or


[07/12/11 - 06:33 AM]
PBS Explores the Roots of Today's Biggest Television Hits in "America in Primetime" Premiering October 30
James L. Brooks, Larry David, Julianna Margulies, Mary Tyler Moore, Shonda Rhimes and Shawn Ryan are among the featured talent.

[via press release from PBS]

PBS Explores the Roots of Today's Biggest Television Hits

- AMERICA IN PRIMETIME Premieres October 30 -

- Series Features In-depth Interviews With Television's Brightest Minds, Including James L. Brooks, Larry David, Julianna Margulies, Mary Tyler Moore, Shonda Rhimes and Shawn Ryan, Among Others -

ARLINGTON, VA; JULY 12, 2011 -- Since its inception, television has served as a lens on American society, and in the expansive world of modern TV, today's heroes and villains have come a long way from their predecessors. America in Primetime showcases this iconic American art form, which has both reflected and shaped our national character. The four-part series premieres Sundays, October 30-November 20, 2011, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET on PBS. America in Primetime is a production of WETA Washington, DC, and The Documentary Group, in association with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. Funding is provided by the Annenberg Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS.

America in Primetime presents some of the most compelling shows on television today, as well as those of the past, by focusing on key character archetypes - the man of the house, the independent woman, the misfit and the crusader - that have remained a staple of primetime through the generations, capturing both the continuity of the character and the evolution. Each episode of the series focuses on one of the key archetypes:

"Man of the House" showcases the evolution of men from the kings of their castles in classic family sitcoms to more intricate, conflicted figures in modern shows. Interviews include Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner ("The Cosby Show"); David Chase ("The Sopranos"); Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad"); Ron Howard ("The Andy Griffith Show"); Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke ("The Dick Van Dyke Show"); and Phil Rosenthal and Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), among others.

"The Crusader" delves into the increasingly grey area between right and wrong as television heroes confront internal demons while seeking their own forms of justice. Interviews include Alan Alda ("M*A*S*H"); Steven Bochco and David Milch ("NYPD Blue"); Chris Carter and Gillian Anderson ("The X-Files"); Bob Cochran and Joel Surnow ("24"); Michael C. Hall ("Dexter"); Shawn Ryan and Michael Chiklis ("The Shield"); and David Shore and Hugh Laurie ("House"), among others.

"Independent Woman" reveals how women have transformed from model housewives to complex, and sometimes controversial, characters. Interviews include Roseanne Barr ("Roseanne"); Candice Bergen ("Murphy Brown"); Eva Longoria ("Desperate Housewives"), Robert and Michelle King and Julianna Margulies ("The Good Wife"); James L. Brooks and Mary Tyler Moore ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show"); and Shonda Rhimes and Sandra Oh ("Grey's Anatomy"), among others.

"The Misfit" celebrates the unique characters who defied comic stereotypes and societal expectations to reflect America's diverse personalities. Interviews include Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock"); Diablo Cody ("The United States of Tara"); Greg Daniels and Rainn Wilson ("The Office"); Larry David ("Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Seinfeld"); Paul Feig and Judd Apatow ("Freaks and Geeks"); Mitchell Hurwitz ("Arrested Development"); Mike Judge ("Beavis and Butthead"); and Garry Shandling ("The Larry Sanders Show"), among others.

AMERICA IN PRIMETIME features more than a hundred in-depth interviews with the creators, writers and actors who give life to the characters whom audiences have come to love, and demonstrates how the finest television today has its foundation in the best television of yesterday.

About The Documentary Group

The Documentary Group has a long and distinguished list of credits, including an Academy Award nomination for the documentary Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, which aired on PBS. TDG was founded in 2006 by the core members of PJ Productions, following the death of legendary broadcaster Peter Jennings. The producers and directors, who were for many years the team behind Jennings' documentaries at ABC News, are dedicated to continuing the tradition of smart, important and innovative filmmaking.

About the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, home of the Archive of American Television, is the ideal partner for America in Primetime. Its primary mission is to draw on the entire creative community in Hollywood in order "to preserve the rich history of television, and to educate and inspire future generations."

About WETA

WETA Washington, D.C. is the third-largest producing station for public television. WETA's productions and co-productions include the venerable news and public affairs programs PBS NewsHour and Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal; the arts series In Performance at the White House and The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize; and documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including The Civil War, Baseball, The National Parks: America's Best Idea and, premiering in October, Prohibition. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at www.weta.org.

