Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Do you know what I like at PBS? It’s that despite the fact that the month is supposed to go out like a lamb, they still fight like a tiger. They actually kind of have the eye of the tiger, don’t they? After all, it’s the thrill of the fight, isn’t it? Standing up to the challenge of our rivals. That PBS, they’re lucky some sort of plucky fighter. God, I wish I could remember which plucky, mythical fighter, but I just can’t. I have kind of a rocky memory, you know.
Sunday, March 25th:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Nature – “Crime Scene Creatures”. CSI goes to the dogs in this episode of Nature. Apparently not just dogs either, numerous animals are used in forensic sciences, and they do more than just have poison tested on them too. Sure, testing poison on animals is a crucial part of their function, but not the only part.
9:00 – 10:30PM
Masterpiece Theatre. “Kidnapped, Episode One.” Based on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, the story follows Davie Balfour on his trials and tribulations. At one point, as I recall, he gets kidnapped. I don’t know why exactly I think that’s the case, but I do. For those of you that are curious, this isn’t the show with Timothy Hutton.
10:30 – 11:00PM
Encore! With James Conlon. “Tradition or Innovation?” Seems as though Arturo Toscanini wasn’t a huge fan of tradition. Others believe tradition to be important. Is it? Is it not? And, most importantly, how did tradition and novelty affect the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition held in Fort Worth back in the spring of 2005.
Monday, March 26th:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Antiques Roadshow – “Mobile (Hour One)”. I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong (and, not funny, but who am I to throw stones); this week’s episode is not literally on the road moving around, it’s in Alabama. But, I do want you to know that I appreciate the notion that you’d try and tell a joke, no matter how badly you failed at it. Good on you.
9:00 – 10:000PM
American Experience – “The Carter Family: Will the Circle be Unbroken”. I thought this was about Jimmy and Co., you know, the ex-President. That is, however, not correct. It is in fact about A.P., Sara, and Maybelle. They were apparently a “famous and influential trio” that stopped recording together in 1943.
10:00 – 11:30PM
Pilgrimage to Karbala, A Wide Angle Special – This documentary follows a bus full of Iranian pilgrims who left Tehran on a journey for Karbala (in Iraq). The special looks at the trip, how it plays into present day events and stems from the origins of Shia Islam.
Tuesday, March 27th:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Nova – “The Perfect Pearl”. That’s right, Nova takes a look at one of the Dharma Project’s stations, examining the monitors, cameras, and inner working of exactly how the Pearl works. Secrets will be revealed. New faces will be shown. And… someone will die. Oh… wait… that’s not right, this is about the thing found in oysters.
9:00 – 10:00PM
Frontline – “News War: Stories from a Small Planet”. A look at media around the globe, their influences, and what they influence themselves. Partially focusing on the Middle East and partially on South Korea.
10:00 – 11:00PM
Independent Lens – “Race to Execution”. A look at capital punishment in the United States. This episode traces the fate of two Death Row inmates: Robert Tarver, in Alabama; and Madison Hobley, in Chicago.
Wednesday, March 28th:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Journey to Planet Earth – “The State of the Ocean’s Animals”. Jason Bourne is back! This is Damon’s 4th season hosting the show. Can you believe it? Jason Bourne caring about the environment. Humph, this is man who doesn’t care at all for human life, heck, he can’t even remember his own.
9:00 – 11:00PM
The Boomer Century 1946 – 2046. I like to think of them as The Second-Greatest Generation, because that sounds a whole lot better than: The Generation of People that Wanted So Badly to Change The World Back When They Were Young Before Entirely Giving Up and Going Corporate.
Thursday, March 29th:
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.
9:00 – 10:00PM
Antiques Roadshow – “Mobile (Hour One)”. I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong (and, not funny, but who am I to throw stones); this week’s episode is not literally on the road moving around, it’s in Alabama. But, I do want you to know that I appreciate the notion that you’d try and tell a joke, no matter how badly you failed at it. Good on you.
10:00 – 11:00PM
Buffett and Gates go Back to School. I’m not going to read the description of this show. I can’t. I simply can’t. Because if I read it I’ll find out that it’s not a remake of the Rodney Dangerfield classic, featuring Warren Buffett and Bill Gates as two separated at birth twins in the starring roles.
Friday, March 30th:
8:00 – 8:30PM
Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal #4639. 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.
8:30 – 9:00PM
NOW #313. It’s the Emmy award-winning weekly newsmagazine. It looks at issues facing our democracy. The show is hosted by David Brancaccio. And, even better, they still send me e-mails (I think that makes me cool and them nice). Thanks, Now!
9:00 – 10:00PM
Journey to Planet Earth – “The State of the Ocean’s Animals”. Jason Bourne is back! This is Damon’s 4th season hosting the show. Can you believe it? Jason Bourne caring about the environment. Humph, this is man who doesn’t care at all for human life, heck, he can’t even remember his own.
10:00PM – Lengths Vary
Monty Python’s Flying Circus – #105. It’s the Python boys again. They’re still funny. Funny, wacky, zany, other things. They are the Pythons after all. And this week that confuse a cat.
Saturday, March 31st:
9:00 – 10:0PM
Austin City Limits – “Michael McDonald/Joss Stone”. McDonald, he used to work with a Doobie, a couple of Doobies actually, as they were the Doobie Brothers, not just the Doobie Brother. Stone, however is soul singer. She didn’t work with the Doobie Brothers.
Thus ends March, and for the heck of it, and because I can, I’m going to go out like a lamb: baa… baaaaa… BAAAAAAAA!
