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78 reviews for:
TV (the Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time
Alan Sepinwall, Matt Zoller Seitz
3.88 AVERAGE
78 reviews for:
TV (the Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time
Alan Sepinwall, Matt Zoller Seitz
3.88 AVERAGE
A very enjoyable list of the best tv shows of all time, including the list of current shows that will make future lists, tv movies, and miniseries. The authors truly love TV and are not pretentious about the shows they review or give high marks too. The book starts with a somewhat long heated debate about what should be #1, dont let that put you off from continuing on and reading more. Some of my faves made the list, some did not and some shows I havent heard of before; but all sounds important in one way or another.
TV (the Book) is perfect for any fan of television. The book does include spoilers for the shows it includes, so be wary of reading about a show if you have yet to watch and want to.
Started reading over this years ago, and finally gave up on trying to watch everything I hadn't already seen along with the entries here (which would frankly be impossible to do).
The writing throughout from both authors is insightful and enthusiastic in an infectious way, and I've basically got my watchlist for TV series (also mini-series, TV movies, and plays) set for the rest of my life at this point. There's so much great stuff still out there for me to catch up on, even as there's an overwhelming amount of it airing now.
Honestly, I'm glad this book was written when it was, because it only captures the beginnings of the streaming service revolution, which I think has completely changed the way TV is produced, consumed, and critically appraised. I think TV's as good now as it's ever been, and there are probably a dozen shows airing now that would be worth consideration in the all-time canon.
The writing throughout from both authors is insightful and enthusiastic in an infectious way, and I've basically got my watchlist for TV series (also mini-series, TV movies, and plays) set for the rest of my life at this point. There's so much great stuff still out there for me to catch up on, even as there's an overwhelming amount of it airing now.
Honestly, I'm glad this book was written when it was, because it only captures the beginnings of the streaming service revolution, which I think has completely changed the way TV is produced, consumed, and critically appraised. I think TV's as good now as it's ever been, and there are probably a dozen shows airing now that would be worth consideration in the all-time canon.
informative
A few shows in there that I may now need to watch, i.e., Seinfeld and The Wire.
Individually, both these authors are brilliant; together, they make one hell of an entertaining book of sharp essays about TV. I also love the breadth of their selection, including not only obvious choices like The Sopranos and The Wire but also Batman: The Animated Series and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Plus, as someone who thinks comedy (and particularly smart animated comedy) is a more accurate depiction of our world than most dour dramas, I love the ballsy decision to put The Simpsons at number 1.
At the end of the day, loving certain TV shows over others, like loving every specific creations in any form of art over others is a matter of taste.
Alan and Matt created a rating system that helped them conclude why certain shows should be placed at a certain slot in their top 100 picks.
The system included innovation, storytelling quality, consistency and more. But even with that, it's a matter of taste. That's why you can often argue about TV. For some, a certain thing would feel completely groundbreaking while others would say "we've seen a version of this a million times before."
And same goes for the choices in this book. There were many that I wholeheartedly agreed belonged in that list. Some I didn't know well enough (being the foreigner that I am and the shows being much older) to judge one way or another. But some made me raise my eyebrow.
What was really surprising for me was some choices over others and the absence of some.
Mostly, in the "in progress section" I was very surprised to not see Orphan Black, and Steven Universe especially since Adventure Time was included in that portion (at least Izombie and Jane the Virgin are there!)
And then in the top 100, there was only one cartoon show and it was Batman. To have it there but not have Avatar the Last Airbender who I think was and still is (especially if we also mention Korra) groundbreaking and political and socially relevant and whatnot, was very weird for me.
But it was such a joy as a TV lover who consumes so much and works in this industry to really immerse myself for a few weeks in articles, analyzations and a trip down memory lane, etc.
It also helped me realize why some shows that are so critically acclaimed (and thus located high on the list here) such as The Sopranos and even The Leftovers are not so much my cup of tea. By reading on why so many people love them I realized what it is that bothers me (and that almost never about the storytelling and more about the style which helps you see that you can enjoy only certain aspects of a show and that's fine too.)
I enjoyed this from the get go (i.e. introduction) through the authors argument of choosing the best show of all out of their problematic top 5, and all the way through the list, the additional smaller lists ("10 best bosses," "10 best opening themes", etc.), the in-progress, mini-series portions and more.
I think it's a must read for TV obsessed people, and I know I added some stuff to my watch list while reading this and it made me start a lot of discussions about TV during the reading period.
Alan and Matt created a rating system that helped them conclude why certain shows should be placed at a certain slot in their top 100 picks.
The system included innovation, storytelling quality, consistency and more. But even with that, it's a matter of taste. That's why you can often argue about TV. For some, a certain thing would feel completely groundbreaking while others would say "we've seen a version of this a million times before."
And same goes for the choices in this book. There were many that I wholeheartedly agreed belonged in that list. Some I didn't know well enough (being the foreigner that I am and the shows being much older) to judge one way or another. But some made me raise my eyebrow.
What was really surprising for me was some choices over others and the absence of some.
