Things That Go Bump Just Outside Of Athens (And Less Frightful 2023 GPB Holiday Programming Guide Fare)

A funny thing happened to Chris Greer as he was doing his usual Oconee County tourism videos.

He was asked to do something that just might be scary.

The director of the Welcome Center called the producer and co-host of the GPB Original series, View Finders, and shared that she had the Ghosts of Georgia paranormal investigators coming to The Eagle Tavern. Did he want to tag along?

Built around 1801 in downtown Watkinsville  - less than 10 miles from Athens - the landmark has been a tavern, a stagecoach stop, a general store, a gathering place, the site of many tragedies and with all of that, the source or many a story.

Many of which involving supposed hauntings. 

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Behind the scenes of "The Haunting of the Eagle Tavern"

Credit: Courtesy of Chris Greer, chrisgreerphotography.com

"So the first thing I'm thinking is, 'Yeah! OK, now how am I gonna film this?" recalls Greer, who two seasons into View Finders has already received an Emmy nomination, and is set to be distributed by American Public Television.

"It's going to be really dark," he continues. "Late at night. Lots of people electronic devices trying to pick up things. And you know, perhaps ghosts."

"So I just kind of showed up with an open mind - though I am usually pretty suspicious of things like that

"How can I put it? I don’t NOT believe in ghosts...And I did capture some weird things. it was certainly a very memorable night."

See for yourself from the safety of your own screen, tonight at 10 p.m. .

And while you're at it, just keep it on GPB, because The Haunting of the Eagle Tavern marks the start of a season of other new and returning holiday fare favorites.

Two hours before The Haunting, in fact, Antiques Roadshow is offering its own "Thrills & Chills" edition, including a MAD issue 8 complete "Frank N. Stein" story (8 p.m. Oct. 30 on GPB-TV).

From MAD magazine to the usual madcap behavior, period, in the Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean episode (9:30 p.m. Nov. 4 on GPB-TV) Mr. Bean blows through Christmas Eve playing with a Nativity scene at a department store and conducting a Christmas band at the town market. And it wouldn't be Christmas Day at his house if he didn't somehow end up with his head stuck inside the turkey.

That may be the one dilemma The Splendid Table's Francis Lam won't have an answer for, when his annual call-in advice show Turkey Confidential returns Thanksgiving Day (Noon, Nov. 23 on GPB Radio).

Tryptophan still kicking in? Then perhaps you too are Dreaming Of A Jewish Christmas (7 p.m. Dec. 15 on GPB-TV); a documentary about the Jewish songwriters who wrote "White Christmas," "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" and seemingly every other tune that triggers a taste for sugar cookies and canes.

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Mary Berry's Absolute Christmas Favourites

Your holiday education continues with Mary Berry offering her Absolute Christmas Favourites recipes (6: 30 p.m. Dec. 17 on GPB-TV) - sugar cookies not included - followed by the origin story of many of its traditions, courtesy of Lucy Worsley 12 Days of Tudor Christmas (7 p.m. Dec. 17 on GPB-TV).

Then,  A Christmas Carol: The Making of an Atlanta Tradition (7 p.m. Dec. 18 on GPB-TV). And the generous Mary Berry is back with two new instant favorites Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites: Christmas Day (7:30 p.m. Dec, 18 on GPB-TV) and Mary Berry’s Highland Christmas (9 p.m. Dec, 18 on GPB-TV).

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A Southern Celtic Christmas

While we're on the subject of beloved programming, A Southern Celtic Christmas (7 p.m. Dec. 19 on GPB-TV) makes its 13th consecutive appearance on GPB-TV this year. The following night we move from a production on an Emory University stage to the annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Concert (7 p.m. Dec. 20 on GPB-TV). Followed by a new Seasons of Light: Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir (8 p.m. Dec. 20 on GPB-TV) and The Savoy at Christmas (9:30 p.m. Dec. 20 on GPB-TV).

From famed hotel to beloved Atlanta department store, it's Rich's Remembered, again (7 p.m. Dec. 21 on GPB-TV) - courtesy of local broadcasting treasure Monica Pearson. And while we're showing our Atlanta appreciation, Fox Theatre: The Legend Lives On (7 p.m. Dec. 22 on GPB-TV) takes you inside the majestic edifice on Peachtree Street (of course).

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Rich's Remembered with Monica Pearson

Two evenings later we're back across the pond - specifically the West Midlands - Keeping Up Appearances | Christmas 1991 (7 p.m. Dec. 23 on GPB-TV). And fellow British sitcom Are You Being Served is offering up "Christmas Crackers" from 1975 (9 p.m. Dec. 23 on GPB-TV).

Keep the stake jokes. On Christmas Eve there's Call the Midwife Christmas Special Season 2023 (8 p.m. Dec. 25 on GPB-TV) and we couldn't close 2023 without Great Performances from Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2024 (8 p.m. Jan. 1 on GPB-TV).