Friday , March 29 2024
Bond Quest continues, but should it? Eon Productions has been silent.

PBS Primetime Programming for The Week of February 24

Boy, do I not understand it, I haven't heard back from anyone over at the production of the current James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Here I am, begging — yes, I've begged, I'm good at begging — for a walk-on role in the latest Bond film, but no one has gotten back to me. Seriously, not a soul, not a single person, not even a form letter rejection; it's distressing.

 
Sunday, February 24:

8:00 – 9:00PM

Nature – “Raptor Force”. We all know about raptors. We all saw Sam Neill explain raptors to that poor little boy in Jurassic Park, but since Jurassic Park is years old, we may need a refresher. Nature will provide just that.

9:00 – 11:00PM

Masterpiece Theatre – "The Complete Jane Austen". Holy macaroni! They're going to show pretty much every Jane Austen work they can get their hands on. That's actually why they call it "The Complete Jane Austen," they're going to show all of it. Up this week: "Pride and Prejudice (Part Three)."

 
Monday, February 25:

8:00 – 9:00PM

Antiques Roadshow – "San Antonio (Hour Two)". 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 – 10:00PM

American Experience – "Buffalo Bill". Hey, Buffalo Bill, who did you kill, Buffalo Bill? Yes, I know that's not right, but I like it anyway. It was either that or some of Annie Get Your Gun, and I chose to alter a Beatles song. Honestly though, that Buffalo Bill guy did a lot of things throughout his life, watch and find out.

10:00 – 10:30PM

PBS Previews – "Carrier". PBS isn't going to show you "Carrier", they're just going to show you a preview of it (it airs at the end of April and beginning of May). They're going to tantalize you. They're going to intrigue you. They're going to tell you about some of the people on the USS Nimitz.

10:30 – 11:00PM

Ribbon of Sand". Things change. It's the way of the world. It just happens. Things change. Get used to it. In this documentary Meryl Streeep tells us all about how things change off the coast of North Carolina, in North Carolina's Outer Banks, to be specific. The sand shifts, the beautiful islands that exist now may not exist in the future. Things change.

 
Tuesday, February 26:

8:00 – 9:00PM

Nova – "The Four Winged Dinosaur". With this episode I have to recommend that you open the door, get on the floor, everybody walk the dinosaur. Oh, never mind, these dinosaurs have wings, they don't walk. Using state of the art animation Nova examines feathered dinosaurs, including the microraptor.

9:00 – 10:00PM

Frontline – "Putin's Plan". On March 2 Russia will hold presidential elections. Putin's out, but he's chosen a replacement for himself. I know that we'll need inspectors to monitor the elections in this country come November, but will they? Frontline investigates.

10:00 – 11:00PM

Independent Lens – "Hard Road Home". Some former felons in New York try to go straight. Or do they? They're all at different points in their post jail lives, how are said lives working out? Is life "on the outside" all it's cracked up to be or are these former felons cracking up?

 
Wednesday, February 27:

8:00 – 9:00PM

America's Ballroom Challenge – “Grand Finale”. Some of the finest dancers in North America gather at the Columbus convention center in Ohio to dance their hearts out. Up this week, the grand, superb, ultimate, truly sweet finale. It's going to be grand. It's going to be great. It's going to be a challenge.

9:00PM – 10:30PM

American Masters – "Pete Seeger: The Power of Song". This one goes out to all of you who believe that song can change the world. This one is for those of you that think that song has changed the world. Several singers Mr. Seeger helped influence talk about his life story and the changes he wrought on the world.

10:30 – 11:00PM

PBS Previews – "Carrier". PBS isn't going to show you "Carrier", they're just going to show you a preview of it (it airs at the end of April and beginning of May). They're going to tantalize you. They're going to intrigue you. They're going to tell you about some of the people on the USS Nimitz.

 
Thursday, February 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. 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 Two)". 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 – 10:30PM

PBS Previews – "Carrier". PBS isn't going to show you "Carrier", they're just going to show you a preview of it (it airs at the end of April and beginning of May). They're going to tantalize you. They're going to intrigue you. They're going to tell you about some of the people on the USS Nimitz.

10:30 – 11:00PM

Ribbon of Sand". Things change. It's the way of the world. It just happens. Things change. Get used to it. In this documentary Meryl Streeep tells us all about how things change off the coast of North Carolina, in North Carolina's Outer Banks, to be specific. The sand shifts, the beautiful islands that exist now may not exist in the future. Things change.

 
Friday, February 29:

8:00 – 8:30PM

Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal #4735. 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 #409. 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 #1147. It’s Bill Moyers. It’s his 1,147th 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

In Search of Shakespeare – "For All Time". I don't know if you know this, but Shakespeare was a playwright and a poet back in the day. You may not have ever heard of him, but some people who have unearthed plays of his, they're never performed anymore, have said his work was good. Actually, this episode is all about Shakespeare living in the time of James I.

 
Saturday, March 1:

9:00 – 10:00PM

Austin City Limits – “The Dixie Chicks”. I love the Chicks! I don’t really listen to their music too much (it’s good, but not my style), but anyone who has been so lambasted for such an innocent comment has my complete support. Watch this show.

Now, when I say it's distressing that I haven't been contacted by Bond's people, I mean it. I have no intention of not being there on opening night, maybe even the night before (so I can get good seats), to see the movie, I just wish that they would get back to me. I know, I thought that after Imagineer Quest 2007 that Bond Quest would also be a success. It hasn't been, and it may not be. But, I'd still rather be an Imagineer than have a walk-on role in a Bond film.

About Josh Lasser

Josh has deftly segued from a life of being pre-med to film school to television production to writing about the media in general. And by 'deftly' he means with agonizing second thoughts and the formation of an ulcer.

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