The rollicking saga of reality television, a sweeping (The Washington Post) cultural history of America's most influential, most divisive artistic phenomenon, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorker writer--a must-read for anyone interested in television or popular culture (NPR)

Passionate, exquisitely told . . . With muscular prose and an exacting eye for detail . . . [Nussbaum] knits her talents for sharp analysis and telling reportage well.--The New York Times (Editors' Choice)

In development as a docuseries from the studio behind Spencer and Spotlight

ONE OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE AND THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY'S TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, The Boston Globe

FINALIST FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION

Who invented reality television, the world's most dangerous pop-culture genre? And why can't we look away? In this revelatory, deeply reported account of the rise of dirty documentary--from its contentious roots in radio to the ascent of Donald Trump--Emily Nussbaum unearths the origin story of the genre that ate the world, as told through the lively voices of the people who built it. At once gimlet-eyed and empathetic, Cue the Sun! explores the morally charged, funny, and sometimes tragic consequences of the hunt for something real inside something fake.

In sharp, absorbing prose, Nussbaum traces the jagged fuses of experimentation that exploded with Survivor at the turn of the millennium. She introduces the genre's trickster pioneers, from the icy Allen Funt to the shambolic Chuck Barris; Cops auteur John Langley; cynical Bachelor ringmaster Mike Fleiss; and Jon Murray and Mary-Ellis Bunim, the visionaries behind The Real World--along with dozens of stars from An American Family, The Real World, Big Brother, Survivor, and The Bachelor. We learn about the tools of the trade--like the Frankenbite, a deceptive editor's best friend--and ugly tales of exploitation. But Cue the Sun! also celebrates reality's peculiar power: a jolt of emotion that could never have come from a script.

What happened to the first reality stars, the Louds--and why won't they speak to the couple who filmed them? Which serial killer won on The Dating Game? Nussbaum explores reality TV as a strike-breaker, the queer roots of Bravo, the dark truth behind The Apprentice, and more. A shrewd observer who adores television, Nussbaum is the ideal voice for the first substantive history of the genre that, for better or worse, made America what it is today.

The complete critical companion to AMC's Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated series Better Call Saul from the author of Breaking Bad 101 and The Sopranos Sessions

If you love Better Call Saul this book will be a great pal to hang out with while you muse upon it; if you like Better Call Saul then I think this book might make you love it! --Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman)

Named one of the most anticipated books of the year by the AV Club

Timed to the 10th anniversary of the first season, this ultimate companion book serves as a guide to the series' greatness and place in pop-culture history as fans kick off celebratory rewatches and new fans discover the series for the first time.

Saul Goodman v. Jimmy McGill: The Better Call Saul Critical Companion collects chief TV critic at Rolling Stone Alan Sepinwall's critical essays on every episode of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated series. Sepinwall covered Better Call Saul from start to finish, and conducted exhaustive interviews with creator Vince Gilligan and stars Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seahorn, reproduced here alongside new interviews with series cocreator Peter Gould.

​Across six critically acclaimed seasons, Better Call Saul surprised audiences and subverted Breaking Bad fans' expectations for what a prequel/sequel series could be. Bob Odenkirk reprised his role as the morally compromised defensive attorney and revealed the tragic and inevitable downfall of Jimmy McGill, a small-time con artist with big dreams and even bigger schemes. Audiences were introduced to now iconic characters, including Rhea Seahorn's Kim and Michael McKean's Chuck, as well as villains like Tony Dalton's Lalo, who rivaled Breaking Bad's most sinister creations.

James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales's definitive oral history of Saturday Night Live, hailed as incredible (Vulture) and required reading (People).

When first published to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, Live from New York was immediately proclaimed the best book ever produced on the landmark and legendary late-night show. In their own words, unfiltered and uncensored, a dazzling galaxy of trail-blazing talents recalled three turbulent decades of on-camera antics and off-camera escapades.

Now decades have passed, and bestselling authors James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales have returned to Studio 8H. Over more than 100 pages of new material, they raucously and revealingly take the SNL story up to the present, adding a constellation of iconic new stars, surprises, and controversies.

