CRITICISM

Chapter 1 The Work of the Critic

Oh, gentle lady, do not put 1ne to't. For I ani nothing if not critical.

-Iago to Desdemona (Shakespeare, Othello, Act 2, Scene I)

Introduction
What is the advantage of knowing how to pe1form television criticism? The advantage to you as a
television vie,ver is that you will not only be able to n1ake inforn1ed judgment about the television
prograins you ,vatch, but also you ,vill better understan d your reaction and the reactions of others
who share the experience of watching. Critical acuity enables you to move from casual enjoyinent of
a television program to a fuller and richer understanding . A viewer who does not possess critical
viewing skills may enjoy watching a television program and experience various responses to it, such
as laughter, relief, fright, shock, tension, relaxation, or b oredom. These are fundamental sensations
that people may get from watching television, and, for the 1nost part, viewers who are not critics
remain at this level. Critical a,-vareness, however, en ables you to move to a higher level th at
illuminates production practices and enhances your understanding of culture, human nature, and
interpretation .

Students studying television production with ambitions to act, write, direct, edit, produce, and/ or
beco1ne camera operators ,vill fi nd knowledge of television criticisn1 necessary and useful as well.
Television criticism is about the evaluation of content, its context, organization, sto1y and
characterization, style, genre, and audience desire. Knowledge of these concepts is the foundation of
successful production.

The Ends of Criticism

Just as critics of books evaluate works of fiction and nonfiction by holding them to established
standards, television critics utilize 1nethodology and theory to co1nprehend, analyze, interpret, and
evaluate television progra1ns. As a critic, you can gain greater understanding and appreciation about
television progra1nn1ing, as well as about your own culture and the social forces .vithin it. You may
also be able to de1nystify the 1neaning of a television prograin and create new perceptions for other
viewers by conununicating the criticis1n to then1. As a critic, you beco1ne a "transfonner" capable of
generating new understanding and ne,v awai·eness in the 1ninds of other television viewers. Your
comprehension of the ilnpo1iance of producing, writing, directing, ca1nera work, sound, sets,
costu1nes, and other production values opens up your understanding a11d appreciation of the
aesthetic pleasures of good television and provides specific reasons for the displeasure caused by
what so1ne regard as poor television. As a critic, you ,vill engage ,-vith the essential organization of

