Desperate Networks

This book was fascinating, providing really interesting insights into the business. A great read. Couldn't put it down and read it in a day...

A great read full of insights into how the major networks get shows on air.

Since I don't watch a lot of TV and have only watched one of the shows the book focuses on (heard of most of the rest of them though), I didn't expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. However, it was a fascinating read of the inner workings of the television business. It's written very well though one must question how the author obtained the information to say "so-and-so thought X" since he describes rather minute details of people's reactions and inner thoughts. I'm not sure he he did numerous interviews and then wrote them all up in a narrative or what but regardless, I took some of it with a grain of salt but enjoyed it all nonetheless. It gives a good portrait of the minds of TV executives: they seem to be a hard hearted, shamelessly greedy, and self-absorbed bunch. When I watch TV now, I feel like a pawn in their game as what you're seeing on TV is not so much the idea of a writer as it is a pandering to advertisers.

Having devoured Carter's 1994 book The Late Shift (a fascinating story of the Leno-Letterman late night TV battle) when it was released, I can safely say he's done it again w/this fascinating glimpse inside the 4 networks and the decisions that helped shape primetime TV in recent years...especially fascinating are some surprising facts revealed along the way, such as how: - CSI was nearly passed up by CBS in favor of a detecive dramedy called "Homewood PI", which was to star Tony Danza - The "results show" on American Idol was created out of necessity so all viewers could vote (its UK equivalent, Pop Idol, is able to tabulate all votes immediately after the show airs b/c the country's entirely contained within one time zone, unlike the States) - Julia Louis-Dreyfus was considered for the role of Susan on Desperate Housewives - Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire, had it not turned out to be one of Fox's biggest fiascos, would've become a franchise that included a sequel, a "reverse" version that had a wealthy bride picking from a series of prospective grooms, etc. All told, a great read for anyone who wants to know more about the ever-changing face of primetime TV and the backstories of current hit shows!

I loved this book. Bill Carter is the best in the world when it comes to reporting the behind-the-scenes machinations of network television. He obviously had the extensive cooperation of Les Moonves, Jeff Zucker and other important players. As a result, you get rich, turn-by-turn accountings of such thrilling events as how 'Survivor' was born and how 'Desperate Housewives' made it to the screen. Carter captures the seminal moments when 'Survivor' and 'Housewives' creators Mark Burnett and Marc Cherry (respectively) finally break through, each overcoming very long odds. It's spine-tingling stuff. 'Desperate Housewives' is simply superb reporting from Bill Carter. Anyone with an interest in finding out how creative product goes from vision to reality will devour this book. It clocks in at a little under 400 pages...I'd be willing to read 800 pages of material like this from Mr. Carter.