Ask the Critic: Paul Brownfield

Question: Before you had to watch TV for a living, what were your favorite shows? What do you miss about it?

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Brownfield: My favorite shows before becoming a TV critic were “The Sopranos,” “The Simpsons,” “Da Ali G Show” and “The Daily Show.” I don’t miss those shows (I can still watch them), what I miss is the freedom just to flip around and see what I can find. I miss that hunt.

I suppose I’ve cut down on sports viewing, particularly ESPN, because highlights are highlights are highlights, and there’s usually something on I need to watch.

So as a critic, I haven’t been idly flipping as much. You have to sample, sure, to see what you’re missing or not missing, and otherwise you’re watching a tremendous amount of videotapes and DVDs. Much of this stuff gets delivered in advance of airdates, so the fun of idling away the time channel-surfing is swallowed up by the reams of programming one must sift through.

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