All Thing PBS

[A.H.Black]

I thought a little experiment was in order to see if there is enough interest for a PBS ongoing thread - everything from Sesame Street to Red Green to Nova to Great Performances.


Did anyone catch the "Live at Lincoln Center" opening night with the New York Philharmonic? Besides enjoying Itzhak Perlman, I loved the bang up job Alan Gilbert did with "Pines of Rome" It's as good a performance as I have ever heard - capped off with the very last chord. Huge sound with just the right timing.

Pines of Rome is just one of the most fulfilling pieces of music there is. I always want someone to skate to it, but I think it's just to big a piece of music unless someone did a perfect job.

 

[zaphyre14]

I regularly watch Masterpiece Mystery. I followed the "Broadway or Bust" series and last night I started "Call the Midwife" (forgot about The Amazing Race!). I also like "This Old House", "Antiques Roadshow" and Rick Steeve's travel shows.

 

[Coco]

We r addicted to the Create channel. Even after I got cable for the Olympics, I find myself watching PBS more often than not!

 

[milanessa]

I used to get 2 PBS channels - one out of Orlando and one from Daytona Beach. One of them is only available on HD now and it's the one that had the most interesting shows. Since we only have HD in my husband's office and the family room where he watches baseball I'm left out. I do like Antiques Roadshow and History Mysteries, though.

 

[suep1963]

History Detectives, Antique Roadshow, Inspector Lewis, Nova.

 

[milanessa]

Dang, that's what I meant - History Detectives.

 

[danceronice]

I've kind of found less and less to watch on PBS...pretty much Masterpiece is it. Even there sometimes I need the DVD to avoid edits (looking at you, Downton.) Broadway or Bust was good, except it got REALLY obvious where they didn't have broadcast rights for some of the songs--I wanted to see the entire group numbers, not choppily-edited highlights. Oh, I do like Antiques Roadshow, when it's not up against something more interesting. But for most history, science and travel shows, the cable networks have made the PBS productions obsolete. Once in a while there's a good local show or a particular episode of "Nature", but mostly it's a little like trying to watch network drama now that I've seen pay-channel productions. Red Green was good but that's reruns only now.

Heck, even Sesame Street--if I had kids I would probably just get the DVDs of older seasons as the material was more challenging. (CTW is its own thing financially so that's not PBS's fault, though.)

 

[Artemis@BC]

I too am a dedicated watcher of Masterpiece ... but almost nothing else. I agree with danceronice that the rest of their programming has become less and less relavent -- especially for Canadian viewers! Even Masterpiece has been scaled back: remember when there were 2 separate shows, Mystery and Masterpiece Theatre? Now it's all mashed into one.

I am looking forward to watching Call the Midwife, which I recorded last night in favour of watching Once Upon a Time.

And I'm going to try to catch this special tonight and tomorrow: Half the Sky - Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

 

[modern_muslimah]

I don't watch as much PBS I use to either. I still watch some series on Masterpiece Classic. However, I end up watching some shows online before they're aired on PBS. Plus, danceronice makes a good point about PBS's edit of shows like Downton Abbey (which is really surprising since the show is only 45 mins per episode anyway). I guess the only thing I watch faithfully on PBS is the PBS Newshour.

 

[madm]

I love PBS! My favorites are:

Ken Burns film series
Live at Lincoln Center (and all other classical/jazz/broadway music)
Great Performances
All cooking shows (esp. Lydia, Stellino, Pepin, Ming, America's Test Kitchen)
This Old House
PBS NewsHour (and other political coverage)
Rick Steeves travel programs
Nature
Charlie Rose
Antiques Roadshow
History Detectives

PBS has the most intelligent programs on TV. I have learned a lot from watching them.

 

[skipaway]

I love the American Experience series on PBS. Shockingly, I never knew of the Great Russian Famine in the early part of the 20th century. AE did a show on how America helped out during that time.

The Great Famine

Also, just caught the Death and the Civil War episode and that was stunning.

Death and the Civil War

 

[rjblue]

Doc Martin, Nova, Frontline, and BBC News for me

Sometimes Austin City Limits- I discovered Allison Krause there when she was barely more than a girl.

PBS World is a great channel. I love how they line up matching documentaries so that each night has a theme.

 

[smileyskate]

I love PBS! My favorites are:

Ken Burns film series
Live at Lincoln Center (and all other classical/jazz/broadway music)
Great Performances
All cooking shows (esp. Lydia, Stellino, Pepin, Ming, America's Test Kitchen)
This Old House
PBS NewsHour (and other political coverage)
Rick Steeves travel programs
Nature
Charlie Rose
Antiques Roadshow
History Detectives

PBS has the most intelligent programs on TV. I have learned a lot from watching them.