FINALIST - 2023 PUSHKIN HOUSE BOOK PRIZE

A gem of a book! A must read for anyone looking to understand Russia better!
-- Clarissa Ward, CNN chief international correspondent and author of On All Fronts

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the timing appeared perfect to bring Sesame Street to millions of children living in the former Soviet Union. With the Muppets envisioned as ideal ambassadors of Western values, no one anticipated just how challenging and dangerous this would prove to be.

In Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia, Natasha Lance Rogoff brings this gripping tale to life. Amidst bombings, assassinations, and a military takeover of the production office, Lance Rogoff and the talented Moscow team of artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and puppeteers remained determined to bring laughter, learning, and a new way of seeing the world to children in Russia, Ukraine and across the former Soviet empire. With a sharp wit and compassion for her colleagues, Lance Rogoff observes how cultural clashes colored nearly every aspect of the production--from the show's educational framework to writing comedy to the new Russian Muppets themselves--despite the team's common goal.

Brimming with insight and nuance, Muppets in Moscow skillfully explores the post-Soviet societal tensions that continue to thwart the Russian people's efforts to create a better future for their country. More than just a story of a children's show, this book provides a valuable perspective of Russia's people, their culture, and their complicated relationship with the West that remains relevant even today.

The ultimate deep dive into the revolution of queer TV

With the last decade's television boom across a multitude of platforms, producing hundreds of network and streaming series, American audiences are being treated to a cascade of shows that some have trumpeted as a second Golden Age. But something completely new is stirring, too--the Rainbow Age. For the first time in the history of American television, we have shows in which LGBTQIA+ characters have evolved from being an anomaly to being an almost given and celebrated presence on the small screen. But what more can queer TV do? Is each new queer character really breaking ground? And has the curse of the fictional dead lesbian finally been defeated?

The Rainbow Age of Television tackles these questions and more as author Shayna Maci Warner tracks the history and evolution of LGBTQIA+ icons across the televised ages and into the future of streaming--from the very first televised queer kiss (we think) to the shows that are making household names and heroes of queer characters today. Warner uses original interviews with queer TV icons such as Lilly Wachowski and Stephanie Beatriz along with detailed history to investigate the constraints under which queer people have been allowed to exist on American television. Surveying seventy-plus years of broadcasts, The Rainbow Age of Television explores why queer people are so invested in--and conflicted by--the kinds of storytelling that TV has to offer. Above all, it's a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ shows, their characters, and their creators that define this new age in television.

A wonderful history and celebration of The Waltons TV show.

Goodnight John-Boy encapsulates the warmth, humor, and timeless wisdom of the iconic television series. It contains a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes stories, profiles of memorable characters, and anecdotes from the actors that brought the Waltons to life. This book serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of the Waltons and their embodiment of unwavering family bonds, hard work, and simple pleasures.

Beyond the stories, the book explores the timeless values that were the heart of the Waltons' story: love, faith, and hope. It underscores how these values, despite being set in a bygone era, still resonate with audiences today.

Included in Goodnight John-Boy:

• A description of each episode
• Events and locales that inspired the episodes
• Reminiscence, comments, and personal feelings from writers, actors, directors, producers, family, and fans
• Publicity shots and personal photographs taken by cast, crew, and others

Penned by Earl Hamner, the creator of The Waltons, Goodnight John-Boy is more than just a fan book. It's a warm invitation to revisit Walton's Mountain and rediscover the lessons and joys that have made the series an enduring classic. The perfect conversation-starting coffee table book or gift for grandpa, grandma, or any fan of The Waltons.

How a Show, and the Support of Its Fandom, Changed--and Saved--Lives

Supernatural, a three-time People's Choice Award winner for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show and Tumblr's 2015 Most Reblogged Live Action TV, has made a name for itself by supporting and encouraging its fans to always keep fighting, and a memorable line from early in the show's run, Family don't end with blood, became an inspiring mantra for many who found community in the fandom.

In 25 powerful chapters written by Supernatural's actors and fans, including series lead Jared Padalecki, plus special messages from Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, and Mark Sheppard, Family Don't End with Blood: Cast and Fans On How Supernatural Has Changed Lives examines the far reach of the show's impact for more than a decade. Supernatural has inspired fans to change their lives, from getting sober for Sam to escaping a cult to pursuing life-long dreams. But fans aren't the only ones who have been changed. The actors who bring the show to life have also found, in the show and its community, inspiration, courage, and the strength to keep going when life seemed too hard.

