Series: The Cultural History of Television

A comprehensive, yet entertaining, examination of the Law & Order juggernaut. Over the course of more than 20 years, nearly 500 episodes, and six spinoffs, Law & Order changed the way we view police procedurals, the American justice system, and the men and women of the NYPD. The ubiquity of the show—from its iconic dun-dun sound to its all-star cast...

First airing in 1966, with a promise to “boldly go where no man has gone before,” Star Trek would eventually become a bona fide phenomenon. Week after week, viewers of the series tuned in to watch Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew of the USS Enterprise as they conducted their five-year mission in space. Their mission was...

From its crudely drawn vignettes on The Tracey Ullman Show to its nearly 700 episodes, The Simpsons has evolved from an alternative programming experiment to a worldwide cultural phenomenon. At 30 seasons and counting, The Simpsons boasts the distinction as the longest-running fictional primetime series in the history of American television. Broadcast around the globe, the show’s viewers relate to...

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Survivor with a look back at one of history’s most popular and long-running reality shows. Premiering in 2000, Survivor altered the landscape of network television from its first season, popularising reality shows for audiences in the 21st century and quickly growing to a semi-annual release slate that has resulted in more than 46 seasons and...