Pandora’s Box

Classic Episode: How Do I Learn Hard Things? | Monday Advice

Deep Questions with Cal Newport, 3 August 2026. The book comes up at 1 hr 3 min in.

Cal Newport read this step-by-step history of the prestige TV era, tracing HBO's emergence as an original-content producer through basic cable (FX, AMC) to the rise of streaming. He says it is good for understanding the timeline, personalities, and sequencing of shows like The Sopranos, Mad Men, and The Shield, though it does not deliver unusual insight or exceptional source access. He calls it a cool book and says he is glad he read it.

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