Advanced TV Herstory
168 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 30 ratingsFinally, a podcast that studies, analyzes and celebrates women in TV. Thousands of comedies, variety shows and dramas have aired, yet the presence of strong women – both in front of and behind the camera - is an experience we need to understand better and embrace.
With an eye to aligning the leadership lesson, time capsule observation or fascinating backstory of a show’s success or failure, my goal of Advanced TV Herstory is to connect the treasures of the past to the great potential of today’s TV and online platforms. Tomorrow’s success is rooted in understanding what has come before us. So gear up for a little sociology, economics, strategy, storytelling and fun.
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Episodes
Women Writers of MTM Pt 3 (Treva Silverman)
November 23, 2015 14:28 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams is joined by author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong to talk about what she learned researching her book "Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And All the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic." Jennifer shares insights into the key role of Treva Silverman who helped develop all the characters.
Women of MTM Pt 2 (Words, Casting, Fashion)
November 18, 2015 16:29 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams continues her conversation with author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong about her book "Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And All the Brilliant Minds who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show A Classic." They discuss the contributions and stories of writers Susan Silver, Jenna McMahon, Gail Parent, Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Monica McGowan Johnson, Gloria Banta and Pat Nardo. Jennifer shares insights into the Mary-Rho banter, Mary and Rhoda's "looks," the spin off series "Rhoda" and ...
Women of MTM (1970-77) Pt 1
November 12, 2015 21:34 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong to discuss the women behind the scenes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Jennifer tells of her experience having the creative women agree to be interviewed for her book, and together, they recall the Rhoda look and the infamous Chuckles the Clown funeral.
6 Lost Episodes of Cagney and Lacey
November 06, 2015 16:03 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams continues the examination of the early years and struggle of television's groundbreaking series, Cagney and Lacey. She reviews the Movie-of-the-Week / pilot that starred Loretta Swit as Cagney, alongside Tyne Daly and the challenges presented by the casting of Meg Foster and an ever-changing time slot. Cancellations and resurrection are important life lessons.
The Closer Pt 2 (Seasons 5-7)
October 25, 2015 11:37 - 44 minutes - 40.8 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams resumes her review of TNT's original series, "The Closer." The continued leadership growth of Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson creates a rare long look of a police procedural female character. The character's challenges from Capt. Sharon Raydor, getting married challenges, alcoholism, ambition, succession and burnout are depicted with realism and grit.
4 Women of Sisters 1991-96
October 21, 2015 15:42 - 38 minutes - 35 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams takes a long look at her favor 4- woman ensemble drama. Sisters has been so relegated to obscurity that only 2 seasons on DVD, though some episodes can be found on YouTube. Cynthia remains loyal to the Emmy Award winning show (for cast and crew categories). Further, Cynthia explores the post-Sisters careers of Swoosie Kurtz, Patricia Kalember, Sela Ward and Julianne Phillips. Plots included interracial and inter-faith marriage, three plane crashes, menopause, fos...
Concept to Pilot: Cagney & Lacey
September 22, 2015 19:51 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams considers the backstory of the creation of Cagney and Lacey to be essential feminist knowledge. She celebrates the creative process and patience that delivered the first ever women's Buddy/Cop show. Cynthia explains the roles of Barney Rosenzweig, Barbara Avedon and Barbara Corday and how they nearly didn't break through a television glass ceiling and change television.
Powerpuff Girls
September 16, 2015 02:21 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams finds influence and representation throughout the depths of television, including the animated series, The Power Puff Girls which aired in the early 2000s. Cynthia celebrates the three main girl characters Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup , their traits and voice talent behind them. She goes on to provide the backstory of creator Craig McCracken and the controversy which the series generated among feminists and elementary school principals.
Hill Street Blues' Davenport & Bates
September 12, 2015 02:38 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams provides the long overdue look at the primary women characters of Emmy award-winning series "Hill Street Blues." Characters Lucy Bates (uniformed police officer) played by Betty Thomas and Joyce Davenport (confident public defender) provided moral and ethical voice in arcs and story lines that were otherwise the precursor to police procedural dramas. Cynthia notes the two women characters were rarely in same scene and never garnered many lines or airtime each week, ...
