Who Does a Midwife Call?

By Misty Harris

I know we are all excited about the return of “Mr. Selfridge” this weekend but there's another program coming back for a new season. “Call the Midwife” Season 3 premieres Sunday evening at 8 p.m. on WNED-TV. It's the end of the 50s and the Christmas special left us wondering what was next for the ladies of Nonnatus House. Of course, babies are being born but this season gets a little more personal with the characters. What happens to Nonnatus House? What's to come of Jenny's new blooming relationship? Do you think she wants a baby of her own? What about Chummy? How will she handle motherhood? Sister Bernadette gave up the cloth for marriage. How do you think this will impact her new life? These are all questions that will be answered as this season develops. So who does a Midwife call when she's "expecting" change in her life? Find out beginning Sunday at 8 p.m. on WNED-TV.

“Mr. Selfridge” Returns!

By Annmarie Dean


It’s almost time! “Time for what,” you might be asking. Time for the second season of “Masterpiece Classic: Mr. Selfridge.” This show is one of my absolute favorites! The plot is so good, the characters are brilliant and the costumes are beautiful. The show centers around one of the finest department stores in the world: Selfridges & Co. American retail tycoon, Harry Gordon Selfridge and his family find themselves in London in 1909. Jeremy Piven stars as the flamboyant entrepreneur and showman seeking to provide London's shoppers with the ultimate merchandise and the ultimate thrill. 


Warning: season one spoilers ahead!
 

Downton Abbey Recap: Did He or Didn't He?

By Misty Harris

Spoiler alert! If you have not seen the entire season or season finale do not read!

It's that time of the year us Downton lovers hate. The season finale. I'm bummed. It went so fast! I'm ready for the new season (Has production started yet? Hurry up already!).

If there's anything that stood out the most was the storyline between Mr. Bates and Anna. The season hit us with a ton of bricks when Anna endured the horrible attack. The aftermath lasted all season and we were left with the burning question of did Bates retaliate or was it indeed an accident that killed Mr. Green? I think it's safe to say we are all "Team Bates" and this issue has been discarded of hopefully not to return in the next season.

Black History Month on ThinkBright & WNED-TV

February is Black History Month. Join WNED-TV and ThinkBright & Well in celebrating with the following programming! Here's a list of documentaries currently scheduled on ThinkBright. Please visit our new WNED-TV website to find dates and times for programming listed under WNED-TV.

Return to Downton...Did We Ever Leave?

By Misty Harris

It's the most wonderful time of the year! You know what I'm speaking of. The period of the year we all have been waiting for...The new season of Downton Abbey! So let the countdown begin. We are little more than a month away from the new season. If you're like me, you've seen enough of the previews to know season four is going to be major!

So let's re-cap. (Warning if you have not watched the previous season(s) this blog is not for you... turn back now).

Top 10 Fun Facts about Barbra Streisand

By Steve Karosik

We’re all excited for Barbra Streisand’s new concert special “Back To Brooklyn” which airs on WNED-TV on Friday, Nov. 29 at 9 p.m. In honor of that, here are some fun facts that you may not know about the singer.

Remembering a President

By Ron Santora, VP, TV broadcasting and station manager

I was a just entering my teenage years when I heard our new president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy say “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”  Those words have stuck with me all my life.  In fact, those words probably had more influence in my choosing a career in public broadcasting than any other.  But possibly the tipping point for me as it relates to that phrase uttered by JFK on his inauguration day was Friday, November 22, 1963. 

‘Latino Americans’ Debuts Tonight on WNED-TV

 

Produced by WETA Washington and narrated by Benjamin Bratt, this unique and enlightening new series “Latino Americans” is getting great early reviews the nation’s biggest publications; The Los Angeles Times calls it ‘a stirring history lesson’ and ‘a fascinating take on a diverse population’.

Twelve Years Later, One World Trade Center Triumphs Over Tragedy

By Steve Karosik

Begun by Silverstein Properties in April 2006 and taken over by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey¹, construction of the stunning new One World Trade Center tower is entering its home stretch, with construction expected to be completed early next year. For NYC natives and travelers worldwide alike, it’s uplifting to see the beautiful structure finally taking shape.

An Actor in Repertory Theatre

By Ric Reid, Shaw Festival ensemble member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An actor in “rep” is a busy one. We rehearse two shows, often simultaneously, along with additional understudy responsibilities. The rehearsal period is, consequently, a longer duration of time but usually contains the same amount of rehearsal hours as would be allotted in the usual single show rehearsal period. However, there is a great advantage to this rep schedule. Although the hours of rehearsal are the same, the time to question, argue, invent, and have “pennies drop” is spread over a length of time which allows a much greater gestation period. This is a wonderful thing. The disadvantage is that we lose track of day and night, days of the week, and family. Only last week my six year old – sorry eight year old, Kevin – pardon Kalan – said that he wanted proof of paternity.

Bob Ross Lives On

By Kaitlyn Affuso

Bob Ross appeared on PBS’ “The Joy of Painting” for more than forty years, and within that television series, inspired viewers to paint and instructed them how to do so the “Bob Ross Way” in 30-minute TV shows. In addition, Ross wrote books and filmed video, which is where he made much of his income from, having used his paintings as donations to PBS studio stations.

