Third Blog Post: MDIA 3110: Advanced Media Criticism!

Critic 1: Alasdair Wilkins
http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-deep-end,93611/

A critic for the AV Club, Mr. Wilkins primarily reviews science fiction and animated comedy shows such as Doctor Who, Farscape, Arrow, Regular Show, and Gravity Falls. His reviews often involve a sort of analysis of the characters, not only as they function for the plot of that particular episode, but also for the show overall. He is also very professional not using slang, and giving a clear explination for his critiques.  He doesn't see things in his critiques as good or bad, but rather what works and what doesn't in an episode. That said he is cleary a fan of the show he reviews, or at least he watches them enough to be very familiar with them. He knows what the characters are like and what to expect, a special mention goes to Gravity Falls a show which premired last summer and which Mr. Wilkins is the sole critic for as of this writing; his writing betrays an affection for these characters, not a cool detachment. This works in his favor, in shows he likes the show he critiques and is not a snob. In any form of media:book, film, radio, television, the audience's love for a good character is usually what keeps them coming back for more. One nice feature is at the end of each critique he gives his thoughts on certain parts of the episode that would not fit in with the main review, but deserve a mention.

Critic 2: Mike Hale
http://tv.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/arts/television/22sherlock.html?pagewanted=all

A New York Times Critic, Mr. Hale reviews a wide variety of TV shows from PBS's Sherlock to NBC's The Office. Each review is tailor-made to the show. He knows that someone reading his review of Sherlock, will likley be a fan of other British TV shows, he even uses the phrase "Anglophilic television fans", and makes refrences to Doctor Who, a show that isn't exactly mainstream in American culture. But at the same time he notes similarities to the leads of American crime dramas like Monk and The Mentalist (both of which were inspired by Holmes himself), as a way to draw in viewers who normally don't watch British shows. Hale notes that the key elements of the talented actors and the scripts made for great television that's fun to watch, which ultimatley the best television is at the end; most television today is watched out of boredom, not entertainment which is something Mr. Hale like myself values.

Critic 3: Mac Rogers
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2013/doctor_who_season_7_recaps/week_2/doctor_who_season_7_the_rings_of_akhaten_recap.html

Mac Rogers is the critic for Doctor Who (the only show he reviews for the site) on Slate.com. Unlike most critics, Rogers' reviews are unconventional: they are on a weekly basis and take the form of an informal (but intelligent conversation not the stuff of YouTube comments) IM conversation with a fan or blogger. This form has it's merit as it offers two different viewpoints on an episode, but unless you've actually seen the episode for yourself they can be hard to follow. But in a way this what television is suppose to do: provoke discussion whether on social topics, or just on the quality on the episode. The first thing I wanna do after watching a film, show, or reading a book is to talk about it with someone esle. Media brings people together not isolate them, and that is what Mr. Roger's reviews do.