As We Like It

When I started this blog, I didn't realize that the bulk of the posts would be devoted to programming on BBC-America. Yet, here we go again.

Modernized Shakespeare is hardly a new concept — everything from "West Side Story" ("Romeo & Juliet) to Akira Kurasawa's masterpiece "Ran" ("King Lear") have been re-imagined Bard. (Of course, the single greatest re-invention remains the MacKenzie Brothers' "Strange Brew" for "Hamlet." Try arguing that one, hosers!)

Even if the idea isn't original, the presentation of "Shakespeare on TV" (BBC-America, Sunday, 7 p.m.) certainly has been, where the various Shakespearian plots are re-told in modern settings. First up was "As You Like It" set in the world of a TV morning news program, starring Damian Lewis ("Band of Brothers"). This past Sunday was "Macbeth" set in a restaurant, though I haven't had a chance to catch it yet on my VCR because The Telegraph insists I work the early Tuesday morning shift. Coming up this week is "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

The dialogue, costumes and settings are all modern, so if you had difficulty with Shakespeare in school, you won't have that problem here, and if you are in school studying it, these modernized takes may help you get the gist of it all a bit better.

TUESDAY'S BEST BET: Fox is re-running a two-parter on "House" from 8-10 p.m. One of the best shows on TV, the fact that Hugh Laurie was passed over for an Emmy nomination this year was complete idiocy and will be a key part of a lengthy posting here in the near future over what a joke most of the nominations were.