More 'The Revolution Was Televised' link-blogging
More reviews and interviews about my new book
Vic Mackey has just one more thing to say about my book.
As promised on Monday, when I linked to the "Lost" excerpt on Grantland, this is a big week of press for my book, "The Revolution Was Televised: The Cops, Crooks, Slingers and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever." Don't want to overwhelm you all with posts on it — and risk turning into Jay Sherman — but every now and then I'll assemble all the recent links in case you want to read/listen to more about the project:
* First, James Poniewozik at Time wrote a very complimentary review of the book, joining the estimable likes of Tim Goodman and Emily Nussbaum in praising the thing.
*
Second, Mo Ryan wrote her own review, and if you follow that link, you can also hear the hour-long conversation I had with Mo and Ryan McGee on their podcast, Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan.
* Over at BuzzFeed, Kate Aurthur and I had a long email back and forth about the book, with Kate resolutely grilling me about why certain shows like "Six Feet Under" and "West Wing" were left out.
* Zack Smith is guest-writing USA Today's Pop Candy blog this week, and he also interviewed me about the book.
* I did a long live-chat yesterday with the readers over at The Big Lead sports blog, taking questions about the book, and about TV in general.
As always, you can find more information about the book at AlanSepinwall.com, and buy it now in paperback, for Kindle, Nook, iBooks (the iTunes store finally added it yesterday, and I am pleased to find myself outselling my daughter's old favorite book, "Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy") and Kobo. If you've bought the book through one of those outlets and want to add a review or simply rate it, I imagine that wouldn't be a bad thing, but mainly I'm just happy to see people buying and reading it.
And either email me with questions or add comments below.
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Comments
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupKatherine Coble
November 28, 2012 at 4:17PM EST Reply to CommentWell, I completely loved the book (even without West Wing) and have been trying to get everyone I know to read it.
mcm99
November 28, 2012 at 4:31PM EST Reply to CommentIt was great! I particularly enjoyed the chapters on the shows I haven't watched yet. I am not a spoilerphobe and am mush more likely to get around to watching The Shield now. Thanks! Looking forward to listening to the Ryan & Ryan podcast tonight.
JesseSP
November 28, 2012 at 5:16PM EST Reply to CommentIt was a fantastic book, and I had a question regarding the Breaking Bad chapter: There's a moment that Gilligan and another executive interviewed refuse to talk about, which is apparently a moment involving a major character that was going to happen at the end of the first season. Based on the way they talked, this seemed different from the oft-mentioned story about Jesse originally set to die early in the show's run, which is discussed on the record. The incident Gilligan and executive coyly described (but not elaborated on seems like a different event. Did I read too much into this exchange?
Anyway, great book, Alan.
sepinwall Jesse wasn't going to die in the season 1 finale, but earlier. This is something about what Vince intended to end that season with, which the writers strike prevented him from doing, an which now might be a way that the series itself ends. So no one wanted to talk about it. I have no idea what it is.
November 28, 2012 at 5:27PM ESTAndrew
November 28, 2012 at 5:43PM EST Reply to CommentJust a suggestion, a Reddit AMA might be a good way to get info about the book out there and have a fun conversation about TV.
Jim Get out.
November 29, 2012 at 2:44AM ESTOaktown Girl
November 28, 2012 at 7:05PM EST Reply to CommentCongratulations on your success with the book!
dezbot
November 28, 2012 at 7:47PM EST Reply to CommentI liked the excerpt I read on Grantland, but am holding out for when you do a signing here so I can support the store you do it at (and if you want suggestions for stores, e-mail me!) :-)
veronicamers
November 28, 2012 at 8:32PM EST Reply to CommentCongratulations! I have the book downloaded to my Kindle and am looking forward to reading it this weekend when I travel to see my inlaws!
Hatfield
November 28, 2012 at 8:42PM EST Reply to CommentYes! When you said "buy my book!" on the podcast I was waiting for the Jay Sherman reference. I was gonna buy it anyway, but I like and respect you even more now. So, you know, there's that.
Action_Kate
November 28, 2012 at 9:07PM EST Reply to CommentYou got a mention on Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish as well. He doesn't add any commentary, but Sully has a HUGE audience.
http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/11/how-television-drama-came-of-age.html
Victor
November 28, 2012 at 9:18PM EST Reply to CommentLoved the book, although I only read the chapters about the sopranos, the wire, BB and mad men. I will read the other chapters once I get around some of the other shows (e.g., the shield, oz). It has been ver entertaining!
RealGMan
November 28, 2012 at 11:25PM EST Reply to CommentBought the book, Sopranos chapter riveting stuff.
Haven't read the BSG chapter yet, but one show from the 90s I would have added to the intro list would have be Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It was a breeding ground for Ron Moore and other strong writers, leaned heavily on serialization through most of the later seasons, deconstructed the Star Trek myth in a similar way that other shows would deconstruct the American myth in the 2000s (Starfleet really a metaphor for the same stuff) and had arguably one of the best ensemble casts of the decade.
I will also not include Babylon 5 here no matter what those fanboys say.
the passenger
November 29, 2012 at 1:02AM EST Reply to CommentAlan, I'd love to buy this book from one of my local independent bookstores. Do you think a store can order it?
the passenger
November 29, 2012 at 1:04AM EST Reply to CommentAlan, I'd love to buy this book from one of my local independent bookstores. Do you know if a store can order it?
Jamestown
November 29, 2012 at 5:36AM EST Reply to CommentIn a couple of years, do you see yourself(Alan) writing a sequel to this book with new shows(Game of Thrones, Homeland, Louie CK, etc.)?