1 590
 T E L E Y I S I O N C R I T I C I S 11
television programs, context, time-space 1nanipulation, the use of ilnages and language, conventions
and variations of genre, narrative patterns, character development, and the episodic nature of
television. You will appreciate the recurrence of enduring myths, legends, and character types as they
reappear both in fiction and reality programs. You will also exa1nine social and cultural values,
ideology, possible meanings, codes, and the representation of gender, race, sexuality, age, ethnicity,
e1nployment, and nationality. As a critic, you 1nust also understand the nature of the business of
television and the viewing audience, its expectations, desires, participation, an d satisfaction.
Criticis1n also goes beyond understanding of the progra1n itself and asks what conceptual or
theoretical implications have resulted.
Journalistic Television Criticis m
Journalists began writing television criticism in 1946, when Jack Gould of The Neiu York Tirnes and
John Crosby of theNei.v York Herald Tribune began reviewing television progra1n content. From
that time and into the 1950s, television critics h ad to wait to see the progra1ns when they were aired
in order to write about the1n because television was broadcast live. After 1nore television prograins
were made on film, beginning with I Love Lucy, critics could preview the shows and have their
columns published before the shows ,.vere on the air. The critics' reviews ,.vere influential because
television executives and producers monitored their evaluations of progra1ns; thus the importance of
professional television criticisn1 increased. Yet the programs that the critics praised- e.g., Studio
One, which broadcast 1noder11 plays and adaptations of Shakespeare, and Playhouse 90, a televised
anthology of 90-1ninute original and adapted plays- ,.vere often not as well liked by the public, which
appeared to prefer the classic sitco1ns, such as The Honeyrnooners "vith Jackie Gleason, Art Carney,
Audrey Meadows, and Joyce Randolph, and I Love Lucy with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. In later
years, print television criticis1n became less iinpo1tant as an influence on program decision making,
although govern1nent agency personnel read television criticism in trade publications in order to
exainine responses to possible govenunent policies.
Today there is a decline in newspaper readership, and revenue-starved ne,.vspapers have let their
television reviewers go or have given them oth er assignments. Consequently, many former
newspaper critics have turned to the Web to continue their "vork. David Bianculli, former critic for
New York's Daily News and now with USA Today, founded TV Worth Watching
(http://www.tvworthwatching.com), where he posts his reviews and blogs. The site has several
contributors, 1nany fon ner newspaper journalists, some of whom post lengthy critiques of various
programs. There is also a list of other websites for episodes, segments, and infonnation. Another
website, Metacritic.com, lists television shows by title with links to TV critic reviews. The critics rate
programs with scores on a hundred-point scale. Vie,.vers also enter their ratings on a 10-point scale,
fo r example, Carne of Thrones got a score of 91 from TV critics and an 8.9 fro1n viewers in 2015.
Journalist's criticisn1s typically range from mere listings of current programs and their broadcast
tilnes to descriptive vignettes of upco1ning programs. However, critics such as Tom Shales of The
Washington Post, Robe1t Bianco of USA Today, Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Tirnes, Emily
Nussbaum of New Yorker, and Matt Roush of TV Guide write about television's style and taste. The
Location 627
Television Critics Association (TCA) represents more than 200 journalists who are full-time
television writers for print and online outlets in the United States an d Canada. TCA also gives awards
to television program1ning. The TCA ,.vebsite Qillp :/ /tvcritics.org) includes TCA press releases about
the av.rards and top picks of current television shows from the critics' polls. The so-called Latest
Revie\<vs on this website are basically plot summaries and blogs. The New York Tin1es sends me daily
plot sum1naries by e1nail, which are spoilers if I have not watched the episode. These "updates" may
also make some cultural criticisms about casting and events in the plot.
Many newspapers now rely on copy supplied by wire services, such as the Associated Press. As James
A. Brown explains in Newcomb's Encyclopedia of Television, journalistic television criticis1n is part
of the publisher's larger purpose to gain readers for the newspaper or 1nagazine, thus it
puts a pre1nium on relevance, clarity, brevity, cleverness, and attractive style. The
TV column is 1neant to attract readers primarily by entertaining them, while also
informing them about how the system works .... The critic serves as a guide,
offering standards of criteria for judgment along with factual data, so readers can
1nake up their own minds.... The critic-reviewer's role grows in usefulness as video
chai1nels proliferate; viewers inundated by dozens of cable and over-air channels
can ensure optimu1n use of leisure viewing time by following critics' tips about
what is worth tuning in and "vhat to avoid. (Brown in Newcomb, 1997, p. 1643)
Brown lists the criteria for good journalistic television criticism as "sensitivity and reasoned
judgment, a renaissance knowledge coupled with exposure to a broad range of art, culture,
technology, business, law, econo1nics, eth ics, and social studies all fused with an incisive writing style
causing commentary to leap off the page into the reader's consciousness" (Brown in Newcomb, 1997,
pp. 1643-1644). These criteria would serve the acaden1ic television critic ,.vell, but they ai·e general
and have no specific reference to standards of judginent and methodology, as does academic
criticisn1.
The Critical Stance
The word criticisrn tends to have a negative connotation because we often associate it with finding
something ,.vrong with objects and people. If a person finds fault with so1nething or someone, we are
likely to say, "He or she is too critical." If your parents do not like your hairstyle or the way you dress,
you might say, "Don't criticize me so much." We see the judges on The Voice or Dancing With the
Stars criticizing the contestants, usually by drawing attention to positive and negative attributes of
the perfonnances.
Yet we define criticism differently when we check the newspaper, 1nagazine, or a website to find out
what a television or fihn critic wrote about a television show or film before deciding what to watch.
In this context, the critic usually writes about the quality of a television show or film- the story, the
acting, the visual and sound aspects, and special effects. A critic may praise or pan a television
 TELEVISION CRITICISM
program or film, thus telling the reader what is good and/or bad about it. For several years, I \.Vrote
film criticism in the local newspaper for the Boze1nan Fihn Festival that featured in dependent and
international films. If I thought a fihn had good qualities, I would urge n1y readers to be sure to see
it. Someti1nes fihngoers would disagree with 1ny judgment, telling 1ne, "I did not like the fihn. It was
too long and moved too slowly." Others would thank n1e for alerting them about a film they might
not otherwise have gone to see had they not read 1ny review. This illustrates two points: (1) criticisn1
is subjective, and (2) criticism can be persuasive.
Criticism is subjective. We bring to criticism our life experiences, our beliefs, attitudes, and values.
Thus, we observe the critical object through our o\.vn perceph1al filters. Perception is the process of
extracting infonnation from the world outside us as well as from within ourselves. Each individual
has a perceptual field that is unique to that person and shaped by many influences, and this field
forms the filters through which we perceive (O'Donnell & Kahle, 1982). Our perceptions are based on
our values, beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. Thus, as a critic, you are likely to have a perspective
that includes biases and past experiences. You are also apt to select certain parts of a progra1n to
criticize. Thus, in addition to being subjective, criticisn1 is also partial. Because most drainas and
co1nedies on television are episodic, and it is possible to watch an entire season online or with a box
set, it is not likely that you would take on an entire season of a series to criticize unless you were
writing a doctoral dissertation or a book about a series. The usual selection is a single episode,
