Preview
  • The Revolution Was Televised

  • The Cops, Crooks, Slingers, and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever
  • By: Alan Sepinwall
  • Narrated by: Joe Ochman
  • Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (171 ratings)

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The Revolution Was Televised

By: Alan Sepinwall
Narrated by: Joe Ochman
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Publisher's summary

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, a 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.

©2013 Alan Sepinwall (P)2013 Random House
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What listeners say about The Revolution Was Televised

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

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

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.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

first audible book a good one

have to try about 4 bucks before I found this one but as an actor it was really great understanding the history of some of my favorite shows and shows that I have never watched I have heard about four years! Educational and entertaining.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A Very Interesting Read

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting. I had read/listened to other industry insider takes before and was expecting more of the same. Instead each chapter was a deep dive into the unlikely events that lead into about a dozen different shows getting on the air and changing the television landscape. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the new golden age of television.

However I will say that the book does show its age a bit. It's Five years old now and it becomes a bit jarring when the book discusses Breaking Bad and Mad Men as ongoing shows when they've both been over for some time.

What other book might you compare The Revolution Was Televised to and why?

Desperate Networks

What about Joe Ochman’s performance did you like?

He made me think he was the Author and was surprised to discover that he was not.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. The chapters were broken up by show and it made for easy listening in hour long sessions.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Good book

Good book. It does exactly what it sets out to do, which is review the development of high-end television shows in the 2000's, with chapters on each show that he covers: Sopranos, Friday Night Lights, Mad Men, etc. If you have watched any of these shows and liked them and enjoy reading about the business side of television, you will likely enjoy the book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

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.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

a brilliant analysis of televisions third gold age

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

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