There will never be as good a co-host to the old \\\"Thumbs Up/Down\\\" as Gene Siskel. Gene was the quintessential counterpoint to Roger Ebert\\\'s personality and personal tastes, likes/dislikes, etc. I watched them from the first season on PBS through the tragedy of Gene\\\'s death and the search for a suitable occupant of the second chair in the balcony.
It is my humble estimation that Richard Roeper is doing a journeyman\\\'s job in second seat. He has the chops to carry off an incredibly challenging assignment of winging it without Roger Ebert; searching for yet another co-host to complement his sensibilities.
The producers found a wonderful replacement for a couple of episodes of the show in Kevin Smith. He pointed out that Richard has become a little jaded. I concur. That is why I believe it\\\'s a good idea to bring in new talent from time-to-time, both to allow one of the hosts to have a vacation and to inject the opinions of those who do not watch movies for a living.
But bottom line: Cut Richard Roeper some slack. While he may have become a little blasé in the film criticism department, he still has the chops for the job. I can tell that because I don\\\'t agree with him ALL THE TIME...just most of the time.
