America In Primetime | Official Trailer (by FirstHandFilms1)

I don’t watch public broadcasting as much as I should, and it’s going to change. America in Primetime is a 4-part series about American primetime programming and its effect on its audience and society. It’s surprising how much these shows have accomplished culturally while entertaining the masses.

Navel-gazing as it is, it’s done in the most refreshing way. Stars and writers of beloved shows (both past and current) comment on their own material and others. To quote NPR’s David Bianculli: 

And when these people talk about TV, they don’t feel the need to play nice and agree. While most writer-producers in this show talk about television drama series as a novel, allowing an examination of characters over dozens of hours instead of just a movie-length drama, Sopranos creator David Chase asks what’s so great about that? Who needs a Casablanca II, III, or IV? And when it comes to the idea of having a serial killer as your central character in Showtime’s Dexter, you’d be surprised who doesn’t approve of that concept. At least I was surprised. Because right along with Michael C. Hall, the star of Dexter, talking about his vengeful character, you have Tom Fontana and then David Simon, creator of The Wire, talking about why they think Dexter goes too far. 

Whether you’re a heavy tv watcher, a lover of character development, or a connoisseur of dramatic/comedic writing (guilty on all counts), this short series is a definite must-watch. 

Watch the first part online.