Including essays and special messages from Supernatural 's cast:

Jared Padelecki (Sam Winchester)

Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester)

Misha Collins (Castiel)

Mark Sheppard (Crowley)

Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer)

Ruth Connell (Rowena MacLeod)

Osric Chau (Kevin Tran)

Rob Benedict (Chuck Shurley aka God)

Kim Rhodes (Sheriff Jody Mills)

Briana Buckmaster (Sheriff Donna Hanscum)

Matt Cohen (Young John Winchester)

Gil McKinney (Henry Winchester)

Rachel Miner (Meg Masters)

Collected and edited by Lynn S. Zubernis, a clinical psychologist, professor, and passionate Supernatural fangirl, Family Don't End with Blood provides an insightful and often uplifting look into the way international fan communities become powerful, positive forces in the lives of so many.

In keeping with the show's message to always keep fighting, a portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to RANDOM ACTS, a nonprofit founded by Misha Collins, and AT TITUDES IN REVERSE, whose mission is to educate young people about mental health and suicide prevention.

The New 50th Anniversary Edition of Saturday Night

It reads like a thriller, and may be the best book ever written about television.
-- Associated Press

A chilling real-life cliffhanger.
-- Washington Post

An anthropological masterpiece.
-- Vanity Fair

Discover the intimate and original history of Saturday Night Live in Saturday Night. From its rebellious beginnings as an outlaw comedy program produced by an unruly band of renegades to becoming a TV institution, this book captures it all. Learn how SNL created stars like John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, Joe Piscopo, and Eddie Murphy.

This groundbreaking book reveals what really happened behind the scenes during the first ten years of Saturday Night Live. From battles with NBC to internal conflicts within the cast and crew, you'll uncover love affairs, betrayals, rivalries, drug problems, overnight successes, and bitter failures, all intertwined with the creation of some of the most original and outrageous comedy ever.

The reissue features nearly fifty photographs of the cast, crew, and sketches, providing a visual journey through the show's early years.

Written by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, seasoned television journalists who have contributed to The Associated Press, The New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, TV Guide, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, and Advertising Age, this is the ultimate insider's look at one of television's most iconic shows.

The New 50th Anniversary Edition of Saturday Night

It reads like a thriller, and may be the best book ever written about television.
-- Associated Press

A chilling real-life cliffhanger.
-- Washington Post

An anthropological masterpiece.
-- Vanity Fair

Discover the intimate and original history of Saturday Night Live in Saturday Night. From its rebellious beginnings as an outlaw comedy program produced by an unruly band of renegades to becoming a TV institution, this book captures it all. Learn how SNL created stars like John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, Joe Piscopo, and Eddie Murphy.

This groundbreaking book reveals what really happened behind the scenes during the first ten years of Saturday Night Live. From battles with NBC to internal conflicts within the cast and crew, you'll uncover love affairs, betrayals, rivalries, drug problems, overnight successes, and bitter failures, all intertwined with the creation of some of the most original and outrageous comedy ever.

The reissue features nearly fifty photographs of the cast, crew, and sketches, providing a visual journey through the show's early years.

Written by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, seasoned television journalists who have contributed to The Associated Press, The New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, TV Guide, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, and Advertising Age, this is the ultimate insider's look at one of television's most iconic shows.

Named a Best Nonfiction Book of 2022 by Esquire

A sociological study of reality TV that explores its rise as a culture-dominating medium--and what the genre reveals about our attitudes toward race, gender, class, and sexuality.

What do we see when we watch reality television?

In True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us, the sociologist and TV lover Danielle J. Lindemann takes a long, hard look in the funhouse mirror of this genre, from countless rose ceremonies on The Bachelor to the White House and more (so much more!). Beginning with the first episodes of The Real World, reality TV has not only remade our entertainment and cultural landscape--it also uniquely refracts our everyday experiences and social topography.

By taking reality TV seriously, we can better understand key institutions (such as families, schools, and prisons) and broad social categories (such as gender, race, class, and sexuality). These shows have the ability to unveil the major circuits of power that organize our lives and the extent to which our own realities are, in fact, socially constructed.

Whether we're watching conniving Survivor contestants or three-year-old beauty queens, these guilty pleasures underscore how conservative our society remains, and how steadfastly we cling to our notions about what counts as legitimate or real. At once an entertaining chronicle of reality TV obsession and a pioneering work of sociology, True Story reflects our society back to us: what we see in the looking glass may not always be pretty, but we can't stop watching.

