If you loved
The Critic
Mike Reiss · Series · 1994
What hooked you in The Critic is the sharp, cynical way it unmasks the absurdity of professional life and modern media culture.
Start with the source
The source
The Critic
Jeannette Leonard Gilder, Joseph Benson Gilder · Book · 1896
Books on the same thread
Little Critter
Mercer Mayer · Book · 1975
Explores: Childhood, Mischief, Family Life.
If The Critic hit, Little Critter shares the thread.
Jack Reacher
Lee Child, Andrew Child · Book · 1997
Explores: Military Justice, Vigilante Justice, Conspiracy.
If The Critic hit, Jack Reacher shares the thread.
The Corrections
Jonathan Franzen · Book · 2001
Explores: Dysfunctional family dynamics, Midwestern ennui, Intergenerational conflict.
Like The Critic, this novel dissects the crushing weight of dysfunctional family dynamics and the decline of personal ambitions with a biting, satirical edge that feels both familiar and profound.
White Noise
Don DeLillo · Book · 1999
Explores: Existential dread, Consumer culture critique, Fear of death.
If you enjoyed the existential dread and critique of mass culture in The Critic, you will appreciate this brilliant, absurdist look at how technology and media numb the human experience.
Films on the same thread
The Incredibles
Brad Bird · Film · 2004
Shares a thread with The Critic: Family Dynamics.
Much like the midlife crisis Jay Sherman faces in The Critic, this film finds humor and conflict in the struggle to balance mundane professional obligations with a larger-than-life identity.
Clerks
Film · 1994
Explores: Workplace dissatisfaction, Existential ennui, Youth culture.
The Critic captures the specific misery of a dead-end job, and this film mirrors that feeling perfectly by highlighting the existential ennui of two employees trapped in their own workplace.
Barton Fink
Joel Coen · Film · 1991
Explores: Writer's Block, The Creative Process, Existential Crisis.
Jay Sherman’s frustration with the film industry in The Critic finds its darker, more psychological counterpart in this story about a writer struggling to survive the hellish reality of Hollywood.
The Truman Show
Peter Weir · Film · 1998
Explores: Existentialism, Reality vs. Illusion, Loss of Innocence.
If you loved how The Critic poked fun at the artifice of television, you will appreciate this film’s deeper, more cynical exploration of media manipulation and the construction of reality.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Dan Le Batard, Stugotz · Podcast · 2026
Explores: sports media satire, local sports culture, irreverent commentary.
The Critic used satire to deconstruct the entertainment industry, and this show applies that same irreverent, critical lens to the world of sports media and modern pop culture commentary.
Grumpy Old Geeks
Jason DeFillippo & Brian Schulmeister with Dave Bittner · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cynicism, digital culture, corporate skepticism.
Just as The Critic relied on a cynical, no-filter perspective to call out industry failures, this podcast dissects the tech world with the same level of skepticism and biting, dark humor.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Critic show based on the 1896 book The Critic?
No, the 1994 television show The Critic is not based on the 1896 book of the same title. The television series follows the life of a fictional movie reviewer named Jay Sherman, while the 1896 book is an entirely separate work of literature.
What is the premise of The Critic?
The Critic centers on Jay Sherman, a television movie critic forced to review terrible films that he consistently rates as it stinks. The series explores his professional struggles with a tyrannical boss alongside his personal life, including his complex family dynamics and his search for love.
Does The Critic feature parodies of films?
Yes, The Critic frequently incorporates parodies of various films into its episodes. These segments serve as a primary component of the show, reflecting the protagonist's career as a critic who is tasked with reviewing low-quality movies for his television audience.
Is The Critic by Mike Reiss a show about a movie critic?
Yes, The Critic created by Mike Reiss is a television show about Jay Sherman, a professional movie critic. Much of the show focuses on his career reviewing pathetic films and his interactions with his family and his demanding media mogul boss.