Television: A History in 100 Programmes

by Phil Norman

An entertaining and illuminating celebration of televisual history by cultural historian Phil Norman

For decades, television occupied a unique position in the national imagination. By today’s standards the ‘box’ was tiny, but it dominated the living room in a way its technically superior descendants never quite manage. Has the television lost its power in the internet age? Cultural historian Phil Norman goes in search of such questions as he tells the history of TV through 100 ground-breaking programmes.

He celebrates the joy of the TV schedule which, in the days of just a few channels, threw up dizzy juxtapositions on a daily basis: an earnest play might be followed by a variety spectacular; a horror anthology that drove children behind furniture followed a sketch show that chewed the carpet. This riotous mix, now slowly disappearing as themed channels and on-demand services take over, gave television a sense of community that no other media could compete with.

The wonderful variety of programmes in the book includes overlooked gems and justly wiped follies, overcooked spectaculars and underfunded experiments – just as much a part of TV history as the national treasures and stone-cold classics. A History of Television in 100 Programmes revels in the days when television was at the most exciting, creative stage of any medium: a cottage industry with the world at its feet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Tv

448 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2015

Reviews

[Rob Adey]

This kind of book could very easily be a print equivalent of some Channel 4 countdown show, marketed as the Christmas gift for those people in your life who like House of Cards *and* Morecambe and Wise repeats. But as you'd expect from a TV Cream founder, it's not that at all - it's an incisive and very well thought out history by example.

Phil Norman has chosen a broad and interesting selection of landmark programmes - some you'll have heard of, many not, but all illustrating the origins of developments in the medium. He has a great eye for colourful quotes and details (my favourite being the episode of a 1960s proto-Blumenthal cookery show, 'Egg Liaison'). And he has a good turn of phrase himself - this is TV writing firmly on the Clive James end of the spectrum, as opposed to Sam Wollaston.

Overall, the book serves as a kind of epitaph for TV as we knew it. It makes clear that television's most interesting roots are in the chaos of the first few decades, when there was appetite for experiment at the production end, and more catholic viewing habits in the audience. Now, safety first takes precedence in most production, and the viewer who turns on early for Grand Designs is more likely to accidentally catch the last ten minutes of George Clarke's Amazing Spaces than a one-off play about an existentially troubled hen.

Disclaimer: I know Phil, so I was never likely to give this a bad review. But! It's great, and if you're interested in telly, like Joe Moran etc., this is definitely for you.

[Joe Stevens]

I rarely fail to complete a book. In this case I didn't realize that it was going to be predominately about British television so I think I can be excused. Fortunately I have a strong knowledge of early British sitcoms and even a bit of news and drama so I read all of the early years of the book. From there I hopped to the various American TV shows and let the rest slide.

The writer is a skilled reviewer with the vocabulary and the snide and sophisticated attitude to match. As more of a middle class stiff myself there were times when I admired his turn of phrase and other times when I rolled my eyes at the two pound words where a pence would have sufficed. There is fun to be had here and laughter amid the snark. It will help greatly if you grew up on these shows.

[George]

Excellent read. Uses individual programmes to act as a catalyst to discuss different genres. Wanders nicely off the common path, but not too far into cult only territory. Lots of new (old!) programmes to explore. Book is a few years old & interesting to see what would make the cut from recent years.

[James Rushbrooke]

This was a fun little dive into the history of television, each chapter covers a famous (or not so famous) television show that was broadcast and has been wonderfully researched. The result is a book that's great for picking up and putting down. Initially, it was a little hard going, as many of the shows I had no frame of reference for, but a bit of hunting on Youtube and you get the general gist of what the show is about. I don't think it'll be an excellent reference point for the future, but if what you're after is a quick and interesting guide to the ever changing and shifting world of television - then this is exactly the book for you.

[Malcolm Schaffer]

This was a clever idea though I am not sure it completely worked for me.the author covers a huge range of television programmes from different eras and countries,a number of which I had never heard of but others that I was delighted to be reminded of eg Heimat ,Hill Street Blues ,two personal favourites.I got frustrated that the programme descriptions were a bit brief and didn’t do full justice to either the programmes or the author.perhaps a less ambituous review of fifty programmes might have allowed for more substance .but still a fun and nostalgic read

[Ellie Cripps]

This book was pretty slow going for me, it was occasionally interesting to jump in and out of an episodic style exploration of some of the the most important television programmes of history, but it was also the downfall of the book. I would have appreciated more of a through line and explanation as to the authors choice of programmes, so that I felt I was learning a little more than a few fun facts and conversation starters.

[Ben Baker]

A magnificent set of essays on 100 interesting, genre-defining and genre-breaking shows that eschews the obvious "must see before you die aiiiiii!" line for the more interesting, pioneering work from across the world from the early experiments in vision to the jump from broadcasting entirely in streaming media. Absolutely essential to anyone with a passing interest in TV history.

[Moatasem Kotb]

Amazing listing down of momentous and significant Tv Programmes that tells you everything you need to know about in the History of the TV.
Phil Norman as a historian is amazing in his way of reforming the information to match a logical sequential order.
Recommended to those working in media / creative industry.

[Neal Smith]

Excellent run through of the most interesting, funny or outright weird TV programmes. For older readers a wallow in nostalgia or a chance to read about some fascinating programmes you might have missed. Philip Norman has chosen an excellent range of programmes and writes about them all with insight and with. Highly recommended.

[David Brown]

Understandably episodic - and therefore inconsistent - this esoteric collection of chapters (not always dealing with the programmes you think would be there) was occasionally entertaining, occasionally Informative as it traces the roots of modern tv development

[Phil Butcher]

A really enjoyable overview of the evolution of TV. Some shows I knew and had seen, others were new to me. A fascinating look at the whole medium of TV and how it has grown over the decades.