shane in the 'Heated Rivalry' Season 1 finale

‘Heated Rivalry’ Finale, New Gladiator in the Ring in ‘Spartacus,’ TCM Tributes, HGTV’s ‘Junk or Jackpot’

Noah Schnapp in 'Stranger Things' Season 5

More ‘Stranger Things’ for Christmas, NBA All Day, Football on Netflix, ‘Call the Midwife’ Special

Helen Mirren as June, Kate Winslet as Julia in 'Goodbye June'

Helen Mirren in ‘Goodbye June,’ ‘Pluribus’ Finale, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and More Christmas Classics, a Faked Funeral at ‘Palm Royale’

Paul Stanley, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford, and Sylvester Stallone are honored at the 2025 'Kennedy Center Honors'

Kennedy Center Honors, ‘Out of Bounds’ With Antonio Brown, King of Collectibles, ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ and More Christmas Classics

Everybody Loves Raymond 30th reunion

More Love for ‘Raymond,’ Christina Aguilera in Paris, the ‘Paper’ Trail, Tackling John Elway

Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner attend the Human Rights Campaign 2019 Los Angeles Dinner at JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on March 30, 2019

Remembering Rob Reiner, Glinda and Cher on ‘SNL,’ ‘Landman’ Back on the Road, Pickleball for Christmas

Matt Roush's 10 best TV shows of 2025

10 Best TV Shows of 2025 Ranked by Senior Critic Matt Roush

Christopher Lloyd and Carol Kane in 'Happy's Place' Season 2

‘Taxi’ Reunion on ‘Happy’s Place,’ Streaming ‘One Battle After Another,’ Gladiator Drama ‘Spartacus’-Style, Kumail Nanjiani Returns to Stand-Up

“It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol: Part One” – Sam’s big Christmas Eve TV interview with Walter Storm (Larry Wilmore) takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, Trevor and Patience bond over their mutual disinterest in celebrating Christmas, on the CBS Original series GHOSTS, Thursday, Dec. 18 (9:01-9:30 PM, ET/PT). Pictured L to R: Rose McIver as Samantha. Photo: Bertrand Calmeau/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It’s a Wonderful ‘Ghosts,’ Emily in Europe, Elsbeth Dons a Tutu, Reality Finales

'Survivor 49' Episode 12

‘Survivor’ Finale, iHeart Jingle Ball, Guessing ‘What’s in the Box,’ Golf Channel Games

Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson in 'Down Cemetery Road'

Ask Matt: The Great Emma Thompson, Spoiler Issues & More

Dek of Hearts

‘Voice’ Finale, a Gift of Closure on ‘NCIS,’ Early Launch of ‘Fallout,’ Letterman’s Next Guests

Ken Jennings on the September 29, 2025, episode of 'Jeopardy!'

‘Jeopardy!’ Second Chance Tournament, the ‘Rise’ of Women’s Sports, Double the ‘FBI,’ Labor Issues at St. Denis

Bill Skarsgard in It Welcome to Derry

That’s It for ‘It: Welcome to Derry,’ Nostalgia With Dick Van Dyke at 100 and ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ at 60, Horsing Around With Holiday Movies

Wake Up Dead Man, (L-R) Josh O'Connor and Daniel Craig in Wake Up Dead Man. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2025

‘Knives Out’ Gets Religion, End of a Taylor Swift Era, Dick Van Dyke at 100, Gross Out with Sarah Sherman

Picture Shows (L-R): Dr Liz Burgess played by (JO JOYNER) and Jess Carrisford played by (DIANE KRUGER)

Domestic Nightmare in ‘Little Disasters,’ New Twists in ‘Matlock,’ Looking Back at 2025, ‘Ghosts’ Asks Alberta Who?

Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie in Abbott Elementary

Turning 30 at ‘Abbott Elementary,’ Remembering Stuart Scott, Percy Jackson Returns, ‘Cemetery Road’ Finale

'Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas'

‘The First Christmas’ on ABC, an ‘NCIS: Origins’ Triangle, the Gaines’ New Fixer Upper, ‘West Wing’ on Netflix

Paul Scheer as Ruben, Kahyun Kim as Serena, David Alan Grier as Dr. Ron, David Hornsby as Harry in 'St. Denis Medical' Season 2 Episode 7

Brotherly Not-Quite-Love at ‘St. Denis,’ Jonathan Groff Plays ‘Password,’ ‘Midsomer Murders’ at 25, Elmo Meets Mark Rober

Bill Skarsgard in Welcome to Derry

Scary Showdown in ‘Derry,’ ‘Landman’ Pays Respects, College Football Championships, Melissa McCarthy on ‘SNL’

Laura Dern as Liz, George Clooney as Jay Kelly and Adam Sandler as Ron Sukenick in 'Jay Kelly'

