Advanced TV Herstory

Welcome to Advanced TV Herstory, the podcast that connects the dots of TV & feminism and American politics & culture. We tell the stories of women in TV who have had a profound impact on the confidence and aspirations of generations of girls and women.

We highlight the pioneering journalists, talented actresses, and gutsy writers who challenged societal norms and provide historical context for their achievements within the cultural and political trends of the time. By exploring the past, we ensure that the struggles, triumphs, and milestones of these women are not lost to history.

Hosted and produced by television scholar Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Advanced TV Herstory is more than just a podcast. It is a research-based examination of the evolution of television and women in our society. Each episode is an opportunity to inspire listeners to believe in themselves, challenge norms, break barriers, and shape the future of television and our world.

Learn more and subscribe to our newsletter at www.tvherstory.com/.

Georgia Jeffries: Writing TV, Fiction & Feminist Stories

Jul 1, 2025

Award-winning writer and professor Georgia Jeffries joins Cynthia Bemis Abrams to reflect on her pioneering work in television and screenwriting. From her early magazine articles to Emmy-winning work on Cagney & Lacey, China Beach and Sisters, Jeffries reveals how she broke into Hollywood’s writers' rooms and built a...

TV’s Funniest Women: Past, Present & Future

May 3, 2025

From Lucille Ball to Tina Fey, from Joan Rivers to Margaret Cho, women have been rewriting the rules of comedy for decades — and they're not done yet. Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams is joined by Lynn Harris, founder of Gold Comedy, to explore the legacy and future of funny women on TV. Together, they dissect the comedic...

In Memoriam 2021

Jan 27, 2022

Cynthia recounts the lives and careers of talented TV women who died in 2021. While some died unexpectedly of disease, the long list features names of women who worked well into their golden years. Join this celebration of their impact on TV and come away with renewed energy to cheer on the amazing women in your...

Writing for Kids & Tweens’ TV

Jun 1, 2020

"A story is a story is a story." So says veteran TV writer Nina Bargiel who's been spinning live-action and animated yarns for years.

Nina is an LA-based TV writer and producer who currently writes on Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon Network) and has other projects percolating. Nina describes her writing...

Mrs. America & TV’s Dimensional Feminism

May 3, 2020

TV writer and producer April Smith returns to chat with host Cynthia Bemis Abrams about layered storytelling, the politics of representation, and what it means to write truthfully in different eras of feminism.

They discuss Smith’s work on the 2020 Hulu series Mrs. America, which dramatized the women’s movement of...