although you are advised to be a,,vare of the other episodes in a series. A television program is not a
reality that can be exa1nined or proven in a co1npletely objective 1nanner. Therefore, you should not
be concerned ,.vith finding the single correct interpretation, for there 1nay be 1nany possible ones.
There n1ay be a do1ninant meaning inscribed within the script, but different viewers can give
alternative or 1nultiple meanings to the same script. Many of my students lil<e The Bachelor because
they think it is glamorous and suspenseful, \.vhereas I think it is banal and artificial. So1ne acade1nics
have criticized its representation as too "White," a legitilnate culh1ral criticism. A television
performance is potentially open to alternative interpretations. However, a competent critic who
applies syste1natic analysis based on sound principles is not only more likely to evaluate fairly but
also to illu1ninate. Readers of good criticis1n may have their appreciation of the critical object
enhanced and thus 1nay be 1noved to watch it.
Criticisn1 can be persuasive. A television critic often functions as an advocate on behalf of a program
or even a network, urging viewers to tune in to it. Further, a critic 1nay construct a persuasive
argu1nent, offering good reasons and evidence to support the evaluation of a progra111. Criticism is
capable not only of affecting our choices to watch a television progra1n, but, 1nore ilnportant, it can
alter our perceptions, enabling us to see and hear 1nore details, to anticipate certain 1no1nents, to
ponder certain questions, and to recognize special qualities. Most students who take film and
television criticism courses tell 1ne that they see so much more than they did before taking the course
and, further111ore, they are eager to talk about what they see. On the other hand, their friends, who
have not sh1died critical methodologies, report that they do not like to watch fihns or television with
their critic friends because they inteq)l·et too much and then talk about it during the screening.
Since television and the Internet are the 1nost significant forn1s of mass com11111nication in the world,
it is important to be sensitive to and understand what is co1nmunicated. Television can be a cultural
Location 692
1nirror, but it is also a two-way 1nirror in that it not only reflects our culture but also illuminates and
influences how we see ourselves and others. The proliferation of ways to watch television and the
opportunities to create our own flow of television progra111s on television sets or online h ave
enhanced individual cultures by viewer preferences. These individual preferences of programming
can be cultural 1nirrors as well. With sophisticated tracking of viewers, v.1e reflect our cultural
preferences back to the sources of the shows we watch.
Social science researchers have produced hun dreds of studies regarding the influence of television on
viewers. Whether viewers' behavior and/ or attih1des are changed is not the prin1ary concern of the
television critic; ho,,vever, the critic is an important observer of the content of television programs
who can help us understand why such influence may occur.
Cultivation studies clahn that people who watch a lot of television cultivate attitudes toward the
world created by television as an accurate representation of it. The "Mean World Syndrome" suggests
that they may view the world as n1ore violent than it actually is, causing the1n to be fearful, insecure,
and dependent on authority as the result of seeing violence on television. The researchers concluded
after their long-range study of heavy television viewing that "one correlate of television viewing is a
heightened and unequal sense of danger and risk in a 1nean and selfish world" (Gerbner, Gross,
Signorellli, Morgan, & Jackson-Beeck, 1979, p. 191). A television critic n1ay note that, while physical
violence is depicted in some television progra1n1ning, notably fantasy dra1nas like Gan1e of Thrones
and zo1nbie sho\.vs like The Walking Dead, characters dealing with the just consequences of violence
are a trend on shows such as 1VCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, CSI: Crin1e Scene Investigation, Crirninal
Minds, and Chicago PD.
Fashions, body ilnage, and hairstyles are also copied from actors on television. Critics can note that
ilnitations occur fro1n show to show or appear in 1nagazines and other publications. Subtle attitudes
toward gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual preference, and occupation as represented on television
may or n1ay not sh ape or resh ape viewers' perceptions of reality, but you as a critic can observe
changes in television progra1nming itself. Cultural studies researchers use audience-response
studies, wherein viewers are interviewed in depth to determine how television programs affect
viewers (Morley, 1988). Television situation co1nedies, such as Black-ish and Modern Farnily,
appear to have made programs with African Americans or gays in leading roles more acceptable to
the viewing public, but they probably did not resolve the actual tensions experienced by the general
public concerning racial issues or homosexuality (Dow, 2001). Television viewers tend to n1ake what
they ,,vatch fit their own lives and experiences; therefore, the television critic can note other aspects
of these programs. For example, according to John Marcus, writer for The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby
insisted that the parents on the show be smarter than their children and that the characters' behavior
be true to real-life behavior. The viewers would therefore co1nfortably identify \.vith Cosby as a parent
but not necessarily with his race. Since audience identification with television characters is a major
key to audience enjoyment, approval or disapproval of cont roversial issues may not be the 1nost
ilnportant factor.
Criticis m and Culture
 TELEVISION CRITICIS~I
Television programs reflect different segments of a society's values, norms, and practices as well as
its fads, interests, and trends. Because of this, your awareness and understanding of your own
society gives you insight into the 1neanings generated in television's fictional stories, coverage of
real-life stories, reality sho,vs, and other types of progra1nming. Here you must use your own
interpretative resources to 1nake inferences about social relationships and configurations of value.
Television programn1ing, whether on linear television or online, its structure, tilning, and
co1nmercialism appropriate the structure and priorities of society, the distribution of goods and
po\<ver, values and 1notives for behavior, and syste1ns of reward and punishment. Its focus is
tenipocentric; that is, the tilne we live in is the most ilnportant tilne. The cultural n orms, attitudes,
and values of the present tilne are reflected in shows about the past. For example, Outlander is set in
the 18th centu1y with a 2oth-centu1y heroine, Claire, who has time-travelled to the past. Claire is an
intelligent, competent, an d physically fit woman ,~1ho is an equal to her husband an d thus represents
the qualities of an ideal 21st-century female to the viewing audience. Although television progra1ns
reflect the nation's cultural pluralism and n1ay present a 1nultiplicity of rneanings, television
programming, in general, reflects rnajority preferences because its commerce needs to appeal to the
largest possible target audience. This is not necessarily the case with online television, but it is
especially true for network television and, generally, fo r cable and satellite programs with their
specialized target audiences. One can even say that television not only reflects culture but that it also
creates culture. As David Marc (1995) pointed out:
Culture today is produced and distributed by a very few corporations, which,
through their 1nany divisions and subsidiaries, 1nake decisions about what culture
all n1e1nbers of society will consun1e, fro1n the top of the social ladder to the
botton1. ... The success of the syste1n is dependent on its ability to persuade the
public to collaborate with it in the creation of a social product. (pp. 53, 56)
v\Thile the networks such as ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC try to appeal to viewers between 18 and 49
years old, cable stations such as MTV, Lifetilne, ESPN, E1, Food Nehvork, Disney, Discove1y , Animal
Planet, History Channel, Home Shopping Network, SOAPnet, and Syfy appeal to ve1y specific
interests. This is known as "brand identity" because specific channels appeal to target audiences.
