TV Land To Go: The Big Books of TV Lists, TV Lore, and TV Bests (Paperback)

~ Thomas Hill (Author) "Let's begin at the beginning..." (more)
Key Phrases: series originality, episode originality, air date, Comic Valence, Historical Significance, Episode Review (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Carl Reiner Any book that includes three episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show in its list of 100 Best has to be considered a major masterwork. I applaud its publication. Read this entertaining book and learn how it was done and how you too can do it. -- Review

Product Description

Finally, all the entertainment satisfaction you get from television...in a book!

TV Land, the network of America's television favorites, delivers opinionated, informed, and, most of all, humorous takes on everything television! Who are the fifteen grumpiest TV characters? What are the twenty-nine most important comic formulas? What were Chuck Woolery's six careers? Plus TV haiku, TV anagrams, the great literary works that were the progenitors of the sitcom genre, and behind-the-scenes facts and stories that are sure to enhance your television experience. In fact, you'll never watch TV the same way again. TV Land to Go will become as indispensable as your remote control!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Fireside (November 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684856158
• ISBN-13: 978-0684856155
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #265,531 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get it to go!, December 7, 2001

By	Carl Lloyd "seymour7" (Grand Blanc, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

Put down your remote control and pick up this book! The only thing better than watching TV is reading about it in "TV Land to Go." Most of the book is a funny, factual account of all-things TV, but the author also has a ball (as in Lucille) creating his own lists of clever, subjective observations. I could totally identify with "The Seven Lessons Sitcoms Teach Us" and I loved "The Worst Possible Men's Softball Team Composed of Classic TV Stars"...Tony Randall covering first-base? Just imagine it! At the heart of the book is an ambitious list of the 100 best sitcom episodes of all-time. Each episode gets a thorough, "scientific" examination as this list alone runs over 180 pages...there's some very funny stuff in the episodes and also in the observations by the author. (As for his list of the 100 best episodes, he has not included a couple of "Cheers" episodes that ABSOLUTELY should have made the list...at least in my opinion. I was also glad to see a "Get a Life" episode on the list. You're bound to have your own suggestions as well.)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A neat compendium, February 12, 2002

By	J. Gifford (Las Vegas NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

At times irreverent, TV Land To Go is a mishmash of trivia, lists, more lists, and plugs for the network TV Land. Much of the book is hilarious, especially the list of basic TV plots and the collective wisdom of sitcoms. I especially loved the examination of the amnesia plot in comedies and the proliferation of the "hit on the head" trigger and "hit on the head again" cure.

The list of 100 top sitcom episodes is interesting, but, like any list, is controversial (at least to classic TV types). Why the Leave it to Beaver episode with Captain Jack, when the boys take home a baby alligator, instead of the one where Beaver becomes trapped in a giant teacup? Why the episode of Happy Days when Richie fights back against bullies instead of the famous "jump the shark" episode, or the one where Richie returns to the show for the first time in years?

The thinly veiled ads for TV Land -- its shows, specials, books -- seems tongue in cheek, but irritates as well. I flipped past those sections quickly. Some of the lists of top shows are short, and are conspicuously filled with shows that TV Land currently airs.

A nice addition, overall, to your TV book library, but not the "classic compendium" it's purported to be.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Star-riffic!, December 6, 2001

By	A. E. Kessler (San Francisco) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

TV LAND TO GO is a great mix of facts and fun. Tom Hill has managed to cram an incredible amount of information into one volume, and his breezy style makes for a very pleasant read. I found myself cracking up over entries like "The 10 Worst Shows Based on Movies" (anybody remember FERRIS BUELLER?) and "TV Land Haiku." But the detailed and loving analysis of the top 100 sitcom episodes is outstanding. Each episode is actually ranked on criteria like "Emotional Resonance," "Gimmickry," and "Writing, Story." There's a phenomenal amount of detail, including actor cross-referencing and plot "reality checks." Give this book to all the TV addicts on your list. Heck, give it to non-addicts and maybe you'll hook 'em.

All this and a foreword by Adam "Batman" West...gotta love it.