TV Revolution Episode Guide

1 :01x01 - Out of the Closet

First aired: May/23/2004
Writer: Marijane Miller, Elise Pearlstein
Director: Marijane Miller, Elise Pearlstein
Guest star: Norman Lear (Himself), Jimmy Smits (Himself), Calista Flockhart (Herself), Ted Allen (Himself), Paris Barclay (Himself), Liz Friedman (Herself), Laura Innes (Herself), Max Mutchnick (Himself), Darren Star (Himself), David Kohan (Himself), Aaron Spelling (Himself), B. D. Wong (Himself), Paul Junger Witt (Himself), Daniel Lipman (Himself), Bill Brochtrup (Himself), Rob Reiner (Himself), Marshall Herskovitz (Himself), Esther Shapiro (Herself), Edward Zwick (Himself), Warren Littlefield (Himself), Joss Whedon (Himself), Susan Harris (Herself)

The topic of homosexuality on television is discussed, as well as the portrayal of homosexuals. The history of gay characters on TV is shown, including the harsh portrayal during the 1950's to Billy Crystal's character on Soap to the phenomenal success of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Will and Grace.

2 :01x02 - Maids, Babes & Mothers

First aired: May/23/2004
Writer: Elise Pearlstein, Marijane Miller
Director: Elise Pearlstein, Marijane Miller
Guest star: Diane English (Herself), Esther Shapiro (Herself), Mary Tyler Moore (Herself), Suzanne Somers (Herself), Lauren Graham (Herself), Liz Friedman (Herself), Warren Littlefield (Himself), Barbara Eden (Herself), Laura Innes (Herself), Susan Harris (Herself), Joss Whedon (Himself), Calista Flockhart (Herself), Elisabeth Röhm (Herself), Darren Star (Himself), Rob Reiner (Himself), Aaron Spelling (Himself)

The manner in which women have been portrayed on television has changed and evolved since the start. On Leave it to Beaver, women wore pearls and were the model housewives and mothers. This episode explores the transformation of women from the beginning of the evolution in The Mary Tyler Moore Show to soap operas like All My Children and single, independent mothers shown on Gilmore Girls.

3 :01x03 - Sex in the Box

First aired: May/24/2004
Writer: Elise Pearlstein, Marijane Miller
Director: Elise Pearlstein, Marijane Miller
Guest star: Rob Reiner (Himself), Barbara Eden (Herself), Larry Hagman (Himself), Daniel Lipman (Himself), Dennis Franz (Himself), Ryan Murphy (Himself), Calista Flockhart (Herself), Marshall Herskovitz (Himself), Jimmy Smits (Himself), Paul Junger Witt (Himself), George Schlatter (Himself), Norman Lear (Himself), Suzanne Somers (Herself), Edward Zwick (Himself), Darren Star (Himself), Rob Cowen (Himself), Joss Whedon (Himself), Steven Bochco (Himself)

During the 1950s, husbands and wives slept in separate beds and since that time, sex on television has changed dramatically. With the women of Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie, television has changed American culture to be more open to the portrayal of sex on television. This episode also discusses major events in American history, such as the impact of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal that changed the way that Americans thank of sex on television.

4 :01x04 - Black & White & Living Color

First aired: May/25/2004
Writer: Marijane Miller, Elise Pearlstein
Director: Marijane Miller, Elise Pearlstein
Guest star: Norman Lear (Himself), Steven Bochco (Himself), Ossie Davis (Himself), Warren Littlefield (Himself), Rob Reiner (Himself), Susan Harris (Herself), Paul Junger Witt (Himself), Jimmy Smits (Himself), B. D. Wong (Himself), Laura Innes (Herself), Freddy Rodriguez (Himself), Paris Barclay (Himself)

With the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the portrayal of minorities on television was forever changed. Groundbreaking shows such as Julia, which featured the first African-American lead character, to The Bernie Mac Show which features a predominately African-American cast are discussed along with the stereotypes of minorities shown on television.

5 :01x05 - Body Count

First aired: May/26/2004
Writer: Marijane Miller, Elise Pearlstein
Director: Marijane Miller, Elise Pearlstein
Guest star: Jimmy Smits (Himself), Dennis Franz (Himself), Paris Barclay (Himself), Steven Bochco (Himself), Ossie Davis (Himself), Michael Chiklis (Himself), Warren Littlefield (Himself), Liz Friedman (Herself), Joss Whedon (Himself), Rob Reiner (Himself), Elisabeth Röhm (Herself), Laura Innes (Herself)

Violence has always been a part of television, from the crime drama The Untouchables from the 1950s to the crime dramas of today, including NYPD Blue, The Sopranos, and The Shield. However, the type of violence shown is dramatically different from the 1950s, including more bloodshed, murders, and other violent crimes than ever before. Along with the discussion of violent television shows, major world events including the settlement of the west and the televised coverage of the Vietnam War and their affect on American culture are discussed.