I love Downton Abbey. (Or at least I did until last night. I’m rather undecided going forward.) I love it for many of the reasons I love Mad Men. In addition to strong characters and the elements of love and betrayal and power and suspense that are part and parcel of good narrative, both shows are also period dramas set at particular times and places which aren’t just interesting in general but are experiencing great tumult and change and so help us understand not just something of where we came from but also who we are and where we are going. When we watch the debate over the women’s vote in Downton Abbey (or women’s pay in the...

Fred Rogers was a Presbyterian minister serving in the Pittsburgh area who was dissatisfied with television programming for children and decided to do something about it. His “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” ran for nearly 35 years, influencing a generation of children, including me. A week ago PBS released a remix of several scenes from his shows entitled “The Garden of Your Mind.” It’s already garnered more than 4 million views and seemed like a good pre-Father’s Day selection. The YouTube description closes with the invitation, “If you like this video, please support your local PBS station.”...