Advanced TV Herstory

Connect the dots of TV and feminism to American culture and politics with host Cynthia Bemis Abrams. Interviews with top names - in front of and behind the scenes - offer insights into TV that has shaped American culture and influenced the world. Check out episodes with actors Annie Potts, Margaret Cho, Stepfanie Kramer of Hunter, Kim Fields of Facts of Life and Living Single, and daytime's Cady McClain. Television veteran writers Georgia Jeffries, Victoria Riskin and April Smith are featured in episodes that explain storytelling as a writing craft. These discussions will forever change how you watch TV. Explore issues of race through interviews with academics Robin Means-Coleman and Charlene Regester, and influencer Karly Beaumont. Ever since the #MeToo Movement of 2017-18, Cynthia has highlighted key episodes and events surrounding sexual harassment - fictional and real life. With listeners around the world, Cynthia celebrates the progress of representation in media and captures the stories and insights that make TV a powerful storyteller and mirror of truth. In 2025, Cynthia started revealing more about the book she and a colleague are writing. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter at www.tvherstory.com. Promise, your data will never be sold.

TV Talk Shows: Hellman v. McCarthy

Dec 13, 2023

In this gripping episode of "Advanced TV Herstory," we delve into a dramatic and long-lasting feud that captivated audiences and the literary world alike. We explore the infamous clash on "The Dick Cavett Show" between two formidable figures: playwright Lillian Hellman and author Mary McCarthy. This episode offers a...

Annie Potts on Heart Channels And Helping Others

Nov 21, 2023

We know her as Meemaw, Mary Jo Shively, Emmie Sims, and the voice of Bo Peep. But Annie Potts is also deeply committed to helping others — and she's here to share her story. In this special conversation with Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Potts discusses her passion for service and the founding of The Heart Channels, her...

TV Talk Shows: The First in a Series

Nov 17, 2023

Join host Cynthia Bemis Abrams in the inaugural episode of the "TV Talk Shows" series, a limited run as part of the Advanced TV Herstory podcast. This episode embarks on an exploration of the representation of women in unscripted versus scripted television, reflecting on a study by San Diego State University’s Center...

Pioneer Women Writers of TV with Annie Berke, PhD

Oct 10, 2023

In this engaging episode of Advanced TV Herstory, we explore the groundbreaking contributions of women writers in the early days of television with special guest Annie Berke, PhD. As the author of Their Own Best Creations: Women Writers in Postwar Television, Dr. Berke delves into the pivotal roles these women played...

WGA, MTM and Hollywood Stories with Victoria Riskin

Sep 12, 2023

Hollywood legacy meets union leadership in this revealing conversation with Victoria Riskin. A second-generation screenwriter and former President of the Writers Guild of America West, Riskin brings stories from inside the industry’s golden era—and the picket lines of today.

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams and Riskin...