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56 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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The Elements of NBC’s “Perfect Storm
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-NBC wins rights to broadcast Olympics
-Soviet invasion-boycott olympics -Lost $50 million in revenue -Writers strike |
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Central issue of the writer’s strike
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-Halted production on films and prime time TV
-Central issue- a desire by the unions to win for their members a share of the money earned by producers upon the distribution of programs via pay TB and prerecorded video cassettes and video discs. |
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CBS defense from the strike
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As CBS’s other regular series fell into place, the network wiped out its ratings deficit from the strike period and by mid-december passed both ABC and NBC in the cumulative ratings race.
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Silvermans “three phase” strategy
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-1)Made Wednesday NBC’s strong night with Facts of Life, Diff’rent Strokes, Real People
-2) Held back most of NBC’s other returning shows and new series while ABC and CBS slotted theirs. -3) Brought in remainder of NBC’s regular series. |
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The second “fourth” TV network
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-DuMont was the first but eventually died off
-The United Network was the second effort that lasted one month |
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Description of the FCC’s Prime Time Access Rule
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-Mandated that all three networks return thirty minutes each night to be filled locally by their affiliates.
-Also forbade the use of off-network re-runs in this “prime time access” spot slot, so independent producers stepped in with more game shows, new versions of canceled network programs, and even a few original series. |
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“Operation Prime Time”
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-New distribution mode
-Universal Studios did this to compete with prime time networks |
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Initial cable operations
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-Superstations
-HBO -CBN -Nickelodeon -ESPN -CNN -MTV |
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Fred Silverman’s particular distinction-
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-Worked for all the main networks-CBS, NBC, ABC
-Brought in Brandon Tarticoff |
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Grant Tinker’s background/influence
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Reputation for creating quality television, primarily in comedy
-Made changes to the 81-82 schedule, though the fall schedule still resembled Silverman’s |
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Silverman’s protegee
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-Brandon Tartikoff
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CBS unique police drama
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-”Magnum PI”
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Sitcom gay character and cross dresser
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-Gay- Love Sydney
-Cross Dresser-Bussom Buddies. |
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Description/influence/distinction of MTV
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-Only TV network that had another precedent other than radio
-Seamless flow of music -1st network aimed at music video genre production |
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Distinction of Paper Chase
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-Took Showtime three years to present 36 new episodes
-Each one was a special mini-movie, people felt like they were saving money by not going to the theatre -Use familiar formats with hooks that differentiated the cable shows from those of the over the air networks. |
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The workplace family sub genre of sitcom
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-Murphy Brown
-WKRP -News Radio |
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Describe the running gag in Cheers
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-Example of Gary’s town tavern and cheers group competition.
-Gary pretends he is dead on halloween |
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Description of St. Elsewhere finale/subtext jokes
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-One armed man was loose and ran to water tower
-Intern says it’s not over until the fat lady sings, and then a fat woman sings |
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The last character seen in the MASH compound
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-BJ Honeycut is seen rising around the compound on a motorcycle.
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The problems with mounting the MASH sequel
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-Left too little time to develop new characters
-Needed new faces -Nostalgic |
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Unique achievement of Cagney and Lacey
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-Established two female characters as NYC police detectives
-Were considered as good as the guys they were also consciously different from them. |
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Bill Cosby’s TV series background
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-Cosby had early appearances on Ed Sullivan and The Tonight Show.
-It was clear that his strong suit went beyond simple punch lines to the fine art of storytelling. -I Spy was an adventure series -Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was a Saturday morning cartoon |
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Reasons for the success of The Bill Cosby Show
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-Connected with audiences and quickly became the unexpected hit of the season
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Premise of the Miami Vice Pilot
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-Rico Tubbs followed murderer of his brother to Miami. Premise- was looking for justice.
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Steve Spieldberg’s television contributions
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-Darker Than Dark
-Night Gallery -Make Me Laugh -The Psychiatrist -Murder by the Book -Duel -Savage |
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Amazing Stories amazing green light
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-Spielberg gets show for 2 years without pilot
-NBC |
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Amazing Stories up and downsides
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-Upside- Mix of talent in directors
-Downside- Stories were uneven |
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Examples of new anthology series
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-George Burns Comedy Week
-Twilight Zone |
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Name the independent network which was the original fourth network and what it became-
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-DuMont-Became Metro Media and then FOX
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List Fox’s first programs
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-Married with Children
-The Tracey Ullman Show - Duet -21 Jump Street -Mr. President |
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Historical precedents for Married...With Children
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-Return of working class sitcom
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Describe FOXs initial program strategy
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-Repeated episodes- Drew audience to series
-Seeing if they could grab more of an audience |
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Attempts to duplicate 60 Minutes success
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-First Camera, NBC
-20/20, ABC -West 57th, CBS |
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ABC’s flops
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-”Life of Lucy”
-”Amerika” |
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Michael Mann’s second successful crime series
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-Crime Stories
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Fox’s three initial series hits
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-21 Jump Street
-The Tracey Ullman Show -Married...with Children |
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The longest running of FOX’s first programs
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-Married...with Children
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New Vietnam era drama series
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-Tour of Duty
-China Beach |
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Chronological innovations of China Beach
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-The women at a hospital and recreational facility near the U.X. base.
-Could be serious at one moment, then comedic the next. |
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Background of Frank’s Place
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-CBS wanted a sit-com in New Orleans
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Narrative device of Wonder Years
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-The series took place when Kevin was in high school but the narration was of Kevin when he is much older, almost like he’s looking back.
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Key difference between Roseanne and Married with Children
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-Roseanne- Thought they would ultimately succeed.
-Married with Children- Buried in their own grief |
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Murphy Brown and the culture wars
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-Sit com v. Vice President Quail?
-Many problem of the day were single parent households. |
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NBC’s advantage during the second writers strike
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-NBC had managed to arrange sepearate deals with the writers union before the general settlement, so they were ready to air in early October, giving them a head start.
-They had a bunch of back up material to use as well- Olympics in Seoul and the World Series. |
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Cables achievement in Aug. 1988
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-Emmy awards began including original cable offerings in its competition
-Cable was considered programming outside of mainstream. Gave cable credibility |
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A brief history of reality TV
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-Began as performance quiz shows
-”An American Family”- portable cameras -”Cops” |
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FOX’s reality hit
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-”Cops”
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The positive and negatives of Twin Peaks
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-Trying to be creative through innovation
-Eventually the innovation went to far and created confusion |
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Precedents/Innovations of The Simpsons
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-ABC attempting to mount prime time animation series
-Large ensemble of characters -Characters never age |
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FOX plays the “race card”
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-FOX brings in black sitcoms to attract a new audience
-Wouldn’t work in rural areas so this method was dropped in the 90’s |
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Innovation/precedence of In Living Color
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-Richard Pryors comedy variety show
-Pop culture satire with black point of view -Only program to bring a new form of music out. |
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Innovation/influence of Hill Street Blues
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open-ended story lines; complex themes and deeper
characterizations; utilized a cinema verite approach to shooting and editing the series. |
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Description of the prime time soaps
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Dallas
Love, Sidney Bosom Buddies Dynasty |
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Beginnings of the cable effect
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Popularity of MTV; Showtime picking up canceled series "Paper Chase;"Emmy
awards recognizing cable programs. |
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Innovations/influence of Miami Vice
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Michael Mann's 1st marriage of music video and prime time tv series
Segments looked like music videos, allowing snatches of a contemporary rock tune to move the story along without any dialogue. |
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The return of familiar faces
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Andy Griffith (Matlock)
Raymond Burr (The Return of Perry Mason |