Same here other than NewsHour and Charlie Rose.
I wonder if the young have learned that pbs stations are/were in place so the public can access information that is not controlled in any way by the networks or other news outlets. Hope I explained that correctly.

 

[Cachoo]

I thought a little experiment was in order to see if there is enough interest for a PBS ongoing thread - everything from Sesame Street to Red Green to Nova to Great Performances.

Did anyone catch the "Live at Lincoln Center" opening night with the New York Philharmonic? Besides enjoying Itzhak Perlman, I loved the bang up job Alan Gilbert did with "Pines of Rome" It's as good a performance as I have ever heard - capped off with the very last chord. Huge sound with just the right timing.

Pines of Rome is just one of the most fulfilling pieces of music there is. I always want someone to skate to it, but I think it's just to big a piece of music unless someone did a perfect job.

For some reason I was waiting for Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Minor. I saw Perlman perform it with our local symphony and loved it. But I enjoyed the evening.

There is so much to like on PBS and the programs I love have been mentioned. One thing that makes me laugh on "America's Test Kitchen" and "Cook County" (?) is that Chris almost seems forced to say that whatever recipe is the "best" he's ever tasted. Especially with Bridget...I would love if he said this is good and left it at that sometime.

 

[lulu]

I love the American Experience series on PBS. Shockingly, I never knew of the Great Russian Famine in the early part of the 20th century. AE did a show on how America helped out during that time.

The Great Famine

Also, just caught the Death and the Civil War episode and that was stunning.

Death and the Civil War

The book that the "Death and the Civil War" documentary is based on the brilliant "This Republic of Suffering" by Drew Gilpin Faust, one of the best books written about the American Civil War, IMO. http://www.amazon.com/This-Republic-Suffering-Death-American/dp/037540404X

I'm a total PBS addict. Frontline's "The Age of AIDS" documentary is the gold standard-IMO, for documentary films. "The Ghosts of Rwanda" was one of the most profound documentaries I've seen, "Eyes of the Prize" was brilliant, I could go on and on.

I watch History Detectives, Frontline, POV documentary Series, American Experience, America's Test Kitchen, Check Please. A while ago PBS aired a documentary series titled "Women, War and Peace", I got the meet the producer, Abigail Disney and (in another capacity)work with the local crew involved in WWP's Bosnia segment. I'm grateful for PBS for airing these documentaries, I know I've gained more perspective and learned so much from documentaries and other shows on PBS.

And I always have a soft spot in my heart for Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers.

I love gushing about PBS

 

[A.H.Black]

For some reason I was waiting for Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Minor. I saw Perlman perform it with our local symphony and loved it. But I enjoyed the evening.

There is so much to like on PBS and the programs I love have been mentioned. One thing that makes me laugh on "America's Test Kitchen" and "Cook County" (?) is that Chris almost seems forced to say that whatever recipe is the "best" he's ever tasted. Especially with Bridget...I would love if he said this is good and left it at that sometime.

So was I. The description on my on screen program guide mentioned the Concerto. I came in a little late and wondered if I missed it - although there didn't seem like there was enough time for it to be performed. I would have liked to have heard it, but I was very happy with what was performed.

According to reviews, the piece I missed was "Fountains of Rome".

I ebb and flow with my watching of PBS. Sometimes I seem to watch everything. Other times almost nothing. Everytime there is a pledge drive, my interest wains. Too many interruptions - especially since these days there are promotional announcements that are almost like commercials anyway.

 

[lulu]

I ebb and flow with my watching of PBS. Sometimes I seem to watch everything. Other times almost nothing. Everytime there is a pledge drive, my interest wains. Too many interruptions - especially since these days there are promotional announcements that are almost like commercials anyway.

ITA about the pledge drives. I usually change the channel, and no, I have no fear of Betty White coming reprimand me for watching PBS and not making a donation.

 

[Karina1974]

Same here other than NewsHour and Charlie Rose.
I wonder if the young have learned that pbs stations are/were in place so the public can access information that is not controlled in any way by the networks or other news outlets. Hope I explained that correctly.

Absolutely, & the same goes for NPR, which is the ONLY radio I care to listen to. I am watching Half the Sky right now... you'll NEVER see a program like that on network TV. And that is a shame - I call PBS and NPR media for intelligent people who actually give a shit about learning something they won't find anywhere else.

