Biskind bites off a big chunk of entertainment history, following HBO from its birth into maturity, moving on to the basic cablers like FX and AMC, and ending up with the streamers and their wars. Since the creative and business sides of TV are thoroughly entwined, Biskind examines both, and the interplay between them. This book investigates the dynamic interplay of commerce and art through the lens the game-changing shows they aired as windows into the byzantine practices of the players as they use money and guile to destroy their competitors. In the end, this book crystal-balls the future in light of the success and failures of the streamers that, after apparently clearing the board, now face life-threatening problems, some self-created, some not.