PBS: Viewers Like You. Thank You.

[magdalene]

My longtime favorites are Nature, Nova, Antiques Roadshow, Masterpiece. And I really enjoy As Time Goes By and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. And Rick Steve's travel shows.

[walnutqueen]

I love all the nature and science shows.  I am also really liking the new series Earth: A New Wild.  It is a tiny ray of hope in an era of doom & gloom for the environment.  :-)

[annzeepark914]

I wish at least one of my local PBS stations (we have 3 in the metro DC area) would create a foreign films night.  How expensive could it be to show films from Great Britain, France, Sweden, etc., from the 60's up to the 90's? Couldn't they, weekly, at least give up one 2 hour time slot (from Antiques Roadshow That Never Ends)?

 

Whenever we have pledge drives here, you can count on the Pete Seeger documentary being shown.  It always gets the phones a-ringing!

[Actionmage]

Last night ( a Saturday), my local station showed the Motown 25 special. I wasn't overly interested, but flipping through channels I caught Marvin Gaye singing " What's Going On". So I stayed and watched. DH joined me and the Jackson 5 was introduced by Richard Pryor. I loved watching the video montage of them! Then they came out and sang, and added Randy for a song, even. Knowing what was coming, I told DH to hang around because of the Moonwalk.  So the song got to that point and?

 

The freaking banner with the station's call letters and pledge phone numbers covered up Michael's feet! As he was Moonwalking! The whole point of showing that segment of the special!

 

As my very observant spouse pointed out ,after I stopped making sounds and "WHAT?!"-ing the TV, that they could have had the banner up over the section we had seen and then dropped it once Michael was alone on stage.  ITA with Mr. Astaire ( or was it Mr. Kelly), who insisted on full length/body shots of the dance routines because that's what folks are generally interested in- watching the moves. It was especially frustrating as we, the current audience and PBS crew, knew when it was coming. It probably was just some poor intern board op making a simple timing mistake.  Also, it's not like that special won't be aired here again ever.  It was just uncharacteristically sloppy.  I don't see my local station accidently flubbing something with Downton or Sherlock or Rick Steves.  I guess it's a "popular style of music"  and that it is just tapes/dvds, so less vigilance needed? We've "all" seen the Moonwalk  anyway?

Edited March 3, 2015 by Actionmage

[Milz]

Motown 25 is great. (Your PBS station really blew it!) Another good one they've shown on PBS is the T.A.M.I. Show because it has James Brown. Over the years, I'd heard James Brown's performance on the TAMI sho was his best, and there weren't any copies of it available. But they found a copy and digitally remastered it. When I saw it---------it completely blew me away! The level of his dancing was absolutely insane. And I'm pretty sure if I was one of those teens in the audience watching it live, I would be screaming like they were. Youtube had clips of James Brown on TAMI.

[shok]

My longtime favorites are Nature, Nova, Antiques Roadshow, Masterpiece. And I really enjoy As Time Goes By and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. And Rick Steve's travel shows.

 

As Time Goes By is one of the best shows evah! About twenty years ago, for a couple of years, I was parked in front of my tv every single week night at 10:00 as it was must watch tv for me. Dame Judi Dench was brilliant but really, the whole ensemble was.

 

My PBS station in Seattle still runs it occasionally on Saturday afternoons and I've caught a few episodes and it's still good, although dated, and small doses of it aren't quite the same as when I was so caught up with it on a nightly basis but the nostalgia is nice.

[annzeepark914]

Judy Dench and the actor who played her husband on that show seemed as tho' they were really married and not just playing characters who were married.  There was something comfy about the two of them, the way they spoke to each other, etc., (and I always loved to see that beautifully decorated living room of theirs--I wanted that couch so badly!)

[Milz]

Judy Dench and the actor who played her husband on that show seemed as tho' they were really married and not just playing characters who were married.  There was something comfy about the two of them, the way they spoke to each other, etc., (and I always loved to see that beautifully decorated living room of theirs--I wanted that couch so badly!)

