(Akron Beacon Journal - Oct. 26, 1982) One of Grant Tinker's sons, Mark, was a writer-producer-director on this superb NBC series, and gave me and another enthusiastic TV critic at the time, Tom Brinkmoeller of Cincinnati, a valued scoop by slipping us a handful of the show's scripts before it even premiered. Mark has remained a great source, and a good friend, ever since - and St. Elsewhere, to this day, is one of the best and most audaciously inventive TV drama series ever produced.

Bianculli Akron-Beacon Journal - St. Elsewhere 102682.pdf

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Good news, TVWW readers: David’s new book from Doubleday, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific is now available in paperback for under $15. Doubleday says: “Darwin had his theory of evolution, and David Bianculli has his. Bianculli's theory has to do with the concept of quality television: what it is and, crucially, how it got that way."

"The Platinum Age of Television is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV. For instance, animation evolved from Rocky and His Friends to South Park; variety shows moved from The Ed Sullivan Show to Saturday Night Live; and family sitcoms grew from I Love Lucy to Modern Family. Interviews with Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Norman Lear, Bob Newhart, Matt Groening, Larry David, Amy Schumer are high points... Bianculli has written a highly readable history." —The Washington Post

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