The Revolution Was Televised

The Cops, Crooks, Slingers, and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever

By: Alan Sepinwall

Narrated by: Joe Ochman

A mob boss in therapy. An experimental, violent prison unit. The death of an American city, as seen through a complex police investigation. A lawless frontier town trying to talk its way into the United States. A corrupt cop who rules his precinct like a warlord. The survivors of a plane crash trying to make sense of their disturbing new island home. A high school girl by day, monster fighter by night. A spy who never sleeps. A space odyssey inspired by 9/11. An embattled high school football coach. A polished ad exec with a secret. A chemistry teacher turned drug lord.

These are the subjects of 12 shows that started a revolution in TV drama: The Sopranos. Oz. The Wire. Deadwood. The Shield. Lost. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 24. Battlestar Galactica. Friday Night Lights. Mad Men. Breaking Bad. These 12 shows, and the many more they made possible, ushered in a new golden age of television, one that made people take the medium more seriously than ever before. Alan Sepinwall became a TV critic right before this creative revolution began, was there to chronicle this incredible moment in pop culture history, and along the way changed the nature of television criticism, according to Slate.

The Revolution Was Televised is the story of these 12 shows, as told by Sepinwall and the people who made them, including David Chase, David Simon, David Milch, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, Vince Gilligan and more.

A must read if you are a fan of TV!

Fantastic book covering the influential shows of the last 15 years and the creative people behind them. I find TV so much more interesting today than movies and this book lays out Alan's arguments about how we got here. Having watched almost all of these shows myself it's hard to argue with his list. A little surprised no straight comedies on this list.

None

Great book. Loved the subject. Narrated very well also. All around good read. That is all 20 words are now

A thoughtful review of TV’s new “Golden Age”

Interesting look at the backstories of making some of my favorite TV shows, including getting into some creators’ heads

Hey fine meander through some great TV shows

The book is fine, really good even. It's just a little rudimentary. I would say the same about the narration. It has no flaws, it just does what it has to do.A great read, especially if you love these shows.

a brilliant analysis of televisions third gold age

Everything from The Wire to Mad men in all the glory of early 21st century tv.