A Little Of The Old In And Out



(image via listen)

In: The 1980s. It seems as if Hollywood is finally getting around to rediscovering the 1980s. 20th Century Fox is re-adapting the A-Team (why?). And ABC and NBC respectively have ordered pilots for 80s miniseries "V" and something called "Lost in the 80s."



Out: The Washington Post Book World. How curious is it that just as a noxious cultural product like the A-Team gets a reiteration, the WashPo Book Review gets smothered. From The NYTimes:

"In another sign that literary criticism is losing its profile in newspapers, The Washington Post has decided to shutter the print version of Book World, its Sunday stand-alone book review section, and shift reviews to space inside two other sections of the paper.

"According to reports from Book World employees, the last issue of Book World will appear in its tabloid print version on Feb. 15 but will continue to be published online as a distinct entity. In the printed newspaper, Sunday book content will be split between Outlook, the opinion and commentary section, and Style & Arts.

"Book World was one of the last remaining stand-alone book review sections in the country, along with The New York Times Book Review. The Washington Post’s move comes as the company, like most other newspaper businesses across the country, has been hobbled by a protracted downturn in advertising."

It would seem that the nostalgia for extended shots of cars smashing into each other exerts a stronger cultural pull than an extended discussion/debate of books and ideas.