With iconic imagery and engrossing text, Black TV is the first book of its kind to celebrate the groundbreaking, influential, and often under-appreciated shows centered on Black people and their experiences from the last fifty years.

Over the past decade, television has seen an explosion of acclaimed and influential debut storytellers including Issa Rae (Insecure), Donald Glover (Atlanta), and Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You). This golden age of Black television would not be possible without the actors, showrunners, and writers that worked for decades to give voice to the Black experience in America.

Written by veteran TV reporter Bethonie Butler, Black TV tells the stories behind the pioneering series that led to this moment, celebrating the laughs, the drama, and the performances we've loved over the last fifty years. Beginning with Julia, the groundbreaking sitcom that made Diahann Carroll the first Black woman to lead a prime-time network series as something other than a servant, she explores the 1960s and 1970s as an era of unprecedented representation, with shows like Soul Train, Roots, and The Jeffersons. She unpacks the increasingly nuanced comedies of the 1980s from 227 to A Different World, and how they paved the way for the '90s Black-sitcom boom that gave us The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Living Single. Butler also looks at the visionary comedians--from Flip Wilson to the Wayans siblings to Dave Chappelle--and connects all these achievements to the latest breakthroughs in television with showrunners like Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, and Quinta Brunson leading the charge.

With dozens of photographs reminding readers of memorable moments and scenes, Butler revisits breakout performances and important guest appearances, delivering some overdue accolades along the way. So, put on your Hillman sweatshirt, make some popcorn, and get ready for a dyn-o-mite retrospective of the most groundbreaking and entertaining shows in television history.

OCTOBER 2, 2024 is the 65th Anniversary of the debut of the greatest television show of all time: the science fiction, horror, and fantasy anthology series The Twilight Zone, created by one of the greatest American television writers (and broadcast voices) of the 20th Century, Rod Serling.

October 2, 2024 is also the publication date of a brand-new book about The Twilight Zone that examines the legendary series in a brand-new way, The Five Themes of The Twilight Zone, a collection of incisive essays on the most classic episodes of the show that are as entertaining as they are enlightening, written by Twilight Zone scholar and pop culture historian Arlen Schumer (writer/designer, Visions from The Twilight Zone), organized into five themes that best represent the depth and breadth of The Twilight Zone, its episodes crafted by Serling and many other great writers, directors, and actors of different sensibilities, but ultimately united under one-Serling's-vision.

With a Foreword by Serling's daughter, author Anne Serling, The Five Themes of The Twilight Zone's handsome book design by author Schumer beautifully mirrors the black and white television aesthetic of The Twilight Zone itself.

Arlen Schumer's wonderful book, The Five Themes of The Twilight Zone, is a passionate, insightful and exhaustive overview of Rod Serling's masterpiece and how it has influenced virtually every aspect of our world in the sixty-plus years since its debut. I can't think of a better guide to lead you through The Twilight Zone than Arlen and his book!

-MARC SCOTT ZICREE, author of The Twilight Zone Companion

Among the top echelon of Twilight Zone scholars and researchers, no one has plumbed the philosophical depths, intellectual substance, visual significance, and cultural impact of Rod Serling's landmark series with more insight, perception, and acumen than Arlen Schumer. In The Five Themes of The Twilight Zone, a collection of essays that are every bit as engaging as they are enlightening, Schumer makes the case for why these are the essential episodes from 'The fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.'

-MARK DAWIDZIAK, author of Everything I Need to Know I Learned in The Twilight Zone

Arlen Schumer's The Five Themes of The Twilight Zone presents, perhaps for the first time, the full magnitude of The Twilight Zone's influence on popular culture in passionate, entertaining prose that follows the endlessly expanding tendrils of Rod Serling's most famous creation. This is a tour de force study and unlike any Twilight Zone book to come before it.

-NICK PARISI, author of Rod Serling: His Life, Work, and Imagination

New York Times bestseller

The complete, first-ever Golden Girls retrospective, packed with hundreds of exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes and never-before-revealed stories, more than two hundred color and black-and-white photos, commentary, and more.

