Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of a Creative Revolution
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AlbakiReads Editorial Inside cable television’s creative turning point
Inside cable television’s creative turning point
Brett Martin maps the shift in American television during the late 1990s and early 2000s, when cable series expanded the medium’s ambitions while broadcast networks pursued broader formulas. Drawing on interviews with figures behind The Sopranos, The Wire, NYPD Blue, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, and Breaking Bad, the book examines the people and production cultures involved in that change. Its blend of reportage, criticism, and historical context places individual shows within a larger account of television’s growing cultural influence. A new author preface accompanies this tenth-anniversary edition.
Good fit for readers who enjoy
- Fans of The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, and Breaking Bad
- Readers interested in television history and criticism
- Those curious about the creative and industrial workings behind cable drama
Themes
Cable television’s riseCreative leadershipTelevision productionCultural influenceAmerican TV history
Based on publisher information and book metadata.
Book Overview The 10th anniversary edition, now with a new preface by the author "A wonderfully smart, lively, and culturally astute survey." - The New...
The 10th anniversary edition, now with a new preface by the author
"A wonderfully smart, lively, and culturally astute survey." - The New York Times Book Review
"Grand entertainment...fascinating for anyone curious about the perplexing miracles of how great television comes to be." - The Wall Street Journal
"I love this book...It's the kind of thing I wish I'd been able to read in film school, back before such books existed." - Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad and co-creator of Better Call Saul
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the landscape of television began an unprecedented transformation. While the networks continued to chase the lowest common denominator, a wave of new shows on cable channels dramatically stretched television's narrative inventiveness, emotional resonance, and creative ambition. Combining deep reportage with critical analysis and historical context, Brett Martin recounts the rise and inner workings of this artistic watershed - a golden age of TV that continues to transform America's cultural landscape. Difficult Men features extensive interviews with all the major players - including David Chase (The Sopranos), David Simon and Ed Burns (The Wire), David Milch (NYPD Blue, Deadwood), Alan Ball (Six Feet Under), and Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) - and reveals how television became a truly significant and influential part of our culture.
"A wonderfully smart, lively, and culturally astute survey." - The New York Times Book Review
"Grand entertainment...fascinating for anyone curious about the perplexing miracles of how great television comes to be." - The Wall Street Journal
"I love this book...It's the kind of thing I wish I'd been able to read in film school, back before such books existed." - Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad and co-creator of Better Call Saul
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the landscape of television began an unprecedented transformation. While the networks continued to chase the lowest common denominator, a wave of new shows on cable channels dramatically stretched television's narrative inventiveness, emotional resonance, and creative ambition. Combining deep reportage with critical analysis and historical context, Brett Martin recounts the rise and inner workings of this artistic watershed - a golden age of TV that continues to transform America's cultural landscape. Difficult Men features extensive interviews with all the major players - including David Chase (The Sopranos), David Simon and Ed Burns (The Wire), David Milch (NYPD Blue, Deadwood), Alan Ball (Six Feet Under), and Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) - and reveals how television became a truly significant and influential part of our culture.
Book Details Format: Paperback | Pages: 336 | Language: English | Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP | ISBN: 0143125699
FormatPaperback
Pages336
LanguageEnglish
ISBN0143125699
EAN9780143125693
PublisherPENGUIN GROUP
Publication Date2014-07-29
EditionReprint
AccessoriesNo Accessory
ConditionNew
Product TypeQUALITY PAPERBACK BOOKS
Weight0.55 Pounds
Length8.3 Inches
Width5.4 Inches
Height0.8 Inches
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