By far the most controversial aspect surrounding the Julia Child biodoc is its production company (CNN, not PBS). One guesses PBS shied away based solely on filmmakers Julie Cohen and Betsy West’s assertion that ageists at the top were poised to put out to pasture the world’s most beloved and respected chef, whose weekly cooking show helped to put the “educational” channel on the map. She quit before they had the chance, taking her recipes up the street to ABC’s Good Morning America where wealth and fame ballooned beyond her wildest dreams. What was the secret to her success? A throat coated with maple syrup couldn’t have produced sweeter, more eloquent (and overimitated) tones. (Dan Aykroyd’s SNL bloodletting is given its due, but what about John Candy’s uncanny parody in SCTV’s Battle of the PBS Stars?) More importantly, Child, who began her rise to power at the dawn of convenience food, encouraged viewers to create gourmet dishes with items found at the local supermarket. And one has to laugh upon learning that Child’s most famous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking was never translated into French. (2021) — Scott Marks