They were four women of a certain age, living together under one roof in Miami--smart and strong Dorothy, airhead Rose, man-hungry belle Blanche, and smart-mouthed matriarch Sophia. They were the Golden Girls, and for seven seasons, this hilarious quartet enchanted millions of viewers with their witty banter, verve, sass, and love, and reaffirmed the power of friendship and family.

Over thirty years after it first aired, The Golden Girls has become a cult classic, thanks to fan fiction, arts and crafts, podcasts, hundreds of fan blogs and websites, and syndication. Now, Golden Girls Forever pays homage to this wildly popular, acclaimed, and award-winning sitcom. Drawing on interviews with the show's creators, actors, guest stars, producers, writers, and crew members, Jim Colucci paints a comprehensive portrait of the Girls both in front of the cameras and behind the scenes.

Illustrated with hundreds of photos, including stills from the show and a treasure trove of never-before-seen and newly rediscovered photos, Golden Girls Forever includes:

- Girls and Their Guests: short profiles of the show's most famous guest stars

- Why I Love the Girls: Lance Bass, Laverne Cox, Ross Mathews, Perez Hilton, Zachary Quinto, Chris Colfer, Jason Collins, and many, many other celebrities share their love of the Girls

- Exclusive interviews with ninety-four-year-old Betty White; the famously private Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan, before their deaths; and fan-favorite actors who appeared on the show

- Harvey Fierstein's tribute to his close friend, Estelle Getty

Bursting with fun facts, anecdotes, reminiscences, and insights, Golden Girls Forever is the ultimate companion to the show for fans old and new.

This book captures the essence of an important chapter in television history: the origins of the Emergency , a dramatic series significant beyond entertainment. When the world premiere of Emergency was first broadcast in 1972, there were only 12 paramedic units in all of North America. Ten years later, more than half of all Americans were within ten minutes of a paramedic rescue or ambulance unit. That simply would not have happened without the influence of Emergency Emergency followed the daily lives of a pair of Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters/paramedics, along with their colleagues at Station 51 and the emergency room staff of Rampert General Hospital. This program introduced audiences from all over the world to the concept of pre-hospital care, along with fire prevention and CPR.

He was much like the Walter Cronkite of Philadelphia.--Ed Rendell, former Philadelphia Mayor and Pennsylvania Governor, about Jim Gardner, the trusted voice of WPVI's Action News for 47 years

We were the only station that stayed on the air continuously. We even pre-empted the CBS evening news.--Larry Kane, anchor at WCAU, about covering the MOVE bombing

The highs of working during the pandemic were keeping people informed of this deadly virus and what they had to do to take care of themselves and each other.--Ukee Washington, KYW anchor, on the pandemic

The Big Story is David Grzybowski's engrossing oral history of Philadelphia TV news from the perspective of reporters, photographers, producers, and news directors. Covering all the big stories from the late 1970s through the present, this fast-paced running commentary reflects on the uncertainty of the Three Mile Island disaster, the thrill of the Live Aid concert, the Storm of the Century (that wasn't), and the championship victories of the Phillies and the Eagles, among other notable events, local, national, and global.

The Big Story features more than 200 interviews, including anecdotes from seasoned Philadelphia anchors Jim Gardner, Larry Kane, Lisa Thomas-Laury, Mike Jerrick, Vai Sikahema, Tamala Edwards, Pat Ciarrocchi, and Cecily Tynan, among others, about their experience on and off the job. Decision makers reflect on how to cover hot news stories such as Pennsylvania State Treasure R. Budd Dwyer's on-air suicide. (It was a big bloody horrifying mess, according to Chris Wagner, WPVI anchor.)

Grzybowski highlights the Mummers, the launch of Good Day Philadelphia, off-the-air scandals, and how the Action News style secured a loyal following with Philadelphians while the Eyewitness News format competed hard to gain ratings. But the Big Story is how The Big Story provides compelling stories about Philadelphia's news breakers and newsmakers.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History explores the vast cultural influence of the cult television series, charting how the show's aesthetics, style of humor, and distribution innovations heralded shifts in popular culture and media production and criticism.

Discover the inspiring, unknown, against-all-odds story of how the classic animated holiday special A Charlie Brown Christmas almost never made it on to television.

