"Television Without Pity" was known to have established the use of recapping with commentary as a viable genre of criticism alongside a social space as to talk about shows. "Television Without Pity" predated the growth of social media, but through its forums established the social nature of watching television shows together. Sites like "The A.V. Club" grew from this type of approach, and social media is used heavily by television networks and fans alike to discuss shows as they occur in real time.