Epic Television Miniseries: A Critical History

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To paraphrase silent movie queen Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder’s classic 1950 film
Sunset Boulevard , ‘The Epic Miniseries are Big! It’s television that got small’! This is especially true when one compares such iconic epic miniseries as
Rich Man, Poor Man
(1976),
Roots
(1977),
Holocaust
(1978),
Shogun
(1980),
The Winds of War
(1983), and
War and Remembrance
(1988-89) to the formulaic sitcoms, hospital dramas, and reality shows making up today’s television programming. This work traces the historical development, evolution, decline, and surprising rebirth of the epic miniseries. Topics covered in this title include the role of HBO and other cable networks in reviving the miniseries genre; producer/director Dan Curtis’ obsessive, decade-long quest to produce what is likely the ultimate American epic miniseries in
The Winds of War
and
War and Remembrance ; and, the powerful influence of foreign miniseries on American productions, among others.