Mostly, in the "in progress section" I was very surprised to not see Orphan Black, and Steven Universe especially since Adventure Time was included in that portion (at least Izombie and Jane the Virgin are there!)
And then in the top 100, there was only one cartoon show and it was Batman. To have it there but not have Avatar the Last Airbender who I think was and still is (especially if we also mention Korra) groundbreaking and political and socially relevant and whatnot, was very weird for me.
But it was such a joy as a TV lover who consumes so much and works in this industry to really immerse myself for a few weeks in articles, analyzations and a trip down memory lane, etc.
It also helped me realize why some shows that are so critically acclaimed (and thus located high on the list here) such as The Sopranos and even The Leftovers are not so much my cup of tea. By reading on why so many people love them I realized what it is that bothers me (and that almost never about the storytelling and more about the style which helps you see that you can enjoy only certain aspects of a show and that's fine too.)
I enjoyed this from the get go (i.e. introduction) through the authors argument of choosing the best show of all out of their problematic top 5, and all the way through the list, the additional smaller lists ("10 best bosses," "10 best opening themes", etc.), the in-progress, mini-series portions and more.
I think it's a must read for TV obsessed people, and I know I added some stuff to my watch list while reading this and it made me start a lot of discussions about TV during the reading period.
Whether you agree with the top 100 or not (and I doubt anyone completely agrees), it's an interesting take. The parameters were set and the list was made based on those scores (with very few ties in score that had to be made).
Is it objective? Of course not. It's a list of the 100 best TV shows. There's no way to do this objectively.
The top 100 (mostly) all get an essay justifying their place, talking about their strengths, highs, etc. Although the length and quality of those essays varies.
I appreciate that the top 100 has a variety of genres, dates, etc.,
The Work in Progress, Etc, and extra sections are where I got a bit more disappointed. These shows didn't make the top 100 but some of them get better essays than top 100 shows received. Although I did appreciate having current shows get a place in the book.
The book was finished in June 2016, so it's been 8 years. In some ways this makes the book feel dated because the entire top 100 has been off the air at least that long. I'm not sure how many of the WiP shows would make the top 100 but at least a couple.
Overall, if you like TV, this is an interesting book.
Is it objective? Of course not. It's a list of the 100 best TV shows. There's no way to do this objectively.
The top 100 (mostly) all get an essay justifying their place, talking about their strengths, highs, etc. Although the length and quality of those essays varies.
I appreciate that the top 100 has a variety of genres, dates, etc.,
The Work in Progress, Etc, and extra sections are where I got a bit more disappointed. These shows didn't make the top 100 but some of them get better essays than top 100 shows received. Although I did appreciate having current shows get a place in the book.
The book was finished in June 2016, so it's been 8 years. In some ways this makes the book feel dated because the entire top 100 has been off the air at least that long. I'm not sure how many of the WiP shows would make the top 100 but at least a couple.
Overall, if you like TV, this is an interesting book.
Saints are rare in any profession, let alone the entertainment industry, and chances are you adore the work of someone whose presence you wouldn't tolerate if you spent an hour getting to know them as a person.
Received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
It should come as no surprise that the first thing I did upon receiving this ebook was quickly scroll to the table of contents to ensure my show was listed. It was. Authors start out on a good footing. Wait, Firefly, too? Oh, man, these guys are starting out at 6 stars, it's going to be hard to screw this one up.
It would be unfair to label myself a TV buff. I love a good TV show, and I do get obsessive about the ones that really hit a nerve with me. I am always up for discussing shows, and learning every little thing about them that I can. An especially great show will even have me wanting to know more information about the writers, producers, and other works done by the crew.
That being said, I'm also very picky, and very slow to get into a new show. It has to have a major draw for me, whether that be actors that are in it or directors and producers who I have trusted in the past. So, while this book is perfect for me, it's not going to be something I get rowdy about. "HOW DARE YOU PICK THAT NUMBER ONE WHEN CLEARLY YOU SHOULD HAVE..."
Truth be told, of the top 10 shows on this list, I have seen episodes of three of them. That would be Cheers, Mad Men, and I Love Lucy. I've certainly seen scraps of some of the other shows listed (can you live in this day and age without having to watch the effing Simpsons?), but I would not say I'd watched any of them. Including All in the Family, which is shameful.
Although I will give a huge cocked eyebrow of confusion at a list that says The Simpsons is the number one TV show of all time. Are you kidding me? You're kidding, right? I read the synopsis/explanation, and STILL don't agree. You want to include it in the top 10, whatever. Yeah, it's been on the air for 800 years, whatever. But not number one. I wouldn't even complain if Sopranos was number one, because despite never having watched it, I can appreciate what an impact it had. But Simpsons? Come on.
Anyway.
The top 100 list is put together extremely well. In the OH so pretentious introduction, the two authors explain their grading system. A lot of thought went into putting this together. Other than the top 10 (maybe the top 5), I would say the numbering system is negligible. Does anyone really care that The West Wing is only number 27? I doubt it. People are probably just happy it's on the list at all.
Should Buffy have been higher than number 15? Absofreakinglutely. Can I justify it being in the top 10? Well, yes, I can. But logically minded people probably can't follow me on that road.
