Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A veteran cultural critic examines the rise of female-centric TV and the pioneering women showrunners behind their successes.Groundbreaking female characters and their stories have become fixtures in American TV in recent years, but their presence hasn't always been welcome. Press (War of the Words: 20 Years of Writing on Contemporary Literature, 2001, etc.)former TV critic at the Village Voice and entertainment editor at Salon and the Los Angeles Timesdraws from decades of interviews, research, and reporting to create a vibrant behind-the-scenes look at the some of the most prominent women creatives in the industry and the role they played in bringing women-focused narratives to the forefront of modern TV and culture. She devotes the first chapter to Murphy Brown and the revolutionary sitcom's creator, Diane English, one of the first female showrunners to prove that a woman could lead a successful show. English set an important precedent for future women showrunners and their unapologetically brazen TV heroinesGrey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, an industry trailblazer whose portrayal of unabashedly ambitious, sexually formidable, "unlikable" women of all different races, ethnicities, sexualities, and abilities transformed the TV landscape. Rhimes' "color blind" casting helped her build her Shondaland TV empire and effectively normalized the idea that nonwhite, nonmales can be successful on-screen, behind-the-scenes, and in real life. In the most intriguing and intimate chapter, Press examines Transparent creator Jill Soloway, whose real life served as inspiration for her award-winning show about a family who recently learned that their parent is transgender. With a keen eye and a sharp writing style, the author presents the argument that, despite the limited power of TV and the current political backlash facing women, increased representation on-screen has the potential to inspire a cultural revolution not unlike the current revival of the feminist movement. The author also profiles Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, Amy Schumer, and Jenji Kohan, among others.An urgent and entertaining history of the transformative powers of women in TV. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Women have run successful TV shows for decades, but they still routinely face bias and unreasonable obstacles in the industry, as Press (former Salon entertainment editor) details in this powerful narrative that expertly weaves reporting, analysis, and anecdotes. The author profiles 13 female showrunners and their most notable works, starting with Murphy Brown's Diane English and ending with Transparent's Jill Soloway. What comes across in Press's 30-year timeline is how little has changed: barriers are erected and women clear them time and again. English calmly battled network executives over details (such as how long Murphy Brown was to have been married in the show), while Soloway had to shed a reputation for being "difficult," which Press notes "is the second-ugliest word for a woman in Hollywood to hear next to 'unrelatable.'" The shows have grown bolder and more complex-as for example in the blunt frankness of Lena Dunham's Girls or in Weeds' Nancy Botwin's flirtation with being "an actively bad mother"-but a troubling culture remains: "The fact that forces of repression are now emboldened and energized," Press writes, translates to a "vital and urgent" need for "diverse and unconventional voices." Press's chronicle of a pop-culture movement should inspire a new generation of women creators. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Journalist Press takes readers inside the minds and writers' rooms of the pioneering female showrunners who have created some of the most iconic shows in recent memory. In a profession that has largely been dominated by straight white men, female scribes not only had to fight their way into writers' rooms but they also had to persevere with their own projects against networks that primarily sought out shows with male protagonists. Diane English and Roseanne Barr were trailblazers in the late 1980s with their respective comedies: Murphy Brown, which focused on a driven career woman, and Roseanne, which centered on a working-class family led by a caustic matriarch. On the drama side, Amy Sherman-Palladino's 1990s mother-daughter drama, Gilmore Girls, and Shonda Rhimes' thrilling, emotional, buzzy Grey's Anatomy both had a significant cultural impact. Between interviews with the showrunners themselves as well as the writers and actors they employ, and even a set visit to Jill Soloway's seminal Amazon dramedy, Transparent, Press gives television lovers an inspiring, eye-opening look into the way women are creating groundbreaking, original content.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2018 Booklist

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Journalist Press takes readers inside the minds and writers' rooms of the pioneering female showrunners who have created some of the most iconic shows in recent memory. In a profession that has largely been dominated by straight white men, female scribes not only had to fight their way into writers' rooms but they also had to persevere with their own projects against networks that primarily sought out shows with male protagonists. Diane English and Roseanne Barr were trailblazers in the late 1980s with their respective comedies: Murphy Brown, which focused on a driven career woman, and Roseanne, which centered on a working-class family led by a caustic matriarch. On the drama side, Amy Sherman-Palladino's 1990s mother-daughter drama, Gilmore Girls, and Shonda Rhimes' thrilling, emotional, buzzy Grey's Anatomy both had a significant cultural impact. Between interviews with the showrunners themselves as well as the writers and actors they employ, and even a set visit to Jill Soloway's seminal Amazon dramedy, Transparent, Press gives television lovers an inspiring, eye-opening look into the way women are creating groundbreaking, original content.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2018 Booklist

Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

TV journalist and critic Press discusses the gradual emergence of the female showrunner on television series. The showrunner is the new name for the main decision maker, a position that used to be called executive producer. Press begins by discussing female-driven shows such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and That Girl and how at the time, most of the writers and producers were men. Since then, more female-driven and female-focused TV shows have emerged, including Roseanne, Orange Is the New Black, 30 Rock, and The Mindy Project. The book is well-organized chronologically and is an absorbing read with some politics thrown in. There are fascinating interviews with female showrunners such as Roseanne Barr, Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls), Jenji Kohan (Weeds/Orange Is the New Black), and Shonda Rhimes (Scandal). This emergence of female showrunners is allowing stories about women on screen, and one hopes it will allow more diversity behind the camera as well. VERDICT Highly recommended for those who enjoy reading about the entertainment industry, how their favorite TV shows are created, and women. [See Prepub Alert, 10/4/17.]-Sally -Bryant, Pepperdine Univ. Lib., Malibu, CA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.