Pour One Out: Cocktail Odes to TV’s Most Dearly Departed

There’s plenty of drinking on television, be it the denizens of Westeros or the staff at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the ladies of Sex & the City or the crew at Paddy’s Pub in Philadelphia. But rarely do we hear about cocktails dedicated to those iconic television characters.

Pour One Out fills a niche I didn’t even realize was empty, offering creative and thoughtful drink options to accompany some of the small screen’s most influential characters. Whether you’re drowning your sorrows with a swig dedicated to a beloved character unfairly cut down in their prime or you’re tossing back a toast to commemorate the glorious demise of a hated villain who tormented your favorite fictional figures, this book has got you covered.

The characters selected for this boozy menu form a VERY contemporary list — including a lot of AMC dramas, some streaming shows, and a few unexpected treats — one that will appeal to any drama fans who have enjoyed the television storytelling renaissance that arose in the wake of The Sopranos. (In fact, I think OZ, Deadwood, and The Sopranos/ are the oldest shows mentioned.)

And as for the cocktails? We get not only their origin stories, but punchy writeups on how each fits the given character and what a first-time imbiber can expect from the tipple.

My one criticism is that the book leans very heavily on the dramas. Although Lil’ Sebastian gets a nod, fans of briefer programs or more comedic fare might feel a bit left out.