TVFaillogo
  • Welcome!

    Welcome to TV Surveillance! I’m Cory Barker, I’ll be your guide through the world of television here. I'm a wannabe television critic, but also a budding academic studying television.

    This blog will cover television from as many angles possible. I review many of today’s most important series, comment on television-related news items, throw up lots of goofy, but not frivolous lists and work through more long-term projects that will provide us with some interesting discussion topics – hopefully. In that sense, TV Surveillance will serve as a point where critical and academic viewpoints on television collide, while entertaining all along the way.

    If you'd like to contact me, e-mail me at barkerc65@gmail.com or find me on Twitter @corybarker.

Smallville Logo

CFP: Edited collection on the recently-concluded WB/CW television series Smallville [DEADLINE EXTENDED]

Hey folks: As some of you may know, I write about television on a more academic level as well. Two colleagues and I are putting together a book about Smallville. Below you will find the CFP and related information. Please let me know if you’re interested and/or have other questions. We have extended the deadline … Read more

TVFaillogo

#TVFail Entry 17: 30 Rock, “The One With The Cast of Night Court”

The accused: 30 Rock, “The One With The Cast of Night Court” (Season 3, Episode 3) The crime:  Embodying the big dangers with high-profile guest casting Television’s failures are supposed to be obvious. From the overhyped non-starters that flop from the very beginning (hello, FlashForward, Lone Star) to the much-discussed clumsy conclusions of series we were convinced … Read more

Touch Fox

Series Premiere Review: Touch

Let’s get this out of the way first: Tim Kring is the worst. He is not just the worst because he took a series with a great concept and a handful of truly good episodes in Heroes and quickly ran it into the ground, repetitively. Tim Kring is just the worst because he knows exactly … Read more

american_pickers_logo

The value of work: On the success and appeal of labor-centric reality programs

Over the holidays, I spent a substantial amount of time watching television with my parents (as you do). My parents don’t have the most refined television tastes (and they’ll be the first to admit it), but I was surprised to see that some of the obnoxious reruns of CSI: Miami they used to watch all … Read more

JUSTIFIED

Review: Justified, “Cut Ties”

I’m short on time again today, but I wanted to put down a few short thoughts on last night’s Justified. If you were to say that Justified had one weakness in its first two seasons (primarily in its first, though), it would be how the series handled the supporting characters who work with Raylan in … Read more

White_Collar_(TV_series)

Character depth welcome: On why White Collar is far and away USA Network’s best series

You may or may not know this, but I am in the midst of completing my MA thesis on USA Network and the “Characters Welcome” brand campaign (among other things). I say this to point out that I have spent a good deal of time with USA Network’s slate of programming over the past year … Read more

tpnew2
JUSTIFIED
ShowrunnerSeries
Alcatraz Title Card
Print
fringe_intertitle2
TVFaillogo
modern_family_20110613205315

Love to hate, hate to love: On contemporary comedy’s reliance on bickering

Yesterday during the ABC Wednesday comedy showrunners panel at the Television Critics Association gathering, Modern Family honcho Steve Levitan made a comment about how he would like to see the “far right” to not like his series’ two gay characters, Mitchell and Cameron. The implication from Levitan’s statement being that everyone has to love Mitchell … Read more

tpnew2

Test Pilot: File #33, Dollhouse

Test Pilot #33: Dollhouse Debut date: February 13, 2009 Series legacy: Bursting with potential, much of it untapped Welcome to 2012, friends, readers and fellow humans. Test Pilot grew into a popular (relatively speaking, of course) and personal favorite feature in 2011 and I think we have a bunch of really intriguing stuff coming up … Read more

tpnew2

Test Pilot: File #32, Firefly

Test Pilot #32: Firefly Debut date: September 20, 2002 Series legacy: The defining cult series in contemporary television Welcome to 2012, friends, readers and fellow humans. Test Pilot grew into a popular (relatively speaking, of course) and personal favorite feature in 2011 and I think we have a bunch of really intriguing stuff coming up … Read more

tpnew2

Test Pilot: File #31, Angel

Test Pilot #31: Angel Debut date: October 5, 1999 Series legacy: A mostly worthy spin-off of one of television’s most well-regarded series Welcome to 2012, friends, readers and fellow humans. Test Pilot grew into a popular (relatively speaking, of course) and personal favorite feature in 2011 and I think we have a bunch of really … Read more

tpnew2

Test Pilot: File #30, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Test Pilot #30: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Debut date: March 10, 1997 Series legacy: One of the most respected and beloved series of all-time; the beginning of a great career for Joss Whedon Welcome to 2012, friends, readers and fellow humans. Test Pilot grew into a popular (relatively speaking, of course) and personal favorite feature … Read more

TV Surveillance Best of 2011
Best of 2011_2

TV Surveillance’s Best of 2011: Best 30 Series of the Year, 15-1

It is that time again folks! The end of the year is upon us and that means it is time to look back on the highs, lows and WTFs in television from the past 12 months. There is a lot to reflect on in regard to television 2011. Charlie Sheen went crazy. Well, crazier. Comedy … Read more

TV Surveillance Best of 2011