TV's New Golden Age

Television has gone through many transformations since the first TV sets arrived in the living rooms of the mid-20th century. While the quality of televised entertainment is difficult to measure objectively, most critics agree that the period beginning in 1999 and continuing for the next two decades was a "golden age" of television. It was not the first period marked by exceptional productions - in fact, it was the third in a series of golden ages in TV. What made so many of the television programs produced at this millennial turning point so notable?

In the 10 lessons of TV's New Golden Age, Professor Eric R. Williams will take you on a tour of this high watermark period in television history, sometimes known as the "Third Golden Age of Television", or G3. Along the way, you will consider some of the best and the worst that television has to offer, not just in G3, but throughout the history of the medium. With this invaluable perspective, you will be able to form a more complete picture of the amazing innovations and paradigm shifts that shaped so many of the shows that define this 20-year period of creative television excellence.

From crime dramas and fantasy epics to sitcoms and soap operas, you will examine shows of various genres and styles, all through the lens of the conditions and complexities that have shaped them. You will consider the shows themselves, as well as the creative minds behind them, and the changing nature of the television audience across the decades. As you trace the history of television past and present, you will see how it has moved beyond disposable entertainment to become an art form that both reflects and shapes the world we live in.