Advanced TV Herstory

TV herstorian Cynthia Bemis Abrams spotlights Regina Jones, a pioneering media entrepreneur who made history as the first Black woman to publish nationally with a focus on soul music.

In this episode, Cynthia is joined by Alissa Shapiro, executive producer of Who in the Hell is Regina Jones?, a documentary that explores Jones' impact and SOUL Newspaper, and premieres on Weigel Broadcasting's Dabl TV, Story TV, and Start TV in February 2026 for Black History Month.

Together, they discuss:

• The founding and cultural legacy of SOUL Newspaper
• How Jones utilized print media to amplify Black voices in music
• Jones' role as a trailblazer in Black women's media history.
• Why SOUL Newspaper deserves a place in American pop culture canon;
• The significance of airing this acclaimed documentary on cable today.

Shapiro also shares behind-the-scenes insights into producing the documentary, which blends decades of preservation work, journalism, and archival research into a powerful portrait of Jones' life and survival.

References: SOUL Newspaper https://www.soulpublications.co/

Who the Hell is Regina Jones? https://whoisreginafilm.com/

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Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Mary Owen, daughter of Golden Age film and TV icon Donna Reed, to explore how The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966) pushed boundaries, challenged norms, and influenced portrayals of motherhood and feminism in sitcoms.

Reed's character, Donna Stone, was the first TV mom to lead a show focused on everyday family life — earning her a Golden Globe and backlash from Second Wave Feminists. Mary shares first-hand stories about growing up on set, preserving her mother's legacy, and how progressive ideas, like casting a Black neighbor boy, were shut down by the network. Cynthia and Mary also compare The Donna Reed Show's storytelling to that of I Love Lucy, Hazel, and Betty White's Life with Elizabeth. This conversation reframes Reed's influence on pop culture, sitcom structure, and feminism, and challenges what we think we know about "trad wives."

Learn more about all things Donna Reed, including her fan base and loyal Iowa community at https://www.donnareed.org

Episode Life Lessons:

• Progress often happens in "small steps," even when it isn't widely recognized in the moment.
• Feminist impact can emerge from unexpected or overlooked places.
• Representation battles have long histories, often hidden behind network decisions.

NoteSeasons 1–5 of The Donna Reed Show are widely available on streaming and DVD. Seasons 6 & 7 are not available due to rights held by a different entity (not the Owen family).

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PRODUCTION

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Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Award-winning showrunner Beth Sullivan joins host Cynthia Bemis Abrams for a deep dive into the creation and legacy of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and The Trials of Rosie O'Neill. Sullivan, a UCLA graduate and screenwriting professor, shares how she built empowering female characters, assembled diverse ensembles, and balanced historical realism with emotional storytelling.

The conversation also features actor Jonelle Allen, known for portraying Grace on Dr. Quinn, who reflects on her experience working with Sullivan and the show's intentional representation of race, gender, and frontier life.

🎧 Highlights include: The historical importance of portraying a woman doctor in the 1800s Writing women-led legal drama with The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Sullivan's unique lens on plot development and moral storytelling Behind-the-scenes stories from Dr. Quinn's powerful episodes: • 2.20 The First Circle • 4.20 An Eye for an Eye

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman podcasts:

Dr. Quinn Cast https://drquinncast.com/

The Town Council Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-town-council-dr-quinn-medicine-woman-podcast/id984365107

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PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

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Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

TV herstorian Cynthia Bemis Abrams reports back from a star-studded week in Los Angeles, where she met creators, paid tribute to icons, and reflected on the past, present, and future of women in Hollywood.

In this personal recap, Cynthia shares highlights from her California adventure, including:

• Her visit to the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) archives.
• Paying respects at the Forever Hollywood Cemetery.
• Coffee with TV writing legend Georgia Jeffries.
• Recording a conversation about the creative process with writer and showrunner Beth Sullivan (TV's Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman 1993-1998); and
• Interviewing actor and singer Stepfanie Kramer (TV's Hunter 1984-1991).

This travelogue-style episode brings Cynthia's passion for television, feminism, and storytelling to life—one postcard at a time.

Enjoy last month's episode with Stepfanie Kramer https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/fa19d380-cfdf-4b17-9c43-75d8ee28a070.mp3

Enjoy our July episode with Georgia Jeffries https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/41c28c3c-717d-4328-90a8-f88247663faa.mp3

WGA Foundation https://www.wgfoundation.org/

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Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Cynthia Bemis Abrams sits down with actor and singer Stepfanie Kramer at the Paley Center for Media to revisit her trailblazing role as Sgt. Dee Dee McCall on Hunter (1984–1991).

Together, they unpack:

• The cultural legacy of Hunter and its Reagan-era action show peers;
• Kramer's reflections on fame, aging in Hollywood, and leaving the series;
• Her influence as a feminist TV figure and enduring global fan base;
• Behind-the-scenes production realities;
• Life after Hunter that led her back to music and the stage;
• Staying connected to fans;
• Honey West, Police Woman, Cagney & Lacey and Hunter and how they depict progress.

