Alan Sepiwall has been writing about television for close to 20 years, and his episode-by-episode approach to reviewing beloved TV shows has changed the nature of television criticism. His detailed analysis and insightful commentary have established him as an acclaimed critic whose work is valued for its depth and style.
Offering an intriguing look into the creation of a megahit, this book captures the essence of an era before streaming TV became dominant. It evokes nostalgia for those who experienced television in its earlier forms, providing insights into the cultural impact and behind-the-scenes stories that shaped beloved shows. Readers will appreciate the blend of entertainment history and personal reflections that bring the past to life.
The Complete Critical Companion to Better Call Saul
The series delves into the complex character of Jimmy McGill, a small-time con artist whose ambition leads him down a morally ambiguous path. As Bob Odenkirk reprises his role, viewers witness Jimmy's transformation into the morally compromised lawyer, Saul Goodman. The narrative intricately explores themes of ambition, ethics, and the consequences of one's choices, surprising audiences with its depth and character development across six acclaimed seasons.
The complete collection of Alan Sepinwall's popular Breaking Bad essays, annotated and with new, never-before-published work
The complete collection of Alan Sepinwall's popular Breaking Bad essays, annotated and with new, never-before-published work
Is The Wire better than Breaking Bad? Is Cheers better than Seinfeld? What's the best high school show ever made? Why did Moonlighting really fall apart? Was the Arrested Development Netflix season brilliant or terrible? For twenty years-since they shared a TV column at Tony Soprano's hometown newspaper-critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz have been debating these questions and many more, but it all ultimately boils down to this: What's the greatest TV show ever? That debate reaches an epic conclusion in TV (THE BOOK). Sepinwall and Seitz have identified and ranked the 100 greatest scripted shows in American TV history. Using a complex, obsessively all- encompassing scoring system, they've created a Pantheon of top TV shows, each accompanied by essays delving into what made these shows great. From vintage classics like The Twilight Zone and I Love Lucy to modern masterpieces like Mad Men and Friday Night Lights, from huge hits like All in the Family and ER to short-lived favorites like Firefly and Freaks and Geeks, TV (THE BOOK) will bring the triumphs of the small screen together in one amazing compendium. Sepinwall and Seitz's argument has ended. Now it's time for yours to begin!
TV critic Alan Sepinwall chronicles how twelve innovative TV dramas from The Sopranos to Breaking Bad transformed the medium and culture at large.
The Cops, Crooks, Slingers and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever
A mob boss in therapy. An experimental, violent prison unit. The death of an American city, as seen through a complex police investigation. A lawless frontier town trying to talk its way into the United States. A corrupt cop who rules his precinct like a warlord. The survivors of a plane crash trying to make sense of their disturbing new island home. A high school girl by day, monster fighter by night. A spy who never sleeps. A space odyssey inspired by 9/11. An embattled high school football coach. A polished ad exec with a secret. A chemistry teacher turned drug lord. These are the subjects of 12 shows that started a revolution in TV drama: The Sopranos. Oz. The Wire. Deadwood. The Shield. Lost. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 24. Battlestar Galactica. Friday Night Lights. Mad Men. Breaking Bad. These 12 shows, and the many more they made possible, ushered in a new golden age of television — one that made people take the medium more seriously than ever before. Alan Sepinwall became a TV critic right before this creative revolution began, was there to chronicle this incredible moment in pop culture history, and along the way “changed the nature of television criticism,” according to Slate. The Revolution Was Televised is the story of these 12 shows, as told by Sepinwall and the people who made them, including David Chase, David Simon, David Milch, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, Vince Gilligan and more.
