The TV Zone

Great column by esteemed Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales on why the world needs TV critics - and it was not even remotely self-serving.

The second graph (and go here for the whole piece...):
"Sadly, there are people abroad and afoot in the land who maintain that TV critics are anachronisms, unnecessary luxuries in a fidgety digital age. Unfortunately, some of those people happen to be newspaper editors."

Like I said, a great Shales piece, as always.

But he forgot some points. I'll quickly cite those:

* TV critics are fun.

* TV critics are never wrong.

* TV critics watch TV so you don't have to.

* TV critics care about Jon AND Kate (less so about the kids).

* TV critics - the best ones - love "Americas Got Talent."

* TV critics are very adept at putting double entendres in reviews, especially ones relating to shows like "Hung."

* TV critics whine ceaselessly about "American Idol" - now, who ELSE is gonna do that?

* TV critics rarely drink too much at parties.

* TV critics have (however) been known to eat too much at parties, particularly ones that the networks are throwing.

* TV critics never allow their opinions to be swayed by the networks - except by networks that throw parties.

* TV critics are fair and unbalanced.

* TV critics know how to do lots of stuff - like rap. Those particular critics are called "cr******."

* TV critics are reasonable people, for the most part.

* TV critics care about YOU - unless you don't agree with them.

* TV critics also care about people like Racheal Ray (do you?)

* TV critics are functionally unemployable so if they lose their jobs, they won't be...umm, employed.