 

I ditto the living room furniture. I also want the jar labeled "BREAD" in the kitchen.

[Crs97]

Geoffrey Palmer played Lionel, and he had small roles in Mrs. Brown and in one of the Bond films when she was M. I love their chemistry; he was her perfect foil.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Crs97

[ennui]

I enjoyed the John Denver biography (but it made me sad, too, he died so young). It irks me that PBS only shows the good stuff when they want money.

[Aethera]

As Time Goes By is one of my obsessions.  I run through it all once every couple of years on Amazon Prime.  The two of them are incredible together, and I really enjoy the supporting cast as well. Rocky is the best.

 

It's so true the leave the good stuff for pledge drives.  I tend to stumble into great stuff that way, like the 3 Mo' Tenors years ago and more recently some Broadway documentaries.

[Milz]

I wish at least one of my local PBS stations (we have 3 in the metro DC area) would create a foreign films night.  How expensive could it be to show films from Great Britain, France, Sweden, etc., from the 60's up to the 90's? Couldn't they, weekly, at least give up one 2 hour time slot (from Antiques Roadshow That Never Ends)?

 

Whenever we have pledge drives here, you can count on the Pete Seeger documentary being shown.  It always gets the phones a-ringing!

 

I watch the MHZ channels for my foreign flicks/series fix (30.1 to 30.12 on DC broadcast digital).  The original "Wallender" is more watchable than the UK version on Masterpiece. Also, I've become a fan of "Don Matteo", which is an Italian version of a English cosy mystery (yeah, that sounds weird, but it is.) And the documentaries on NHK World are fantastic.  These stations are particularly life-saving during Pledge Month.

 

About 12 years ago, when MHZ was called something else and before it had the digital stations, they used to have a foreign film night (I think it was saturday night). It was like a Masterpiece for foreign films on a very, very, very, low budget. There was a film critic who introduced the film, gave background on the directors, producers, and actors and any type of historical context. I remember watching Rashomon, The Seventh Seal, Tito and Me and some others. And it also showed a Japanese tv series called Abarembo Shogun, which was about a shogun who was like the local "superhero". It was good, imo.

Edited March 16, 2015 by Milz

[stonehaven]

I loved the John Denver special for a myriad of reasons. I am a long-time fan of his and my Mom thought he was only "okay" but that special showed her what a lot of die-hards knew..he was way underrappreciated during his lifetime. Yes, he had success but the critics wouldn't let up..

That smile..that voice...that awesome voice..I miss it so much..that hope he gave for a better future is so needed now..

As I die-hard, the biggest thrill for me is seeing that old footage of The Mitchell Trio on Merv Griffin..There's not a whole lot out there to see and hear them do "Your friendly Liberal KKK" on TV was astonishing..they could NOT air that today...

Amazing...

[Sharpie66]

Having been born in 1966, John Denver was a staple of my childhood, him and the Carpenters, both of whom were endlessly mocked by the critics at the time but have managed to finally get their recognition as excellent song interpreters and songwriters only after their deaths/ends of their careers (in the case of Richard Carpenter).

[SmithW6079]

"As Time Goes By" is one of my obsessions. I run through it all once every couple of years on Amazon Prime. The two of them are incredible together, and I really enjoy the supporting cast as well. Rocky is the best.

One of my local PBS stations plays "As Time Goes By" every Friday night on rotation. The best episodes focus Jean and Lionel, although Geoffrey Palmer had great chemistry with all the women. I tend to skip a lot of the episodes with Penny and Stephen; I find her shrewishness and his idiocy too much to take.

It bugs me that I've never been able to figure out if Pargetter is Jean's maiden name. If so, why would she have returned to her maiden name after being widowed?

Edited March 22, 2015 by SmithW6079

[Milz]

.

It bugs me that I've never been able to figure out if Pargetter is Jean's maiden name. If so, why would she have returned to her maiden name after being widowed?

