Unforgotten TV show

This solemn cop is a funny guy (really)

Americans are used to seeing Sanjeev Bhaskar draped in angst and agony.
He plays an earnest cop in “Unforgotten” (shown here) which starts its sixth season at 10 p.m. Sunday (Aug. 24) on PBS. Dealing with years-ago murders, it’s a smart show that feels the pain of friends, family, suspects and cops.
So this is a surprise: Bhaskar is a fun and funny guy. He’s done lots of comedies, met lots of Beatles. He once had the No. 1 song in England … a fact that he apologized for. Also, he married his fictional grandmother.
And he’s definitely surprised to be in a dead-serious show. “I thought, ‘Who’s going to cast me as a detective?'” Bhaskar said by Zoom. “I wouldn’t cast me as a detective.” Read more…

Even during strike, PBS and others deliver drama

Facing the bleak prospect of an unscripted TV season, viewers have some solace:
Yes, there are still some other countries in the world. Many of them speak English, just like we do (or even better). And yes, especially, there’s PBS.
The latest news is the fall line-up of “Masterpiece” mysteries, which fill PBS’ Sundays. It will include the second seasons of “World on Fire” (shown here in the first season) and “Annika,” the third of “Van der Valk” and the fifth of “Unforgotten.” If the past is any hint, these will be smart and involving, if a tad drab. Read more…