80s Monied Matriarchs: Ellie Ewing and Angela Channing
August 26, 2015 13:29 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams frames the appearance of the prime time serial drama genre of the 1970s, which began with Dallas and included Falcon Crest. Cynthia observes the role of audience bait (representation!) via the casting of acclaimed film actresses Barbara Bel Geddes and Jane Wyman. For TV, these women filled roles considered rare, older woman with quiet power vs. older woman with vocal, aggressive agency. Either way, it was long overdue representation of older woman.
Debbie Allen (Early Career, Fame TV series)
August 19, 2015 15:27 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams celebrates the early career and influence of Debbie Allen, the accomplished actor, choreographer, business-owner, director, producer and writer. Cynthia highlights her early influences (her mom) and path to Howard University. From Lydia Grant of "Fame" (both the film and TV series) and ultimately guiding "A Different World," Cynthia details Allen's early career TV legacy.
Women of My So Called Life (1994-5)
August 12, 2015 23:54 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams celebrates the classic coming-of-age drama "My So-Called Life" and its primary writer, Winnie Holzman. It's a drama that revolves around mothers and daughters. While much of the short-lived series' stories revolve around timeless teenage angst, there's an embedded perspective of Holzman, as female storyteller. Cynthia explores the mother-daughter relationships of the mid-90s, early days of the internet's arrival into households, but before social media and phones c...
Battle of the Sexes: King & Riggs 1973
August 08, 2015 15:38 - 21 minutes - 30.1 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams recounts the heyday of feminism, when tennis ace Billie Jean King accepted the challenge to play Bobbie Riggs in a prime time match. The backstory of King agreeing to the offer is fascinating and reveals the risk King took on behalf of feminism and the progress of Title IX, women's rights and the campaign to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Resource: Selena Roberts' 2005 A Necessary Spectacle: Billie Jean King, Bobby Riggs and the Tennis Match that Leveled the G...
Betty White's Career in TV
July 27, 2015 18:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBLong a Betty White fan, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams reviews the career and actions of the accomplished comedian and actor, Betty White. Working from Betty's own memoirs, Cynthia recounts how Betty was bitten by the acting bug and her early roles. Highlighting "Life With Elizabeth," one of the earliest titled female in a comedy (1953-55), Cynthia observes the early hits of the eventual SueAnn Nivens. Resources: Betty White, An Intimate Portrait, Memoir, If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't...
The Closer Pt. 1 (Seasons 1-4)
July 15, 2015 19:46 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams examines the TNT original series that starred Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. Cynthia puts her leadership professor hat on to highlight the character's personal and professional growth of the first four seasons. Resource: The Leadership Challenge by William Kouzes and Barry Posner
Sports Night (1998-2000)
July 06, 2015 20:30 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams takes a hard, feminist look at the Aaron Sorkin sitcom, "Sports Night." While time capsule show during cable news' heyday and the early days of the an accessible internet, Cynthia examines the primary women characters of Dana and Natalie. Dana, played by Felicity Huffman, is a strong woman leader. Robert Guillaume, playing Isaac, the only main character of color, provides mentoring leadership and lessons in journalistic integrity to Dana. In turn, Dana fills a simil...
Basic TV Herstory
June 30, 2015 20:45 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams creates expectation and backstory for developing the podcast, including its initial mission and focus from Summer 2015. Five generations of American women have been depicted in TV and each generation of women have been influenced by impressions of other women they've seen on TV.
Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977-79)
June 24, 2015 22:16 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBHost Cynthia Bemis Abrams revisits The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries on Sunday nights that aired 1977-79. She shares the background of the woman writer of teen fiction in the 1930s, the stringent standards placed on the girl detective character and Warner Brothers studio's attempt to put Nancy Drew on the silver screen. Cynthia ices the under-produced feminist vehicle by detailing how Pamela Sue Martin bolted for Playboy and wound up as a Dynasty Carrington. Resource: Melanie Rehak's 200...