Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

See how the community of Tulsa is coming to terms with its past, present and future on the 100th anniversary of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Don’t miss TULSA: THE FIRE AND THE FORGOTTEN – tonight at 9 on PBS NC.

The Charlotte Observer discusses the North Carolina connection to Ken Burns’ series on Ernest Hemingway.

It’s the backdrop to the world’s most successful costume drama but behind the doors of this fairy tale castle still lives a real Lord and Lady. Uncover THE SECRETS OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE – Tuesday night at 10pm on the Explorer Channel.

Hey, It’s Photo Friday!

CENTERPIECE is our monthly programming magazine. It’s been sent out to viewers since the early 1980s and contains listings, articles and other information that those who turn on PBS NC might find useful. What you see below is a small trifold signup for CENTERPIECE. Generally speaking, CENTERPIECE was sent out to contributors but sometimes we’d get people interested by giving them a few sample issues. You might have filled out a form like this at our state fair booth or some other community event where the station was represented.

Below is the other side where you can better see how it folded and could be mailed right to the UNC Center for Public Television.

Sounds Familiar

“Hi, Alan. One bird seed milkshake, the way you always make it.” – Big Bird (Caroll Spinney), ordering his usual at Hooper’s store, SESAME STREET

Wednesday Trivia Question

What US state has been visited the most by ANTIQUES ROADSHOW?

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW debuted on PBS in 1997. It was adapted from the hit BBC series and became a juggernaut for public television here in the States. In 25 seasons of appraisals, the show has visited 45 states plus the District of Columbia and Ontario. Many states have been visited more than once. North Carolina, our home state, has welcomed the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW crew three times.

But which US state has the distinction of being visited by AR the most number of times? I am including multiple visits to the same city in the total so if the Roadshow had been to NC five times – one stop each in Durham, Wilmington and Raleigh but twice in Charlotte – that’s still a total of five.

Where Do I Know That Actor?

A star cricketer is killed and DCI Barnaby is on the case – a case complicated by the return of a familiar face. Such was the set up for “Last Man Out” on this week’s MIDSOMER MURDERS. There were also a few guest stars that may have had you wondering, “Where do I know that actor?” Let’s meet them…

John Bird played council member St. John Beachwood. Going back a ways, he was Mr. Carmichael in the WonderWorks presentation of A Little Princess and Bryan Brynford-Jones in To Play The King on Masterpiece Theatre.

Joe Dixon was C10 organizer Elliot Luthando. He’s been seen recently as Ramos in Atlantis.

Susan Jameson was Germaine Troughton. Longtime Masterpiece fans may remember her as Christine Forster in To Serve Them All My Days.

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

Hear the incredible story of Cambodian businessman Ted Ngoy, who built a multi-million-dollar fried pastry empire. Relive the rise and fall of THE DONUT KING on INDEPENDENT LENS – tonight at 10 on PBS NC.

LeVar Burton (Reading Rainbow) is launching a new book club. If anyone should, it’s him.

Explore the story of a group of former slaves who battled prejudice and oppression to sing their way into a nation’s heart. Discover the legacy of the JUBILEE SINGERS: SACRIFICE AND GLORY on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE – Tuesday at 10pm on the North Carolina Channel.

Hey, It’s Photo Friday!

I’ve mentioned before that many of the neat little souvenirs I come present here are created to promote public television programs. They might be given away at a PBS conference as swag or sent out to station personnel in hopes of persuading them pick their series to broadcast. Whether it works or not, it’s always interesting to see what they come up with and how they tie it into their particular show. These two oven mitts were obviously produced to publicize cooking series, which seems like a pretty apt idea. And I do know that PBS NC has aired both programs in the past. Sometimes it’s a good thing just to get your name out there.

Sounds Familiar

“We thought this case was about money or anger or revenge, but it was about something much more dangerous… love.” – DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), MIDSOMER MURDERS

Wednesday Trivia Question

The agents of ODD SQUAD all have names that begin with what letter of the alphabet?

ODD SQUAD is a Canadian-American live action children’s educational series that premiered in 2014. Airing on PBS Kids in the US, ODD SQUAD follows the adventures of a investigative group devoted to solving strange happenings using reason and math. The series, a general satire of police procedurals and spy fiction, uses child actors in main roles as agents for the titular squad. These agents often combat villains with unusual powers or motives, such as Puppetmaster who turns people into puppets or Noisemaker who wants to fill the world with odd noises.

Where Do I Know That Actor?

The Bleakridge Watch patrols the streets of their remote village, exposing anyone who steps outside the law, even just a wee a bit. But when one of their members dies, Barnaby discovers just how far some people will go for power. That was the plot of this week’s MIDSOMER MURDERS – Crime And Punishment – a mystery with a sextet of guest stars. Who were they? Let’s meet them…

Frances Barber played Bleakridge Watch leader Ingrid Lockston. The veteran actress has guested on many shows in her 40plus-year career (Red Dwarf, Inspector Morse, Chef!, Father Brown, among others) but she has been seen in more substantial roles over the decades. She played Dagmara in Reilly: Ace Of Spies, Princess Catherine Radziwill in Rhodes, Agrippina in Warrior Queen, Mrs. Brandley in Great Expectations and Goneril in a Great Performances presentation of King Lear (the one starring Ian McKellen in the title role). She’s also one of the happy few who have appeared in multiple roles on Midsomer Murders, having portrayed Constance Fielding in the series 13 episode Master Class.