PBS Primetime Programming for the Week of March 23

As March closes, as it goes out like a limb, after coming in like a lion, I think we all need to remember one very important fact.  There's one fact out there that we can think of, that we can consider, that we can gain a Quantum of Solace from.  That one fact?  I'm going to Hawaii in a month.  Seriously, I've waited years for this moment, for my time in the sun (literally) to come about, and now it's only one month away.

 

Sunday, March 23:

8:00 – 9:00PM

Nature – “Animals Behaving Worse”.  Ooh… a sequel!  Using the format developed in the 2000 episode, "Animals Behaving Badly."  As it turns out, animals and people don't so much always get along.  Those pesky squirrels in birdfeeders…

9:00PM – 11:00PM

"The Complete Jane Austen". Holy macaroni! They're going to show pretty much every Jane Austen work they can get their hands on (plus they made a ton of new versions). That's actually why they call it "The Complete Jane Austen," they're going to show all of it. Up this week, "Emma."

 

Monday, March 24:

8:00 – 9:00PM

Antiques Roadshow  – "San Antonio (Hour Three)". Ah, Texas. Everything is bigger in Texas. Is it better in Texas though? Is it older in Texas? Has It been kept in better condition in Texas? My understanding is that it's pretty dry in Texas; maybe that has helped preserve the various items that the antiquers bring in.

9:00 – 11:00PM

Frontline – "Bush's War (Part One)".  They cooked up this episode of Frontline to commemorate the five year anniversary of the Iraq invasion.  Wow, five years.  And it seems like just yesterday that we were lied to about it all.  Well, either way, it's been five years and it's likely to be at least five more.  How did we end up there, watch and find out.

 

Tuesday, March 25:

8:00 – 9:00PM

Nova  – “Bone Diggers”. I’m just oh-so-excited for this program.  Really.  There’s megafauna and Thylacoleo carnifex beneath the Nullarbor Plain.  Megafauna and Thylacoleo carnifex beneath the Nullarbor Plain!  Do you understand what I’m saying to you?  Yeah, I don’t either.  

9:00 – 11:00PM

Frontline – "Bush's War (Part Two)".  They cooked up this episode of Frontline to commemorate the five year anniversary of the Iraq invasion.  Wow, five years.  And it seems like just yesterday that we were lied to about it all.  Well, either way, it's been five years and it's likely to be at least five more.  How did we end up there, watch and find out.

 

Wednesday, March 26:

8:00 – 9:00PM

Great Performances – "Peter & the Wolf".  It's the recently Academy Award winning animated version.  That's right, this bad boy just won the Academy Award, or "Oscar" if you will, and now it's on Great Performances.  That's just amazing.  That's just fantastic.  That's just PBS. 

9:00  – 11:00PM

Great Performances – “Hansel and Gretel”. Alice Coote and Christine Schäfer go out and portray Gretel and Hansel (though not in that order).  There is also going to be a witch (Philip Langridge), who hopefully cooks up deliciousness (and kids).  It's done in English, and it's still an Opera. 

 

Thursday, March 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  – "San Antonio (Hour Three)". Ah, Texas. Everything is bigger in Texas. Is it better in Texas though? Is it older in Texas? Has It been kept in better condition in Texas? My understanding is that it's pretty dry in Texas; maybe that has helped preserve the various items that the antiquers bring in.

10:00 – 11:00PM

Unnatural Causes:  Is Inequality Making Us Sick?  – "In Sickness and in Wealth".  In this country the rich tend to be more healthy.  That's not the case everywhere, and there are in fact many countries far more poor than ours where everyone is far more healthy.  Why is that?  What is it that we're doing wrong?  Is it the lawsuits?  Is it the cost of meds?  Is it something totally and completely different?

 

Friday, March 28:

8:00 – 8:30PM

Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal #4739. 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 on PBS #413.  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, you guys are awesome!

9:00 – 10:00PM

Bill Moyers Journal #1151. It’s Bill Moyers. It’s his 1,151st journal (not really, but I’m not going to explain to you the way in which TV shows are numbered at this point in time, maybe later if you’re nice). He’s a good journalist so I assume this will be good journalism (at least the odds are it will).

10:00PM – 11:00PM

Triumph at Carville – All about James Carville and the triumph at his place.  Either that or it's about our triumph over leprosy.  Focusing on a leprosy and a leprosy community, "Carville," where people beat the disease.  The documentary will focus on patients and staff who lived and worked there and even has some exclusive photos of the place.

 

Saturday, March 29:

9:00 – 10:00PM

Austin City Limits  – “Juanes”. It is possible, just possible, that Juanes is the "single most important figure on today's Latin music scene."  If he is then it's just outstanding that he's going to be on the show tonight.  I know, the episode is about a year and a half old, but that doesn't mean that Juanes has lost his power.

 

I don't want you to worry about my trip to Hawaii, PBS in Primetime listings will still be up, on time and as scheduled, plus, I'll bring back pictures.  There will be lots and lots and lots of pictures.  Who doesn't like seeing pictures of a lovely vacation that someone else went on?  Can't we always take a Quantum of Solace from the fact that someone else had a good time?  We can't, can we, that's not the sort of society we live in… for shame.