About Curt Wagner

I hail from Nebraska, where I earned a Bachelor of Journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I'm RedEye's entertainment/features editor as well as TV columnist. Because I split my time with multiple duties, I don't get to write about all the TV reviews and stories I'd like. But when I do, here's how I rate shows: 4 stars = A; 3 stars = B; 2 stars = C, and 1 star = D. No stars, of course, would be an F, which I rarely give. I feel almost every show has something positive in it. What I look for first and foremost in TV shows is the emotional connection characters make with me. That's what gets me invested. I can overlook a lot of problems—from just OK acting to shoddy writing to bad effects—if I make that emotional connection. That comes about from honesty in acting, writing and direction. I want a show to make me react in some way, and not just with outrage at how horrible it is. Finally, it needs to entertain me. I need to feel like I spent my time wisely. None of that is too much to ask.

October 11, 2011