The sky is blue, the air is crisp, apples hang from branches—which means it’s just about time to head indoors and see what’s on TV. Over the next few days, Slate will train its gaze on the fall schedule. Our TV critic Troy Patterson will scrutinize the durability of Kelsey Grammer and the depravity of the Gossip Girls. Our “Sandbox” columnist Ann Hulbert will examine the philosophical underpinnings of Kid Nation. Our foreign editor June Thomas, inspired by the many British actors now starring in U.S. shows, will enlist a voice coach, ditch her Manchester lilt, and learn to speak American. We’ll also have pieces assessing, among other things, the rise of the character blog, the supposed fall of the laugh track, and the consistent mediocrity of shows about New Orleans. No flipping.
Wednesday
“Putting the Fall in Fall TV: Big-money shows are creating headaches for the networks,” by Kim Masters. Posted Sept. 19, 2007.
“Gossip Girl: Imagine Beverly Hills 90120 without any of the guilt,” by Troy Patterson. Posted Sept. 19, 2007.
“Don’t Make Me Laugh: Mocked, maligned, and left for dead, the laugh track isn’t going anywhere,” by Drake Bennett. Posted Sept. 19, 2007.Slate V: “How To Sound Like an American: A U.K.-born Slate editor visits a dialect coach to see how all those British actors playing Americans this fall got rid of their accents.” Posted Sept. 19, 2007.”Kid Nation Says: Sign Here!: How the show’s lawyers got away with subjecting minors to Dickensian treatment,” by Bonnie Goldstein. Posted Sept. 19, 2007.
Thursday
“Must-Read TV: Is Dwight Schrute any good at blogging?,” by Torie Bosch. Posted Sept. 20, 2007.
“Old Soldiers Never Lie: Ken Burns’ The War tells great stories, but is it great history?” by Beverly Gage. Posted Sept. 20, 2007.
“Call of the Wild: The dark truth behind Kid Nation,” by Ann Hulbert. Posted Sept. 20, 2007.
Friday
“Heirloom Jokes: Will Kelsey Grammer revive the old-school sitcom?” by Troy Patterson. Posted Sept. 21, 2007.
“Let’s Eat Some Gumbo on My Fan Boat: What the movies and TV always get wrong about New Orleans,” by Josh Levin. Posted Sept. 21, 2007.
“Oh, How We’ve Missed You!: Slate welcomes its favorite TV personalities back from summer vacation.” Posted Sept. 21, 2007.
“Too Many Heroes: The plague of cast overpopulation,” by Matthew Gilbert. Posted Sept. 21, 2007.
