This is a first: I'm actually going to recommend you watch Masterpiece Theater this evening. I'm sure their have been some great films shown on the long-running public television mainstay, but this is the first time I've actually thought to myself, 'you know, I should actually check that out.'

I'm talking about The Wind in the Willows, an adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic children's tale that centers on Mr. Toad, a creature with a proclivity for extravagance and crazy hobbies. The adaptation, which airs tonight on most PBS stations (you'll have to check your local listings), isn't an animated version, or even a live-action version with a lot of fancy special effects. Instead, the story relies on the actors' ability to inhabit their animal roles: Bob Hoskins as Badger, Matt Lucas (Little Britain) as Mr. Toad, Mark Gatiss (League of Gentlemen) as Ratty and Lee Ingleby (The Street, Spaced) as Mole. The movie was shot in Romania and directed by Rachel Talalay, whose directing credits include a slew of television series including The Dead Zone, What About Brian and Ally McBeal.

I'm guessing the live-action won't hold the attention of younger children, who would probably enjoy something closer to Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, but adults and older children who grew up with Grahame's book might appreciate it a bit more.

(S06E13) This episode, in which we learn how Maggie joined the Simpson clan, is one of my favorites. It manages to be both incredibly funny and incredibly touching, both signs of a great Simpsons episode. Let's jump in:

The plot in a nutshell is that Marge demands the family spend some quality time together, so they look at the family photo album. The kids notice there are no pictures of Maggie, so Homer tells them the story of how Marge's pregnancy changed the course of their lives. Homer starts off by telling his kids that he was at work at the nuclear power plant when a group of freelance terrorists took over, and he defeated each of them in hand to hand combat. Then Marge yells at him to tell the story correctly.

There were no "freelance terrorists," but Homer did terrorize Mr. Burns by quitting his job and riding away on a golf cart while he played Burns' head like a bongo. He also literally burns a bridge as he drives away ("That's for employing me for eight years!"). Homer figures now that he's out of debt he can finally do what he's always dreamed of: work at the bowling alley. Being a "pin monkey" is the highlight of Homer's life, and he doesn't want anything to change it. He even prays to God to freeze everything the way it is, and if He agrees, to "give me absolutely no sign." Leave it to Homer to find a loophole in prayer.