 

That bugged me too. I guess "Hanson" is either Judy's maiden name? 

[Aethera]

Wikipedia seems to think Hanson is Judy's maiden name, thus her father's name, and Jean's maiden name is Pargetter.  It adds to this that Penny's maiden name would thus be Hanson, but I know that was never mentioned.  I also always thought it was weird.  I seem to recall Lionel not expecting her name to be Pargetter, though, or is that just me? Clearly, a good excuse for a rewatch!

[Milz]

Wikipedia seems to think Hanson is Judy's maiden name, thus her father's name, and Jean's maiden name is Pargetter.  It adds to this that Penny's maiden name would thus be Hanson, but I know that was never mentioned.  I also always thought it was weird.  I seem to recall Lionel not expecting her name to be Pargetter, though, or is that just me? Clearly, a good excuse for a rewatch!

 

My local PBS showed the first ATGB a couple of weeks ago. Jean did not recognize Lionel's name (she sent Judy to deal with a disgruntled clien, but she gave Judy the paper with Lionel's name and hotel on it.) And it was Lionel who first recognized Jean when he came to the house to pick up Judy for their date. It always gave me the feeling that Jean moved on better than Lionel did (his bad marriage didn't help any either).

[voiceover]

Anyone catch "Great Performances at the Met"?  Sunday's was The Barber of Seville.  Christopher Maltman sang the title role and he was charming -- I was surprised to read that it was his Met debut!

Here's a general question: why don't they make those "Great Performances..." and "Live from Lincoln Center" events, available on DVD?  I'd've bought this, and the Madame Butterfly from a few years ago, and the Carousel with Nathan Gunn.  Is it that much wrapped up in copyright & performer fees?  *grumbles*  

 

And, to jump on the ATGB train, I've often thought that old age might not be so bad, if you had someone like Geoffrey Palmer there to hold your hand.

Edited March 23, 2015 by voiceover

[SmithW6079]

And, to jump on the ATGB train, I've often qthought that old age might not be so bad, if you had someone like Geoffrey Palmer there to hold your hand.

One of the things I love about the show is the whole idea of finding (or finding again) love when you're "old."

[Crs97]

Wikipedia seems to think Hanson is Judy's maiden name, thus her father's name, and Jean's maiden name is Pargetter. It adds to this that Penny's maiden name would thus be Hanson, but I know that was never mentioned.

I think Penny is Jean's late husband's sister so I assumed her maiden name was Pargetter. Or was Stephen her late husband's brother? Now I am confused!

[SmithW6079]

Penny was David's sister. David was Jean's late husband. I guess both she and Judy returned to their maiden names. Judy I could understand, since she was twice divorced, but Jean was of the age when a woman would have retained her married name even after being widowed.

I admit, I always liked the way Rocky called her "Jean Pargetter," using both her names.

Was Geoffrey Palmer ever "married" to Penelope Keith on a Britcom? I seem to recall he was.

Penelope Keith is another of my favorites. I wish my local PBS station would rerun "To the Manor Born." I loved her in that.

[ennui]

I really like Murder in Paradise, but I seem to be the only one who's seen it.

[SmithW6079]

I really like Murder in Paradise, but I seem to be the only one who's seen it.

That's the one with the uptight British investigator relocated to the Caribbean, right? I've seen a couple of episodes.

[ennui]

That's the one with the uptight British investigator relocated to the Caribbean, right? I've seen a couple of episodes.

Yes, but the series arc (specifically, the transition between seasons 2 and 3) is unusual, and I liked it.

[Rickster]

Anyone catch "Great Performances at the Met"?  Sunday's was The Barber of Seville.  Christopher Maltman sang the title role and he was charming -- I was surprised to read that it was his Met debut!