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Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams connects the dots between TV, feminism, and workplace protections in this powerful episode inspired by her law review article, co-authored with legal scholar Mary Trevor.

Their work explores how decades of television shaped public understanding of sexual harassment, particularly the form known as quid pro quo. From prime-time depictions to real-life milestones like Anita Hill's Senate testimony, Cynthia and Mary walk us through the TV, cultural and legal shifts that defined the transition from Second to Third Wave Feminist movement.

The law review article, Power Plays: Women and Progressive Television Battle Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment in the 20th Century, was published in 2025 by the Howard University Human and Civil Rights Law Review. It's available upon request.

YouTube: Law Review Article Explained https://youtu.be/RbrQSxh_MI4?si=II0oBh12dlveSDzO

Mentioned Episodes:

2.7 – I Believe Anita Hill: The 1991 Hearings and Their Legacy

https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/5e8bd659-e882-403c-85e2-6923cd9b2125.mp3

4.14 How "That Girl" Tackled Sexual Harassment in the 1960s

https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/5391f7c3-d5a6-4d65-9dd9-83133ca3deda.mp3

4.20 Sports Night: More Relevant Than Ever

https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/d099dbfb-e591-4877-879b-6a7781c7b9f2.mp3

5.15 – I Still Believe Anita Hill: The Impact of 1991 Senate Hearings

https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/967daa56-dd95-42f6-9ffc-e2788e07424b.mp3

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PRODUCTION

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Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Celebrate 11 years of Advanced TV Herstory with host Cynthia Bemis Abrams and special guest Elsie Escobar, Podcast Hall of Famer and co-founder of She Podcasts. This milestone conversation dives into the evolution of independent podcasting, technological innovations, and the power of diverse voices in audio storytelling.

Cynthia and Elsie explore:

Elsie's trailblazing journey as a Latina podcasting leader;

Key shifts in podcast technology, audience experience, and distribution;

How women-led podcasts are shaping the industry;

Lessons from Elsie's advocacy for creators in non-English-speaking communities; and

TV series that influenced Elsie's creative voice from El Salvador to California.

Whether you're a podcaster, content creator, or simply curious about the podcast revolution, this episode highlights the grit, innovation, and community-building that define 11 years of success.

Elsie Escobar Page: https://elsieescobar.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theelsieescobar/

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Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

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 career defined by dramatic integrity and feminist storytelling.

Georgia discusses:

• Her transition from journalism to writing TV scripts on spec;
• Championing women writers through her work with the Writers Guild;
• Launching USC's first undergrad screenwriting thesis program; and
• How writing fiction compares to TV script writing.

Learn more about her 2024 novel The Younger Girl, based on real events in Illinois at https://georgiajeffries.com/

Referenced episodes with Cagney & Lacey and Lou Grant writer April Smith:

TV Writer April Smith on Lou Grant & Storytelling

https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/646f4a94-f444-4ab9-b351-058a23238b0f.mp3

Mrs. America & TV's Dimensional Feminism

https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/e0f75b62-4be6-4857-9a15-cf9fe3f5465c.mp3

Why do cozy mysteries still dominate the mystery genre, decades after their prime? Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Prof. Bridget Kies of Oakland University for an insightful conversation exploring the fan favorite series Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996) and the enduring appeal of the cozy crime format.

Explore:

• Angela Lansbury's legacy as the iconic Jessica Fletcher;
• How Murder, She Wrote exemplifies the cozy mystery genre across TV and books;
• The academic relevance of the Wayne State University Press's TV Milestone Series;
• Why female-driven mysteries and older women protagonists remain culturally powerful; and
• Murder, She Wrote's influence on Hallmark mysteries, true crime fandom, and TikTok sleuths.

With real-life insights from a TV scholar, fan anecdotes, and an acknowledgment of the series' reboot potential, this episode offers a smart and nostalgic look at why Murder, She Wrote still matters.

Bridget Kies: "Murder, She Wrote was popular at a really important time in TV history, when everything about TV was changing. It started before those changes and ended in the middle of them. It tells us so much about TV's transitions from the early '80s to the mid-'90s.

Resources: Kies, Bridget (2023). Murder, She Wrote (TV Milestone Series), Wayne State University Press https://wsupress.wayne.edu/9780814350119/

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

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PRODUCTION

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Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

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 influence of legends like Mary Tyler Moore, Moms Mabley, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus — and discuss why shows like SNL still present challenges for women today. With a nod to streaming, social media, and evolving industry gatekeepers, this episode dives into how women and non-binary creatives are shaping the next chapter of television comedy.

Background & Mentions Gold Comedy – https://goldcomedy.com/

Book recommendations:

Joan Rivers (1986) Enter Talking and Carol Burnett (2011) This Time Together

Learn more about Moms Mabley https://nmaahc.si.edu/moms-mabley

TV series Ellen (1994-98) S.4, e 22 The Puppy Episode https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnty3f

WI Public Radio interview with Hacks creators https://www.wpr.org/culture/hacks-co-creators-on-their-emmy-winning-comedy-show

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