I've been watching the new "Woodsmith Shop" TV series on PBS and must say I've been really enjoying it (we get it on the New Hampshire PBS station here in the Boston area). As somebody who works in television, I'm very impressed with the production value and the guys on the show are pretty great on-camera. The practice they got doing the "podcasts" on the magazine's website seems to have greatly prepared them for TV.
I can't help but think it's shot a little too much like a cooking show, however. Multiple cameras that just cut back and forth. Nothing over-the-shoulder, so they don't always go tight into the work to show you a lot of detail like The New Yankee Workshop does.
All-in-all I'd say this show definitely has a place on TV. I do hope, however, that instead of just a "TV" version of Woodsmith magazine, that they make the program a bit more project-focused at some point. Otherwise, I think they risk losing viewers in the long run.
Call me crazy, but don't most woodworkers, even beginners, want to see a piece of furniture get built? I like that they focus on the techniques a little more in-depth, but they're not really showing me anything I haven't already seen a-thousand times in the 6 or 7 woodworking magazines I already subscribe to. Some of the jigs and fixtures they build are cool to see, however. They really excel in that department. In fact, many (if not all) of their jigs are prettier than much of the "furniture" that I build.
Jason
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