Here's a general question: why don't they make those "Great Performances..." and "Live from Lincoln Center" events, available on DVD?  I'd've bought this, and the Madame Butterfly from a few years ago, and the Carousel with Nathan Gunn.  Is it that much wrapped up in copyright & performer fees?  *grumbles*  

 

Yes, I think it is a matter of who controls the rights. The Met Opera is not handing them over to PBS. That said, i think a number of the opera performances are available on Amazon or via the Met Opera website.

[selhars]

Ah yes " To the Manor Born" for YEARS I'd seen the name but never seen the show. Then stumbled onto it one day.

 

Actually I think it was AFTER PBS ran a show -- during a pledge break -- called or either about -- "The WOMEN of British Comedies"  

It was hosted by Penelope Keith...and profiled -- and showed  scenes featuring the female stars from:

-- Faulty Towers, VIcar of Dibly, To the Manor Born, Are You Being Served, Waiting for God, Keeping Up with Appearances, Last of the Summer Wine, As Time Goes By, etc  (all of which I like)

 

THAT"S when I first saw scenes and actually new what "To the Manor Born" was about. So when I finally stumbled on to it on TV I stayed with it and watched. 

That's also when I got to learn of so many other Brit Coms I'd never seen or heard of before. So later if I did happen to see them on the schedule I tuned in to see if I liked them.  That special is also when I saw that Penelope, Pat Rutledge of KUA), Molly Sudgen, and other actresses, had done more shows than I'd heard of. And had starred in multiple TV shows.

 

That special was great. If you get a chance to see it...watch it.

It's also how I stumbled onto OTHER shows:

-- Allo Allo (which I've tried to watch but just can't get into) I'll take Hogans Heroes any day over that)

-- AND....all of these I like:

-- May to December -- about a nerdy lawyer and his secretary who fall for each other. He's way older than she is.

-- The Old Guys -- starring the actor who played husband Richard from Keeping Up Appearances. He and an old friend are middle-aged roommates

-- My Family -- about a sarcastic grumpy dentist, his smart wife and their three kids. He's the idiot who gets into funny misunderstandings, the wife is the brains.

-- Good Life (in the U.S. called Good Neighbors -- city folk who move to the country to live off the land at their farm, and various neighbors

-- Miranda -- starring Miranda Hart -- the 6' tall actress now starring in "Call the Midwife

-- Fresh Fields -- about a middle aged suburban couple. It stars the actor from May to December Anton Rogers.

 

I'm sure there are others.

I will say that once you start watching British shows more often -- just like in the U.S. I guess -- you start to recognize actors from various shows, and recall -- "Oh I remember him in was in that other show"...or "wait a minute wasn't she in another show?"

 

I'm lucky in that my local PBS station as one of its sisters stations as an ALL BRITISH channel. I HATED it in the beginning, because they took away -- "CREATE" -- just dumped it -- to make way for the British channel. But I do watch it now. Sure most of the show are 20 year old British shows, but they were new to me. I don't think I'd ever heard of Heddy Wainrwright until then...again it's over ten years old...but what are you going to do. Create was gone it's either give the new British channel a chance or watch something else.

Edited April 2, 2015 by selhars

[SmithW6079]

Selhars -- There's also a show called "Mulberry" that lasted for two seasons (or series, as the British say) that's about 20 years old. The lead character is Death's son, who is sent to dispatch an old woman. He becomes determined to make her last days joyful. According to Wikipedia, it was supposed to last for three series, but the third was never made, so we never find out what happened to Mulberry and the old woman.

[Actionmage]

Actually I think it was AFTER PBS ran a show -- during a pledge break -- called or either about -- "The WOMEN of British Comedies"

 

I have that on VHS and it's titled The Funny Ladies of British Comedy. There is a wonderful companion show titled The Funny Blokes of British Comedy. 

Both are worth tracking down, especially if you don't want to binge on a show, but you want a taste of the stuff you enjoy. 

 

I wish my local PBS would get May to December again; it was a warm show.

 

I am glad that we get Death in Paradise and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and Mulberry, though!

