This week I’m thrilled to be joined by Peter Biskind to discuss his new book, Pandora’s Box: How Guts, Guile, and Greed Upended TV. From the rise of HBO to the streaming boom, how we watch TV—and what gets shown on TV—has radically changed over the last few decades. We discuss the role of technology, advertising, and changing audience tastes, and muse about the role TV’s antiheroes played in paving the way for Donald Trump. If you’re a fan of Biskind’s previous books, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls and Down and Dirty Pictures, you’ll love Pandora’s Box. (If you haven’t read Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today.) And if you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with a friend!
Loved the conersation. You all at the Bulwark have really exploded 💥 with wonderful content!
Did I hear right that we can blame our decline and fall on Netflix?
And where do you place the Wire in the Parthian of groundbreaking TV?
Consolidation?
The current Wild West of streaming services is costing me lots of money in order to view all possible football games.
Used to be you needed a TV. No longer
Not sure how games get apportioned to streamers/broadcasters
Peacock is required
HULU
Prime
Apple TV
fubo sling ESPN NBC Youtube etc
FOX (Only available to certain high-status subscription services?)
NFL network
Netflix
HBO
Showtime
etc...
I subscribe to:
Sling 85.00
Peacock. 12.00
Netflix. 15.00
NFL 15.00
Apple 20.00
Amazon Prime 15.00
Paramount + 15.00
Add some Track & Field for another $10 or $20.
Add basketball to ESPN for $15
This guy writes like a dream, but I've heard mixed reviews about this latest book. I will set aside some time to listen to the pod.
"Muse about the role TV’s antiheroes played in paving the way for Donald Trump."
Um.....what?
You’ll have to listen to find out!
Will do!
Even for the villain-adjacent antihero, having a code counts.
What an interview! Quality.
Good conversation. As I look at my own evolving streaming habits, I can see that I’m going to move towards the least-expensive-for-me tiers of the increasingly something-for-everyone streamers and then spend my leftover pennies on streamers that have more of what *I* want and get it without ads. Sound like a familiar history? Give it a half a decade! And maybe that’s where the annoying Amazon sub-subscriptions are going.