TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time

For me, this kindlebook of TV (the book) Two Experts Pick The Greatest American Shows of All Time by Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Zeitz is a good guide to look into because it exposes me to the awareness of tv shows for me to check out that transcend beyond my targeted demographic. Fortunately, my husband ignored whether I was the target audience when he introduced me to the Vikings television show,Venture Bros., and Doctor Who. Additionally, I would not have found out about the Last Ship Tv show without looking at guides such as Entertainment Weekly or my recent discovery of Westworld (from the Washingtonian magazine website). I understand that sometimes shows tailored to/targeted in ads to someone like me are done with good intent. However, my intuition/logic influencing me to check out even television shows that I know that I’m not the target audience for as a way for helping me to understand good storytelling in a better fashion, fulfill my craving for adventure, and expose me to different ways of thinking (human nature wise) that open my mind to accepting different viewpoints from mine (regardless of whether I think such thoughts are of a dark nature or a good nature). This kindlebook currently has images of various actors/actresses from various tv shows such as Jon Hamm for what looks to be Mad Men, Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad, Kerry Washington for Scandal, actors/actress affiliated with the Seinfeld tv show, an image of what looks to be for the 30 Rock tv show of Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan, and more tv show images on the front cover. One of the criteria that they admit to using is basing it on US Televisions shows (they acknowledge the popularity of such show as Fawlty Towers, Kingdom etc.). One season shows are also featured such as My So-Called Life and shows written about for groups (The Golden Girls, Friends). Detailed explanations are given in the book such as for the reasoning behind the selection of The Simpsons tv show.

I have enjoyed reading Sepinwall's episode reviews for many shows, such as Lost, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, and so forth. I also enjoyed Zoller Seitz' book of critical commentaries on Mad Men, so I knew that TV (The Book) would be an enjoyable read for me.This is a valuable book for thinking about TV in a serious, intelligent way rather than merely looking down upon TV as idle trash. Sepinwall and Zoller Seitz' opening debate is excellent to read. I loved reading about their views on the merits of The Sopranos versus The Wire versus The Simpsons as the greatest show of all time. I learned about many new shows as I read through their ranking of the best 100 shows in American history. I have added some new shows to my list of series that I need to watch some day (Freaks and Geeks, Twin Peaks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc).I would say the only drawback to the book is that it became a little tedious to read every review and every page, especially for shows which I do not really plan on ever watching. However, overall I would recommend this book to anyone interested in TV in a serious way, or if you are just looking to learn about important shows that you might have missed. Their writing is clear, often witty and humorous, and enlightening.

If you are like me and have spent much of your life searching the shelves of Borders and Barnes & Noble in vain for a great book of TV criticism, then TV (THE BOOK) is what you've been waiting for. If you aren't like me, (THE BOOK) is essential reading anyway. Matt and Alan have long been my primary go-tos for TV criticism and recaps - at Vulture and HitFix, respectively. I call them Matt and Alan, knowing Matt only marginally and Alan not at all, because they offer the reader an informal comfort-zone in which they wear their knowledge of the medium lightly, even though each obviously knows it very well. That they've known each other for years make them ideal co-authors for their Herculean task: ranking the best American shows of all time based on quantitative categories that they knew going in everybody would agree with wholeheartedly and nobody would say indignantly, "What about X?"I'm not going to say, "What about X?" I might say something like, "THE SHIELD is overrated," or "BARNEY MILLER is undervalued," but then I would remember where I was commenting and think better of it. Instead I'll just say that Matt and Alan make a very good case for their choices, and that they complement each other beautifully. Sometimes they pair up on the essays (you can tell who wrote what by the initials left at the end - AS or MZS or both). Oftentimes each tackles a particular show individually, and after a while it becomes fairly easy to guess who wrote the piece. Matt gets the lion's share of "vintage" television and is extremely authoritative on the history of the medium. Alan writes about more contemporary shows, and tends to make a case for "traditional" fare to Matt's leanings toward experimentation and the avant-garde. Let me emphasize that I'm comparing them to each other; when compared to most TV critics, both lead in all of these categories.As anyone who reads their regular work knows, both love dramas and comedies, hit shows and shows struggling to find an audience. Each has also been a consistent champion of shows about women, by women, or "for" women. I still part ways with them on GIRLS, and especially Matt's claim that Lena Dunham "had no idea what a hornet's nest she would stir" with her show, when Dunham's calculated provocations are by now pretty clear. But each is open to the possibilities of television, from its early years to "Peak TV." Film Twitter has been even more defensive than usual since (THE BOOK) launched, always a sure sign that somebody is doing something right.

The book is interesting for the most part and I have enjoyed plugging though it. I appreciate their efforts in trying to rank the greats of all time in television, but it sure "feels" front loaded. What I mean is that most of the "best shows ever" are super recent in the grand scope of television history. I understand that television has taken an upward swing in quality, in many cases, but there are shows that somehow have been pushed down the list of these gentlemen, that frankly shouldn't be.If you are person who loves lists, as I do, this book will satisfy your need to disagree with their results (if you are anything like me). So, enjoy and I look forward to seeing your review.

Great book with a wide selection of TV shows covered. Its great to just pick up and read something at random especially as there are that many shows covered that I could never possibly watch them all. Some very interesting reading especially about some of my favourite shows such as Buffy and Lost.

Written with great depth, passion and wit. Its not only a well thought up book but one which should inspire anyone who enjoys lists. It covers most genres of shows and makes good arguments for some widely seen classics, but also fights for some other little known shows. Is a good book to introduce you to new shows while making you think about your own favourites. You can pick fault with the order of certain shows, but its a very enjoyable read none the less.

Reading this book has given me the itch to watch many of the shows in it that I had never seen. The authors are really good pitch men in that sense. However, when you come across an entry they don't know much about but, say, included out of obligation or necessity, it is readily apparent. The authors have the most impressive TV knowledge I've ever seen, but it isn't exhaustive. What's more, the lit gets somewhat tedious near the end, especially with things like miniseries and TV movies. But it is nonetheless a great read.

Very prompt delivery and entertaining book.

Well done