If it’s true that imitation is the sincerest form of television, as the late Fred Allen famously said, the new fall season looks like a most sincere season indeed...

2018

Aug

‘AMERICA’S GOT TALENT’: A TV TONIC FOR TROUBLED TIMES, FAMILY TV AT ITS BEST By Alex Strachan

It’s too late to expect Tyra Banks to stop asking America’s Got Talent contestants, “How do you feel?” or its variant, “What are your feelings?” every time a contestant is advanced or eliminated...

2018

Aug

AN 'OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN POPULAR TV' AWARD AT THE EMMYS? NOT SO FAST By Alex Strachan

And, breathe. When I first learned that the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has planned a new Oscar category for “Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film” I had two thoughts...

2018

Aug

TWO-NIGHT PBS 'FRONTLINE' FILM ‘OUR MAN IN TEHRAN’ IS AN AFFECTING, INTIMATE LOOK AT DAY-TO-DAY LIFE IN AN ISOLATED COUNTRY By Alex Strachan

Our Man in Tehran, the often illuminating, occasionally moving two-part, four-hour PBS Frontline documentary, was four years in the making...

2018

Jul

SO THIS IS 'WHO IS AMERICA?’ BUT IS IT FUNNY? By Alex Strachan

Golly! I’ve asked the odd stupid question in my time. Many times, in fact...

2018

Jul

2018 PRIMETIME EMMY NOMINATIONS: A TIME-BENDER, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE By Alex Strachan

You can be forgiven for wondering if Barack Obama was still President the last time you saw a new episode of Game of Thrones...

2018

Jun

ACHTUNG, BABY! IT’S THE WORLD CUP, WITHOUT THE GERMANS By Alex Strachan

It’s enough to make grown men cry. No, actually, it is — as in literally...

2018

Jun

JUST IN TIME FOR AWARDS SEASON: ON ‘THE AMERICANS’ AND SERIES FINALES By Alex Strachan

Endings are hard. We know this. They’re even harder, perhaps, when they have to put an exclamation mark on an entire series...

2018

Jun

ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON A LIFE HARD-LIVED: ‘ANOTHER TATTOO, ANOTHER THING YOU DID. ANOTHER PLACE YOU’VE BEEN’ By Alex Strachan

Is it possible to be both shaken and stirred at the same time? I know that feeling today...

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Alex Strachan

Alex Strachan has written extensively about television since 1995. He was the staff television critic for The Vancouver Sun from June 1995 to 2003. Prior to that, he was a general-assignment reporter and sportswriter at the Sun, which he originally joined in 1979. He became the national TV critic for Canada’s Postmedia News chain, or Canwest Global Communications as it was then called, in September 2003. He wrote for the chain from 2003-15, during which time his stories appeared regularly on Canada.com and in such daily papers as the National Post, Vancouver Sun, Montreal Gazette, Ottawa Citizen and Calgary Herald. In recent years, his writing has focused more on media analysis and industry trends than celebrity profiles and background features, but he still finds time to watch The Voice and The Amazing Race, not to mention guilty pleasures like Banshee and Amazon Hotel. Alex's personal website focuses on his concern for the world around us through his stunning photographs from his world travels. In addition, check out Alex's blog on his site which he tries to update every two days or so. You can also follow Alex @astrachanideas