Monthly Archives: February 2011
Achieving Authenticity: Unboxing (the Unboxing of) Game of Thrones‘ Maester’s Path
Achieving Authenticity: The Maester’s Path February 27th, 2011 This week, an assortment of critics and bloggers received what is considered the first part of an ongoing “experience” called the Maester’s Path, a transmedia initiative to support the April 17th debut … Continue reading
Filed under Game of Thrones
Fringe – “Subject 13″
“Subject 13″ February 25th, 2011 Why do we watch Fringe? This is an honest question, and one that I think Fringe has been forcing viewers to ask for a few episodes now. This is not a question of quality: I … Continue reading
Filed under Fringe
Parks and Recreation – “Indianapolis”
“Indianapolis” February 24th, 2011 Of the first six episodes initially sent to critics, “Indianapolis” is the most subtle. It’s a straightforward pairs of comic setpieces: a dinner party and a night out at the Snake Hole have the characters moving … Continue reading
Filed under Perfect Couples
Endangered Species: What the Emmy Merge Means for the Miniseries Form
Endangered Species: The Emmy Merge and the Miniseries Form February 25th, 2011 It is not particularly surprising to learn that the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is merging the Outstanding Miniseries and Outstanding Made-for-Television Movie categories at this year’s … Continue reading
Filed under Award Shows
Glee – “Blame it on the Alcohol”
“Blame it on the Alcohol” February 22nd, 2011 “We take our craft serious.” By the time students reach high school, afterschool specials are a laughing matter. Of course, simultaneously, the subject matter of those afterschool specials becomes infinitely more serious, … Continue reading
Filed under Glee
Back to the (Reality) Future: “Unfinished Business” and “Redemption Island”
Back to the (Reality) Future: The Amazing Race and Survivor February 20th, 2011 Watching the Survivor: Redemption Island premiere, I listened to Jeff Probst with a certain degree of skepticism. His argument was that Rob and Russell both had their … Continue reading
Filed under Survivor, The Amazing Race
Parks and Recreation – “Media Blitz”
“Media Blitz” February 17th, 2011 When he first arrived, Adam Scott appeared to have been hired to play the new straight man. Ben Wyatt seemed a replacement for Mark Brendanowitz, someone who could react to the madness around him. Just … Continue reading
Filed under Parks and Recreation
Glee – “Comeback”
“Comeback” February 15th, 2011 There is nothing wrong with Justin Bieber. Maybe it’s just my Canadian pride, but the kid is inoffensive to the point of being sort of charming. Especially recently, given his playful send-ups of his celebrity on … Continue reading
Filed under Glee
The Critic in (Online) Society: An Alternate History of 21st Century Television Criticism
Yesterday was honestly excruciating. After waking up to a rare instance of mainstream discussion of television criticism as a discourse, as Josh Levin tackled Alan Sepinwall’s influence in the field in a piece for Slate, I unfortunately had a busy … Continue reading
Filed under TV Criticism
