What are some of your favorite LOCAL PBS Shows and documentaries? (movie, films)

[Coney]

I am an avid watcher of PBS programs. If you watch PBS, then you know that many of the local stations create and fund local programs about the local area. Thanks to the internet, I can go on their website and watch some of them which are not available on my PBS stations. For example, I watched all of the episodes of Colorado Experience on a CO PBS station website Colorado Experience | Watch Online | PBS Video, a great documentary produced by the Nashville PBS station about the Civil War and the battle of Nashville and one of the most interesting stories from the station in Pittsburgh WQED Multimedia: Portraits for the Homefront: The Story of Elizabeth Black.

My own PBS stations have a series about films made by local film makers, a recent documentary about Italian-Americans in the NY/NJ area, usually a local program related to the latest Ken Burns films, such as documentaries about WWII vets from our area and their stories, a program about local landmarks, and a weekly program about cultural events in my area. Wondering if anyone would like to share some special PBS program airing on their PBS station's website for all to enjoy.

[nancy thereader]

My son actually worked on one of those . He does computer graphics & it was the one about Henry Hudson's voyage to the New World and his discovery of the Hudson River.

[dj10]

I love the PBS programs. I never really watched it until I discovered the Masterpiece Classics. I have been watching the dvds and trying to get up to date on those that are still being shown. So far I have watched Downton Abbey, Mr Selfridge and Call The Midwife. I am about to start watching Upstairs, Downstairs. I really enjoyed watching all of them.

As far as documentaries go one that I found very interesting was "Surviving The Dustbowl".

Your post makes me want to do some research and see what others I have missed especially if I can find any about my local area.

PBS does a wonderful job with their programming. I really should start donating to them because they have given me many hours of enjoyment watching the Classics and the documentaries have taught me things I never knew.

[don6170]

I like this one
A Chef's Life | Shows | PBS Food

[Gandalara]

Local?

I'll watch California Gold with Huell Howser. Occasionally.
After about 30 minutes, his voice and over-the-top enthusiasm gets to me.

[Coney]

Originally Posted by Gandalara

Local?

I'll watch California Gold with Huell Howser. Occasionally.
After about 30 minutes, his voice and over-the-top enthusiasm gets to me.

Thank you so much. I didn't know about these programs.

Many programs are aired nationally, although it is up to the individual station to decide to put them on their schedule. But there are others that are only made and broadcast locally, yet they may interest other people. For example, from the Colorado Experience, I learned about the Sands Creek Massacre, something I did not know anything about, which really should have been included in my social studies curriculum when I went to school, along with The Trail of Tears and Battle of Little Big Horn.

I've watched some interesting shorts, features, and documentaries here:

Long Island Screening Room | Watch Online | WLIW21 Video
It's sort of a potporrui of artsy stuff/ local stuff/interviews

And
Treasures of New York | Watch | THIRTEEN - New York Public Media

[nightbird47]

There's a locally produced show called Back in Time on OETA, the Oklahoma station which I enjoy very much. Often its about how local areas developed, and the diverse elements which are to many a surprise. One of the most interesting was the show about the first lunch counter boycott over segrigation and not serving non whites. It occured in an Oklahoma town. A group of local citizens decided to break the policy, and they did, actually before the same tactic was used in other states. Martin Luther King came to support them before he was known and many of his techniques were learned from there.

It was fascinating and a bit of largely unknown history.

I love OETA. It has more viewers than any other pbs station in the country. It has had other locally themed shows about the space program and the race to the moon, and the states largely unknown part it played in things.

I'm actually a supporter of the station.

[LillyLillyLilly]

There used to be a home show that I watched. A couple of goofballs fixing problems at people's homes.

Now all I know of are a couple of wilderness type shows. They take you down the Snake river or up into the mountains. Not interested in those. Oh there's a political show too, interviewing local politicians and discussing Idaho issues.

[Blinx]

I finally caught on to Manor of Speaking -- a 30 min. discussion of Downtown Abbey each week, out of a Houston station. (I watched it on a Philly or NJ PBS station). I thought it was great -- the panel was speculating on what might happen next, which characters they like best/least...

Looks Like Laury, Talks Like Laury was a powerful documentary about a vibrant woman in her 40s who became debilitated by a type of dementia. Haunting and deeply sad.

Eisenhower's Secret War originally aired a few years ago, but I just saw it for the first time. Very good interviews with key players, including Nixon, who was interviewed years after his resignation.

POV aired My Brooklyn, an eyeopener about the gentrification of the once thriving Fulton Mall (an outdoor shopping district) in Brooklyn. They paired it with one about DC.

[Tallysmom]

Anything with Rick Sebak. He's from Pittsburgh, he's unabashedly in love with Pittsburgh, and history, and has a sense of wonder and fun.

He can make the most unsavory thing cool -- check out the Cemetery Special. It's amazing.