Or maybe one more focus on great comedies a la The Office, Parks and Rec, Freaks and Greeks, Community, etc.?
HISLOCAL Alan would proabaly say no, because I think the idea behind this book was that these shows changed the TV landscape when they came out.
November 29, 2012 at 9:40AM ESTThat being said, I'd absolutely buy a 2nd book with the same kind of writeups on GoT, Homeland, Boardwalk, Justified, etc........they may not be the Jackie Robinsons of TV like the shows from this first book, but I'm sure they still have fascinating back stories.
adama1843
November 29, 2012 at 9:34AM EST Reply to CommentI've received my copy but it's being held for hostage as a Christmas present. That's fine with me. I've seen all the shows except Friday Night Nights, so I'm halfway through Season 1. Wow! My eyes have been cleared and my heart is full.
Peter_the_Gr8 I'm reading (and loving) the book now and am about to start watching FNL. After that, Buffy and 24 will be the only ones that I haven't seen (and worshipped.) My wife is shocked that I like this book (sarcastically.)
November 29, 2012 at 12:24PM ESTHISLOCAL
November 29, 2012 at 9:37AM EST Reply to CommentA+ on the Jay Sherman reference. That show's been off the air for what, like 15+ years, and my friends and I still say "BUY MY BOOK!! BUY MY BOOK!!" whenever we want to joke about something being annoying or repetitive.
The Lost excerpt on Grantland was awesome, so now I'm pumped even more to read the rest of the book. The only shows in the book that I haven't watched are The Shield and Friday Night Lights......I've been meaning to watch The Shield forever, but maybe the book can do what a thousand Landry references in Breaking Bad discussions couldn't - get me interested in watching Friday Night Lights.
rageon
November 29, 2012 at 10:10AM EST Reply to CommentI'm interested in the book, but a little reluctant because some of the shows covered are ones I haven't seen yet but would like to at some point. How many of the shows covered would be spoiled by the book?
mcm99 All of them.
November 29, 2012 at 11:11AM ESTPeter_the_Gr8 I'll be skipping those chapters I haven't seen (only 3) and hoping there aren't any crossover spoilers. It's all in the game, yo.
November 29, 2012 at 12:25PM ESTsepinwall The only major crossover spoiler is, I think, Jon Hamm discussing a big Sopranos development in the Mad Men chapter.
November 29, 2012 at 1:05PM ESTRinaldo
November 29, 2012 at 3:14PM EST Reply to Commenti was planning spreading out my reading of the book, maybe just a chapter a day, making it last while I kept up with other obligations -- and immediately blew that idea to smithereens. I think I finished it all within 24 hours. I just couldn't stop. Well done, Alan!
More than most books about TV series that I've read, this one balanced almost perfectly the two kinds of pleasure I hope for: fun behind-the-scenes interviews and reportage (my gossipy side) and thoughtful evaluation of each show, their historical origins & influences, their relationship to each other (my academic side). I felt I had just the right amount of both.
I haven't seen every one of the series covered, but to me it doesn't make sense to worry about spoilers in a situation like this. Fiction isn't solely about The Big Surprise, clearly all of these have more going for them than shocking twists, and in any case I expect that by the time I actually watch them my memory will have become helpfully fuzzy. I've been recommending the book to all my TV-watching friends.
Heisenberg
November 29, 2012 at 4:56PM EST Reply to CommentI haven't read it yet - but I plan on doing so soon.
Alan, out of all the shows you covered on the book, which one is your favorite and which one do you think is the best?
Big D
November 29, 2012 at 6:46PM EST Reply to CommentOh man, I have been hoping for a book like this for years, and the best possible person to write it has written it. How foolish do I feel to just be finding out about it. I can give myself a pass on missing the initial announcement as I was traveling outside the country at the time. How I missed the updates since then, I don’t know. As I life longer subscriber to The Star-Ledger, I have been reading Alan’s work for many years. Like a lot of folks I realized during the time of “Sopranos Rewind” that the Star-Ledger and its readers were incredibly lucky to have this guy and that he was destined for bigger things. The great thing about Alan’s work is that he takes TV seriously and expects a lot from the shows he follows. I have long argued that great TV is as valid an art form as a great movie or a great book. (To me, TV is really superior because of the length of time over which you can tell story arcs and develop characters). Until relatively recently it was tough to find people who agreed with me. Many times I have searched on Amazon for a book like this only to be disappointed and perplexed not to find one. So excited about this book. I almost ordered the e-book yesterday, but instead opted to make the print book the number one item on my Christmas list. I’m quite pleased with which shows are covered in the book. Five shows that are among my all-time favorites (Buffy, The Sopranos, The Shield, Lost and BSG), one that I was a huge fan of (24) and six that (shamefully) I need to catch-up with. I am really looking forward to reading this book. From one TV fan to another Alan, thanks for writing it. Best of luck with it.
Kenya
November 30, 2012 at 6:45PM EST Reply to CommentAlan, I purchased the book today. Will you be discussing the book itself either in the forum or perhaps in a post during some down-time on the blog?
Ad
December 1, 2012 at 3:01AM EST Reply to CommentLoving the book at the moment. Great job Alan.
JanieJones
December 2, 2012 at 6:40PM EST Reply to CommentAlan,
Is it possible to set up a live chat for fans who've read the book and have questions?
I'm assuming you are receiving a voluminous amount of email with questions regarding your new book and the shows covered.
I thought perhaps an hour open chat would give some readers and fans an opportunity.
It would make a nice Hanukkah or holiday gift for fans :) although as Goodman points out that you work write and work relentlessly. Are you one of those folks who can subsist on four hours of sleep and be ready to go in the am?