Posted on: Tuesday, July 10, 2001

PBS focusing on Rome, icebergs, welfare

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Even in the summertime, PBS programming manages to span the globe as well as centuries.

Now comes a prime example.

From July 22 through July 26, PBS will air shows that range from Rome's grandeur to New York's gritty welfare system. It catches icebergs in Antarctica, matriarchs in England and what may have been Jesus' tomb in Jerusalem.

Think of it as typical PBS with few reruns and much ambition.

If there's an overall trend it is this: PBS often breaks the male monopoly in nonfiction television.

"That's one of the difficult parts about doing history," says Margaret Koval, one of the producers of "The Roman Empire in the First Century," an epic four-part series whose third and fourth parts air in most markets July 25 (all dates are tentative for Hawai'i). The first two parts aired earlier this month. "So many of the women's words have been lost," she says.

In this third segment we see the tale of Agrippina the Younger, whose memoirs were destroyed. She had a shell-shock effect on the Roman Empire.

This week's chapter starts with the depraved Caligula dead and the unassuming Claudius taking over as emperor.

"He had flaws as emperor, but he overcame so many obstacles," says Lyn Goldfarb, who produced the series with Koval.

Walking with a limp and talking with a stutter, Claudius faced low expectations. He emerged as a strong and sometimes humane leader — and then was outwitted by his niece, Agrippina. She maneuvered to marry her uncle (Claudius) and to have him declare Nero (her son from a previous marriage) his heir. Then she murdered Claudius and tried to become the power behind Nero.

In the years that followed, Rome was nearly ruined, but recovered after two military takeovers.

This is a sprawling story, which "Roman Empire" tells with epic pictures and human details. And it's just one piece of PBS' far-flung week.

There is science. That ranges from Antarctica icebergs on "Nature: Antarctica: The End of the Earth," July 22, to Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre in "Secrets of the Dead: Tomb of Christ," July 24, where modern techniques are used to study what is said to be the site of Jesus' burial.

There are young Americans in "American High," airing July 25. This series follows one high school class.

And there are Englishwomen, via two reruns. "Masterpiece Theatre" (July 22) has "Mrs. Brown," with Judi Dench as the widowed Queen Victoria. "Mystery: Hetty Wainthropp Investigates" (July 26) has Wainthropp solving a crime wave involving restaurant owners from India.

Perhaps the week's most gripping hour is "Take It From Me," in the "P.O.V." series (July 24), an involving study of four women on welfare.