First published 2023
Television has overtaken movies as our dominant entertainment medium. Biskind examines how this transformation occurred by tracking the evolution from HBO's early days through the current streaming battles. Rather than limiting his scope to a single network, he explores HBO's broader impact beyond The Sopranos, then follows the expansion to basic cable networks like FX and AMC, and concludes with today's streaming conflicts between Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, and Paramount Plus. Biskind conducts revealing interviews with both creators and executives to illuminate how creative decisions intertwine with business strategies. He uses landmark shows including The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Succession, and Yellowstone as case studies to reveal the competitive tactics employed by industry players. The book provides readers with comprehensive understanding of contemporary television's landscape and the forces that shaped it.
Genres: business, media-tie-in, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: case-studies, investigative-journalism
Period: 21st-century
Hardcover · Allen Lane