{"title":"Series: The Cultural History of Television","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Cultural History of Television\u003c\/strong\u003e series offers a rich exploration of television as a shaping force in society, culture, and individual experience. Readers will find thoughtful analyses that connect the development of television to broader cultural, social, and historical contexts, revealing the medium’s impact beyond mere entertainment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese works invite inquiry into how television reflects and influences values, behaviours, and power structures across different eras and communities. Ideal for those fascinated by media studies and cultural history, the series provides a nuanced perspective on this enduring and evolving form of communication.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"law-order-by-bernadette-giacomazzo-9781538194812","title":"Law \u0026 Order","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA comprehensive, yet entertaining, examination of the \u003cem\u003eLaw \u0026amp; Order\u003c\/em\u003e juggernaut.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOver the course of more than 20 years, nearly 500 episodes, and six spinoffs, \u003cem\u003eLaw \u0026amp; Order\u003c\/em\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003edun-dun\u003c\/em\u003e sound to its all-star cast of characters and A-list guest stars—not only made it part of the pop culture zeitgeist but also made society smarter about laws and policing in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the first-ever book of its kind, author and pop-culture critic Bernadette Giacomazzo celebrates the show and its creator, Dick Wolf, while providing a conscientious examination of the stories of the criminal justice system and the “two separate, yet equally important groups” that represent the people. \u003cem\u003eLaw \u0026amp; Order: A Cultural History\u003c\/em\u003e follows the series’ origins from its old New York grit and grime to the twenty-first-century high-tech surveillance in a more sterile Manhattan, highlighting how United States law has evolved and the show along with it, exploring America’s fascination with the show that helped give birth to the true crime genre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLaw \u0026amp; Order\u003c\/em\u003e is more than just a police procedural: It is one of the few shows that effectively tackles the social, political, and economic issues that lead to crime. More so than its predecessors such as \u003cem\u003eDragnet\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eHill Street Blues\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLaw \u0026amp; Order\u003c\/em\u003e gives a first-hand, inside look at the police who investigate crimes and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. In so doing, it removes their mystique and gives them a humanity not seen before. This book finally gives the show and its creator the recognition they deserve for their role in changing the face of both law and order—and true crime television.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PTY Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47424540770540,"sku":"9781538194812","price":66.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781538194812.jpg?v=1774768378"},{"product_id":"star-trek-by-m-keith-booker-9781538188170","title":"Star Trek","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst airing in 1966, with a promise to “boldly go where no man has gone before,” \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/em\u003e 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 cut short by a corporate monolith that demanded higher ratings, but \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/em\u003e lived on in syndication, ultimately becoming a multibillion-dollar media franchise. With merchandise spin-offs, feature films, and several television iterations—from \u003cem\u003eThe Next Generation\u003c\/em\u003e to \u003cem\u003eDiscovery\u003c\/em\u003e—\u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/em\u003e is a firmly established part of the American cultural landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eStar Trek: A Cultural History\u003c\/em\u003e, M. Keith Booker offers an intriguing account of the series from its original run to its far-reaching impact on society. By placing the \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/em\u003e franchise within the context of American history and popular culture, the author explores how the series engaged with political and social issues such as the Vietnam War, race, gender, and the advancement of technology. While this book emphasizes the original series, it also addresses the significance of subsequent programs, as well as the numerous films and extensive array of novels, comic books, and merchandise that have been produced in the decades since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA show that originally resonated with science fiction fans, \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/em\u003e has also intrigued the general public due to its engaging characters, exciting plotlines, and vision of a better future. It is those exact elements that allowed \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/em\u003e to go from simply a good show to the massive media franchise it is today. \u003cem\u003eStar Trek: A Cultural History\u003c\/em\u003e will appeal to scholars of media, television, and popular culture, as well as to fans of the show.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PTY Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47461433442540,"sku":"9781538188170","price":55.4,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781538188170-star-trek.jpg?v=1774967941"},{"product_id":"the-simpsons-by-moritz-fink-9781538188163","title":"The Simpsons","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom its crudely drawn vignettes on \u003cem\u003eThe Tracey Ullman Show\u003c\/em\u003e to its nearly 700 episodes, \u003cem\u003eThe Simpsons\u003c\/em\u003e has evolved from an alternative programming experiment to a worldwide cultural phenomenon. At 30 seasons and counting, \u003cem\u003eThe Simpsons\u003c\/em\u003e 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 a plethora of iconic characters—from Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie, and Bart to Kwik-E-Mart proprietor Apu, bar owner Moe, school principal Seymour Skinner, and conniving businessman Montgomery Burns, among many others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Simpsons: A Cultural History\u003c\/em\u003e, Moritz Fink explores the show’s roots, profiles its most popular characters, and examines the impact the series has had—not only its shaping of American culture but its pivotal role in the renaissance of television animation. Fink traces the show’s comic forerunners—dating back to early twentieth century comic strips as well as subversive publications like \u003cem\u003eMad\u003c\/em\u003e magazine—and examines how the show, in turn, generated a new wave of animation that changed the television landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on memorable scenes and providing useful background details, this book combines cultural analysis with intriguing trivia. In addition to an appreciation of the show’s landmark episodes, \u003cem\u003eThe Simpsons: A Cultural History\u003c\/em\u003e offers an entertaining discussion of the series that will appeal to both casual fans and devoted aficionados of this groundbreaking program.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PTY Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47471829057772,"sku":"9781538188163","price":55.4,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/b85ddc0d0f7bb8630ce9c4c4cac25520.jpg?v=1775694130"},{"product_id":"survivor-by-joseph-j-darowski-9781538196557","title":"Survivor","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCelebrate the 25\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e anniversary of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSurvivor\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e with a look back at one of history’s most popular and long-running reality shows.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePremiering in 2000, \u003ci\u003eSurvivor\u003c\/i\u003e altered the landscape of network television from its first season, popularising reality shows for audiences in the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e century and quickly growing to a semi-annual release slate that has resulted in more than 46 seasons and hundreds of contestants. Over twenty years later, the series remains popular and a ratings hit, maintaining a devoted fanbase even as the television landscape has evolved and shifted to streaming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eSurvivor: A Cultural History\u003c\/i\u003e, Joseph J. Darowski and Kate Darowski analyse how the iconic CBS show revolutionised television and has adapted and changed across decades of production. They explore the creation of the series and its surprising emergence as a ratings juggernaut, the evolution of gameplay for both the producers and the players, the series' existence as a self-proclaimed “social experiment”, and much more. While the basic premise of the series has remained the same—survivors are marooned in the wild with few supplies and must vote someone out at a weekly tribal council with the goal of being the sole survivor to win $1 million—there are notable differences from where the game began to where it is now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom stylistic changes in the presentation of the show to new twists in the game rules, the transformations from season 1 to the present reflect real life, keeping the show fresh amid a stream of new reality competition shows. \u003ci\u003eSurvivor: A Cultural History\u003c\/i\u003e details these cultural shifts while highlighting \u003ci\u003eSurvivor\u003c\/i\u003e's place as one of the most impactful television shows of this century. Featuring an overview of the key players and a ranking of the must-watch seasons, this is an essential guide for fans both new and old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PTY Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47598729593068,"sku":"9781538196557","price":66.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781538196557-survivor.jpg?v=1777969456"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/series-the-cultural-history-of-television.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}