Uncle Orson Reviews 1996 • Uncle Orson Reviews 1996 Favorite Books • Contemporary Issues • Mysteries • History and Culture • Books for Writers Magazine Subscriptions • Magazines that make it a good mail day • On the Downside • Comic Strips Television Picks and Pukes • Favorite Comedies • Favorite Dramas • Favorite Miniseries • Favorite Talk Shows • Favorite Cable Channels • Shows Which Are Much Better Than I Ever Expected • Shows That Are Probably As Good As Ever But I Just Don't Care Anymore • Shows I Once Liked Which Are Hurtling Toward Well-Deserved Death Movies • Regrets and Disappointment • Favorites of the Year • Acting Awards

Be warned! I'm telling you what I read and saw this year — which includes some films that were Oscar-eligible last year, and some books that were published several years ago. This is a highly personal list, not an official list, and therefore I make no promises about its completeness. There were movies I wanted to see but never got a chance to — The Craft, for instance, and Courage Under Fire, and Phenomenon. And I'm including comments on one movie that was made before I was born, but which I had never seen until a few weeks ago. For official best-of-the-year lists, you need to look elsewhere!