PBS

[JackFavell]

I am very excited to see the American Experience this week.... Tuesday to be exact, at least in our neck of the woods. The Poisoner's Handbook is the title of the episode, and looks like it could be quite interesting if they do it right. It's the story of Alexander Norris and Alexander Gettler, New York's first medical examiners. I am very happy, because I thought that it was going to be on the same night as R.O.'s interview.

[moira finnie]

One of our PBS channels has begun to air: Father Brown.

It is a mystery series with a priest being an amateur detective.

It is entertaining but I do not have hope that I will love it. The solution to the first mystery was based on an aspect of the guilty party's personality and I feel that that aspect was in no way brought to prominence prior to the revelation.

I found it to be more light-hearted than humorous.

Hi Masha--
I have watched this version of Father Brown twice now. I like the actor playing Brown, but I find it frustrating that they have taken the very thoughtful, original character created by G.K. Chesterton in 51 delightful and engaging stories written and set between 1911-1936 and thrown the stories away. Why it is set in a beautiful part of rural England in the '50s (Father Brown was very often in London and Paris) and why none of the stories have been adopted for the series is very puzzling for me. That being said, it's kind of fun and new PBS programming is certainly welcome. I hope it gets better as it goes along. If you are interested, you might enjoy these two versions of Father Brown, both of which capture a bit of the blend of spiritual values and a jaunty mystery that made the original so engaging. The first one stars Alec Guinness in a 1950s movie. The second features Kenneth More in a television version from the seventies.

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

[JackFavell]

Masha,

The Father Brown short stories are quite good, gently and humorously bringing up religious topics without losing their entertainment value. Is your station showing the ones with Kenneth More? I've never seen them but always wanted to see how he dealt with the character. I believe Derek Jacobi also played the role briefly, not sure...it might just be in my mind.

[JackFavell]

Oops. Moira, I swear your post was not there when I wrote about Kenneth More's version.

[JackFavell]

I remember one called Cadfael, if I'm not mistaken... Derek Jacobi starred in that one which is probably why I thought he was Father Brown for a moment.

[mrsl]

,
Those of you who have found insp (U-Verse # 564), may have seen ads for the series Lark Rise to Candleford. I highly recommend it for your Sunday fare, if you re not into football playoffs. I plan to watch the first couple of episodes since I never saw them on Channel 20, but I prefer to watch the PBS channels because there are no commercials, except during membership drives.

[JackFavell]

I think it might be called Brother Cadfael, if you have trouble finding it.

I've seen the title Lark Rise to Candleford, but never seen the show. What's it about?

[Jezebel38]

I've seen the title Lark Rise to Candleford, but never seen the show. What's it about?

From Wiki:
The series is set in the small Oxfordshire hamlet of Lark Rise and the wealthier neighbouring market town of Candleford towards the end of the 19th century. The series chronicles the daily lives of farm workers, craftsmen, and gentry, observing the characters in loving, boisterous, and competing communities of families, rivals, friends, and neighbours.
The narrative is seen through the eyes of a teenage girl, Laura Timmins (Olivia Hallinan), as she leaves Lark Rise to start a new life under the wing of her cousin, the independent and effervescent Dorcas Lane (Julia Sawalha), who is Post Mistress at the local Post Office in Candleford. Through these two characters, viewers experience the force of friendship as Laura and Dorcas see each other through the best and worst of times.

I found this to be an excellent series, similar in tone to CRANFORD. Highly recommended.

[JackFavell]

Ah, thanks Jez! I did like Cranford a lot, and I remember Julia Sawalha as Lydia in the Pride and Prejudice series. I'll look for it.

[mrsl]

,
The Father Brown series is starting up this weekend. I plan to watch it.

I was so glad to see the first episode of Lark Rise to Candleford, and know exactly what happened to bring Lara to Candleford. And I'll remind you that Brendan Coyle (Mr. Bates), plays Lara's father in this series although he left at the end of 2010, when he apparently got the role of Bates.
.

[knitwit45]

I was hooked to my local PBS station yesterday, first I did 'catch up' online with last week's Sherlock, then watched last week's Downton Abbey, the new episode (uh-oh!) and then on to Sherlock. I probably would have stopped there, but there was a really nice tie-in doc on the making of this week's Sherlock. Loved the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch's real parents played his parents in the show.

I was lazy enough to let the TV run, when 'Doc Martin' started...what a mistake. I have seen this one infrequently, always thought it a bit strange, but last night was, for me, offensive.

Nope, it wasn't the relationship of Aunt Joan and the painter (which tried to find humor in his 'mother' complex). That was pretty darn sick.

It was the horribly callused way Doc accidentally ran over and killed a very small, very sweet Yorkie, got out, very annoyed at the inconvenience, wrapped it up in a newspaper, then wandered around a party, carrying the poor little thing until he could locate the owner. UGH. This was supposed to be FUNNY???? I'm sure you can gather, I will NOT ever watch that one again.