The era that TV historians may one day call the Age of the Mini-Series began in January 1977. That was when ABC telecast an eight-night adaptation of Alex Haley's Roots and changed the face of television. Roots proved that TV dramas, once confined to neat two-hour blocks, could draw huge audiences when stretched into week-long programming "events." Not all the mini-series that followed Roots were hits, but a few -- Holocaust in 1978, Shogun in 1980, The Thorn Birds in 1983 -- have been among the most watched TV programs ever.
The event that TV historians may one day call the...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
