Overview

Female writers, directors, and producers have radically transformed the television industry in recent years. Shonda Rhimes, Lena Dunham, Tina Fey, Amy Schumer, Mindy Kaling: These extraordinary women have shaken up the entertainment landscape, making it look like an equal opportunity dream factory. But things weren't always this rosy. It took decades of determination in the face of preconceived ideas and outright prejudice to reach this new era. In this endlessly informative and wildly entertaining book, veteran journalist Joy Press tells the story of the maverick women who broke through the barricades, starting with Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) and Diane English (Murphy Brown), whose iconic shows redefined America's idea of family values and incited controversy that reached as far as the White House. Barr and English inspired the next generation of female TV writers and producers to carve out the creative space and executive power needed to present radically new representations of women on the small screen. Showrunners like Amy Sherman Palladino (Gilmore Girls), Jenji Kohan (Weeds, Orange Is the New Black), and Jill Soloway (Transparent) created characters and storylines that changed how women are seen and how they see themselves, in the process transforming the culture.

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9781665227452

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Reviews

A wildly entertaining and informative jaunt through the creative upheaval that's been taking place on TV screens over the past thirty years. -- Village Voice By turns invigorating and sobering, Stealing the Show maps the progress of the expanded voice, vision, and reach of women on television and behind its scenes. -- Rebecca Traister, New York Times bestselling author With a keen eye and a sharp writing style, [Press] presents the argument that, despite the limited power of TV and the current political backlash facing women, increased representation on-screen has the potential to inspire a cultural revolution...An urgent and entertaining history of the transformative powers of women in TV. -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"""A wildly entertaining and informative jaunt through the creative upheaval that's been taking place on TV screens over the past thirty years."" -- ""Village Voice"" ""By turns invigorating and sobering, Stealing the Show maps the progress of the expanded voice, vision, and reach of women on television and behind its scenes."" -- ""Rebecca Traister, New York Times bestselling author"" ""With a keen eye and a sharp writing style, [Press] presents the argument that, despite the limited power of TV and the current political backlash facing women, increased representation on-screen has the potential to inspire a cultural revolution...An urgent and entertaining history of the transformative powers of women in TV."" -- "" Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"""

Author Information

Joy Press has been writing about TV for more than fifteen years. In the 2000s, she was the chief television critic at the Village Voice. She later served as entertainment editor of Salon and then as an editor at the Los Angeles Times, where in addition to commissioning television coverage, she wrote and reported features on the medium. She has contributed to publications such as the New York Times, Slate, Vogue, Salon, and the Guardian. She lives in Los Angeles. Christina Delaine is an AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator and accomplished stage actress. Her theater credits include Jewtopia, the longest-running comedy in Off-Broadway history, and the title role in Antigone at both Portland Center Stage and Kentucky Repertory Theatre. She holds a BA degree from Dartmouth College and an MFA in acting from Brown University.

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