Before The Revolution

What do "MTV cops," screwball detectives, New Orleans restaurant owners and angsty ad execs have in common? They were were all crucial for carving out the space of the current cable TV explosion.  In response to Alan Sepinwall's and Brett Martin's recent books about the new "TV revolution," I think about pre-"revolutionary" television (starring Larry Hagman, Don Johnson, Tim Reid, Cybill Shepherd, and David Caruso's ass, as well as an all-star line-up of writers, directors, and producers) at RogerEbert.com.