5 out of 5
In the last few decades, we've witnessed a transformation. Television, long considered the refuge for the actors and directors who had been unable to make the jump to the silver screen, began seeing show after show break the mold of what was thought possible. TV critic Alan Sepinwall has spent his career picking apart and analyzing television programs, and with his new book, he looks at 12 shows that forged new territory, from the brutal mobsters of The Sopranos to the high school drama found in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With each section, Sepinwall traces the genesis of a dozen unlikely programs, showing how creators such as Vince Gilligan and David Simon brought their visions to life. Sepinwall brings forward a tremendous amount of knowledge to each chapter, weaving interviews and research together to show the birth and growth of each of the shows. While some chapters stand out (it's difficult to read the chapter on The Wire without itching to rush out and buy the DVDs, and a story about Battlestar Galactica producer Robert Moore and his creative response to a request for a more light-hearted episode is hysterical), each analysis feeds into the others. Sepinwall demonstrates how each show tapped into different ideas and cultural movements to achieve something remarkable, and in many cases, show how a lot of shows owe their existence to those who came before. It's a remarkable achievement, but if this was just an insightful analysis of a dozen TV shows, it would be intriguing at best and repetitive at worst. But Sepinwall has created something much more. His genuine love and admiration for this creative medium bleeds through every page, and his enthusiasm and wonder at the great moments in these programs is infectious. His writing has a simple elegance that allows a critical analysis to flow like an eager water-cooler discussion, albeit from someone who has a deep understanding of what makes television work. Programs such as The Sopranos and The Wire showed the world that television was capable of weaving extraordinary stories in a way film could never match, and through Sepinwall's discussion of those that followed in their very large footsteps, I came away excited about the future of the medium. The Revolution Was Televised is a virtuoso piece of critical writing. It left me hungry to delve into these classics, and eager for what's yet to come.
- Dietrich Stogner
- Dietrich Stogner