George Clooney Is ‘Jay Kelly,’ ‘Spartacus’ Lives Again (Kind of), ‘New Yorker at 100,’ Fraggle Rock and More Holiday TV

Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey in 'The Abandons'

Gillian Anderson vs. Lena Headey in ‘Abandons,’ the Lights of Christmas, ‘Next Level Baker,’ Streaming ‘Mission: Impossible’

Bill de Blasio, Rob Speyer, Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker light the tree during the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 1, 2021, in New York City

Christmas in Rockefeller Center and in Nashville, ‘Criminal Intent’ Finale, John Stamos in ‘Palm Royale,’ ‘Secret Santa’ Romcom

Abby McEnany, Fiona Rene, and Eric Graise in 'Tracker'

Ask Matt: ‘Tracker’s Missing Characters, ‘Talamasca’ & More

Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough host 'Dancing With the Holidays,' a 'Dancing With the Stars' special

More ‘Dancing,’ the Fall of Sean Combs, ‘Murder in a Small Town’ Finale, CMA Country Christmas

Taylor Dearden as King, Noah Wyle as Robby, and Shawn Hatosy as Abbott — 'The Pitt' Season 1 Episode 12

TNT Airs ‘The Pitt,’ Paul Anka’s Musical Journey, Poignant ‘Empty Rooms,’ Holiday ‘Merchants of Joy’

John Legend performs onstage during the Clooney Foundation for Justice's The Albies at the Natural History Museum on October 03, 2025 in London, England.
Review

Roush Review: A Legend’s Life Journey Through ‘Words + Music’

John Legend performs in 'Words + Music' on MGM+

John Legend in ‘Words + Music,’ Honoring Diane Ladd, Everyone’s Scared of ‘It,’ Homer Plays Dead

FAMILY GUY - “Disney’s Hulu’s Family Guy’s Hallmark Channel’s Lifetime’s Familiar Holiday Movie” - In Family Guy’s take on generic holiday movies, Lois, who works for “Big Pie” travels to a small town in hopes of stealing Peter’s award-winning family secret pie recipe. (Disney) FAMILY GUY

‘Family Guy’ Sends up Holiday Movies (and Actual Holiday Movies), Romance off the Ice, Florida Fables

Cynthia Erivo, Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, and Hoda Kotb at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, November 28, 2025, NBC.

Thanksgiving TV Treats, Christmas Movies, Football and Mary Poppins

Stranger Things Cast
Review

Critic’s Notebook: The Beginning of the End of ‘Stranger Things’

Stranger Things Cast

‘Stranger Things’ Final Season, Updated ‘Beatles Anthology,’ Reaching Their Limits on ‘Survivor’ and ‘Race,’ Breaking Down the Louvre Heist

Donnie Wahlberg and Sonequa Martin-Green for 'Boston Blue'

Ask Matt: ‘Boston Blue’ Follows the Formula, ‘Pluribus’ & More

Julianne Hough, Alix Earle, and Val Chmerkovskiy on Season 34, Episode 10, of ABC's 'Dancing With the Stars,' November 18, 2025.

‘Dancing With the Stars’ Finale, Kevin and Kenan Talk Sports, Faking Cake, Shuffling With the Bears

Stranger Than Fiction SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 22: (Back row L-R) Actors Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, (front row L-R) David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown from Netflix's 'Stranger Things' pose for a portrait during Comic-Con 2017 at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego on July 22, 2017
Exclusive

Stranger Than Fiction: Reflecting on ‘Stranger Things’ Pop Culture Impact Ahead of the Final Season

EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND: 30TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION, scheduled to air Monday, Nov. 24 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and Paramount+. Pictured (clockwise from left): Brad Garrett, Ray Romano, Phil Rosenthal, Sullivan Sweeten, Patricia Heaton, Monica Horan, and Madylin Sweeten

‘Raymond’ Reunion, Eric Dane on ‘Brilliant Minds,’ Harry Wild Special, Revisiting the JFK Assassination

The Great Escaper - Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson

Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson in ‘Great Escaper,’ Finales (‘Talamasca,’ ‘Tulsa King,’ ‘Billy the Kid), Chris Hemsworth’s Personal Journey

Marisa Ramirez as Maria Baez and Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan in 'Boston Blue' Season 1 Episode 6, 'Code of Ethics'

Baez Brings ‘Bloods’ to ‘Blue,’ Joel Edgerton in ‘Train Dreams,’ Ed Sheeran’s ‘One Shot,’ a Dog’s Ghost Story

Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson in 'A Man on the Inside' Season 2

Ted Danson Back ‘On the Inside,’ Elsbeth’s Sister Act, History of the Black Cowboy, Keeley Hawes Is ‘The Assassin’