10:00 - 11:30PM

Independent Lens – "Wordplay."  This documentary looks at Will Shortz, the editor of the puzzles in the New York Times, and the puzzles themselves. It also covers the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, which is founded by Shortz. I guess being the editor at the Times pays well. Rumor has it the documentary is very well done.

Wednesday, December 26:

8:00 - 9:00PM

Wired Science – “#110."  A Woods Hole Institute trip to the Arctic Ocean.  A chemistry teacher turns cotton balls into smokeless gunpowder.  Other things happen.  Other issues are explored.  It's odd.  It's cool.  It's different.  It's Wired the day after Christmas.    

9:00PM - 10:30PM

Bob Newhart:  Unbuttoned.  Do you have an idea how funny a man Bob Newhart is?  He's an incredibly funny man.  Incredibly.  This show takes an inside look at what makes the man tick.  Did you know he started out as an accountant and was just moonlighting doing radio sketches?  Well he was and did.

10:30PM - 11:00PM

Remembered earth:  New Mexico's High Desert.  Filmmaker John Grabowska and author N. Scott Momaday "present a vision of hope for humankind's relationship to the natural world by interpreting the myth, beauty and power of a scarred but sacred landscape of the American West."  Wow, that's quite the mouthful.   

Thursday, December 27:

8:00 - 9:00PM

The This Old House Hour - Episode TBA. It’s This Old House and Ask This Old House. It’s like maintenance… for your home. Wait, no, that’s exactly what it is. That doesn’t mean it’s not awesome though. Seriously, The This Old House Hour is one of the finest home improvement hours on PBS. No joke.

9:00 - 10:00PM

Antiques Roadshow – "Savannah (Hour Two)."  Oh Savannah, oh don't you cry for me, cause I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee.  Ah, Savannah, Georgia.  The Deep South.  The place where the only thing sweeter than the people is the iced tea.  Seriously, you can get a cavity just by looking at it. 

10:00 - 11:00PM

Craft in America – "Community."  I have issues with crafts.  I'm not afraid to admit that.  In fact, I'll admit it readily.  I don't know why I dislike them so much, I just do.  I've never been into them and can't imagine I ever will.  Stop.  I take it all back, this is about the craft movement, and this episode looks at its history in this country. 

Friday, December 28:

8:00 - 8:30PM

Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal #4726. Another whole week has gone by and good old Gwen Ifill and National Journal are here to fill us in. For the record, I like to pretend the National Journal is a sidekick, like Robin to Batman, Starsky to Hutch, or chocolate sauce to chocolate ice cream.