Although Ross passed away just a year after the show stopped producing new shows in May 1995, PBS and YouTube still hold reruns of the TV series (watch a Bob Ross Remix of “Happy Little Clouds” here).

As one who had great pride in his passion for art and nature, Ross, although gone, still lives on, encouraging all to embrace the art of nature.

The Comforting Words of Mister Rogers

By Kaitlyn Affuso

Mister Rogers is one of many shows that children engage in, making the lessons taught and the details in the programming crucial. There will always be the worry that a certain character from a cartoon has an impact on a conflicting factor in today’s society. However, Mr. Rogers is one that is hard to really find a flaw in.

To remind readers of Fred Rogers’ great advice pertaining to love, friendship and life itself, five quotes from Rogers have been chosen and posted below.

The Season in Review

By Misty Harris

Now that summer is here our favorite PBS shows are taking a well deserved break.  What did you think of the season? Any new shows appealed to you? What are you hooked on? I enjoyed the second season of Call the Midwife. I think the cast is adorable and it’s great to see a group of women work as a team instead of the common -placed cat fighting, backstabbing, revenge themed story line that is typical of the prime-time TV line-up.  The newbie Mr. Selfridge has my vote for best new series. I’m a fan of Jeremy Piven and I think he brought some spunk to the character. I’m excited to see what the next season has in store! What about the local productions?

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

By Annmarie Dean / Artwork by Steve Karosik

One thing that’s a dead giveaway that summertime has finally arrived is ice cream!  Whether you are a hard ice cream fan or a frozen custard aficionado, it’s safe to say that everyone has their go-to cone that they can’t wait to order once the weather breaks.  We had a little fun with PBS, NPR and WNED|WBFO inspired ice cream flavors.  Thank you to the staff for their awesome submissions!

This Summer Music Is In the Air

By Steve Karosik

Music fans in Buffalo and Toronto have plenty to be happy about this summer, between free outdoor concerts in both cities, and awesome music programs playing on WNED-TV.

Digital content gems from NPR & PBS

By Steve Karosik

Our content providers such as NPR & PBS give you plenty of entertainment and information on the radio and television airwaves, but here’s some great resources on their websites and mobile apps that you may not know about:

What Was He Thinking?

By Misty Harris

Until this very day, my mother can recite the verse from Shakespeare's Macbeth she was assigned to Hamlet, one of his most famous soliloquies. But what else do you remember? For me "Out, Out Damned Spot" (Macbeth) and "Romeo Romeo wherefore art Thou Romeo?" (Romeo & Juliet) remain prevalent in my memory as well. Every year in high school, the English department required us to tackle Shakespeare beginning with the "star-crossed lovers" Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth sophomore year, Hamlet in junior year and I think Julius Caesar, the Tempest or Othello senior year. They were for me at the time very difficult to get through, not because I didn't enjoy them, but because we were required to decipher what Shakespeare meant when he wrote these plays. Our task was to find the hidden meaning behind his soliloquies, dissecting his plays (which kind of took the fun out of reading them) and memorize in front of her high school English class. I'm embarrassed to say I cannot remember mine. Yes, we all remember  "To Be or Not To Be, That is the Question."

A Shopper's Paradise

By Misty Harris

I was in my early teens when I first visited Macy's Department store on 34th Street. At the time, I really was not all that interested in fashion (actually, I was checking out of my tomboy phase). My family had rode the PATH train from Jersey City, NJ into New York and that's when I fell in love. I had never seen a department store that big, spanning an entire block or more. Every year, I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and dreamed of seeing it person. It was great. It took hours for me and my sisters to browse every floor in search of our one special thing we were able to get. I remember what I chose, red and black cowboy boots (sadly those boots are nowhere to be found). We were all so excited to carry the Macy's bag back home. Later on in my early twenties while interning at Seventeen Magazine, I frequently did events at Macy's where I was able to go behind the scenes and onto administration floors and that was (at the time) just as exciting as the public floors. The windows are always amazing, especially at Christmas time. While I don't go in as often as I used to, I still love to gaze at the building (particularly when I'm headed to Penn Station in the wee hours of the morning catching the Amtrak home) remembering how wonderful it felt as a young girl to fulfill a dream of visiting an American treasure.

Movers, Shakers & Makers

By Misty Harris

Remember the phrase "You've Come Along Way Baby" (used of course to market a certain item)? Well, it definitely applies to the women in the new PBS series Makers: Women Who Make America. The program focuses on important and memorable moments in American history that were shaped and/or changed by women. Women like Gloria Steinem, Oprah Winfrey,  Faith Ringgold, Hillary Clinton and others who we will never forget. They faced and shut down scrutiny, prejudice, sexism and countless other hardships only to rise to the top and pave a way for women in generations to come!

Down(ton)

By Misty Harris

Spoiler Alert!!

So just when you were finally able to take the look of shock off of your face from witnessing the death of the beloved Lady Sybil, the shock returns with the finale of Season III of Downton Abbey!