The synopsis/explanation/essays about each television show are also well thought out. There's no consistency in length or strength of an essay. The authors wax philosophical on some shows, while other, often more deserving shows (FIREFLY) get barely a few paragraphs.
Some shows are, of course, completely illogically put into the top 100. I can't even deal with the fact that South Park comes in at number 26, above shows like The Bob Newhart Show and The Wonder Years. In no universe does South Park deserve to be on any Top lists, unless they are, "Top 100 Shows I am So Fucking Sick of Hearing About and Why Are We Still Talking About Them." Number 26, my left ass cheek.
The passage I quoted up top is from the section on The Cosby Show, and is, in my opinion, the absolute best summary of loving a problematic fave I have ever read. I cannot, in good conscience, refer to Bill Cosby as a problematic fave. He shouldn't be anybody's fave anymore. However, that doesn't take away from the lasting impact the television show had, and I am very appreciative for the time and thought put into the passage about the show, and the horrible crimes of Cosby himself.
Now, all of this is all well and good. But once you get past the list, there's more to come.
First we have the Works in Progress section (because the top 100 is devoted to shows that have ended only). I appreciate this because they get to pay tribute to Game of Thrones, but hilariously, that is literally the only show on the WIP list I have watched. At all. I haven't even heard of some of the others.
But then we come to the "Etc" section. This section can best be described as Paying Lip Service To Everyone Who is Going to Write us Letters.
"Alan, you know the readers are going to give us holy hell for not putting Sons of Anarchy in here."
"Yeah, but it just doesn't belong in the top 100."
"But still. We're going to hear about it."
"Alright, fine, let's throw in something about one season. Which one?"
::throws dart::
"Season 2."
"Oh, we should talk about Chuck."
"Chuck? Chuck sucked, Matt."
"Your face sucks."
"Fine, if we're only talking about season 2 of SoA, we're only talking about season 2 of Chuck."
"FINE."
"FINE."
"Your mom's face sucks."
Seriously, almost every show that has ever been in existence is listed in the Etc section. Total fan lip service.
But above all else, my one huge, major, very real complaint about this book?
Is that it's going to be freaking impossible to get my hands on all of these shows to marathon them. Because the synopses have me so wanting to.
Where do I get my hands on the original Miami Vice? Anyone?
Being a TV junkie, this book was like crack. Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller-Seitz attempt to pick the greatest TV shows of all time and rank them accordingly. As with any set of rankings, different people will squabble about placement or omissions. But overall I found their method and results to be fair and somewhat inarguable.
I enjoyed this book was for three reasons: 1) It gives you a bit of a history lesson in the pantheon of great TV, especially for shows before my time. 2) It re-affirmed my love of some of my favorite TV shows, many of which not only made the list but ranked pretty high. 3) It made me appreciate just how good TV is right now. "Peak TV" gets thrown around so much in critical analysis that it's almost become rote, but there's a big argument to be made for this being the golden age of television.
We're living in a time when TV has become the go-to medium for long form storytelling, and usurping movies as must-see art. And while the number of TV shows steadily inflates due to streaming services and the race for original content, catching the "good" shows is not as difficult as it may seem. Quality will often rise to the top, whether or not it captures the zeitgeist (think The Americans or Bojack Horseman vs. The Walking Dead or The Big Bang Theory).
There were a few shows I personally felt should've been ranked higher, but that's to be expected in a book about ranking. (But seriously, how are It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and NewsRadio relegated to such low stature?!) Overall though, Sepinwall and Zoller-Seitz do a great job of presenting their arguments and backing them up with thorough discussion. I was effectively persuaded to consider that Mad Men might be a Top 10 show, despite my feelings that something along the lines of The Twilight Zone has been far more influential than MM ever will be. But time will tell.
That's the mark of a good critic.
I enjoyed this book was for three reasons: 1) It gives you a bit of a history lesson in the pantheon of great TV, especially for shows before my time. 2) It re-affirmed my love of some of my favorite TV shows, many of which not only made the list but ranked pretty high. 3) It made me appreciate just how good TV is right now. "Peak TV" gets thrown around so much in critical analysis that it's almost become rote, but there's a big argument to be made for this being the golden age of television.
We're living in a time when TV has become the go-to medium for long form storytelling, and usurping movies as must-see art. And while the number of TV shows steadily inflates due to streaming services and the race for original content, catching the "good" shows is not as difficult as it may seem. Quality will often rise to the top, whether or not it captures the zeitgeist (think The Americans or Bojack Horseman vs. The Walking Dead or The Big Bang Theory).
There were a few shows I personally felt should've been ranked higher, but that's to be expected in a book about ranking. (But seriously, how are It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and NewsRadio relegated to such low stature?!) Overall though, Sepinwall and Zoller-Seitz do a great job of presenting their arguments and backing them up with thorough discussion. I was effectively persuaded to consider that Mad Men might be a Top 10 show, despite my feelings that something along the lines of The Twilight Zone has been far more influential than MM ever will be. But time will tell.
That's the mark of a good critic.