For example, Lifethne appeals to adult ,vo1nen v.rith stories featuring strong women and their
relationships, and wo1nen's fashion is highlighted in shows like Project Rinnvay. Comedy Cent ral
appeals to viewers who enjoy irreverence, satire, stand-up con1edy, and adult anilnation. This
specificity suggests that we live in an era of individualized culture, what Walt Whitman characterized
as an A1nerica of "contradicto1y multitudes." We have so many choices- and ,ve have television sets
in different roo1ns as well as television reception on co1nputers, tablets, and sma1t phones- that each
rnember of a family can watch selected channels according to individual interests.
Photo 1 . 1 Claire, a time-traveler in Outlander, represents the 21st-centu1y won1an in an
Location 757
18th-century drama.
Source: © Starz
Television criticisrn can go beyond description and evaluation of a television prograin or series to a
level of deeper cultural diagnosis. This is discussed in detail in Chapters 6 and ,7..
Narrative and Contextual Reality
Several television programs represent actual news events in fictional stories. In this way, television
echoes real-life dra1na and reinforces its credibility by presenting familiar and true-to-life stories that
appeal to viewers' interests. Three 1nonths after the mine explosion that killed 29 miners at the
Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, Leverage, a TNT show about a team of three men and two
won1en who expose corruption and take revenge on perpetrators, aired an episode in which the tearn
infiltrated a rnine in West Virginia to expose safety violations after a deadly explosion. One 1nonth
later, an episode of Leverage featured the team going after a pharmaceutical CEO who wanted to
release under a new name a dangerous drug capable of killing thousands of people. The sto1y
mirrored numerous newspaper releases about diet drugs that ,vere recalled after several people died
from taking the1n. The premise of the critically acclaimed show The Good Wife is built on recent
scandals involving pro1ninent n1arried, elected officials ,vho ,,vere exposed in relationships with
prostitutes. The Neivsroorn, an HBO series that ended in 2015, featured the television newsroom
characters preparing news releases on events such as the Boston l\1arathon bornbings, illegal release
of governrnent classified rnaterial, and the alleged rape of a university student. Scandal, which is
about love and politics in the White House, has referred to issues like gun control, school shootings,
Secret Service antics, and references to wornen such as Anita Hill and Monica Le,,vinsky. Silicon
Valley had a plot about sexism in the male-centric high tech business that reflected recent ne,~,s
stories an d a court case. Law & Order, a popular series that ,vas cancelled in 2010 after 20 seasons,
coined the phrase "ripped from the headlines" to intr·oduce episodes about familiar events. Robert
Thornpson, director of Syracuse University's Center for Popular Television, said of these stories that
reflect the news: "It's gripping and disturbing. Television is kind of the way that the entire collective
subconscious of our culture plays out these issues" (Reuters, 2001).
Photo 1 .2 The Newsroorn has stories "ripped frorn the headlines" about the Boston
Marathon bombing an d the rape of a college student.
 TELEVISION CRITICISM
Source: © HBO
her aide in Madani Secretary.
Source: © CBS
CSI: Cl'inie Scene Investigation uses actual forensic science as the basis for its program. Because
b oth fictional and real-life crime scene investigators work for the state and must testify in cou1t, they
have to produce provable evidence based on scientific procedures. Jeny Bruckheilner, the producer,
said, "On CSI I told then1 to use the correct terminology even if the audience doesn't know it, because
even if they don't understand it, they'll know it's real" (Stein, 2003, p. 71). Consultants for the CSI
shows include a forensic pathologist and a former crime scene analyst (CSA) as well as science
research ers. CSI: 0.Jber features a cyber-specialist who investigates cyber-crimes such as h acking,
theft, and even murder that is related to the Internet.
After the Septernber 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New
York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania,
television responded with shows about 9/ 11. Rescue Me, an FX su1n1ner series that concluded in
Septernber 2011 (now streaming on FX) had a long-term con11nitn1ent to story lines about the fallen
firefighters of 9/ 11- stories about 1nemories and grief. The lead character, Tornmy Gavin, played by
Denis Leary, lost his cousin and rnany friends in the Twin Towers. The 2010 season had a firefighter
character who became seriously ill with cancer, apparently caused by his work at Ground Zero.
Leary, one of the producer-writers, used anecdotes he heard from real-life firefighters in the scripts.
Other series, such as Shov,rt:ime's Honieland, feature plots about the fight against terrorists in foreign
Location 818
countries, while science fiction series have alluded to the unsettling fear of terroris1n in the world
with post-apocalyptic survival plots about strange deaths and unexpected phenomena (Falling
Skies).
Of course, not all cultural context plots are so tragic or serious. Cornedy series also draw frorn real
life for their h umor . Through co1nic situ ations at ho1ne or at work, we can recognize our own
fallibility and laugh at it. In contextualized situations, we experience the fictional com edy more
intensely because it takes place in a real setting. So1netimes the decision to film in an actual setting is
driven by production decisions. On March 3, 2004, Yes, Dear featured the fonner governor of
California, Gray Davis, in a scene at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball ga1ne. Tim Conway, who played
the lead actor's visiting father, got into a scripted argurnent with Davis in the team owner's special
box. Conway made a joke that criticized Davis's handling of the state's budget and threw a glass of
water in his face. Davis then chased Conway out of the owner's box, through the bleachers, and onto
the floor during halftilne- in front of the gaine's real spectators, who were unaware that a television
show was being filmed. J eff Meyer, the director of that Yes, Dear episode, said in a personal
intervie,v that the choice to fihn at an actual game was made b ecause they wanted to have a live
basketball audience in the show (O'Donnell, 2004). Yes, Dear, like rnost sitcoms, was normally
filmed before live studio audiences in order to enhan ce the actors' sense of performing. To film the
episode at a real basketball game was worth it to the producers of the show even though they needed
to obtain complicated permissions from the NBA and the Lakers organization. Later, when Alan
Kirschenbaum, Yes, Dear's co-creator and executive producer, reh1rned to his seat in the stands after
filming, he overheard the 1nan next to him saying to his friend who had just returned with their
drinks: "You won't believe it, Joe, but Tim Conway was just chasing the fo nner governor, Gray Davis,
around the court," to which Joe replied : "No way, man!"
A television seminar that was held at The Paley Center for the Media in New York City on April 27,
2015, featured the cast and executive producers of Madan1 Secretary. The discussion was led by Bob
Schieffer, a noted Washington, D.C., journalist and fonner host of Face the Nation. They discussed
the last episode of the season, "The Kill List," that was about a treaty between the United States and
Iran to lirnit Iran's nuclear weapons. Schieffer praised the show and the entire series for its
authenticity saying, "That's the way it is." He asked the producers, "How do you keep this show right
on the news?" Barbara Hall, the co-creator of the show and executive producer, ans,-vered, "We
follow current events and we project what we think ,,vill happen. Our show can't be less realistic than
what actually happens. I an d rny staff do a lot of research." (An Evening With the Cast and Creators
of Madarn Secretary. April 27, 2015, No.1231243)
Critical Categories and Critical Choices
The narratives of the aforernentioned television shows, the rernarks of Thompson, and the real-life
context b ehind the programs are just a fe,v of the items that a television critic ,,vould consider.
Television shows ai·e rich with issues; cultural values; legal information; co1utroo1n ritual;
psychological subtexts; controversy; family nonns; gender, racial, age, sexual, and employ1nent
representation; and ideological hegemony or domin ant cultural beliefs. Each has a distinctive style, a
 TELEVISION CRITICISM

