So it is that one side effect of the HD revolution has been the gratifying and edifying return of the nature documentary - films about the hugely varied forms of life that eat, sleep, stalk, mate, fight, thrive, suffer and struggle on our dear and embattled old Earth. Tom Shales deardocumentaryearth share on social
Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of drama, comedy and suspense is moderately ingenious. Tom Shales americanclassiccomedy Change image and share on social
A fellow with the inventiveness of Albert Einstein but with the attention span of Daffy Duck. Tom Shales albertattentiondaffy Change image and share on social
Jerry Seinfeld is amazing in many ways, not the least of them his ability to find humor, and convincing us to find it, too, in the million-and-two details about modern life that under different circumstances might send us into paroxysms of rage. Tom Shales abilityamazecircumstance share on social
'I Love Lucy,' the first classic, really belonged more to the Wacky Woman genre than the domestic sitcom; 'My Little Margie' and 'I Married Joan' were among the shrill, coarse imitations. Tom Shales belongclassiccoarse Change image and share on social
'Dragnet' (the 1951 original, transferred nearly intact from radio) served as a veritable template for all cop shows to come. Tom Shales copdragnetintact Change image and share on social
Maybe Larry Kings cannot thrive or even survive in a world where the norms for discourse are rage, vehemence and character assassination. King wanted to be liked, not feared; admired, not loathed. Tom Shales admireassassinationcharacter Change image and share on social
Perhaps Western civilization is in a post-decline phase, or maybe the decline is just taking a really long time, like the Roman Empire's did. The Romans had gladiators and Christian-hungry lions and that sort of thing. We have MTV. Tom Shales christiancivilizationdecline share on social
It might be hard to remember this far back, but once upon a time, some of us hoped that public TV would develop into a smart, sophisticated, civilized alternative to commercial TV - not a cheap imitation of it. Tom Shales alternativebackcheap share on social
Why, on my mother's birthday, am I thinking about 'Father Knows Best?' At our house, mother knew best at least as often as father did, but then the title of the old sitcom, a homogenized portrait of American family life, was meant to be slightly sardonic. Tom Shales americanbirthdayfamily share on social