 

[suep1963]

everything. Other times almost nothing. Everytime there is a pledge drive, my interest wains. Too many interruptions - especially since these days there are promotional announcements that are almost like commercials anyway.

Some of the really cool shows have been during pledge drives. Flowers in the Desert was one--it was all about the Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas, and I lurves Cirque, so it was cool to see clips of the show and get backstage info on the mechanics of the sets, talk to the costume designers, etc.

 

[Artemis@BC]

I am watching Half the Sky right now... you'll NEVER see a program like that on network TV.

How was it? I had to record it and I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to watch, but definitely not before part 2 airs tonight.

 

[Karina1974]

How was it? I had to record it and I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to watch, but definitely not before part 2 airs tonight.

I won't "spoil" you, but I will say that it was intense from an emotional perspective.

 

[leesaleesa]

But for most history, science and travel shows, the cable networks have made the PBS productions obsolete.

When I worked for Comcast, I had every station available, and still went to PBS when I wanted to watch anything History themed. The History channel tends to show reality TV, at least when I am able to tune in.

I agree that PBS has the most content if you actually care to learn something: I saw a great documentary about Appalachia called Country Boys, sat through a full week of History and the Jews, spent several weeks enthralled by Surviving the Iron age, stayed home on a Sunday to catch An American family, caught a Rick Steve's travelouge on Plitevice, enjoyed cooking shows with Daisy Martinez, Jaques Pepin, and Martin Yan.

Cable? Well, the History channel had Ice road truckers, Swamp people, and some show set in Alaska about a drunk guy looking for gold in a glory hole. That's not history, It's reality TV. The cooking channel had the annoying Guy Fieri and Puala Dean, and I love Adam Richman, but the poor guy has to resort to extreme eating to have a hook. Never saw much about travel on any channel.

 

[skipaway]

The book that the "Death and the Civil War" documentary is based on the brilliant "This Republic of Suffering" by Drew Gilpin Faust, one of the best books written about the American Civil War, IMO. http://www.amazon.com/This-Republic-Suffering-Death-American/dp/037540404X

:

Have the book on my iPad. It's excellent.

 

[Karina1974]

Cable? Well, the History channel had Ice road truckers, Swamp people, and some show set in Alaska about a drunk guy looking for gold in a glory hole. That's not history, It's reality TV. The cooking channel had the annoying Guy Fieri and Puala Dean, and I love Adam Richman, but the poor guy has to resort to extreme eating to have a hook. Never saw much about travel on any channel.

I've noticed that a LOT of the cable stations that centered around a certain theme (AMC, TLC, A&E, Game Show Network, SciFi, MTV, Court TV for example) really moved away from the original premise of the channel. I wish there was a la carte cable, where you can pick and choose which channels you want. I went all the way down to Basic with my cable, because I haven't the $$$ to waste on a bunch of channels I'm not even watching.

 

[Artemis@BC]

I think TLC has strayed the furthest from their original mandate. All the other cable basic channels still have some nuggets of decent programming, but I can't believe they can still call themselves the Learning channel.

 

[lulu]

I think TLC has strayed the furthest from their original mandate. All the other cable basic channels still have some nuggets of decent programming, but I can't believe they can still call themselves the Learning channel.

What, you mean "Honey Boo Boo Child" isn't high quality t.v.? I watched the Duggar franchise for snarking purposes a few seasons ago, but even that has gotten boring and repetative.

 

[Latte]

I watch a lot of PBS.
I even started watching Opera this year.
I watch Masterpiece(of course), History Detectives, a lot of musical specials, nature, Great Americans, sometimes POV or Frontline, depending on what the story is.
Oh, I am going blank righ now, but, I do watch a lot of others also.

 

[Jasmar]

Masterpiece, for sure. There's also a British sitcom about a family with three kids (NOT "My Family" - cant stand that dreck) that's really funny. I wish I could remember the name. It looked like it was going to be really stupid, but I think I was sick that day so I watched anyway, and it turned out to be really good.

 

[PDilemma]

Masterpiece, for sure. There's also a British sitcom about a family with three kids (NOT "My Family" - cant stand that dreck) that's really funny. I wish I could remember the name. It looked like it was going to be really stupid, but I think I was sick that day so I watched anyway, and it turned out to be really good.

Outnumbered.

It is good.

I just (finally) watched the first two episodes of Downton Abbey season one on DVD. I am really going to need to catch up completely before the new season starts!

 

[Artistic Skaters]

I watch PBS almost every day. I like the documentaries the best, especially Ken Burns, American Masters, POV & the nostalgic sometimes off-beat Rick Sebak films.