Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
We're nearing the end of the creation of the Sword in the Stone ride, the ride I would create were I an Imagineer and given the chance. We've talked about the scenes and the cars and some sound and other bits and pieces. I can't really tell you everything about the ride (why would you buy the cow if you could get the milk for free?), but there's more to it, and this week, we may actually talk about the location of the ride in a park. At the very least, we'll discuss the ideal.
Sunday, September 14
8:00 – 9:00PM
Nature – "Supersize Crocs”. Apparently the crocs haven’t gotten the message that supersizing is out, and that we’re all about portion control now. You may still be able to go king size, but I know supersizing is done, well and truly done.
9:00PM – 10:30PM
Masterpiece Mystery! – "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Series VI – 'In the Blink of an Eye.'" The eighth Earl of Asherton (that would by Thomas Lynley) is going back in time. Earlier this month Series VII aired, now we're back on Series VI. Poor Lynley, he's in for some serious heartache at the end of this series.
10:30PM – 11:00PM
Encore! With James Conlon – “Plato or Aristotle?” I don’t get this series. I just don’t. Last week it was Dionysus or someone else, this week it’s a Greek philosopher vs. another Greek philosopher. And, it all looks back at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas.
Monday, September 15:
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 – 10:00PM
History Detectives. This show may be the most fascinating show ever, it really may, but its title leave a lot to be desired. Seriously, aren't all historians more or less detectives? The title simply isn't descriptive or exciting enough. I much prefer a title like Josh Lasser, You’ve Been Hired as an Imagineer.
10:00 – 11:00PM
Where We Stand: America's Schools in the 21st Century. We should all be embarrassed. I'm not sure that this show says as much, but we should. The show examines our educational system's strengths and weaknesses, and, if there's any reality to it, it shows us distinctly lacking. Distinctly lacking. We should all be embarrassed.
Tuesday, September 16:
8:00 – 10:00PM
Nova – “Einstein's Big Idea.” E=mc2. It sounds so simple, it's something most school children know (even school children in this country) and yet it's something that no one knew a century ago. This is actually a dramatization of how Einstein figured it out. I hope it focuses more on the "docu" part than the "drama," because I don't want to watch Einstein waging a personal vendetta against the science after the science "makes it personal" by killing Einstein's fourth niece thrice removed.
10:00 – 11:30PM
P.O.V. – "Calavera Highway." The mother of two Mexican-American men was booted out of her family's bosom. The two men have five brothers and one missing father. They opt to carry their mother's ashes (after she passes away) to South Texas (I presume that's where they lived at some point. That's where they meet the five brothers and examine their family history.
Wednesday, September 17:
8:00 – 9:30PM
Live from Lincoln Center – "New York Philharmonic Opening Night Gala with Sir James Galway." I know that I've made the joke before, and so I'm not going to make it this time, but every time I hear the phrase "opening night" I think of Jerry Seinfeld. If you're a fan of the show you know what I'm talking about. If you're not a fan of the show… become one.
9:30 – 11:00PM
Los Lonely Boys: Cottonfields and Crossroads. Los Lonely Boys are a popular band. I'm sure that if you heard some of their more popular songs you'd do one of those "Oh! That's who they are!" Well, I would at least. And, if I were so inclined I could learn much more about them (like their San Angelo roots) by watching this documentary.
Thursday, September 18:
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 – " 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
Keeping Score – "Stravinsky's Rite of Spring" I'm told (in this description) that Stravinsky "shocked the Western world" with this ballet. I guess ballet had much more cachet then than it does now. Can you imagine the world being shocked by a ballet? I guess it's possible, but it would have to be some ballet. Watch this to see if Stravinsky's was.
Friday, September 19:
8:00 – 8:30PM
Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal #4811. 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 – 9:30PM
NOW on PBS #437. 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!
9:30 – 10:30PM
Bill Moyers Journal #1223. It’s Bill Moyers. It’s his 1,223rd 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).
10:30 – 11:00PM
Encore! With James Conlon – “Plato or Aristotle?” I don’t get this series. I just don’t. Last week it was Dionysus or someone else, this week it’s a Greek philosopher vs. another Greek philosopher. And, it all looks back at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas.
Saturday, September 20:
9:00 – 10:00PM
Austin City Limits – "John Mayer." Mayer has been on the show before, but now he's on the show again. I know that because when this first aired and was, therefore, a new episode, he'd already been on the show in the past. Hence, again. Really, that's the very definition of again, isn't it? It happened once, now it is happening once more, so it's happening again.
As pointed out last week, one of the ultimate questions about the Sword in the Stone ride is where, exactly, it belongs. EPCOT is not the right place for it. The right place is, naturally, Fantasyland, but Fantasyland isn't a possibility, there's no space there, and I don't imagine that The Sword in the Stone should take the place of Peter Pan or Snow White. The ride feels right in Fantasyland, and maybe that's one of the bigger problems Imagineers face. Maybe not, they probably work out location before anything else.