[Milz]

To the Manor Born is a classic Britcom, imo. I also like Chef!, Outnumbered, and My Hero.

[Sharpie66]

I will say that once you start watching British shows more often -- just like in the U.S. I guess -- you start to recognize actors from various shows, and recall -- "Oh I remember him in was in that other show"...or "wait a minute wasn't she in another show?"

 

Oh, yes! I'm watching QI on BBCAmerica, and the people that show up there are always good for a HITG moment. Bill Bailey was Simon Pegg's boss on Spaced, Sandy Toksvig showed up as a special-episode co-host on Time Team, etc., etc.

 

I love seeing Penelope Wilton on shows because even though I knew her from Calendar Girls, I didn't really notice her until Doctor Who (I saw Shaun of the Dead after her appearance on DW--I was a latecomer to the Simon Pegg fandom).

[Actionmage]

If anyone can verify this, TIA: In the trailer for Amy Schumer's Trainwreck, I think the woman playing Amy's boss/ the blonde with the accent is the same woman as Mrs. Raven, from My Hero! Geraldine McNulty isn't listed on theIMDb page, but Tilda Swinton is. I don't think the ladies sound that similar at all. (Plus, I'd love to have been around if both Mrs. Raven and Jadis, the White Witch were on the same soundstage! )

 

eta clarity for why this was asked here.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Actionmage

[Milz]

If anyone can verify this, TIA: In the trailer for Amy Schumer's Trainwreck, I think the woman playing Amy's boss/ the blonde with the accent is the same woman as Mrs. Raven, from My Hero! Geraldine McNulty isn't listed on theIMDb page, but Tilda Swinton is. I don't think the ladies sound that similar at all. (Plus, I'd love to have been around if both Mrs. Raven and Jadis, the White Witch were on the same soundstage! )

 

eta clarity for why this was asked here.

 

The first time I watched My Hero, I thought "Whoa! Is that Jean Marsh (Rose on Upstairs, Downstairs)???" because  Mrs. Raven looked similar to Jean Marsh.

 

I think Geraldine McNulty, Jean Marsh, Tilda Swinton have the same bone structure: longish face, long thin nose, etc.

[ebk57]

One of my favorite things about PBS are the music shows - Austin City Limits, Front and Center, Live From The Artists Den, Infinity Hall Live and so forth.  They keep me entertained in the middle of the weekend nights (like right now!) while I aimlessly surf the interwebs or read the newspaper.  I'm glad we have 3 stations here to choose from.  Only downside is during the frequently increasing pledge drives, they don't show them.

 

Just finished Richard Thompson on Front and Center.  Next up, Infinity Hall Live with The Wailin' Jennys.

[DkNNy79]

My favorite PBS shows are: Globe Trekker (I remember seeing Bradley Cooper on here before he hit it big), America's Test Kitchen, Rick Steve's Travel

 

I love all the Masterpiece classics that they do, especially all the romantic period pieces.

 

Also, one of my favorite shows, The Vicar of Dibley, I found by watching old re-runs on PBS.  I own the full series on DVD now and have re-watched numerous times.

[Milz]

Also, one of my favorite shows, The Vicar of Dibley, I found by watching old re-runs on PBS.  I own the full series on DVD now and have re-watched numerous times.

 

I remember watching Vicar on the NYC PBS station in the 90s when I lived there for a couple of years. It was so funny. I loved the Christmas Dinners, Alice unable to believe I Can't Believe It's Not Butter isn't butter, Radio Dibley----Geraldine's expression when Frank comes out is priceless, Hugo and Alice's wedding when that woman comes in and claims the groom was her husband etc. then Hugo turns around and she says "Sorry, wrong church. Bye." Great show, imo.

Edited April 23, 2015 by Milz

[whatsatool]

Brian Wilson is good but I can't figure out what Beach Boy is with him.

[annzeepark914]

Ah yes, To The Manor Born.  I loved watching that program--from the opening credits to the closing credits. Loved that house, the music, the witty dialogue, the actors, the story lines, Penelope Keith's "county woman snootiness", etc.

