Alan Sepinwall, television critic and author of The Revolution Was Televised: The Cops, Crooks, Slingers and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever, looks at new ways of watching television and how they have transformed how we think of the "idiot box."
Comments [17]
I love this show, and Leonard Lopate, and have only wnyc or wqxr on at home, streaming, and in the car. But I have to ask, during this segment on television, when Lehrer was talking about the "Three's Company" spinoff "The Ropers" , did he really say that a certain plot twist "had drove" the show? That's what I heard, anyway. I hope I'm wrong.
John A, I'd love to know how you're paying only $50 for a cable package. I can't get a rate that low from Time Warner in NYC.
TV, Or why America is too distracted to save its economy.
Gotta break even on that 50 dollar cable package, eh folks?
Watch harder!
(sarcasm)
What a bad segment. Every time I listen to these fill in hosts I regret not turning off my radio. When will I learn?
Breaking Bad, Mad Men and The Walking Dead...all amazing shows
How come no one mentions Twin Peaks?
Maybe I came in late, but this strikes me as a fairly dude-heavy conversation. Has no one mentioned "30 Rock" or "Parks and Recreation"? Both of these benefited from fan support on various social media platforms...
What about all those wannabe cool, network shows that have failed, like PAN AM? Is it because they are judged as "network" shows?
I thought "southland" was a show that should have succeeded.
It always saddens me that homicide: life on the streets is always neglected. It was a show unlike any other at the time And really risky for NBC to air. Many of the writers directors and actors from the wire were on homicide, including the creators. It was a great show!
My favorite HBO serial was "Rome" and my favorite serial was "Monk" and my favorite cartoon show remains the Simpsons. Colbert Report my favorite faux news program. I've been watching TV since 1952.
Where would Mr. Sepinwall classify "Wiseguys"? Is it in the book?
These shows are way better at developing characters over a long period of time that stick to your bone. I think of Andy Sipowicz as a character that will stay with me forever. Movies simply cannot compete with these shows when it comes to the characters.
The long-form television drama didn't start with HBO in the 90s. The BBC has done them for years and some made their way to the colonies via PBS decades before.
How might new producers like Netflix offering original programming affect the idea that the new golden age of TV is already over?
hmmm...
The same way the Internet has clobbered newspapers, it will clobber TV. More niche, less quality.
In the end, it all balances out doesn't it? Deadwood, great. John from Cincinnati - crappy. Twenty-Four up, The Kennedys down.
How come Fox has such a record of stepping on its own d*ck? Firefly, for example.
Somebodies' gotta acknowledge that normalizing evil is a bad thing for kids.
I have had the same type of cable box since 2009, before there was an ipad, android, twitter.
Until the cable monopolies are broken, the way we watch television will never reflect the possibilities given by current technology.
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