signature look, ensemble acting, realistic sets, and 1nusical themes. Viewing audiences are expected
to be informed, thinking, and feeling audiences that actively participate in the progra1n by
responding to and grappling with the issues. Critics n1ay choose to deal with one or son1e of these
categories, utilizing theoretical b ackground and 1nethodological analysis to appreciate, understand,
and evaluate their observations.
How then do you, as a television critic, differ fro1n other television viewers? You will analyze a
television program in order to understand how it ,.vorks and the choices its creators and producers
made. You take television seriously and evaluate its expression of ideas, values, and conflicts, which
give you and your readers deeper insight into our culture. You may 1nake observations about what
see1ns to be lacking in a program- but subsequently, you need to know what possible alternatives
there are. ,l\s a co1npetent critic, you know that different vie,.vers derive different 1neanings fro1n the
saine television program ; therefore, you can interpret several possible meanings and their
ilnportance to those who might determine the1n. Further, you ,,vill go beyond the progra1n itself and
ask what conceptual or theoretical ilnplications may have resulted. Finally, you will com1n unicate to
others the results of the critical observations in ways th at can enrich their understanding. These
critical observations are based on your informed judg1nent. Different acaden1ic television critics do
not necessarily agree on what are the best critical methods and theories through which to criticize
television, but as Horace Newco1nb (2000) pointed out in the sixth edition of Television: The
Critical Vieiu, their works are
good faith attempts to recognize and understand how social life, now dependent
on 1nass media, on popular fonns of expression and entertain1nent, on the far-
reaching lines of information afforded by new technologies, can best be taught and
understood, leai·ned and used by all citizens. (p. 6)
The Familiar and the Unfamiliar in Television
Technological developments- satellite trans1nitters, the DVR, cable and digital syste1ns, HDTV, 3-D
television, the Internet and the various digital devices that enable you to do,.vnload it, and the
develop1nent of interrelationships between ai1d a1nong different 1nedia- have given vie,vers an
enorn1ous array of choices and enlarged awaren ess of the world and its people. Television today
allows us to view programs fro1n unfa1niliar communities and countries, sometimes in other
languages, giving us the experience of hearing and seeing different narrative fo nns and
representations of cultural norms other than our own. These exposures and the choices they give us
also provide oppo1tunities to compare the familiar with the unfamiliar, and this requires knowledge
of the familiar. Critical 1nethodologies enable us to enhance our knowledge of the fa1niliar and equip
us to confront the unfa1niliar. It is also ilnportant to recognize that the institutions of United States
television are the do1ninant television indush·ies in the ,vorld, and that American programming has
become popular around the globe. While visiting the Tate Gallery in London, I noticed that the
won1an at the information desk had a picture of George Clooney in doctor's scrubs as the screensaver
on her co1nputer. She told 1ne that ER is her favorite television show, although after fifteen seasons
on broadcast television, it can only be seen in syn dication, DVD box sets, on NBC.com , A1nazon, and
Google Play in the present tin1e. American p rogr amming has, in many cases, been adopted as a
model fo r program1ning in other countries. A few years ago, 1ny husband and I checked into a small
hotel in Milan . The desk clerk was watching Italy's version of The Dating Ganie, a ga1ne show in
which 1nen and women choose a date by asking questions of several can didates. Except fo r the
language difference, the show was nearly identical to Alnerica's The Dating Carne. Of course, it
works both ways. England's Antiques Roadshow, Being Hu1nan, Broadchurch (Gracepoint),
Dancing With the Stars, Shameless, and House of Cards were the prototypes for America's versions
of these shows. Jane the Virgin was modeled after a telenovela from Venezuela.