About PBS

PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches 124 million people through television and 20 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices.





  [july 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· 24 (FOX)
· 30 ROCK (NBC)
· ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (NETFLIX)
· BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD (MTV)
· BREAKING BAD (AMC)
· CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
· EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (CBS)
· FREAKS & GEEKS (NBC)
· GOOD WIFE, THE (CBS)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HOUSE (FOX)
· NYPD BLUE (ABC)
· OFFICE, THE (NBC)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· SOPRANOS, THE (HBO)
· UNITED STATES OF TARA, THE (SHOWTIME)
· X-FILES, THE (FOX)





[07/23/25 - 01:52 PM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: Chicago Cubs Visit St. Louis Cardinals as Historic Rivalry Continues August 10
"Sunday Night Baseball" on ESPN is averaging 1.71 million viewers in 2025, making it the most-watched season of the franchise in eight years, since 2017, according to Nielsen.

[07/23/25 - 12:01 PM]
Brandy Norwood Joins Lifetime Holiday Family with Real Life Daughter Sy'Rai in "Christmas Everyday"
Norwood portrays Francine "Fancy" Ballantine, a devoted fashion designer juggling family obligations and career ambitions.

[07/23/25 - 11:33 AM]
Video: Trailer and Key Art Debut - "Ralph Barbosa: Planet Bosa"
The special premieres Friday, August 8 on Hulu.

[07/23/25 - 11:15 AM]
Apple's Sports Comedy "Stick" Tees Off for Season Two with Owen Wilson
"I think we all had a great time making it," said star and executive producer Owen Wilson. "It's really nice to see the show connecting with people and to know that we get a chance to continue the story!"

[07/23/25 - 11:02 AM]
Video: "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
Join NFL MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills for the new season, premiering August 5 on HBO Max.

[07/23/25 - 10:46 AM]
Paramount Global and Park County Extend Overall Deal
The deal with "South Park" co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone is for five years, including 50 new episodes, all 26 previous season episodes and extending "South Park" on Comedy Central and Paramount+ around the world.

[07/23/25 - 10:06 AM]
Bravo's "Top Chef" Heads to the Carolinas for Season 23
Season 23 will be centered in the emerging and diverse culinary hub of Charlotte, North Carolina, with several episodes in Greenville, South Carolina.

[07/23/25 - 10:00 AM]
The CW Network Strikes Multi-Year Agreement with Professional Bull Riders to Broadcast Saturday and Sunday Teams League Events
PBR on The CW kicks off on Saturday, August 9 (6:30-8:00pm ET) and Sunday, August 10 (2:00-4:30pm ET) live from Sunrise, Florida.

[07/23/25 - 09:06 AM]
Apple Original Films Announces New Documentary Feature "Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost"
From Emmy and DGA Award-winning director, producer and son Ben Stiller, the film features the inspiring story of comedy icons Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and is set to premiere in select theaters October 17, and stream on Apple TV+ October 24.

[07/23/25 - 09:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Expedition X" Premieres Wednesday, August 20 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
In the two-part season premiere airing over two consecutive weeks, Josh Gates and Heather Amaro venture into the haunted ruins of Spike Island, once Ireland's most infamous, brutal prison.

[07/23/25 - 08:04 AM]
Hulu Original Series "Only Murders in the Building" Season Five Premieres Tuesday, September 9
Your favorite crime-solving trio is back for another killer case!

[07/23/25 - 06:46 AM]
Bring on More Torture: Netflix Renews "Wednesday" for Season 3 Ahead of Season 2 Debut
"Wednesday" originally premiered on Netflix on November 23, 2022 and currently holds the record for Netflix's most-popular English language show of all time with 252.1M views in 91 days.

[07/23/25 - 06:01 AM]
Apple TV+ Unveils First Look at "The Savant," Starring and Executive Produced by Jessica Chastain
The suspenseful, high-stakes series will make its global debut on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday, September 26 followed by new episodes every Friday through November 7.

[07/22/25 - 04:01 PM]
Production of YA Zombie Series "All of Us Are Dead" Season 2 Is Now Underway
Based on the legendary webtoon by Joo Dong-geun, the first season was an international success, amassing over 560M viewing hours within 28 days of its premiere.

[07/22/25 - 03:03 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Adults 18-49, Leading CBS' "After Midnight" and NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers" in the Demo for the 6th Consecutive Week
"Nightline" posted week-to-week increases in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, hitting a 4-week high in the key Adult news demo.