Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Here it is, the crucial week, the week of change. The week that starts off one way and ends in a drastically, hugely, incredibly different one. You see, on Sunday I will be at home in California; it will be business as usual. I will be working, or watching TV, or one of those normal Sunday-type things. Then, well, then Monday will happen. Monday I'll be in Hawaii. As for you, you can take a Quantum of Solace from the fact that Carrier finally airs this week.
Sunday, April 27:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Nature – "Penguins of the Antarctic”. Penguins live in Antarctica. That's not a bad thing, and it's not a good thing, it's just a thing. It's what one often refers to as their "natural habitat." But, the climate changing is a problem and not a good thing, most definitely not a good thing. How are things changing? Watch and learn.
9:00 – 11:00PM
Carrier – "All Hands/Controlled Chaos". Please note that the first time around, all episodes of Carrier repeat from 11:00pm – 1:00am. Well, here it is, PBS has previewed it over and over and over again, and now the time has finally arrived. Carrier is here. The series follows a group of people on board the USS Nimitz, from admirals on down to newbie sailors. It promises to be a fascinating look not just at this mammoth aircraft carrier, but the Navy in general.
Monday, April 28:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Antiques Roadshow – "Louisville (Hour Two)". I imagine that this city is going to be a home run for the series. They're really going to knock one out of the park here. They're going to put a few runs on the board by going yard. They're going to, unquestionably, get the long ball working here. In short, they're going to be Sluggers.
9:00 – 11:00PM
Carrier – "Super Secrets/Squared Away". Please note that the first time around, all episodes of Carrier repeat from 11:00pm – 1:00am. Well, here it is, PBS has previewed it over and over and over again, and now the time has finally arrived. Carrier is here. The series follows a group of people on board the USS Nimitz, from admirals on down to newbie sailors. It promises to be a fascinating look not just at this mammoth aircraft carrier, but the Navy in general.
Tuesday, April 29:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Nova – “Sinking the Supership”. I guess PBS figures that as long as they have this mammoth documentary going on about a US carrier they might as well do a story on a Japanese one. So, they're whipping out an old episode of Nova focusing on the Yamato, the large battleship ever built which carried a crew of 3,000 and sunk by the US Navy in April of 1945.
9:00 – 11:00PM
Carrier – "Show of Force/Groundhog Day". Please note that the first time around, all episodes of Carrier repeat from 11:00pm – 1:00am. Well, here it is, PBS has previewed it over and over and over again, and now the time has finally arrived. Carrier is here. The series follows a group of people on board the USS Nimitz, from admirals on down to newbie sailors. It promises to be a fascinating look not just at this mammoth aircraft carrier, but the Navy in general.
Wednesday, April 30:
8:00 – 9:00PM
Secrets of the Dead – "Escape from Auschwitz". Rudolph Vrba and Alfred Wetzler were two young Jewish men who managed to escape Auschwitz during World War II. They tried to warn the world about what the Nazis were doing but for various and sundry reasons their messages were delayed. Watch and find out why.
9:00 – 11:00PM
Carrier – "Rites of Passage/True Believers". Please note that the first time around, all episodes of Carrier repeat from 11:00pm – 1:00am. Well, here it is, PBS has previewed it over and over and over again, and now the time has finally arrived. Carrier is here. The series follows a group of people on board the USS Nimitz, from admirals on down to newbie sailors. It promises to be a fascinating look not just at this mammoth aircraft carrier, but the Navy in general.
Thursday, May 1:
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 – 11:00PM
Carrier – "Get Home-itis/Full Circle". Please note that the first time around, all episodes of Carrier repeat from 11:00pm – 1:00am. Well, here it is, PBS has previewed it over and over and over again, and now the time has finally arrived. Carrier is here. The series follows a group of people on board the USS Nimitz, from admirals on down to newbie sailors. It promises to be a fascinating look not just at this mammoth aircraft carrier, but the Navy in general.
Friday, May 2:
8:00 – 8:30PM
Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal #4744. 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 #418. 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 #1204. It’s Bill Moyers. It’s his 1,204th 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).
10:00 – 11:00PM
Secrets of the Dead – "Escape from Auschwitz". Rudolph Vrba and Alfred Wetzler were two young Jewish men who managed to escape Auschwitz during World War II. They tried to warn the world about what the Nazis were doing but for various and sundry reasons their messages were delayed. Watch and find out why.
Saturday, May 3:
9:00 – 10:00PM
Austin City Limits – “Alejandro Escovedo.” After battling hepatitis C, Escovedo is back with a microphone in his hand performing songs from The Boxing Mirror. Apparently Billboard quite liked the album.
When Saturday arrives, I'll still be in Hawaii, but hopefully I'll be slightly more tanned than I was on Monday. I imagine I'll be happier, perhaps a little heavier (depending on the quality of the luau), but almost certainly happier. I'll have golfed, been massaged, been to the beach, and have had a grand old time. If it all goes badly, well, I'll be able to take a Quantum of Solace from fulfilling my dream of going there in the first place.
