I hope Ebert and his wife secure proper funding because I do enjoy the most current incarnation of the show. Ebert is one of my idols, and if anything I want him to succeed because of his endearing talent and dedication to film (and on top of that, all of the incredible devotion he and his wife have put into the show). To be quite honest, I'm not the most ardent fan of this particular iteration. After Ebert left the show sometime in 2006, it's never quite been the same.
The best pairing, in my humble opinion, since Ebert and Roeper (and really, nobody beats Ebert and Siskel, but I've since moved on) was Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott. I thought they were a really great partnership. They had fantastic chemistry and it was the rare case where I would often revert back and forth between who I would agree with more; sometimes it was Phillips and sometimes it was Scott. I always liked Phillips for his observation and Scott for his keen wit and plethora of knowledge and wisdom. I was really sad to see their version of the show vanish because I really liked them, but alas.
I'm actually friends with Ignatiy, for what its worth, and I always find his opinions when it comes to films to be very stimulating and engrossing. I don't always agree with him, but I think he has an interesting dynamic with Christy Lemire. Their version of the show has certainly been fun, and I think it's great there's still a version of At The Movies on television which offers astute insight into the world of filmmaking and film criticism.
However, I will second the notion of what someone said previously in this thread: Perhaps Ebert and his wife should find alternate ways of showcasing the show. At the Movies always had a niche audience, and Ebert's name became the selling point of that show for a very long time (especially after Siskel passed away). Most people watched the show because of Ebert & Siskel, and then because of Ebert. I think a big reason why the show has failed to find a real audience is because of Ebert's absence from the show (and yes, I realize that Ebert makes occasional appearances on this new version, and according to Ebert himself, the ratings have been steady). I just don't think there's a big audience for a show like At the Movies when the advent of the Internet can provide all of the film criticism people might want without having to find and search for the local listings of a particular television show. Perhaps the Internet itself might be a good alternate home for the show; other alternatives might also include finding a home with iTunes or even Netflix (which will be streaming new Arrested Development episodes in 2013).
Whatever happens, I hope Ebert and his wife can continue this particular iteration because I have been enjoying it on some level and regardless, I just want Ebert to succeed. He's a tremendously talented man and he's been through so much that I am rooting for him. There's no one quite like him when it comes to film criticism.
