WHY WE WATCH : Killing the Gilligan Within

Rating:
Summary: With wit & wisdom, Will tickles your cerebellum & funnybone.
Review: A rare find and one that shouldn't be missed. Dr. Will places pop culture's most celebrated television shows and stars "on the couch" and mischievously concludes that television, "used properly," is good for you. Just think of all the money you can save from avoiding analysis! I thoroughly enjoyed his humorous insights into the pop culture psyche.

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Summary: A well written tongue-in-cheek review of television insights
Review: After a long day at work this is the kind of book many professionals will enjoy picking up for a light trip down TV's memory lane. The psychological insights into so many of the popular 70's, 80's and 90's TV shows are hilarious.

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Summary: Nick at Nite's Dr. Will Miller uses Classic TV for therapy!
Review: An expanded version of those clever spots on Nick at Nite, Dr.Will Miller's book uses classic tv as a metaphor for psychological analysis, insight, and self-help. For example, do you suffer from Barney Fife Syndrome? Is your Inner Skipper rising to counteract someone's Inner Gilligan? Who do you suspect of putting the ottoman in Rob Petrie's path? Do you travel on the bridge of the starship Enterprise, or in the cargo hold? Essays include "Lassie: Saintly Martyr or Severe Codependent?" and "If Only the Rifleman Had Prozac". The last half of the book contains in-depth analysis of thirty classic shows. While the book offers some fascinating and insightful looks at TV shows, TV characters, and our society in general, one must first sift through some overworked and tired attempts at humor. Still, if you're a fan of Nick at Nite or classic tv in general, this book deserves a spot in your bookcase.

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Summary: Television has saved my life!!!
Review: I always knew that all those years I spent in front of the tube were not wasted! It was great, after all of these years, to be able to hand Dr. Will Miller's book "Why We Watch" to my parents and say, "I told you so!" Somehow I knew, subconsciously, that "Gilligan's Island" was helping me cope with my rage against others who I felt were sabotaging my life. How astute I must have been to sense that "Bewitched " was really a feminist's view of men in marriage. Reading this book has made it all so much clearer. If you would like to have a bit of fun while gaining some interesting insights into your favorite TV show, READ THIS BOOK. Just be sure YOUR kids don't use it against you!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful tongue-in-cheek wit
Review: I have seen Dr. Will Miller on TV many times, as an analyst of our culture and media. This book shows the Other Side (another Dr. Will credit) of a bright and entertaining man. While the subjects (patients?) of the book may be fictional characters, the psychological insights are quite real. Therefore, within this well crafted satire, there are grains of truth to be had. This is a fun read.

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Summary: Dr. Will helped me find my inner boob tube, and it glows!"
Review: The witty insights from renowned "Teletherapist" Dr. Will Miller, can not only help you realize life long happines and wealth, but also to help you reason with yourself as to why you would watch an episode of "Taxi," that you've already seen 30 times, at 1:30 in the morning when you do have to work. Through Dr. Will's simple analysis you will find it okay that you stare longingly at Betty Rubble, and you will find that Mr. Furley did have a 'quality' about him that may keep you awake in bed. All of these things are okay, as long as you are okay. And really, aren't we all okay as long as we realize we don't have Nicholas' haircut from Eight is Enough?

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Summary: Wonderful Satire!
Review: This book is a great tongue-in-cheek sendup of self help. Not everyone gets Miller's wry humor - but if you get it you're in for a hilarious ride!

Rating:
Summary: Attempt at satire?
Review: This book is a tongue-in-cheek (I hope) self-help book for improving your personality by watching TV. In the style of self-help psychology books, this book starts off by laying out the problem- -most people have flawed personalities. After the diagnosis, the book proceeds through a number of chapters that romp through fads and schools of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. Topics include issues of self-esteem, co-dependence, dysfunction, rage (where the title comes from- -we all secretly want to kill Gilligan because he's such a klutz), depression, and fear of death. Miller also manages to slip in some Freud and dream analysis, as well as paranormal phenomena. Each of these topics is illustrated through the behavior of characters in popular TV shows. The discussions rely heavily on the reader's familiarity with these TV characters. If you don't know all the characters, some of the text may leave you in the dark. (If you do know all the characters, you have a serious problem with TV addiction.) Each chapter also includes preposterous exercises that you can do which involve watching TV shows analytically to improve the personality defect under discussion. The last third of the book is devoted to brief (3-4 paragraph) psychological analyses of personality problems as illustrated in 25 popular TV series from the 1950s-1980s (mostly from the 1950s and 1960s). The book is illustrated throughout with black-and-white publicity stills from numerous popular TV programs of the 1950s-1980s.

I think the book is supposed to be funny. However, it's too serious for satire, and too odd to be sincere. Successful satiric writing often relies on such techniques as fiddling with the proportion of details, focusing on the minutiae while de-emphasizing other ideas, or telling a recognizable story with a few well-chosen outrageous changes. Miller seems to think the whole idea of watching more television in order to fix your personality is funny enough in itself, and he sounds almost serious enough that you have to wonder if he was actually proposing his "Teletherapy" for real. For me, the only mildly amusing parts of the book were the creative footnotes used to cite imaginary sources. One disturbing factor is Miller's approach of treating television characters as if they were real, since belief in television people is one step down the slippery slope towards tele-isolation. But maybe that was supposed to funny?

Despite these flaws, the book does have one worthwhile exercise:

"Assertiveness Through Television"
1. Stand up in front of your television with a remote control in your hand. Turn to C-Span or some other low energy station.
2. Practice turning the set off and on according to your own inner decision, not related to the content of the show. State your intentions out loud in a commanding tone of voice, "I turn you off!" and then "I turn you on!"
3. When you feel greater confidence, switch to a more intense channel, such as The Cartoon Network or MTV, and try it again. Work your way up so that you are able to even watch your favorite channel and turn it off right in the middle of the episode!

To this, I would add:
4. Now that you have your TV off, call a family member, go for a bike ride, read a book or magazine, practice an instrument, attend a school play, go visit a neighbor, or do anything else to keep yourself busy. Time yourself- -see how long you can go without turning the TV back on again.


Rating:
Summary: "Failure to buy this book indicates you're living in denial"
Review: This book is my gift of love to you, the neurotic television viewer. While on the surface it might appear that it contributes nothing meaningful to society, look deeper. All the shows you watched as a child have shaped your current personality. Unless you read "Why We Watch," you will never really understand why "The Munsters" was a healthier program than "The Patty Duke Show." So snap out of your reverie! Heal your wounded inner viewer! Read the book and you will not only feel better, you will very possibly become rich. Your pal, Dr. Will

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Summary: This is the most inspirational book I've read, ever.
Review: This book made me want to be a better person!