Andy Dehnart / writing / msnbc

Since 2004, I’ve contributed to the entertainment coverage at msnbc.com, which regularly ranks as the most popular news web site. I primarily write about TV, but I’ve also written essays and reports about other subjects in pop culture.

Below is every article I’ve written for the site, listed in reverse chronological order, and grouped by television criticism and features, commentary, episode analysis, and the Ask the Experts column.

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Television criticism and features

How will ‘Idol’ fare against Cowell’s ‘X Factor’? / 1.11.10
For ‘Big Bang’s’ Sheldon, the nerd is the word / 11.2.09
Fall comedies preview: Accidentally on Purpose, Community, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Brothers, Eastwick, Glee, The Middle, The Cleveland Show / 9.21.09
‘Survivor’ villain promises to destroy own food / 9.14.09
Reality show standbys return for fall / 9.11.09
Reality TV scandals aren’t just on the screen / 9.2.09
‘Mad Men’ characters soften difficult themes / 8.12.09
Abdul’s exit could rejuvenate or kill ‘Idol’ / 8.5.09
Food shows keep on dishing up competitions / 7.29.09
‘Bachelor’ shows love their lack of romance / 7.12.09
Big Brother hopes viewers click with cliques / 7.7.09
Summertime, and the TV watching is easy / 7.5.09
Five top TV shows on the bubble / 5.18.09
Five top ways ‘Idol’ pimps its favorite contestants / 5.11.09
First impressions count on new ‘Survivor’ / 2.5.09
New judge has already improved ‘Idol’ / 1.20.09
Marathons only improve ‘A Christmas Story’ / 12.21.08
Reality TV presents plenty of moral dilemmas / 12.15.08
‘Idol’ to make changes in 2009 / 12.12.08
‘Mentalist’ follows CBS formula, with a twist / 11.20.08
‘CSI: Miami’ is watchable, yet horrible / 11.9.08
‘Pushing Daisies’ has to struggle back to life / 10.16.08
At last! The secrets of ‘Survivor’ answered / 10.12.08
‘Survivor’ will shine spotlight on pristine Gabon / 9.22.08
Show that celebrates TV is itself a crashing bore / 9.22.08
‘Survivor: Gabon’ throws temptations at cast / 9.22.08
Emmys get a reality check—at last / 9.18.08
Not much new in reality-show genre / 9.4.08
Fall 2008 preview: Fox’s Fringe, NBC’s Crusoe, and NBC’s Kath & Kim / 9.4.08
‘Project Runway’ needs a fresh design / 8.26.08
Can ‘Mole’s’ return live up to fans’ memories? / 6.5.08
Strike not to blame for drop in TV viewership / 5.11.08
After 19 seasons, ‘Real World’ hasn’t changed / 4.15.08
Pairing contestants with ‘soulmates’ latest drama-inducing tactic on ‘Big Brother’ / 2.12.08
Strike was devastating — but not to viewers / 2.10.08
Colbert, Stewart make do without writers / 1.16.08
‘Dexter’ is poised for a graceful, conflicted finale / 12.14.07
Talent level rises on new season of ‘Runway’ 11.14.07
‘Prison Break’ can’t escape conspiracy theory 11.13.07
‘Family Guy’ is no cheap ‘Simpsons’ knockoff / 11.5.07
Controversial ‘Kid Nation’ is at times uncomfortable — and inspiring 9.26.07
‘Survivor’ still stays fresh after seven years / 9.19.07
CBS should be ashamed of ‘Big Brother’ / 9.18.07
Lovable Tim Gunn misses target on ‘Style’ / 9.7.07
Fall TV preview: Big Bang Theory, Moonlight, Viva Laughlin, Cane / 9.07
‘Kid Nation’ most notable of new reality shows / 8.29.07
Fun Paula, Diva Paula co-star on Abdul’s show / 6.28.07
It’s fitting that ‘Sopranos’ won’t give up answers / 6.11.07
‘Grey’s’ spinoff shows familiar potential / 5.8.07
‘Sopranos’ heads for exit with quiet power / 5.7.07
‘Grey’s’ spinoff shows familiar potential / 5.4.07
Ominous future awaits Tony on ‘Sopranos’ / 4.9.07
‘Addison’s Anatomy’ will only hurt ‘Grey’s’ / 3.7.06
‘Top Chef’ fails the taste test / 2.1.07
O’Reilly vs. Colbert: More fizzle than sizzle / 1.18.07
L.A. ‘Apprentice’ throws in some new twists / 1.7.07
‘Prison Break’ finds freedom outside of walls / 11.27.06
Fall 2006 preview: FOX’s Justice, FOX’s Vanished, FOX’s Standoff, and NBC’s Kidnapped / 9.1.06
Fall preview: Reality shows stick to the old and familiar / 9.1.06
Can ‘Project Runway’ maintain the magic? / 7.11.06
Janice Dickinson redefines model behavior / 7.7.06
Like Sydney, ‘Alias’ kept reinventing itself / 5.19.06
No shackles on ‘Prison Break’ finale / 5.15.06
‘Unan1mous’ is unpredictable joy ride to hell / 4.19.06
‘24’ has finally hit its stride / 4.17.06
At five, ‘Apprentice’ needs a reorg / 2.27.06
Immunity idol complicates ‘Survivor Panama’ / 2.1.06
Fashion reality show returns to the ‘Runway’ / 12.7.05
On ‘Prison Break,’ there’s no escape / 11.30.05
‘Housewives’ desperately needs a makeover / 11.13.05
‘Survivor’ survives by never truly changing / 9.14.05
Fall preview: Reality shows are tweaking old formulas / 9.1.05
Fall preview: CBS’ ‘Threshold’ / 9.1.05
Audience is clay in Aiken’s hands / 8.9.05
‘Big Brother’: So awful, yet so addictive / 7.22.05
Modern reality TV turns five / 5.31.05
‘Trek’ has drifted since ‘Next Generation’ / 5.12.05
Exclusive interview with “Amazing Race 6“‘s Jonathan: ‘I would never hit Victoria’ / 3.21.05
‘Carnivàle’ returns — please let there be plot / 1.6.05
Don’t be ashamed to love ‘The OC’ / 11.1.04

