{"product_id":"9781538191910","title":"Breaking into Song Television Musicals from Glee to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend","description":"\u003ch1\u003eBreaking into Song\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTelevision Musicals from Glee to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eErin Giannini\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003ePerforming Arts \/ Television \/ History \u0026amp; Criticism\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCharts the evolution of musicals on television from song-based shows to the notorious musical episode\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe musical genre has a fraught history on US television, remembered too frequently for spectacular failures than stellar performances. While the first written-for-TV musical aired in 1944, prime-time musical performances on US television were often airings of Broadway shows, made-for-tv adaptations, and occasionally original pieces or the popular variety shows of the 1950s. It was only a matter of time before someone attempted to create a musical series. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBreaking into Song\u003c\/i\u003e traces the history of the musical on television, from its variety show and adaptational beginnings to the rash of single episode and full-on musical series of the 2000s. While the shows come and go, music has been a vital part of US television for decades, even before the debut of MTV. Erin Giannini dives into the many musical series from \u003ci\u003eCop Rock \u003c\/i\u003eto \u003ci\u003eGlee \u003c\/i\u003eand episodes from \u003ci\u003eBuffy the Vampire Slayer\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCommunity \u003c\/i\u003eand more, while also highlighting the myriad ways music has been used in television, from launching stars such as John Travolta, to synergy in teen programs, and even as characterization and emotional underscoring in dramas.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeginning with \u003ci\u003eHull High\u003c\/i\u003e debuting on NBC and \u003ci\u003eCop Rock\u003c\/i\u003e on ABC, musicals made their way to television and never looked back. These shows paved the way for today's popular series such as \u003ci\u003eZoey's Extraordinary Playlist\u003c\/i\u003e and the subversive \u003ci\u003eCrazy Ex-Girlfriend.\u003c\/i\u003e And while musical-focused series remain a small subset, the late 1990s to the present day have made it so numerous prime-time series across genres incorporate at least a single musical episode into their run. This is a must-read for fans of musicals and television alike, interested in this fascinating subset of pop culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eErin Giannini\u003c\/b\u003e, PhD,\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003ehas served as an editor and contributor at PopMatters and has published and presented work on television series such as \u003ci\u003eSupernatural\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDollhouse\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eiZombie\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eAngel\u003c\/i\u003e. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eCommunity: Going Back to School with Television's Best Sitcom\u003c\/i\u003e (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025), \u003ci\u003eSupernatural: A History of Television's Unearthly Roadtrip\u003c\/i\u003e (Rowman \u0026amp; Littlefield, 2021) and \u003ci\u003eJoss Whedon Versus the Corporation: Big Business Critiqued in the Films and Television Programs \u003c\/i\u003e(2017). She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e06 August 2026\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9781538191910\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e232\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight (oz): \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e16.8\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51333856755852,"sku":"9781538191910","price":32.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/9545\/1788\/files\/getimage_7092334a-9841-4dce-8b77-68858eeb8377.jpg?v=1783617092","url":"https:\/\/fh90cf-fv.myshopify.com\/products\/9781538191910","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}