Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Week Four of Imagineer Quest 2007. Have I heard anything yet? Nope. But, not to worry, I’m not losing hope. These things take time. If you want something hard enough, you have to keep working at it, and I’m going to keep working at this. Working, and wishing on a star. Because, this year Disney says that they’re making a million dreams come true, and being an Imagineer is my magical dream.
Sunday, June 24:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Nature – “The Venom Cure”. I’m told that Gila monsters have toxic saliva. If that’s not a reason to watch this show, I don’t know what is. Gila monsters have toxic saliva. Say it with me one time: “Gila monsters have toxic saliva.” Awesome.
9:00 – 10:30PM
Mystery! Foyle’s War, Series IV. Ah, that popular World War II whodunit is back, still starring Michael Kitchen as our titular hero. He’s fighting his own battle against murder, mystery, and betrayal on the south coast of England.
10:30 – 11:00PM
Encore! With James Conlon – “Technique or Spirit?” Or, up or down? Left or right? Right or wrong? Wrong or strong? Strong or long? Long or short? Short or squat? Squat or dumpy? Dumpy or Dopey? Dopey or Doc? Doc or Bashful? Bashful or Sneezy? Sneezy or Sleepy? Sleepy or Grumpy? Grumpy or Happy? So many questions, so little time, and only one Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Monday, June 25:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Antiques Roadshow – “Reno (Hour One)”. I’m not going to go out and say openly that Reno has nothing of value in it, but, if the shoe fits. Maybe that’s what they have — old shoes that somehow fit.
9:00 – 10:00PM
History Detectives. That’s right, they’re wherever you need them, anywhere there’s been a crime, there’s the History Detectives! They go and explore the stories behind local folklore, prominent figures, and family legends. Sadly, and I’m sorry to spoil the ending here, but the thief is always some person acting on behalf of Carmen Sandiego. It’s never Carmen Sandiego herself. I understand that after a while it’s supposed to be Carmen Sandiego, but it doesn’t matter how many times I play, it’s never her.
10:00 – 11:00PM
Simon Schama’s Power of Art – “Caravaggio”. Internationally acclaimed writer Simon Schama tells all he knows about different artists and their masterpieces. Up tonight is Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. And if that’s not a mouthful, try saying supercalifragilisticexpialidocious three times fast.
Tuesday, June 26:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Nova – “The Great Inca Rebellion”. Some CSI-type folks down in a suburb of Lima, Peru excavated a cemetery. Apparently, some of the corpses there differed from some of the other corpses there. This may be the crucial forensic evidence needed to learn more about the Spanish conquest of Peru in 1532. I know, this totally sounds like a job for the History Detectives. Maybe it’s a special crossover episode.
9:00 – 10:00PM
Frontline/World – Not so much yet titled episode. Despite the lack of a title here I can tell you that the newsmagazine is going to Indonesia, the Faroe Islands, and Mozambique here. In Mozambique apparently there are rats trained to find land mines. PETA! Someone get PETA on the line!
10:00 – 11:00PM
P.O.V. – “Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars”. Oddly, no, very oddly, the Refugee All Stars are a reggae-inflected band from Sierra Leone; according to the description “they fight back with the only means they have — music.” I kid you not, it actually says that.
Wednesday, June 27:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Bear Island. Wherein we explore the secret world of Canada’s and Alaska’s rainforest grizzly bears. I believe that they have luaus on a regular basis, eating as much poi as they possibly can before getting sick in the ocean. Ah, the life of a grizzly.
9:00 – 10:30PM
Paul Simon: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The title here really says it all, and how could it not, because, after all, it’s quite a long title. If you were wondering though, the award is for a body of work, not a specific song (though, let’s face it, if it were for a specific song it would have to be “You Can Call Me Al”… I LOVE that video).
10:30 – 11:00PM
TBA
Thursday, June 28:
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 – 10:30PM
PBS Presidential Primary Forum with Tavis Smiley. This is the Democratic one. It’s going to be at Howard University in Washington, DC. There will be questions posed to candidates, many about Iraq, the war on terror, money, health care, family values, and other issues that people have, for whatever reason, deemed important.
10:30 – 11:00PM
Encore! With James Conlon – “Technique or Spirit?”. Or, up or down? Left or right? Right or wrong? Wrong or strong? Strong or long? Long or short? Short or squat? Squat or dumpy? Dumpy or Dopey? Dopey or Doc? Doc or Bashful? Bashful or Sneezy? Sneezy or Sleepy? Sleepy or Grumpy? Grumpy or Happy? So many questions, so little time, and only one Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Friday, June 29:
8:00 – 8:30PM
Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal #4652. 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 #326. 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
Bill Moyers Journal #1112 – It’s Bill Moyers. It’s his 1,112th 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 – 10:30PM
Exposé: America’s Investigative Reports #202. Each episode in this series focuses on journalistic investigations and the people that went and did them. I think it’s a dying art in this country.
10:30 – 11:00PM
Alan Alda in Scientific American Frontiers – “Cars That Think”. Up first, KITT, up second, KATT. And from there do we really care what car appears next? Except of course if it’s Bond’s Aston Martin from Goldfinger, you know, the one with the ejector seat.
Saturday, June 30:
9:00 – 10:00PM
Austin City Limits – “Corinne Bailey Rae/KT Tunstall”. These are both British stars that will be performing on the show. I’ve always wondered why British people lose their awesome accents when they sing. Why is that? Can someone explain it to me?
So, that’s what PBS has this week. But, what about me, what about my magical dream of being an Imagineer? Will Disney hear my call? Will they heed my cry? Will, I, at the very least, get a politely phrased brush-off e-mail (I can’t tell you how much that would break my heart)? Only time will tell, but, if you have an extra minute, and can wish upon a star with me, I’d really appreciate it. Help make my magical dream a reality in this year of a million dreams.
