Small dramas usually mean even smaller audiences, but Rectify, the little show that could, proved that there remains a market for stories where nothing explodes, a psychopath isn’t waiting around the next corner and life moves at a pace that is credible — it mirrored our own...

2016

Dec

LARRY DAVID’S ORIGINAL MANIA… THE BEATLE KIND — By Eric Gould

Among the many interviews David conducted for his look at the evolution of TV’s Platinum Age, he talked with another David, Larry, about the genre of “Splitcoms” — situation comedies like Seinfeld that are set half in the lead character’s home... But before all that, he was cast in the 1980-82 ABC late-night comedy series Fridays. One recurring bit, a character named Solly Mullins, was a temp worker who showed up to all sorts of preposterous gigs, like standing in for John Lennon who does not show up for a world-wide Beatles reunion...

2016

Nov

THREE LAUGHS AND A FUNERAL By Eric Gould

With Grant Tinker’s passing, there are many milestone moments in the MTM archive that helped transform television into what it is today... One of our favorite MTM moments was from the 1975 Mary Tyler Moore Show episode, “Chuckles Bites the Dust." Mary, stricken by grief at the news of Chuckles the Clown's death, had been scolding the WJM staff for making repeated clown jokes about the tragedy. Except that all, memorably, changes at Chuckles’ funeral...

2016

Nov

OK, HERE WE GO AGAIN By Eric Gould

We’re big fans of the the band OK Go who have really taken the idea of music videos into what we might all agree is the realm of fine art. For the past few years, they have been the high priests of the single take, fusing mind-boggling choreographed performance and colorful op-art into 4 minute masterwork achievement...

2016

Nov

MODERATING HOLIDAY HEARTBURN By Eric Gould

Ellen DeGeneres envisions a new service which will be the perfect antacid for all that ills at the Thanksgiving table after an unprecedented and divided presidential season. It’s an app called Mobile Moderator...

2016

Nov

LUCY ON THE LINE WITH CHOCOLATES By Eric Gould

David’s new book, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific is now out on Amazon. To help kick off The Platinum Age release, we’ll be featuring clips related to his study of TV genres and their evolution...

2016

Nov

MANY HAPPY (ELECTION) RETURNS By Eric Gould

It was a long, strange election year and one which set many milestones for television political coverage. Hosting his election night special, Stephen Colbert riffed his way through a few impromptu reasons why some of us might feel a little too wired, too plugged in, and too righteous about our political side of the spectrum…

2016

Nov

PAND–ARCHISTS By Eric Gould

For your last weekend in election purgatory, as a distraction, courtesy of Huffpost Hill, here are some young pandas who just won’t cooperate...

2016

Oct

SINCE YOU’RE STILL WATCHING By Eric Gould

If you’re still glued to this Walking Dead-style election plastered across all network and cable news channels, our sympathy. Our concern. In the interest of distraction, courtesy of Huffpost Hill, TVWW presents this raccoon eating grapes...

2016

Oct

BECAUSE YOU’VE (STILL) LASTED THIS LONG By Eric Gould

We’re fans of Eliot Nelson’s daily rundown of the political news, “Huffpost Hill.” His column finishes with a “Because You’ve Read This Far” feature, usually a link to adorable animal videos...

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