Commentary

All-stars on ‘Survivor’ ultimately disappoint / 2.11.10
New ‘Idol’ season should learn from last year / 1.11.10
Paula-free ‘Idol’ should make more changes / 1.11.10
For kids’ sake, ‘Jon & Kate’ needs to stop now / 10.6.09
On ‘American Idol,’ strength can be a weakness / 5.5.09
Reality judges range from wise to wacko / 11.17.08
New judge will instantly improve ‘Idol’ / 8.26.08
Five reality shows that are begging for tune-ups / 7.16.08
6 critical changes needed to revive ‘Big Brother’ / 4.27.08
Humility could doom Archuleta on ‘Idol’ / 3.7.08
Advantage super-fans on latest ‘Survivor’? / 2.6.08
‘Idol’ talent not ‘fresh, untapped’ / 1.29.08
Nowhere to go but down for false ‘Idol’ / 1.10.08
Samantha Harris slips back into ‘Dancing’ / 10.16.07
‘Big Brother’s’ competing realities / 8.24.07
Summer reality shows fit the laid-back season / 8.15.07
Win for Blake would restore ‘Idol’ as hitmaker / 5.22.07
Paula Abdul: Don’t call her crazy anymore / 5.14.07
Sanjaya could actually win ‘American Idol’ / 4.17.07
‘American Idol’ has begun its decline / 3.13.07
‘Idol’ judges aren’t meaner, it’s the editors / 1.30.07
‘Idol’ judges have grown into their roles / 1.15.07
What twist is lurking for ‘American Idol’? / 1.8.07
‘Apprentice’ moves west, with same old Trump / 1.4.07
Book review: “The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid” by Bill Bryson / 10.7.06
Book review: “My Ox is Broken” by Adam-Troy Castro / 10.1.06
Why ‘Lost’ has lost me as a viewer / 10.4.06
Why are all-star reality shows so disappointing? / 8.21.06
Gloves are coming off for ‘Contender 2’ / 7.19.06
Lack of ‘Idol’ vote information frustrates fans / 5.23.06
J.J. Abrams: the Goldilocks of filmmakers / 5.7.06
What a long, strange ‘Idol’ season it’s been / 5.4.06
How could ‘Dreamz’ miss such an easy target? / 4.20.06
Shane is latest ‘Survivor’ viewers love to hate / 4.13.06
Most important ‘Idol’ judge? It’s Paula Abdul / 3.21.06
‘Idol’ season four: Country vs. rock ‘n’ roll / 1.6.06
‘Idol’ season three: William Hung to Fantasia / 12.30.05
‘Idol’ season two: Where are they now? / 12.27.05
First season ‘Idols’: Where are they now? / 12.20.05
10 scariest characters: ‘Prison Break’s T-Bag, ‘Family Guy’ monkey, ‘Desperate Housewives’ cast / 10.24.05
‘Amazing Race’ has lost its way / 9.27.05
Vote Martha’s catchphrase off the island / 8.31.05
Rob and Amber’s success hurts ‘Amazing Race’ / 4.26.05
Moviegoers trapped by pre-show ads / 4.13.05
How has ‘Survivor’ continued to survive? / 12.3.04
Cruel reality shows don’t play fair / 11.5.04