Professor and cultural historian Michael Keane reveals much in this nostalgia-inducing book packed with original research and interviews. Keane compellingly shows that the ultimate broadcast of the Christmas special--given its incredibly tight five-month production schedule and the decidedly unfavorable reception it received by the skeptical network executives who first screened it--was nothing short of a miracle. Keane explains why the show, despite its technical shortcomings, has become an uplifting and enduring triumph embraced by millions of families every Christmas season, even more than fifty years after its premiere.

This gripping and joyful behind-the-scenes story of how the creators of A Charlie Brown Christmas struggled to bring the program to life will also help readers (and loyal fans) understand how America's favorite Christmas special changed our popular culture forever. Keane masterfully weaves the momentous events of 1965 (the turbulent year of the program's production) into his story, providing critical context for a profound new understanding of the program's famous climactic scene, Linus's spot-lit soliloquy answering the question repeatedly posed by Charlie Brown--Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Vitally important, devastatingly thorough, and shockingly revealing.... After reading Primetime Propaganda, you'll never watch TV the same way again.
--Mark Levin

Movie critic Michael Medved calls Ben Shapiro, One of our most refreshing and insightful voices on the popular culture, as well as a conscience for his much-maligned generation. With Primetime Propaganda, the syndicated columnist and bestselling author of Brainwashed, Porn Generation, and Project President tells the shocking true story of how the most powerful medium of mass communication in human history became a vehicle for spreading the radical agenda of the left side of the political spectrum. Similar to what Bernard Goldberg's Bias and A Slobbering Love Affair did for the liberal news machine, Shapiro's Primetime Propaganda is an essential expos of corrupting media bias, pulling back the curtain on widespread and unrepentant abuses of the Hollywood entertainment industry.

For thirteen years, Wrapped In Plastic magazine studied the celebrated television series, Twin Peaks, and the follow-up feature film, Fire Walk With Me. Many of the important essays and interviews from those pages have been revised and reorganized for The Essential Wrapped In Plastic: Pathways to Twin Peaks. The Essential Wrapped In Plastic is a work of critical analysis and historical reporting. The core of the book is a detailed episode guide that reviews each chapter of David Lynch and Mark Frost's landmark series (which originally aired on ABC television in 1990 and 1991). These reviews are supplemented by comments from actors, writers, producers and other creative personnel who provide intimate and first-hand remarks about Twin Peaks. Each critique also includes analysis of scripted scenes that were deleted from the final televised episodes, allowing for a deeper understanding of how Twin Peaks was being crafted as it went along. The last episode of Twin Peaks is examined in detail, with a chapter that focuses on the installment's final, mesmerizing act-an essay that sheds light on what really happened to the series' enigmatic protagonist, Dale Cooper. The feature film, Fire Walk With Me, is the subject of two in-depth essays. The first delves into the character of Laura Palmer and shows how David Lynch transformed the idea of Laura (from the series) into a fully realized character (in the film). The second essay radically challenges the design of the Fire Walk With Me prologue, arguing that Dale Cooper is a more prominent and vital presence in the story than might first appear. Vibrant and provocative, Twin Peaks is an enduring masterpiece. The Essential Wrapped In Plastic is a crucial guide to this remarkable work.

A lively and revealing biography of Andy Griffith and Don Knotts, this humorous, informative, and poignant book celebrates the powerful real-life friendship behind one of America's most iconic television programs and shows how the magic was created (Library Journal).Andy Griffith and Don Knotts first met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy moved to Hollywood to film a TV pilot for a comedy about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if Andy's sheriff could use a deputy. The friendship and comedy partnership between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating the folksy television sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship. Together, they created a program with a uniquely small-town dynamic that captured the hearts of Americans across the country who watched these two men rocking on the front porch, meditating about the pleasure of a bottle of pop. But behind this sleepy charm, de Visé's exclusive reporting captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity (Publishers Weekly), from unspoken rivalries, passionate affairs, unrequited loves, struggles with the temptations of fame, and friendships lost and regained. Although Andy and Don ended their Mayberry partnership in 1965, they remained best friends for the next half-century. Written by Don Knotts's brother-in-law, Andy and Don is a rewarding dual biography that is also a lively look inside the entertainment industry in the latter half of the twentieth century (News & Observer). Entertaining and provocative, it captures a golden moment in modern Americana. You'll not only return again to Mayberry, you'll feel as though you've never left (Tom Shales, Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic).