By Rob Gonsalves, Special to the Neighb News
Do you have a Millicent Library card? If so, you can now sign up for Acorn TV. Once you’ve registered with your library barcode number, you’re free to browse Acorn’s selections. Best of all, if you have supported devices such as Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, or Chromecast, you can watch on your TV. (If not, you can also watch on your computer or Apple/Android mobile device.) You can find the link on the home page at https://millicentlibrary.org.
So what does Acorn offer? A mix of old and new British entertainment (TV series or films), with a smattering of content from other countries. Here are some standouts:
• Lovejoy I was happy to see this on Acorn (though they only have the first four of six seasons), because I’m a fan of this ’80s-’90s mystery show starring a pre-Deadwood Ian McShane as the eponymous antiques dealer who always seems to get embroiled in trouble. It’s good stuff, based on the long-running books by Jonathan Gash.
• Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears This feature-film spin-off of the popular Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries has been heavily hyped on social media lately. It’s an Acorn exclusive and, like the series, stars Essie Davis as the glamourous Aussie who packs a pistol and solves crimes during the ’20s. Acorn also offers all three seasons of the show if you need to start there, as well as Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, a spin-off featuring Miss Fisher’s “long-lost niece” investigating murders in the ’60s.
• Agatha Raisin M.C. Beaton’s enduring sleuth comes to life in three seasons of cozy mysteries, including an assortment of bonus and behind-the-scenes videos.
• Theatreland is an eight-episode series taking you behind the curtains of a West End theater production of Samuel Becket’s Waiting for Godot starring old friends Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart. The documentary series also covers the theatrical adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
• Witness for the Prosecution Kim Cattrall and Andra Riseborough headline this Acorn exclusive based on Agatha Christie’s short story. If you like this, Acorn’s also got ten episodes of The Agatha Christie Hour, eight installments of Poirot, three episodes (only three?) of Marple, and six episodes of Partners in Crime.
• If you’re feeling cooped up, Acorn has you covered there too, with travel or nature shows like Coastal Railways, Discovering Britain, Off the Beaten Track, and Walks with My Dog.
• Acorn also has a page letting us know what will be available for streaming soon. The Australian drama Seachange starts April 13, for instance, and there will also be additional installments of the French mystery Balthazar (season 2, April 20), Deadwater Fell (episode 2, April 13), Land Girls (season 2, April 20) and Vintage Roads (season 2, April 13).
• There’s also a “leaving soon” page telling you which stuff will no longer be streamable on Acorn, but it’s confusing and not well-updated. However, among the things you should watch soon if you’re interested: The Mystery of the Roman Skulls (leaving April 24), James May’s 20th Century (April 30), Mozart in London, Danger UXB, QI, Edward & Mrs. Simpson, The Flame Trees of Thika, Macbeth (with Ian McKellen and Judi Dench), and Alexander’s Lost World (all leaving May 5).
The Millicent Library may also be subscribing to the service Kanopy soon, and if so, we’ll keep you posted on what’s good on there. Until then, stay safe and we’ll see you on the other side of this.
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