TV reviews, England style

Hang on to your hats, because this next idea seems to shake up the sensible order of things: Newspapers in England review TV shows after they air. That's right, after it's too late for you to tune in, you can read all about it.

You can find short reviews of some shows before they air in some magazines. However, the newspapers do longer, meatier reviews after the show is gone and won't be back; if it sounds good, tough luck, you missed it. Can't we get preview copies of shows for the folks at the papers, too? Newspapers can't get no respect, man. But wait, do these reviewers really watch the show at 9 p.m. and then write their review after 10 p.m.? Sure, you can get something in quick under deadline at that point (depending on the paper and its late deadline), but would you push it for a TV show? I'm guessing reviewers often do get a preview copy and write their articles before a show airs, but the papers wait to print it until after. Just for funzies.

However, I do see the point of reviews printed after the fact a little better after reading reviews for a couple of shows I watched last night. I still think it's doing things backwards, but it was interesting to read someone else's take on shows for which I had a context because I'd seen them.