Did You Miss Me?
Those of you who haven't been hooked by the compelling, charming and highly-stylized "Sherlock" (a co-production of the BBC and PBS's "Masterpiece" label) need to delve into this modern take on the popular Arthur Conan Doyle character.
Tonight marks the debut episode of the show's fourth season (each season includes three ~90-minute episodes), and the only taste of "Sherlock" fans have had since the third season finale in 2014 was last year's holiday special "The Abominable Bride."
The show has catapulted the careers of Benedict Cumberbatch (playing the titular character) and Martin Freeman (who tags along as John Watson). Due to scheduling conflicts with the in-demand actors, fans have been left hanging for three years waiting to get answers to the season three cliffhanger.
I own the first three seasons of "Sherlock" -- as well as "The Abominable Bride" -- on Blu-Ray. The show is also available to stream on Netflix.
It is well worth your time, and stands as one of the smartest series on television.
What is PBS Passport?
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has seen something of a resurgence in recent years with well-received dramatic series like the aforementioned "Sherlock" and the stylish period drama "Downton Abbey" -- co-productions with the BBC and ITV.
As a result, the broadcaster has improved overall ratings, and has delved into its own original scripted programming with new offerings like "Mercy Street" (a gritty Civil War drama focused on a war-time hospital).
Since PBS subsists on taxpayer funding -- and annual pledge drives -- they are now offering a new "hook" to get people to commit to making an annual donation.
"PBS Passport" is a new service being offered with a minimum pledge to your local PBS affiliate. Here in Nebraska, NET offers "Passport" starting with its "Sustaining Star" pledge level ($5 per month, or $60 annually).
"PBS Passport" gives you access to a variety of shows that otherwise would be "locked" on the PBS app (on devices like Apple TV and Roku, as well as various mobile devices) and the PBS website. They show a symbol like this in the upper left hand corner:
This allows members to access additional episodes, specials, and seasons of shows not normally available.
The other benefit it provides is that during current seasons of shows -- like the upcoming "Victoria" starring Jenna Coleman -- all episodes of the season will be available to stream on demand. Non-Passport members only get the two most recent episodes "unlocked" as the season airs.
(Note: The PBS app on Apple TV is one of my favorites. The wealth of free content is substantial and includes nationally broadcast programming, as well as original content from local PBS affilinates around the country.)
The benefit for "Passport" members is that all seasons of select shows like "Downton Abbey" are available to watch on demand.
I've been a fan of the app since I purchased my first Apple TV unit in 2013. I was impressed by the catalog of content offered -- in particular, the documentaries available -- and quickly found it to be one of my "mission critical" apps as a cord cutter.
Bridget and I have enjoyed series like "Downton Abbey," "Sherlock," "Poldark," and "Mr. Selfridge" on PBS's "Masterpiece," and the PBS app is handy to have when you aren't able to watch an episode live (new episodes generally show up the day after they air).
I also wanted to support the efforts of our local PBS affiliate (they do terrific broadcasts of local college and high school sports) and get "Passport" as an adjunct to the other streaming services we subscribe to on Apple TV.
Read my previous post: "Manchester By The Sea": Melancholy in Massachusetts
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