TV

Slowly put down the remote control, and back away from the TV. Walter White will still be there when you get back. If this sounds like you, don't worry: 91 percent of people binge-watch their favorite shows. And these are some of the best for it.

By Susan Sherwood

Ever wonder how those crazy folks you watch on reality TV land on those shows? Are they related to the show's director or something? Nope. Reality TV producers use several methods to cast their shows.

By Gerlinda Grimes

It always happens. You, your mom, your neighbor and everybody else you know gets wrapped up in a new TV show, only to have the TV network cancel it. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to which TV shows survive on air. Or is there?

By Gerlinda Grimes

Ever wondered how reality TV shows really film all of that unscripted insanity? No need to wonder any longer. One of the HowStuffWorks writers tells what happened when reality TV came knocking on her door.

By Gerlinda Grimes

Oh, reality TV: fights, scheming, double-crossing, tears and drama. All of this "unscripted" reality can't possibly be real. So what's real, and what's fake in reality TV?

By Gerlinda Grimes

Sure, we all feel like stars singing in the shower or into a hairbrush in the bedroom. But most of us don't feel confident enough in our vocal abilities to pursue our musical dreams. Is that why we live vicariously through singing competitions?

By Gerlinda Grimes

Ah, the charmed life of a TV actor: have one big hit TV show and then live like a king for years once all of those royalty checks start rolling in. Is that how royalties really work?

By Gerlinda Grimes

You can hear an awful lot of foul language when watching your favorite movies or shows - as long as they air on cable or the Internet. Who decides which words are too hot for broadcast TV?

By Gerlinda Grimes

American television networks have adapted British shows left and right. But a number of original British programs - er, make that programmes - have become hits with U.S. audiences, no translation necessary.

By Susan Sherwood

What was once considered obscene and indecent on television is laughable by today's standards. But shows have pushed boundaries as long as there's been TV. Which have given the FCC and network censors the most stress?

By Susan Sherwood

From highbrow content (politics, literature) to more unrefined fare (paternity tests, cheating spouses), talk shows have been on the tube for as long as there has been television.

By Laurie L. Dove

Cable TV is ubiquitous now, but a little more than 50 years ago it was the unique, exotic way to see your favorite TV programs. What made cable TV a staple?

By Laurie L. Dove

It's a sure sign of spring in New York. Flowers? No, TV's upfront presentations. TV networks use upfronts to show off their new shows, and rake in advertisers' money.

By Laurie L. Dove

Those cable access channels you flip through may sometimes be the butt of jokes, but public access TV serves an important function in many communities.

By Laurie L. Dove

Whipping up a four-course meal looks so easy when one of those TV chefs does it. But in reality, it takes a small army of chefs, producers and technical wizards to pull off cooking shows.

By Laurie L. Dove

Want to watch your favorite TV show tonight but won't be home? That's not a problem, with TV Everywhere. It's rapidly changing how we watch TV.

By Laurie L. Dove

You think binge-watching your favorite show weeks after its episodes air will help pump up its ratings? Think again. Live+3 television ratings metrics have changed things considerably.

By Laurie L. Dove

The average TV commercial is 30 seconds. So they should be fairly easy to shoot, right? Just slap together a concept, a product and some actors and that should do it. Not so fast, TV commercial production gets super complex really quickly.

By Laurie L. Dove

"Seinfeld" will forever be known as the best "show about nothing." But is it also an homage to Superman?

By Alison Cooper

Streaming TV shows online seems like it makes sense for the networks. So why aren't all shows available via the Internet? We'll explain.

By Gallagher Flinn

You know you can't wait until the season premiere of your favorite show. But have you ever wondered why the networks' new seasons start in the fall? You might be surprised by the answer.

By Gallagher Flinn

When CNN debuted in 1980, the 24-hour news network was taking a leap into the unknown. Now we can get our news anywhere, anytime thanks to tablets, smartphones and the Internet. Could 24-hour news stations could be gone in our lifetime?

By Gallagher Flinn

How did AMC wrangle so many viewers via Twitter and Facebook for shows like "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad"? And did its strategy really break ground for the future of television marketing?

By Gallagher Flinn

When the president speaks, we listen. But when the president asks for airtime, do the networks have to say yes? It's not a simple answer.

By Gallagher Flinn

Think you're the next Rupert Murdoch or Ted Turner? Good luck with that. But seriously, if you want to run a little TV network from home, it can be done -- well, sort of.

By Gallagher Flinn