What Were They Thinking?: The 100 Dumbest Events In Television History

by David Hofstede

TV is never short of bad ideas, as demonstrated in a guide to one hundred of television's most memorable blunders and bloopers, arranged in a count-down format and including information on each incident that seeks to answer the question of "Why did this happen?" Original.

Genres: Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Tv

209 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Lynne Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I adore hearing about all those strange and unusual things that made me, a regular TV viewer, sit up and say, 'What was that???' Scrappy Doo? Yep, he's right up there with my favourite characters to hate, and yes, even when I was seven I thought the Star Wars Holiday Special was weird.
Some of the things in this book I hadn't heard of, like Dusty's Trail, and I have to say, just like the authors of this book, what were they thinking?

[Fabian Hebestreit · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a bit too personal in a few entries (and includes a few sexist remarks) and yes, it definitely needs an update (it was written shortly after the Janet Jackson-Super Bowl-incident), but it's still an indispensable and amusing recount of some of the worst moments in American TV history and makes you want to track down most of them. Well worth the read.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book--"The Star Wars Holiday Special" is no. 1. Too bad about all the tipe-oh's, though.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book relied too much on current (well ok, current for 2004) television events.

[Myron M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written look at TV's worst moments. Not as mocking as some other bad "media" type books.

[Bryan Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third time that I have read this book !! It is a fun and enjoyable read , and I find myself agreeing with his choices 99% of the time !! I have several other books done by this same author . This book will maintain the interest of all huge fans of old televison shows , or people who would like to laugh at the absurdities depicted in the book !! I can heartily recommend this great book !!