This chapter sta1ted off with the notion that critical acuity would give you a fuller and richer
In order to do the work of a television critic, you have to (1) choose a television program to criticize,
appreciation fo r a television program, as ,.vell as a better understanding of viewer response to it. Each
(2) submit yourself to the program and stay alert, (3) detennine what questions to ask as you watch
of the chapters of this book is designed to help you become a critic who not only knows how to
the progra1n, and (4) choose or develop a 1nethodology to answer the questions. Thus, your work as a
evaluate a television prograin but who also can conshuct a persuasive argument to suppo1t that
television critic is to understand the various elements of a television program from script to
judgment. To get started, you may be asking some very basic questions, such as, "How do I choose a
perfon nance in order to analyze, through critical niethodology, how the elements n1ake a progra1n
television progra111 to criticize?" an d "How do I know ,vhat methods to use to criticize it?" So let us
what it is; to interpret the sundry n1eanings that the program may have by understanding the
examine s01ne basic, critical orientation concepts.
nuances of the culture in which it appears and the multiple 1neanings it 1nay have for different
audiences; to pass judgrnent on the quality of the progra1n; and, finally, to co1nrnunicate that Photo 1.4 Programs like Nature allO'w us to see wildlife in distant countries.
judg1nent to an audience. The chapters that follow will help you decide what questions to ask by
presenting both theories and n1ethods for analysis, as well as necessary infonnation regarding the
phenon1ena that 1nake up a television prograin. It is also essential to understand that television
production and distribution is a business dependent on profits. Knowledge of critical methodology
for analysis and criticism of television together with an understan ding of the business of television,
which is discussed in ChaP.ter 2, enables you to realistically evaluate what you view. A competent
television critic also knows his or her own culture and recognizes its representation in a television
progran1.

