America in Primetime (PBS)
Posted at 8:25 AM (PDT) on Tuesday, July 12, 2011



PBS Explores the Roots of Today’s Biggest Television Hits
Business Wire

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. Each episode of the series focuses on one of the key archetypes:

“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.

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