Subject: The Critic Was Right Too Soon | Why 90s TV Wasn't Ready for Media Criticism
In the mid-1990s, television wasn?t ready for a cartoon about media
criticism itself.
The Critic followed Jay Sherman, a depressed, brutally honest film
critic navigating Hollywood hype, bad movies, and an industry allergic
to truth. The show was sharp, self-aware, and deeply cynical? and it
didn?t last.
In this High and Low Retrospective, we explore why The Critic failed in
the 1990s - and why it would likely thrive today in the age of podcasts
like The Big Picture and Blank Check, YouTube video essays, Letterboxd,
and creator-driven film criticism.
From its origins at ABC, its move to FOX, and its connection to The
Simpsons, to its prescient understanding of media literacy and cultural burnout, The Critic wasn?t wrong ? it was early.
This episode examines:
? Why film criticism was scarce in the 90s
? How Siskel & Ebert shaped public taste
? Why audiences once distrusted critics ? and now are critics
? How Jay Sherman predicted modern creator culture
? Why The Critic briefly returned online before YouTube existed
If you love adult animation, cult TV, media analysis, or shows that
were ahead of their time, this one?s for you.
https://youtu.be/MBFYpvrdSnc?si=mH5jG7C9nKjyOFmt
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Democrats and the liberal media hate President Trump more than they
love this country.
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