Television Culture

The untold stories of seven revolutionary teen shows (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, My So-Called Life, Dawson’s Creek, Freaks and Geeks, The O.C., Friday Night Lights, and Glee) that shaped the course of modern television and our pop cultural landscape forever.

Long before the era of the news anchor, the pundit, and the mini-cam, one man blazed a trail that thousands would follow. Reporting live from the streets and rooftops of London as Nazi war planes rained terror from the skies during the Battle of Britain, Edward R. Murrow brought the stark horror of war and the shock of breaking news events directly into American living rooms for the first time, and that was just the beginning.

Few American television series are as deeply entrenched in twentieth-century popular culture as M*A*S*H, a Korean War medical comedy characterized by its dark tone and finesse in tackling serious social and political issues. By the end of its run, M*A*S*H had been a mainstream hit for several seasons and won fourteen Emmys, leading it to be called, "the most popular pre-Seinfeld series in television history." In this comprehensive study of M*A*S*H, David Scott Diffrient analyzes the series' contextual issues such as its creation, reception, and circulation as well as textual issues like its formal innovations, narrative strategies, and themes.

For 15 years and 35 seasons, the Bachelor franchise has been a mainstay in American TV viewers' lives. Since it premiered in 2002, the show's popularity and relevance has only grown - more than eight million viewers tuned in to see the conclusion of the most recent season of The Bachelor. The iconic reality television show's reach and influence into the cultural zeitgeist is undeniable. Bachelor Nation is the first behind-the-scenes, unauthorized look into the reality television phenomenon.

What good are the arts? Why should we care about the past? For millennia, humanity has sought to understand and transmit to future generations not just the "know-how" of life, but the "know-why"—the meaning and purpose of our existence, as expressed in art, architecture, religion, and philosophy. This crucial passing down of knowledge has required the radical integration of insights from the past and from other cultures. In Culture, acclaimed author, professor, and public intellectual Martin Puchner takes us on a breakneck tour through pivotal moments in world history.

Los Angeles in 1974 exerted more influence over popular culture than any other city in America. Rock Me on the Water traces the confluence of movies, music, television, and politics in Los Angeles month by month through that transformative, magical year. Ronald Brownstein reveals how 1974 represented a confrontation between a massive younger generation intent on change, and a political order rooted in the status quo. Brownstein shows how the voices resistant to change may win the political battle for a time, but they cannot hold back the future.

In his first memoir, Josh Widdicombe tells the story of a strange rural childhood, the kind of childhood he only realised was weird when he left home and started telling people about it. From only having four people in his year at school, to living in a family home where they didn't just not bother to lock the front door, they didn't even have a key. Using a different television show of the time as its starting point for each chapter, Watching Neighbours Twice a Day... is part-childhood memoir, part-comic history of '90s television and culture.

What do we see when we watch reality television? Sociologist and TV lover Danielle J. Lindemann takes a long, hard look in the “funhouse mirror” of this genre, from countless rose ceremonies on The Bachelor to the White House and more (so much more!). Beginning with the first episodes of The Real World, reality TV has not only remade our entertainment and cultural landscape—it also uniquely refracts our everyday experiences and social topography.

This audiobook explores how the award-winning NBC drama offered a space for vibrant conversation about US politics, identity, and culture.

Learn the world of entertainment law with this essential guide designed for entrepreneurs, legal experts, and creative professionals navigating the ever-evolving intersection of law, technology, commerce, and creativity. Whether you're a filmmaker, musician, or business executive, understanding the legal landscape is crucial for success in the dynamic entertainment industry. From copyright laws and intellectual property rights to contract negotiations and dispute resolution, Entertainment Law 101 provides the insights you need to protect your work, negotiate fair deals, and navigate complex...

In a story that is both of its time and timeless, Evan I. Schwartz tells a tale of genius versus greed, innocence versus deceit, and independent brilliance versus corporate arrogance. Many men have laid claim to the title "father of television," but Philo T. Farnsworth is the true genius behind what may be the most influential invention of our time. Driven by his obsession to demonstrate his idea, by the age of 20 Farnsworth was operating his own laboratory above a garage in San Francisco and filing for patents. The resulting publicity caught the attention of RCA tycoon David Sarnoff, who became determined to control television in the same way he monopolized radio.

Dive into the captivating cosmos of urban legends and cultural phenomena with "Encounters in the Sky," a fascinating exploration of UFOs across the realms of media and public consciousness. This eBook journeys through the enigmatic presence of unidentified flying objects as they have transitioned from whispers of folklore to dominant fixtures across various entertainment media. Begin your voyage with a look at the early depictions of UFOs, before the film industry ignited our imaginations. Uncover how science fiction took these phenomena from speculative fiction to front-page news. Next, ...

The Rainbow Age of Television explores why queer people are so invested in—and conflicted by—the kinds of storytelling that TV has to offer. Above all, it's a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ shows, their characters, and their creators that define this new age in television.

Flipping TVs is a business model that is often overlooked, but those who are getting involved and know what to look out for can make impressive additional incomes–with very little effort.

I am proud to present the captivating and inspiring story of one of Mexico's most beloved and iconic television personalities, Chabelo. Through meticulous research and interviews with those closest to him, I have crafted a detailed and intimate portrait of his life, from his humble beginnings in Chicago to his rise to fame as the host of the longest-running children's television show in history. This book delves deep into Chabelo's personal life, exploring his relationships with his family, friends, and colleagues. Readers will gain insight into the challenges he faced on his journey to ...

In February 1958, the Herrmann family began to experience strange events at their home in Seaford, New York. The first occurrences were harmless—just caps popping off of bottles. But soon things escalated. Dishes were smashed, bookshelves toppled over, and objects moved. Could these unexplained events have been the work of a devious poltergeist named Popper?

One of the most innovative comedic programs to air on television, Monty Python’s Flying Circus was a mix of the carnivalesque and the critical. The show has become famous for eschewing many of the conventions of situation comedy, the fully formed and coherent script, narrative closure, predictable characters, and the decorum associated with presentation.

Nearly every night on every major network, unscripted (but carefully crafted) "reality” TV shows routinely glorify retrograde stereotypes that most people would assume got left behind 35 years ago. In Reality Bites Back, media critic Jennifer L. Pozner aims a critical, analytical lens at a trend most people dismiss as harmless fluff.

Dive deep into the captivating cosmos of UFOs with Beyond the Stars, a riveting exploration of how these enigmatic phenomena have been catapulted to the forefront of popular culture through media's ever-evolving landscape. This illuminating eBook takes you on an extraordinary journey, starting from the first whispered tales of unidentified flying objects in newspapers and radio broadcasts, to the all-encompassing media presence they hold today. Discover the profound influence of science fiction literature and films in shaping public perceptions and beliefs. Unravel how iconic sci-fi gems ...

Romantic port cities, old treasures and legends and Greek hospitality: What could be better? Crete is an island of light, the 'cradle of Zeus', with sun-kissed beaches, pretty villages and majestic mountains. No wonder even the gods felt particularly comfortable in this corner of Greece.