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This American Life: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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79

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	Your Score
7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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This American Life

Season Details & Credits

SHOWTIME | Season Premiere Date: March 22, 2007

Starring: Ira Glass

Summary: This spinoff of the popular public radio show (well, as popular as a public radio show can get) hosted by Ira Glass adds visuals to the program's usual mix of storytelling and reporting, revolving around a single theme each week.

Genre(s): News, Documentary

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E6. Pandora's Box
Air Date: April 26, 2007
tbd
S1:E5. Growth Spurt
Air Date: April 19, 2007
tbd
S1:E4. The Camera Man
Air Date: April 12, 2007

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

79

Negative:

0

Critic Reviews

100

Chicago Sun-Times

Doug Elfman

It's really kind of a glorious little miracle, a half-hour series of little pictures of simple, complex and unfamous Americans breathing everyday lives, with a twist of kookiness, while they search for the Meaning of Everything and The Big Picture. Read full review

90

The New Republic

Sacha Zimmerman

The haunting and sometimes mirthful tales that are the stock-and-trade of "This American Life" are not lost in imagery but heightened by it. Read full review

83

Entertainment Weekly

Lisa Schwarzbaum

This handsomely produced experimental series ought to please flexible fans. [30 Mar 2007, p.62]

80

Salon

Heather Havrilesky

"This American Life" features the same rich, rambling storytelling that makes the radio show so hypnotic, but it's enhanced by cinematography that's lovely and artful without distracting from the story lines or the tone of the show. Read full review

75

San Francisco Chronicle

Tim Goodman

The television version of "This American Life" does not ruin the fragile, hip beauty of the radio version. Glass and the team responsible for adding pictures to words have created a compelling television series. Read full review

70

Boston Globe

Matthew Gilbert

It's a welcome addition to nonfiction television and a loyal friend to the radio show. Read full review

60

The New York Times

Virginia Heffernan

If “This American Life” is all like this [opening] segment, it will be an immaculate and historic documentary series, with or without the storytelling pretext. Read full review

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Write a Review

7.9

Mixed:

0

User Reviews

10

leef

Mar 23, 2007

real people are so much more interesting than made-up people

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

AndrewH

Mar 23, 2007

Ira Glass. Dramatic tension. Straightforwardness. Like nothing else on television or in radio or in books. Keep watching, listening, attending to the sensibility of the show and you will start living better and getting more out of your own life. I think the radio show is just as good or Ira Glass. Dramatic tension. Straightforwardness. Like nothing else on television or in radio or in books. Keep watching, listening, attending to the sensibility of the show and you will start living better and getting more out of your own life. I think the radio show is just as good or better, but there is a silliness in Glass that you don't get if you can't see him. He's attached to a body! And a desk, apparently!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

snortch

May 5, 2007

While the movies let me down sooo often, I am now discovering that TV seems to have the most compelling stuff. TAL on TV is really really great. I thought that I wouldnt like being shown the imagery, but this is a perfect translation from radio to TV. Don't get me wrong...I still While the movies let me down sooo often, I am now discovering that TV seems to have the most compelling stuff. TAL on TV is really really great. I thought that I wouldnt like being shown the imagery, but this is a perfect translation from radio to TV. Don't get me wrong...I still really enjoy the little pictures that develop in my head when listening on the radio...but this is shot in a way that is not heavy handed. There are still many dots left to connect. I really enjoyed the last act of episode 2. Haunting and poignant as the photographic equipment slides up and down and left to right. Well Done!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

RonW

Mar 23, 2007

This is real for the real and life for those who love to live it. Phenomenal production. Shadows on the ground and clouds in the sky. True love hurts and through pain we can grow. Bravo Mr. Glass.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

CB

Apr 6, 2007

It's the best show on TV and RADIO.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

buzzc

Apr 18, 2007

perfect.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

9

KevinN

Mar 30, 2007

This nearly perfect television show surprised me in a couple of ways. Showtime's clearly taking a risk by airing this unusual take on the human-interest story from the nightly television news of decades gone. A minimalistic take on storytelling accompanied by a spare soundtrack This nearly perfect television show surprised me in a couple of ways. Showtime's clearly taking a risk by airing this unusual take on the human-interest story from the nightly television news of decades gone. A minimalistic take on storytelling accompanied by a spare soundtrack encourages a kind of philosophic contemplation in the viewer. The tone is both sad and hopeful. 'This American Life' is unlike any television show I've seen and elegantly captures the spirit of its public radio progenitor.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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More From This American Life

SEE ALL TRAILERS

Seasons & Episodes

79

Series Overview
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: May 4, 2008
Season 1

79
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: March 22, 2007
- tbd
  S1:E6. Pandora's Box
  Air Date: April 26, 2007
- tbd
  S1:E5. Growth Spurt
  Air Date: April 19, 2007
- tbd
  S1:E4. The Camera Man
  Air Date: April 12, 2007
- tbd
  S1:E3. God's Close-Up
  Air Date: April 5, 2007
- tbd
  S1:E2. My Way
  Air Date: March 29, 2007
- tbd
  S1:E1. Reality Check
  Air Date: March 22, 2007