Episode analysis

‘Survivor Tocantins’ is down to its final four / 5.14.09
‘Survivor’ crowns its newest millionaire / 5.17.09
‘Bachelor’ breaks two hearts in season finale / 3.3.09
Hollywood round has been disaster for ‘Idol’ / 2.5.09
Bob the non-player outwits, outlasts ‘em all / 12.15.08
‘Survivor Gabon’ winner? What about Bob? / 12.12.08
‘Survivor’ gets personal as season nears end / 11.20.08
‘Survivor’ delivers surprises right until the end / 5.12.08
Favorites have best shot at winning ‘Survivor’ / 5.7.08
“Survivor” student’s alliance, plans pay off / 12.17.07
Gizzie needs to be surgically cut from “Grey’s” / 11.7.07
Underdog “Survivors” betting on $1 million / 12.13.07
Television deserves better than weak Emmys / 9.16.07
The “Grey’s” we’ve known is over … so over / 5.21.07
Broken promises abound on “Survivor” finale / 5.14.07
Rocker chick sent back to nest on “Idol” / 4.4.06
Halfway through day, “24” needs to pick up pace / 3.6.07
Oscar’s best moments weren”t in the script / 2.26.07
“Idol” women try some risky business / 2.22.07
Golden Globes wins points for stars” goofiness / 1.16.07
“Survivor” closes book on compelling season / 12.17.06
Handicapping the final five “Survivor” players / 12.14.06
Laying odds on this season’s “Amazing Race” / 10.9.06
“Housewives” gets back to sudsy business / 9.24.06
Racial divide doesn’t change “Survivor” / 9.14.06
Quiet “Sopranos” finale offers no clues / 6.4.06
“Housewives” finale looks to the past / 5.21.06
Taylor a lock to make final two on “Idol” / 5.16.06
On “Survivor,” Aras won by outlasting / 5.14.06
“Survivor” final four: It’s anybody’s game / 5.11.06
Real, dream families blend for Tony Soprano / 3.19.06
“Sopranos” returns with a bang / 3.12.06
Fired “Apprentice” just couldn”t keep quiet / 2.27.06
“Idol” results show revels in cruelty / 2.24.06
TV favorites rewarded, if miscategorized / 1.17.06
‘Apprentice’ winner refuses to share title / 12.16.05
‘Survivor’ finalists were consistent to the end / 12.11.05
Curse of the car leads ‘Survivor’ to final four / 12.8.05
Survivor’s paranoia is self-fulfilling prophecy / 11.17.05
‘Survivor’ keeps shaking things up / 10.20.05
‘Survivor’ has new tribes, but old cliques / 10.06.05
Apprentices display male-pattern dumbness / 9.29.05
For ‘Apprentice,’ it’s just like old times / 9.22.05
Trump seeks an ‘Apprentice’ he won’t hate / 9.22.05
Rock, hard place meet the ‘Big Brother’ finale / 9.20.05
Emmy tries to be hip but still ends up boring / 9.19.05
‘Survivor’ gets tough in Guatemala / 9.15.05
‘Big Brother’ finally grows up / 8.12.05
Mysteries of ‘Lost’ detract from the characters / 5.25.05
Trump should have hired both women / 5.19.05
‘Apprentice’ not a test of corporate skills / 5.18.05
Tom wins [‘Survivor’], but Ian will be remembered / 5.15.05
‘Survivor’ finale tough to handicap / 5.12.05
Gut-wrenching ‘Race’ offers satisfying ending / 5.11.05
‘Idol’ special offered a lot of nothing / 5.4.05
Quitting time on reality TV / 4.21.05
Which Apprentice will Trump them all? / 4.14.05
‘Apprentice’ sponsors are the real losers / 4.8.05
The Donald, wrong? Say it isn’t so / 3.24.05
Beauty and the Beasts: Sexism reigns on The Apprentice 3 / 3.3.05
‘Survivor returns with surprises / 2.17.05
‘Apprentice’ ads don’t connect / 2.10.05
Auditions make ‘Idol’ a joke / 2.2.05
Type A Apprentices need an intervention / 1.27.05
‘Apprentice 3’ candidates make it personal / 1.20.05
‘Idol’ judges starting to crack up / 1.19.05
Welcome to another season of ‘Delusional Idol’ / 1.18.05
‘Race’ contestant has somebody to shove / 12.22.04
Trump turns ‘Apprentice’ into ‘Idol’ / 12.16.04
Final Survivor was the best liar / 12.12.04
You’re fired! And … so are you! / 11.19.04
Raj was just too much like Trump / 11.5.04
What’s with Trump’s weird voiceovers? / 10.29.04
“Survivor” strategies are shifting / 10.15.04

Ask the Reality TV Experts column