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Performing Arts History & Criticism

Television Finales

From Howdy Doody to Girls

edited by Douglas L. Howard & David Bianculli

contributions by Sam Ford, Karen Hellekson, Ensley F. Guffey, David Diffrient, Martha P. Nochimson, Barbara Villez, K. Dale Koontz, Elizabeth L. Rambo, Erika Johnson-Lewis, Mitchell E. Shapiro, Keith Brand, Jeff Thompson, Lori Bindig, Sue Turnbull, Renee Middlemost, Mark Dawidziak, David Hinckley, Stephen Spignesi, Alice Leppert, Shelley Cobb, Hannah Hamad, Stacey Abbott, Katheryn Wright, Eric Gould, Ron Wilson, Jonathan Nichols-Pethick, Douglas Snauffer, Clinton Bryant, Michael Donovan, Jeffrey Bussolini, Stephanie Graves, Teresa Forde, Dean DeFino, Trisha Dunleavy, Nikki Stafford, Dana A. Heller, Stan Beeler, Cynthia Burkhead, Joanne Morreale, Asokan Nirmalarajah, J. Jeremy Wisnewski, Bill Yousman, Deborah Jermyn, Lincoln Geraghty, Michele Byers, Zeke Jarvis, Kim Akass, Amanda Potter, Gary R. Edgerton, Lynne Hibberd, Robert Thompson, Jason P. Vest, Amy M. Damico, Bill Brioux, Lynnette Porter, Adam Ochonicky, Joseph S. Walker, Gary Gravely, Brett Mills, Paul Wright & Lorna Jewett

Publisher
Syracuse University Press
Initial publish date
Nov 2018
Category
History & Criticism, General, Popular Culture
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780815636045
    Publish Date
    Nov 2018
    List Price
    $94.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

Today more than ever, series finales have become cultural touchstones that feed watercooler fodder and Twitter storms among a committed community of viewers. While the final episodes of The Fugitive and M*A*S*H continue to rank among the highest rated broadcasts, more recent shows draw legions of binge-watching fans. Given the importance of finales to viewers and critics alike, Howard and Bianculli along with the other contributors explore these endings and what they mean to the audience, both in terms of their sense of narrative and as episodes that epitomize an entire show. Bringing together a veritable “who’s who? of television scholars, journalists, and media experts, including Robert Thompson, Martha Nochimson, Gary Edgerton, David Hinckley, Kim Akass, and Joanne Morreale, the book offers commentary on some of the most compelling and often controversial final episodes in television history. Each chapter is devoted to a separate finale, providing readers with a comprehensive survey of these watershed moments. Gathering a unique international lineup of journalists and media scholars, the book also offers readers an intriguing variety of critical voices and perspectives.

About the authors

Douglas L. Howard's profile page

David Bianculli's profile page

Sam Ford's profile page

Karen Hellekson's profile page

Ensley F. Guffey's profile page

David Diffrient's profile page

Martha P. Nochimson's profile page

Barbara Villez's profile page

K. Dale Koontz's profile page

Elizabeth L. Rambo's profile page

Erika Johnson-Lewis' profile page

Mitchell E. Shapiro's profile page

Keith Brand's profile page

Jeff Thompson's profile page

Lori Bindig's profile page

Sue Turnbull's profile page

Renee Middlemost's profile page

Mark Dawidziak's profile page

David Hinckley's profile page

Stephen Spignesi's profile page

Alice Leppert's profile page

Shelley Cobb's profile page

Hannah Hamad's profile page

Stacey Abbott's profile page

Katheryn Wright's profile page

Eric Gould's profile page

Ron Wilson's profile page

Jonathan Nichols-Pethick's profile page

Douglas Snauffer's profile page

Clinton Bryant's profile page

Michael Leo Donovan is a professional scriptwriter. A graduate of the University of Southern California, he is Communications Professor at Concordia University in Montreal.

Michael Donovan's profile page

Jeffrey Bussolini's profile page

Stephanie Graves' profile page

Teresa Forde's profile page

Dean DeFino's profile page

Trisha Dunleavy's profile page

Nikki Stafford's profile page

Dana A. Heller's profile page

Stan Beeler's profile page

Cynthia Burkhead's profile page

Joanne Morreale's profile page

Asokan Nirmalarajah's profile page

J. Jeremy Wisnewski's profile page

Bill Yousman's profile page

Deborah Jermyn's profile page

Lincoln Geraghty's profile page

About the Editor: Michele Byers is Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Saint Mary's University, Halifax.

Michele Byers' profile page

Zeke Jarvis' profile page

Kim Akass' profile page

Amanda Potter's profile page

Gary R. Edgerton's profile page

Lynne Hibberd's profile page

ROBERT THOMPSON writes a golf column for the National Post and was a staff reporter covering business and sports. He is also a columnist for Score Golf, a contributing editor for Travel and Leisure Golf, and has written for The Globe and Mail and Golf magazine. His books include Always Fresh: The Untold Story of Tim Hortons by the Man Who Created a Canadian Empire, and The Third Best Hull.

Robert Thompson's profile page

Jason P. Vest's profile page

Amy M. Damico's profile page

Bill Brioux's profile page

Lynnette Porter's profile page

Adam Ochonicky's profile page

Joseph S. Walker's profile page

Gary Gravely's profile page

Brett Mills' profile page

Paul Wright's profile page

Lorna Jewett's profile page

Editorial Reviews

An invaluable resource for those studying or researching popular culture. . . .Highly recommended

Choice

Finales are in many cases the high points of iconic television series. This carefully compiled and well-researched compendium provides a definitive explication and assessment of finales through the half century and counting of television, and will become a classic text in the field.

Paul Levinson, professor of communication and media studies, Fordham University

This book is about much more than television finales; it shows us how the final episode illuminates the entire series. David Bianculli’s work is historically informed, showing his mastery of the subject. With contributors representing some of the leading lights in television studies and impressive contributions by new scholars as well, the approximately seventy essays span the scope of television.

Rhonda V. Wilcox, author of Reading Joss Whedon

The last word on TV endings.

Matt Zoller Seitz, television critic for New York Magazine