Once upon a time, the world of American cable television was a dreary place - original programming was almost exclusively broadcast by the main stations of the big four networks (ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox from the early 90s onwards), leaving cable as a wasteland heavily dominated by reruns and low-cost filler material despite its widespread adoption. Over the last couple of decades, however, the landscape has changed dramatically, as investment in original programming by general entertainment networks has been supplemented by the growth of networks that focus on specific niches (such as ESPN, Discovery and the Food Network), creating a plethora of excellent channels that either rival or surpass the big four in terms of content quality, even if the big four do still dominate the ratings. As a result of this, love for television is at an all-time high, and is rivalling the medium of film in terms of investment, talent attraction and public following. Over the course of the next few pages, this article will look at the main networks that have spearheaded this revolution, focusing on the key shows from each that have either become huge mainstream hits or built dedicated cult followings, paving the way for the further ambitious and exciting series to follow in their wake.
