TV timeline of US history

There have been plenty of hit TV series to come out of the US in the 236 years since it declared independence from Great Britain (on July 4 1776). From Korean War army sitcom M.A.S.H to the adventurous Gilligan’s Island, the long list continues. Our grandparents (and John Cleese) may argue that the golden years of television have passed, but if you ask any one of us, the US has started turning things up a notch in the past 20 years. Here, we recap five of America’s recent smash TV series and reveal the eras that they represent in US history.

The ’20s: Boardwalk Empire
The fact that this series is produced by legendary American producer and screenwriter Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed) is cause enough to warrant an entry into the history books. The Emmy-winning series accurately documents the life and times of an Atlantic City community during the Prohibition era and flapper culture of the ’20s. Many of the characters are based on historical figures of the time.
Season one from Dhs100, available at www.amazon.co.uk. Season two available from September 2012.