Book Review: Obsessed with TV: Test Your Knowledge of Every Channel by David Hofstede - Page 2

While the book is certainly just that, a "book," it is certainly not readable in a straightforward manner, the book is essentially only the trivia game.  Most pages do contain extended paragraphs on the history of television, and while they're interesting, they always feed into a question.

On the whole, for those of us obsessed with television — in a totally healthy and completely safe way -- Obsessed with TV not only brings back great memories of shows gone by, but serves to illustrate just how much of our lives have been wisely spent sitting in front of the tube.  It represents a vindication, an acknowledgment that all those hours consuming the offerings the set put before us were not in vain, that knowing the name of the dolphin on Seaquest DSV has enriched our lives (if only momentarily).

With approximately eight to 10 questions on a page (or 16 to 20 on two facing paces) and 2,500 questions in total, a lot of back and forth page-flipping does occur when answering questions in Random Question mode. That does dampen one's enthusiasm for playing the game, particularly when it feels as though one has to keep skipping from the front of the book to the back only to find themselves at the same front page again two questions later.  While a larger size book or smaller font might also hamper one's enjoyment of the game, it does seem as though perhaps random trivia challenges that stayed within a single chapter might be warranted. 

Maybe such an enhancement will find it's way into a Next Generation version of the book. After all, one has to imagine that more than 2,500 questions could easily be written on the history of television.  For now, however, anyone remotely infatuated with television will find it easy to spend hours with Obsessed with TV - there aren't even any commercial breaks to ruin the experience.

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Article Author: Josh Lasser

Josh Lasser, formerly known as "TV and Film Guy," and complete with a Masters Degree in Critical Studies in said areas, gives his opinions on TV, Film, and Entertainment in general. All of which he does in a shameless attempt to try to get paid to do the exact same thing. …

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