About
About Us
This Was Television will explore multiple facets of television history through multiple approaches and lenses. We think it will be fun (and hopefully informative) to approach older television content with knowledge of contemporary trends, themes, and realities. Television is constantly changing. Going backwards and thinking a little harder about the hows and the whys is exciting to us, and hopefully to you as well.
To tackle the wide-ranging topics that fall under the umbrella of “television history,” the TWTV team will bring you all sorts of content in different shapes and sizes. You will see some familiar reviews (though covering multiple episodes) written by individuals. And you will see group-style conversational reviews as well.
But you will also see longer features on specific programs, networks, actors, writers, directors, technologies, award shows, and dozens of other issues we might have in mind. And you’ll see shorter, more lighthearted looks at those topics. Ultimately, we want this to be an all-encompassing look back at where television was in hopes of learning more about where it is.
As our favorite broken spinal surgeon once drunkenly bellowed, we have to go back—and we want you to come with us. This Was Television.
Founders & Editors
Cory Barker is a graduate student working on his PhD at Indiana University where he will focus on television in the department of Communication & Culture. He is the founder of TV Surveillance and the TV Surveillance Podcast, where he discusses all things television. He recently completed his Master’s thesis on USA Network and was interviewed by CNN.com about the cable giant’s recent successes. He currently freelances at TV.com. You can follow him on Twitter @corybarker.
Les Chappell is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. He is the founder of the contemporary television criticism website A Helpless Compiler and literary criticism website The Lesser of Two Equals. He currently freelances for The A.V. Club‘s TV Club and has also written feature articles for The Escapist, Beer West and CC2K Online. You can follow him on Twitter @Lesismore9o9.
Andy Daglas is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in Chicago. He has contributed writing to A.V. Club Chicago, Time Out Chicago, Ragan’s PR Daily, and more. He covers contemporary television at The Vast Wasteland, part of the Chicago Now blog network and freelances at TV.com. You can find his writing at andrewdaglas.com, and follow him on Twitter @AndyDaglas.
Noel Kirkpatrick is a graduate student at Georgia State University pursuing a Master’s degree in Moving Image Studies, and is an associate editor at Mother Nature Network. He is the co-founder of Monsters of Television, where he reviews episodes of contemporary television. He blogs about other media at his personal blog. Noel also freelances for TV.com. He has been interviewed by CNN.com about food TV and by Gameranx about what television can learn from video games and vice versa. You can follow him on Twitter @noelrk.
Contact Us
You can follow us on Twitter (@ThisWasTV) and Tumblr, like us on Facebook, add us to your circles on Google+, and you can email us at thiswastv @ gmail dot com.
Images
Sara Amato designed our banner, and for that we are eternally grateful. (We think Cory has to give her his first born kid.)
Our “This Was Television On…” image is edited from Aaron Amat (television set) and Nejron Photo (clock). Both images are from Shutterstock.
This Was Television 
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