Location 877
 TELEVISION CRITICIS:M
Source: © PBS
Critical Orientation
First, it is perfectly acceptable to choose one of your favorite television programs to criticize. Your
familiarity with the show will enable you to select critical questions 1nore easily, an d your resulting
critique will help you gain a deeper understanding of ,vhy you like it. For exainple, I like The Good
Wife, and I often watch it for pure enjoyment as opposed to criticizing it. If I were to do a critique of
The Good Wife, my job would be so1newhat easier because I am familiar with the fo rmat and style of
the show; I know most of the characters' names and their fictional histories; I have read articles
about the show and watched an Academy of Television Arts and Sciences semin ar (online) with the
actors and ¥.Titer-producers, who discussed the characters, the plot, and the production ("An
Evening With The Good Wife,"2011).
Second, you may select a television progra1n that grapples with issues that interest you. What
interests me about The Good Wife are the strong, professional wo1nen in th e show. Each one has a
different and co1nplex personality, but they work as a team together with the male lawyers. Each
episode usually has one court case, an d I enjoy the way they uncover evidence, cross-examine
\,vitnesses, and interact with the judges. Perhaps there are issues that you would like to be involved
in, and therefore you may select a television progran1 about the law, medicine, crime, children,
teenagers, reality, music, dance, science, animals, sports, or politics. Perhaps you are interested in
how television presents infonnation about disease or the environment. You n1ay wish to observe how
ce1tain occupations are portrayed on television or how gender, sexuality, age, race, ethnicity, or
professions are represented. Perhaps you would like to co1npare and contrast the ways in which the
news is presented by different networks or by different anchors, or you may want to t race the hun1an
values that underlie the forn1at and presentation of news stories. You 1nay wish to exan1ine certain
spo1ts coverage or look at the role of celebrities on television talk sho,vs. You may be especially
interested in a certain type of television progra1n or a genre, whether it is a situation-comedy, a
miniseries, or reality-based television.
Photo 1.5 Alicia in The Good Wife has just won a case in court with her partner Finn.
Source: © CBS
location 939
Third, you n1ay ,vant to attempt the application of a methodology to see what you can learn by
applying it. You can examine how a narrative is shaped and structured, examine the conventions of
genre, look for the various codes of television and t1y to extrapolate 1neaning fron1 them, exa1nine the
characteristics of "fa1nilies" and family values, look for evidence of the postm o dern phenon1ena,
and/ or observe an d evaluate the "look" and style of a television progra1n. The following chapters
present ways of observing, analyzing, and evaluating television programs. ChaP-ter 9. consolidates
those that precede it into a comprehensive set of critical questions from which you can choose the
appropriate ones to ask of a television program. ChaP-ter 10 is a sample an alysis of an episode of The
Big Bang Theory that applies most of those critical questions.
Fourth, you n1ay be interested in the making of a television show. Television programs are the result
of the ,vork of the creators, the executive producers, p roducers, writers, directors, actors, set
designers, costun1ers, 1nusic directors, visual and sound editors, ca1nera operators, and other staff,
who may or may not be in an independent production co1npany. You can enjoy the convenience of
the vast a1nount ofinforn1ation on a program's website. You can usually access character back-
stories and interviews with the actors, producers, and other staff. Their creative work and the ways in
which a television show is initiated and produced is the subject of ChaP-ter 2 , "De1nystifyi ng the
Business of Television."
Summary
Criticism is the practice of informed judgment through which a person understands, evaluates, and
com1nunicates to others the what, how, and why something is considered to be of quality. The result
can illu1ninate, enlighten, and bring about appreciation for that which is criticized. Television
criticism can bring about a fuller and richer understanding of people's reactions to a television
progra1n. Because television is ubiquitous in society, it is important to practice sound television
criticism. Not only will the television critic gain deeper understanding of the production process,
aesthetics, and genre standards, but also the critic can develop insight into cultural contexts and
cultural norn1s inherent in the narrative and action of programs.
Whether you choose a broadcast television program, one from a website, or on e that is strea1ning on
the Internet; whether you choose a new program or one from years past, you are choosing a
television program and the questions fo r analysis ,-vill serve you well. Television critics choose a
progra1n to cliticize, watch the program in an alert state, detennine what questions to ask, and
choose or develop a 1nethodology to answer the questions. The subsequent analysis and evaluation
are then co1nmunicated to an audience.
Television criticism is subjective in that it subjects a program to interpretation through the critic's
perceptual filters. Television criticism can also be persuasive in that it can alter the perceptions of
viewers.
Television production and distribution is a business dependent upon advertising, subscriptions, and
fees as well as audience suppo1t. Television production develops a look, a visual style that should
 TELEVISION1O

