The TV Set
A grieving comedy writer battles network executives who want to turn his unconventional pilot into safer, more marketable television.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- uncomfortable
- lazy sunday
- film industry double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as a sharp television-industry satire balancing broad comedy with insider jokes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Executives repeatedly reshape Mike's pilot to pursue the demographics and conventions favored by the network.
Mike must negotiate successive requested changes to a comedy rooted in his brother's suicide.
The film follows writers, executives, actors, assistants, rushes, and pilot development with specialized production detail.
Mike's personal experience of his brother's death becomes the premise of a television pilot subject to commercial testing.
Films like The TV Set, and why
Network
shared workplace satire, media-industry cynicism, and ensemble comedy
The Player
shared behind-the-scenes television production setting and sharp institutional satire
Swimming with Sharks
shared show-business workplace comedy, creative compromise, and insider humor
Movie Details
- Director
- Jake Kasdan
- Release Date
- 2007-04-06
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (95)
Cast
- David Duchovny
- Sigourney Weaver
- Ioan Gruffudd
- Judy Greer
- Fran Kranz
- Lindsay Sloane
- Justine Bateman
- Lucy Davis
- Willie Garson
- M.C. Gainey
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The TV Set about?
- A grieving comedy writer battles network executives who want to turn his unconventional pilot into safer, more marketable television.
- What is The TV Set like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The TV Set as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The TV Set violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The TV Set.
- What did critics think of The TV Set?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as a sharp television-industry satire balancing broad comedy with insider jokes.
- Which films are like The TV Set?
- Films with a similar feel include Network, The Player, and Swimming with Sharks.
- How long is The TV Set?
- The TV Set runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch The TV Set?
- In United States, The TV Set streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
