[4] It grew to prominence with a review-conversation-banter format between opinionated film critics, notably for a time, Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel.

Episodes from seasons 18 through 20 (when it was known as Sneak Previews Goes Video) ended with the hosts' reminder, "don't forget to rewind that tape."

[9]Over time the two men became close personal friends while remaining professional rivals, and Ebert said of their relationship before Siskel's death, "no one else could possibly understand how meaningless was the hate, how deep was the love".

[10] Because Siskel and Ebert had trademarked the phrase "Two Thumbs Up", Lyons and Gabler simply gave "yes" or "no" judgments to the movies they reviewed.

Gabler left Sneak Previews in 1985, citing philosophical differences with the direction of the show,[12] and was replaced by Michael Medved.

Before replacing Gabler, Medved had cameo appearances on the show, presenting the "Golden Turkey Awards," based on the book, and a variation of Siskel & Ebert's "Spot the Wonder Dog/Dog of the Week."

Although Sneak Previews continued on PBS for 14 years after Ebert and Siskel left, the program did not maintain the popularity it enjoyed during their tenure.

[10][12] In 1983, Tom Shales of The Washington Post called the two critics hosting at the time (Lyons and Gabler) "two New York yokels...Jeffrey Lyons, to whom the notion of insight or analysis is more foreign than Jupiter, and Neal Gabler, who talks down to viewers as if they were all 3 years old and looks into the camera the way Dracula regards a vacant neck.

[14] From the early-to-mid eighties to the early nineties, Sesame Street had a recurring parody sketch, "Sneak Peek Previews", which illustrated differences of opinion.

In a rundown movie theater, Oscar the Grouch and Telly Monster watched a short video segment, usually from the Sesame Street archives.

[15] At the end of sketch, Oscar asks if there could be a thumbs sideways rating (the film in question was Walt Disney's Cinderella), and goads the two men about whether that would be acceptable.