Harry and Wally's Favorite TV Shows: A Fact-Filled Opinionated Guide to the Best and Worst TV Series That Turn Up Everyday on Your Home Screen

by Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0139332502
• ISBN13: 9780139332500
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Length: 628 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 7.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Far better than that "Complete Directory" book

Why is it that that "Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows" is now in an 8th edition, while "Harry and Wally" has been out of print for years? The "Complete Directory" is nothing but a dry, boring recitation of shows' premises, whereas "Harry and Wally" is like a roundup of well-written short essays on whether some obscure show would be worth your time. (I refered to it recently when Trio did a special run of "East Side/West Side.") The more classic the show, the better and longer the write-up, too. They also score extra credit with me, as an original series "Star Trek" die-hard, for a great write-up on my favorite series.I've hoped for years for an updated edition of Harry and Wally. C'mon guys, where did you go? What gives?

Unique and valuable reference work

It's a shame this book isn't in print anymore. It's an even BIGGER shame that there was never an updated edition. The book came out in the late 1980s, and so much has happened in television since then. Harry and Wally, if you're out there, how about writing a sequel?Even though it's more than a decade out of date, "Harry and Wally's Favorite TV Shows" is still a valuable reference work for students of pop culture or just fans of classic TV. It covers a great many series that other TV books skip over, including series on PBS and shows imported from the UK. The idea of giving each series a rating from zero stars to four stars also sets "Favorite TV Shows" apart from other similar books. Better yet, the reviews are usually right on the money.

Harry & Wally's Favorite TV Shows

This is one of the best reference guides ever written for all those classic tv enthusiests! It not only has information on shows that had successful runs but those shows that didn't last more than one season or possibly not past the pilot show. It is light easy fun reading and a great book to have in my collection when I ask myself "what was that show..you know with the guy and the girl and that whachamacallit", and you can usually find your answer. If you can find this book used,(since it is out of print and hard to find), grab it and enjoy! Thanks Harry & Wally!

...and my favorite TV book by far!

Forget the light-hearted cover and title. No matter who "Harry" and "Wally" are, rest assured they are not "Beavis and Butthead" but two brilliant television critics who I believe have crafted for coach potatoes the best guide to living room entertainment. Working as both an encyclopedic reference and a highly opinionated tour guide, the book manages to give television history the same sort of readable pop cultural analysis usually reserved for the movies. In fact Roger Ebert came to mind when I read Mr. Castleman's and Mr. Podrazik's take one everything from the classics like "I Love Lucy" or half season duds like "The Brady Brides." They clearly love television from a refreshing middle brow point of view and are able to convey that to the reader with both humor and intellect. While the authors do tend to turn their backs on some interesting shows (70's cop shows, in particular, are greeted with a yawn), their reviews of "All In The Family, M*A*S*H, and even "The Lone Ranger" are dead on target and illuminating. I hope someday Harry and Walter pursuade the puplishers give this out of print title another go around. Besides, I wonder what would these two remote control sages think about other TV obsessions such as "Seinfeld" or "The Sopranos?"

A wonderful book about television

This book is a fascinating look at television shows from the 1950's through 1989. Unlike most television reference books, Harry and Wally give their opinions as what was good or bad about 2,000 shows. They critique the acting, directing, and writing of the shows. Unfortunately, the book is out of print, but if you can get a copy, it is fun reading. Harry and Wally have a real love for television.