enhance the narrative as well. Mainstream representations of race, gender, sexuality, age, an d
occupation reflect societal changes and new norms. Narratives on fiction and nonfiction television
reinforce cultural values. Television programs and their scheduling are bound by genres. These
aspects, all of which you should be familiar with as a television critic, are explored in each of the
parts of this book.

Exercises
1. What does it mean to be a "transfonner" when you are a television critic?
2. Read an example of television criticism online or in a newspaper like The NeuJ York Tirnes, the
Los Angeles Tinies, USA Today, or any other major newspaper, or go to
htt p:/ / ww,.v.tvcritics.org and find the list of critics. Read a fevv critiques. What does the
journalistic television criticism tell you? Do you think it is objective? Does it persuade you to
watch a pa1ticular show?
3. What does it mean to say that television criticism is subjective? What does it mean to say that
television criticism is persuasive?
4. Can you name the brand identity of the television cable station that you watch on a regular
basis? How do you regard yourself in tenns of that brand?
5. How do you, as a television viewer, participate when you watch? Do you fill in the blanks or
predict what will h appen?

Suggested Readings
Archive of American Television. Half-hour interviews ,.vith television actors, producers, writers,
casting directors, and other production staff. http: / / www.emm)'.s.tv/foundation /archive. Also
htt p: //www.tvinfervievvsarchive.blog§P.ot.com for access and links to the ne,.vest interviews.

Marc, David. (1995). Bonfire of the Humanities: Television, Subliteracy, and Long-Term Me1no1y.
Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.

Nehainas, Alexander. (Winter 1990) . Serious watching. South Atlantic Quarterly, 89(1), 157-180.

Locatiorloc