Series: New Television Workshop
Program: Mother's Little Network
Date: 1976-01-01
Subject: Comedy; Parodies; Fishing
Copyright Holder: WGBH Educational Foundation

Clip Description
Billing itself as "the only show on PBS with no English host," this one-of special comic program presents several short skits. Many of these rely on visual gags. A tortilla falls onto a record turntable. Four hard-boiled detectives narrating a story from the wheel of a car turn out to be driving the same car. A flaming cheeseburger crashes into a miniature set. A lucky fisherman literally has fish flying out of the air at him. "Bionic Bag Boy" runs through the aisles of the supermarket. In a Psycho-esque shower scene a woman is pelted with cream pies. A character reminiscent of "Taxi Driver's" Travis Bickle gives a cab ride to a group of disgruntled stuffed animals in a skit entitled "Taxi Dermist." In a segment evocative of Mr. Rodgers neighborhood, "Mr. Ernie" takes off his sweater and shoes, continuing to strip down to his boxer shorts. The Coasters provide musical entertainment in a guest spot. Their images are superimposed onto a set of coasters on a table laden with beer and popcorn. Produced by Fred Barzyk. Directed by Dick Bartlett.

Based on earlier experiments created at the Workshop by several of the artists, this work was intended to function as a pilot.

The "Television Workshop" created several shows that were broadcast on WGBH without being a part of a series sponsored specifically by the Workshop. Additionally, they were commissioned to create shows showcasing video art for national broadcast and created several shows in collaboration with existing series at other stations, such as WNET's "American Playhouse."

Program Description
Billing itself as "the only show on PBS with no English host," this one-of special comic program presents several short skits. Many of these rely on visual gags. A tortilla falls onto a record turntable. Four hard-boiled detectives narrating a story from the wheel of a car turn out to be driving the same car. A flaming cheeseburger crashes into a miniature set. A lucky fisherman literally has fish flying out of the air at him. "Bionic Bag Boy" runs through the aisles of the supermarket. In a Psycho-esque shower scene a woman is pelted with cream pies. A character reminiscent of "Taxi Driver's" Travis Bickle gives a cab ride to a group of disgruntled stuffed animals in a skit entitled "Taxi Dermist." In a segment evocative of Mr. Rodgers neighborhood, "Mr. Ernie" takes off his sweater and shoes, continuing to strip down to his boxer shorts. The Coasters provide musical entertainment in a guest spot. Their images are superimposed onto a set of coasters on a table laden with beer and popcorn. Produced by Fred Barzyk. Directed by Dick Bartlett.

Based on earlier experiments created at the Workshop by several of the artists, this work was intended to function as a pilot.

The "Television Workshop" created several shows that were broadcast on WGBH without being a part of a series sponsored specifically by the Workshop. Additionally, they were commissioned to create shows showcasing video art for national broadcast and created several shows in collaboration with existing series at other stations, such as WNET's "American Playhouse."

Series Description
The New Television Workshop originated at WGBH, a public broadcasting station in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1974 to support the creation and development of experimental video art. This experimental programming included dance, drama, music, performance and visual arts on video and film. As early as 1968, WGBH was committed to the development of video art through residency programs, with artists such as Nam June Paik, and the "Rockefeller Artists-in-Television" project. Many of these early works (pre-1974) were broadcast both locally and nationally.

As an umbrella for arts related programming, the Workshop included "Artist's Showcase, " "Frames of Reference, " "Dance for Camera, " "Poetry Breaks," and "New Television," as well as acquired arts programming. Individual works were created for "Visions," a series produced by WNET (New York), and "Alive From Off Center," a series produced by KTCA (St. Paul - Minneapolis). The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund was co-founded by the Workshop and Boston's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in the 1980's, to commission works by video artists. In 1993 the Workshop ceased production at WGBH.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/NTW/FA/TITLES/Mothers402.HTML