Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV

There has arguably never been a more powerful force in network television than NBC’s “Must See TV”—a programming lineup that made Thursday night the high point of the average television viewer’s week. Now in this riveting autobiographical tale from former NBC executive Littlefield, fans of long-running and wildly popular NBC programs such as Seinfeld, Friends, ER, and Frasier finally get all the juicy, behind-the-scenes details about their favorite shows. This audio edition is skillfully narrated by the soft-spoken Bob Balaban—who himself enjoyed great success in the era playing the recurring role of NBC executive Russell Dalrymple on Seinfeld. Part of Balaban’s mastery of Littlefield’s prose comes from experience: the narrator played Littlefield in The Late Shift, a film that dramatized the rivalry between late night television hosts Jay Leno and David Letterman. This time around, however, Balaban opts for less of an impersonation of Littlefield and more of a straightforward reading. The result is a remarkable and captivating account of what’s required to create a television series, and in turn, make that series into a network staple. A Doubleday hardcover. (May)