Scully is hosting the venerable PBS series Masterpiece Theatre? Someone call Mulder; there has to be paranormal activity at work here. Gillian Anderson has signed on as one of the new hosts for the upcoming season of the newly revamped PBS mainstay. Yes, I said one of the new hosts, because the popular series will now be served three ways: Masterpiece Classic, Masterpiece Mystery! and Masterpiece Contemporary. Gillian will host Masterpiece Classic, which will feature period pieces and run January to May. The other flavors will run summer and fall, respectively. Those hosts will be announced next year.

At first glance, Gillian’s new gig might elicit a “bahwah?” But when given a couple seconds to sink in, it actually makes perfect sense. Gillian is no stranger to the Masterpiece audience. In January 2006, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Lady Dedlock in the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Bleak House. … continue reading

Fresh from Planet Lexicon, there's a new superhero on the scene whose mission is to fight for justice and build your vocabulary. The Amazing Colossal Adventures of WordGirl debuted on PBS last year as a series of shorts within the PBS cartoon Maya and Miguel. It was enough of a hit to trigger a full development deal. A preview episode aired on Labor Day, and the show launches on Friday, Sept. 7.

WordGirl (aka fifth grader Betsy Botsford, when she's not fighting crime and poor word usage) is the newest superhero in PBS's battle against insufficient language development. With the help (or as she might say, "assistance") of her monkey sidekick, Captain Huggy Face, WordGirl uses her superpowers (super-strength, hearing, ability to fly at the speed of sound ... the usual) to overpower villains. But first she uses her super vocabulary (she knows all of the words in the dictionary, plus some hieroglyphics) to distract or confuse them.

For example, when WordGirl faces her archenemy the Butcher in the pilot, she distracts him by explaining that the free barbecue he provides to lure customers and security away from banks and jewelry stores is just a diversion. The dim-witted Butcher doesn't get (or "comprehend") it. But repeated and varied explanations teach the word "diversion" to the audience. (Eventually, she defeats the Butcher by luring him to a vegetarian restaurant. The patrons are not tempted by the free barbecue, and Captain Huggy Face is able to overpower the Butcher with tofu. And the audience learns what "vegetarian" means.)

Can I just stop to exclaim how great this is? … continue reading