Phillip Maciak

Phillip Maciak (@pjmaciak) is the TV editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books. His essays have appeared in Slate, The New Republic, and other venues, and he's co-founder of the Dear Television column. He's the author of The Disappearing Christ: Secularism in the Silent Era (Columbia University Press, 2019) and Avidly Reads Screen Time (New York University Press, 2023). He teaches at Washington University in St. Louis.

Articles

Deep Dad: The End of The Americans
For Dear Television, Phil Maciak considers the dad rock series finale of FX's The Americans.
Phillip MaciakJun 1, 2018
- Dear Television
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Season One
Dear TV puts together a tight ten on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the specter of a Rory-less Gilmore Girls, and Woody Allen.
Aaron Bady, Jane Hu, Phillip MaciakDec 18, 2017
- Dear Television
The Handmaid's Tale, "Faithful"
Gotta hear both sides! DearTV discusses episode 5 of The Handmaid's Tale, and plays a game called, "Subtract One Murder"...
Phillip MaciakMay 12, 2017
- Dear Television
The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu
Dear TV begins its weekly coverage of Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale...
Phillip Maciak, Sarah MesleApr 28, 2017
- Dear Television
The Girls Finale
Dear TV says goodbye to GIRLS...
Jane Hu, Lili Loofbourow, Phillip MaciakApr 24, 2017
- Dear Television
Westworld is Getting Old
All of Westworld’s tricks are about age.
Phillip MaciakDec 5, 2016
- Dear Television
Who's Afraid of Serial TV?
Phillip MaciakSep 15, 2016
- Dear Television
Sunday Night Football
Phillip Maciak, Sarah MesleSep 13, 2016
- Dear Television
BoJack Horseman: Season Three
Dear TV correspondents review Bojack Horseman for LA Review of Books.
Evan Kindley, Jane Hu, Phillip MaciakAug 23, 2016
- Dear Television
400 Blowies: "Girls'" Coming of Age, Finally
This fifth season is a beginning, a coming of age without a clear endpoint or result...as ambivalent and worried as it is triumphant.
Phillip MaciakApr 22, 2016
- Dear Television
High Fidelity: The Marriages of “Billions” and “The Americans”
Phillip MaciakApr 14, 2016
- Dear Television
The People v. OJ Simpson: Season 1, “The Verdict”
On the American Crime Story Season 1 Finale
Lili Loofbourow, Phillip MaciakApr 6, 2016
- Dear Television
The Americans: Season 4, "Pastor Tim"
Dear Television recaps FX's The Americans Season 4
Lili Loofbourow, Phillip MaciakMar 24, 2016
- Dear Television
The Americans: Season 4, "Glanders"
Dear Television recaps The Americans, Season 4
Lili Loofbourow, Phillip MaciakMar 17, 2016
- Dear Television
Underground: Season 1, "The Macon 7"
Dear Television on WGN's Underground
Phillip Maciak, Sarah MesleMar 11, 2016
- Dear Television
The Oscars 2016
Dear Television discusses the 2016 Oscars
Phillip Maciak, Sarah MesleMar 1, 2016
- Dear Television