EVERYTHING NEW IS OLD AGAIN!
Celebrate 30 Years of The Woodwright's Shop with Roy Underhill on PBS.
So it begins, again: season 30 of The Woodwright’s Shop with Roy Underhill on PBS. The last three decades progressed in expected and unexpected ways. Things deemed cutting-edge technology 30 years ago now clutter thrift shops and landfills, but when it comes to truly cutting edge, The Woodwright’s Shop with Roy Underhill remains the sharpest tool in the box.
Instead of planned obsolescence, the skills, tools and techniques that revolutionized our world, and championed by the original Woodwright Roy Underhill, still work today and can still get you out of a bind when motors die, parts break or power stops. Using only vintage, muscle-powered tools, Roy shows how to make wonderful woodcraft while making a healthier planet and a healthier you! It’s historic, it’s green and it’s steampunk too! The Woodwright’s Shop with Roy Underhill returns, and no piece of wood is safe!
What a concept—and what a feat—a quirky and, really, quite improbable ongoing series about traditional woodcrafting. It was unusual then, and so it remains. If it initially seemed a risky venture, the talented, engaging and clever Roy Underhill quickly put minds at ease (and created some unease with bloody shots of various finger cuts, slices and bangs).
Imagine, 30 years of subversive woodworking on PBS. We doubt anyone involved in that first season conceived of a future some 390 shows later, but here we are, embarking on another season full of surprising simplicity and simple surprises, of marvelous ingenuity and ingenious marvels. Yes, the format is the same; the set is the same; and the originator/host/producer is the same.
So, what’s changed for this milestone, if not record-breaking, 30th season?
Not a thing.
The Woodwright’s Shop with Roy Underhill remains unchanged, and proudly so. It seems our forefathers (and mothers) knew what they were doing and did it well. See for yourself during the all-new 30th anniversary season of The Woodwright’s Shop with Roy Underhill (check local listings for times or contact your PBS station)!
In this 30th season, Roy goes all out to outdo all previous years with special guests, Popular Woodworking editor Chris Schwarz, and special explorations, including a daytrip to delve into Thomas Day’s work. Roy’s not yet off his rocker (although he does build one in a two-part episode) and he’s yet to come unhinged (although he forges a few), but plenty of unexpected turns await your discovery this season. From miters and molding to cases for cups and books, Roy makes the case that everything new is old again.
Contact: Rebekah Radisch, UNC-TV Publicity: 919-549-7177, rradisch@unctv.org
