Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever

"That subtitle promises a great deal, but anyone who grew up during Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert’s reign can only nod sagely at its wisdom. Strange that a TV show would nurture a love of film in an entire generation of viewers and critics (hi!), and Matt Singer lays out an ironclad case that not just any TV show could have done so. He unpacks how the two men’s bitter rivalry drove the show’s engine and remained the key to its uncanny appeal. I now host an unscripted roundtable discussion show that’s marked by less acrimony, but (hopefully) just as much passion and curiosity and eagerness to champion new voices. That’s the aim, anyway, and Siskel and Ebert were the template."