At the Movies (1982 TV program)

Background

When Siskel and Ebert brought their act to At the Movies, they stuck with the same basic setup from their earlier show, Sneak Previews. Two critics from rival newspapers would look at clips from that week's new films, talk them over, and then deliver a verdict using a thumbs-up for approval or a thumbs-down for a pass. Over time, they added some playful touches to keep things interesting. They brought in a dog named Spot the Wonder Dog to kick off a segment called "The Dog of the Week," which highlighted the worst movie of the week. Later, they introduced another animal, Aroma the Educated Skunk. They also occasionally ran an "X-Ray segment" to talk about trends in cinema. None of these extras stuck around after Siskel and Ebert left Tribune and PBS in 1986 due to a contract dispute. They went on to create Siskel & Ebert & the Movies with Buena Vista Television, later shortened to just Siskel & Ebert. (The show brought back the At the Movies part of its name in 2007.) In their place, At the Movies got film critics Rex Reed and Bill Harris, who was a gossip reporter for Entertainment Tonight. Under Reed and Harris, the show broadened its focus to include showbiz news and gossip, moving beyond just reviews. Harris left in 1988, and former ET host Dixie Whatley took his spot.