Nick at Nite's Classic TV Companion (1996)

For TV wonks who take their sitcoms seriously, the compilation of 1,139 capsule descriptions of the classic TV reruns on Nick at Nite in Nick at Nite's Classic TV Companion is manna from heaven. On the surface, it smacks of unbridled self-promotion — only the nine shows in current Nick rotation are included. But for the right person (Nick at Nite subscriber or not), the episode-by-episode listing of writer, director, cast, plot summary, and as-needed, additional entries like ''Classic Guest Star'' or ''Parallel Plot'' is as eloquent as it gets when discussing Taxi, The Munsters, I Dream of Jeannie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Welcome Back, Kotter. If you care which Bewitched episode marked Richard Dreyfuss' first TV appearance or which I Love Lucy is Isaac Mizrahi's favorite, then wrap your inquisitive little mind around your TV Companion.