PBS CELEBRATES THE BEST OF THE BRITISH WITH A MONTH OF SPECIALS Besides the wacky brilliance of Monty Python, PBS this February will broadcast a remarkable line-up of series and specials focused on Britain's contributions to the world stage. In a wide-ranging compilation of programs, viewers will get an inside look at how London's best and brightest touched our lives in so many ways. From an impressive staging of a Victorian novel to an examination of the devastating landscape of a war-torn London and an unprecedented look at British royalty inside Windsor Castle, February programming on PBS promises to enlighten as well as entertain. MASTERPIECE THEATRE's "Bleak House" begins with a two-hour episode airing on PBS Sunday, January 22, 2006, and continues Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET through February 26. "Bleak House" combines the skills of acclaimed writer Andrew Davies ("Pride & Prejudice," "Wives and Daughters") and a stellar cast that includes Gillian Anderson ("The X Files") and Charles Dance ("The Jewel in the Crown") as they turn their talents to the Dickens classic that many consider the ultimate depiction of Victorian London. Following the Dickensian saga of law and disorder, the fires of history burn fiercely in THE BLITZ: LONDON'S LONGEST NIGHT, airing on PBS Wednesday, February 15, 2006, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET. On the evening of December 29, 1940, the German Luftwaffe dropped tens of thousands of incendiary bombs on the heart of London, hoping to break the spirit of the British people and leave them begging for peace. As firemen and workers fought all night to control the burning, many risking their lives, Londoners fled to shelters, uncertain if their homes would survive the bombing. The following morning they emerged after a terrifying and sleepless night to face the smoking ruins of the city. Based on more than two years' research uncovering eyewitness accounts, this program transforms intimate true stories into emotional drama. The film innovatively mixes CGI and archival footage to create spectacular scenes that bring the awful night to life. The march through history continues to the present day in WINDSOR CASTLE: A ROYAL YEAR, airing on PBS Wednesdays, February 15-March 1, 2006, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET. For the better part of a millennium, Windsor Castle - the awesome fortress, family home, treasure chest and burial ground for the royal dynasty that took its name - has been at the heart of British history. But there is another side to the castle that tourists never see, the real Windsor - home, workplace, playground and paradise. For the first time, cameras chronicle a year in the life of the world's largest inhabited castle. The series provides a historic portrait of this grand landmark, where crown and community live and work side by side. Embodying the lighter side of British culture, MONTY PYTHON'S PERSONAL BEST, six new one-hour programs, each focusing on one member of the original Monty Python troupe - Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin - showcase favorite clips from the group's television series and movies, mixed with new footage. Airing on PBS on Wednesdays, beginning February 22, 2006, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET, the five living Pythons - Cleese, Idle, Gilliam, Palin and Jones - each produce and write their own episodes, with the five collaborating on a sixth special to honor deceased member Chapman. And finally, Sir Paul McCartney returns to Studio 2 at London's Abbey Road studios, where most of the Beatles' recordings were made, for an intimate journey through his songwriting history in GREAT PERFORMANCES "Paul McCartney: Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road," airing on PBS on Monday, February 27, 2006, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET. Using a selection of vintage instruments from his own collection - including the bass played by Bill Black on Elvis Presley's original recording of "Heartbreak Hotel," and the Mellotron and mixing desk used by the Beatles - Sir Paul re-visits his back catalog in new and revealing ways in front of an intimate studio audience. McCartney re-interprets old songs, reveals new ones and enlists the audience's help in a demonstration of "in the moment" songwriting and arranging. Songs performed in the special include "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Band on the Run" and "Lady Madonna." Take a trip across the pond and see the highlights of British sensibility and sense of humor this February, only on PBS.
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