[Milz]

Ah yes, To The Manor Born.  I loved watching that program--from the opening credits to the closing credits. Loved that house, the music, the witty dialogue, the actors, the story lines, Penelope Keith's "county woman snootiness", etc.

I loved the fireplace at the Old Lodge.

[AntiBeeSpray]

I remember watching Vicar on the NYC PBS station in the 90s when I lived there for a couple of years. It was so funny. I loved the Christmas Dinners, Alice unable to believe I Can't Believe It's Not Butter isn't butter, Radio Dibley----Geraldine's expression when Frank comes out is priceless, Hugo and Alice's wedding when that woman comes in and claims the groom was her husband etc. then Hugo turns around and she says "Sorry, wrong church. Bye." Great show, imo.

 

I love Vicar! That show made me laugh so much! Especially Jim Trott! His no, no, no, yes routines made me laugh my ass off XD. The whole cast is just awesome on that show.

[Milz]

I love Vicar! That show made me laugh so much! Especially Jim Trott! His no, no, no, yes routines made me laugh my ass off XD. The whole cast is just awesome on that show.

 

I think the first Vicar episode I saw was Songs of Praise. At first I was like "what?", but during the choir auditions I was laughing so hard I was in tears.

[Actionmage]

during the choir auditions I was laughing so hard I was in tears.

 

How did you enjoy the Christmas carol contest, then, Milz? ;D

[Milz]

How did you enjoy the Christmas carol contest, then, Milz? ;D

 

LMAO! About the Dibley choir, I love the Choir Master (I think his name is Cecil).

 

Another scene that made (and still makes me laugh) is Jim's striptease at the charity talent show. The audience's faces are such a classic mixture of horror, shock, and disgust, especially when Jim removes his thong.

[AntiBeeSpray]

LMAO! About the Dibley choir, I love the Choir Master (I think his name is Cecil).

 

Another scene that made (and still makes me laugh) is Jim's striptease at the charity talent show. The audience's faces are such a classic mixture of horror, shock, and disgust, especially when Jim removes his thong.

 

What's the name of the episode?

[Milz]

What's the name of the episode?

 

Celebrity Vicar

[AntiBeeSpray]

Celebrity Vicar

 

Thanks! Now onto Youtube! :D

[spaceytraci1208]

They aired a documentary of some sort about Bob Ross this morning, and I found myself tearing up at the end. He seemed like such a genuinely nice guy. I remember getting legitimately excited as a kid when I would catch an episode of The Joy of Painting, with all the happy little trees and clouds lol.

[Sandman87]

Bob Ross creeps me out. I liked it a lot better when PBS ran The Magic of Oil Painting with Bill Alexander. "Und now ve make some happy clouds...here ve make some trees...und for de sunset ve use a little Prrrussian crrrrimson!" It was like learning to paint from a kindly old uncle.

[Milz]

Bill Alexander!!!! I remember watching that show. Bob Ross studied under Alexander, iirc.

 

PBS was great in the 80s wasn't it? Justin Wilson and Martin Yan were hilarious. I loved how Jooostan would start sprinkling in hot pepper flakes or hot sauce and the audience would go "wooooooo!". And Martin Yan's show had a live audience too. I remember when he was tossing dough and accidentally tossed it into the audience, hitting a woman.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Bill Alexander!!!! I remember watching that show. Bob Ross studied under Alexander, iirc.

 

PBS was great in the 80s wasn't it? Justin Wilson and Martin Yan were hilarious. I loved how Jooostan would start sprinkling in hot pepper flakes or hot sauce and the audience would go "wooooooo!". And Martin Yan's show had a live audience too. I remember when he was tossing dough and accidentally tossed it into the audience, hitting a woman.

 

Yep. Loved a lot of shows on it back then. And into the 90's as well.

 

Anyone remember 321 Contact, Mathnet and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Man I loved watching those.