Writer-producer Stephen Bochco, a veteran of popular 1970s shows “Ironside” and “Colombo,” daringly applied filmmaking techniques to his gritty police drama “Hill Street Blues.” Each episode of the show cost more than a million dollars to produce. Documentary-style shooting and naturalistic acting and writing produced a level of realism familiar to viewers of 1970s movies, but new to the world of TV. Despite initial low ratings, NBC kept the show on the air. The influential series eventually ran for seven seasons and collected 26 Emmy Awards.
Already the director of three of the highest-grossing films in Hollywood history, Steven Spielberg made headlines in 1985 when he announced the “Amazing Stories” TV series, a throwback to anthology shows of his youth such as “The Twilight Zone.” Spielberg brought film-style production values to the show, including top creative talent, cutting-edge special effects and big-name stars. The success of “Amazing Stories” inspired other noted filmmakers to consider television a viable art form.
Other directors tailored their shows to the TV medium, but when art-film director David Lynch created “Twin Peaks” in 1990, he molded the medium to his own eccentric tastes. Surreal story lines and images brought the atmosphere of experimental independent film to everyday America. Viewer reactions were divided–to say the least–but other filmmakers were inspired to bring their own creative visions to television in the years that followed.
In 2000, producer Jerry Bruckheimer gave his cop show “CSI” the techniques that had marked his successful film productions: fast editing, flashy computer effects, and a pounding rock soundtrack. Critics accused the series of being long on style and short on substance–a frequent critique of his films–but the show was so popular it spawned numerous spin-offs and imitators.
Cable channel HBO distinguished itself by hiring top filmmakers and stars for original movies and series as early as 1989’s “Tales from the Crypt.” In the 2000s, it produced shows like “The Sopranos” and “Sex and the City,” soap operas with movie-style adult content that would earn the equivalent of an “R” rating. The latter show continued an already established trend when it became a big-budget film franchise. As the media conglomerates behind most major channels also own Hollywood studios, the symbiotic relationship between film and TV will probably continue well into the 21st century.