May 2020 - WETA Magazine

M AY 2020 MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS

New WETA co-production chronicles the Asian American story in the United States through personal histories and individual lives

Monday-Tuesday, May 11 & 12 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS Tune in or stream on the free PBS Video App

WETA Is Serving the Community in a Time of Need News and public affairs on PBS NewsHour & Washington Week New educational content on-air and resources online High-quality programming to enrich and entertain

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WETA Is Here for You — Serving O ear WETA Members,

WETA is here for you and your family. With your support, we are working very actively on behalf of the community of Greater Washington and the nation in this extraordinary time.

Across our television, radio and digital services, WETA is creating and presenting outstanding content and a wide array of helpful special resources.

Our foremost mission is to keep the public informed amid the many uncertainties of life during this pandemic. The WETA journalists and staff who create our trusted productions PBS NewsHour and Washington Week remain hard at work — a few onsite in our Shirlington television studio, and many others remotely — bringing to a nationwide audience vital reports, updates and analysis.

Educational access is also paramount. With the disruption of classroom learning, WETA has taken important measures to support children of all ages as they learn at home. In collaborations with local public television stations, and with Virginia public media and state government, WETA is offering expanded enriching content on our WETA PBS and WETA PBS Kids television channels. We are committed to offering this special content and new program lineup as long as necessary to help keep children engaged with learning.

We have created a wealth of resources to support you as you shelter in place. I encourage you to visit weta.org to find assets such as public health information and news, educational opportunities, useful links, and much more.

WETA continues to deliver the exceptional television and radio content on which you rely.

Classical WETA features inspiring music that offers an important respite during this crisis, and our channels WETA PBS and WETA U.K. — and digital streams on the free PBS Video App and WETA Passport — offer you superb entertainment across many genres of programming.

Thank you for your ongoing support, which makes possible all of our many services to the public.

Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President & CEO, WETA

Stay Informed with WETA Rely on WETA news and public affairs productions to offer unparalleled, trusted reporting and insightful analysis for the nation to keep the public apprised of significant developments and vital information during this global crisis. Follow the latest news on WETA PBS: tune in to PBS NewsHour (and visit pbs.org/newshour); Washington Week (pbs.org/washingtonweek); and, for global perspective, WETA’s slate of BBC World News program offerings.

WETA PBS presents news starting at 6 p.m. each weekday evening, and a two-hour morning news block at 6 a.m., Mondays through Saturdays.

Find local resources Robert Costa, for Greater Washington Washington Week at weta.org related to the coronavirus, including links to each local jurisdiction’s health department — and national resources, such as links to guidance and updates from the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization, plus relevant news from PBS NewsHour and NPR. SCOTT SUCHMAN

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Find Trusted Educational Content WETA offers extraordinary educational resources for children, over the air and online. In WETA broadcasts, the WETA PBS Kids channel provides a safe haven for young viewers, featuring trusted content around the clock.

The WETA PBS channel offers an expanded children’s program lineup, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday mornings. WETA has entered into two important regional partnerships to serve children (see page 16 for details): Through the At-Home Learning initiative, WETA is collaborating with local public media organizations Maryland Public Television Find a wide array of educational resources at weta.org.

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ng Our Community and the Nation

Judy Woodruff, PBS NewsHour

WETA journalists and staff are serving the community of Greater Washington and the nation with vital news reports.

(MPT) and Howard University Television (WHUT) to serve the educational needs of students in grades pre-K through 12 who are learning from home due to the pandemic. WETA PBS, MPT and WHUT are coordinating television schedules to provide a combined 11-hour window of children’s offerings each weekday. Visit weta.org/AtHomeLearning for details and schedules.

WETA is also collaborating with the Virginia Department of Education and Virginia public television stations on the VA TV Classroom initiative — airing special teacher-led instructional content for children each weekday from 1 to 4 p.m. on the WETA PBS Kids channel. AP Prep classes are being offered the week of April 27.

Find instructive programming throughout WETA May broadcasts and streaming offerings, from Nature and NOVA to American Experience and WETA’s new Asian Americans documentary series. Airing as well are magnificent WETA history series such as The Roosevelts: An Intimate History and Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, from, respectively, WETA production partners Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

ta.org.

TONY POWELL

Seek Further Resources Online WETA is helping families, providing a wide array of engaging free online resources. Visit weta.org to find a “Stuck at Home Survival Guide” offering a wealth of information, from online education tips, reading suggestions, and links to virtual museum tours, to family movie suggestions, activities and much more. Linked to weta.org are WETA Learning Media websites such as Start with a Book and Reading Rockets and other educational content. Connect with WETA via Facebook at facebook.com/wetatvfm, where you can find locally produced WETA videos, plus WETA messages, trailers for upcoming programs, and more.

Enjoy High-Quality Programs Tune in to Classical WETA 90.9 on the dial or stream at classicalweta.org, and listen to Classical WETA’s allvocal channel VivaLaVoce online. Greater Washington’s exclusive classical music radio service provides calm in the storm, presenting beautiful music around the clock, every day. The station has provided “A Moment of Calm” several times each day, featuring tranquil music to ease stress; fun classical tunes for hand-washing; and video messages from announcers on social media.

WETA presents a stellar schedule of entertaining television programming on principal channel WETA PBS and on the WETA U.K. channel. Find a host of offerings, from Masterpiece and other dramas, to nature, science and history programs, to cooking shows, concerts, mysteries, independent films and much more. In locally focused programming on the air and online, view new content from series WETA Arts and WETA Around Town, in addition to the new WETA feature “Looking for the Helpers,” spotlighting local people working to aid neighbors in the community (visit weta.org/helpers).

WETA offers a trove of superb programming online via the free PBS Video App and WETA Passport to stream anytime, anywhere. For more information about digital streaming, and program suggestions, see page 4 and visit weta.org/pbsapp.

Stream your favorite programs — see page 4 for details.

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New WETA series airs Monday-Tuesday, May 11 & 12 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS and PBS stations nationwide, marking Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The production repeats May 13-15 at 3 p.m. Stream the film on the free PBS Video App.

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monumental new documentary series co-produced

by WETA — Asian Americans — premieres over two nights on WETA PBS and on PBS stations nationwide during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The program chronicles the Asian American experience in the United States to spotlight what the 2010 U.S. Census identifies as America’s fastest growing ethnic/racial group.

Nearly a decade in the making, the five-hour film presents stories exploring exclusion and empowerment, sacrifice and triumph, trauma and hope. The series showcases the significant role of Asian Americans in shaping the nation’s history and identity — from the wave of new Asian immigrants in the 1850s to identity politics during the social and cultural turmoil of the twentieth century to modern refugee crises in a globally connected world.

Led by a team of Asian American filmmakers, including Academy Award-nominated series producer Renee Tajima-Peña (Who Killed Vincent Chin?), the film features personal histories, examines individual lives and includes new academic research to cast a new lens on U.S. history and the role Asian Americans have

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played in it. Asian Americans is a production of WETA and the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) for PBS, in association with the Independent Television Service (ITVS), Flash Cuts and Tajima-Peña Productions.

The documentary follows other WETA productions that have explored the nation’s diverse history and cultural communities: The Jewish Americans, The Italian Americans and Peabody Award-winning Latino Americans.

Tracking the first Asian immigrants to the United States and their efforts to gain equality, Asian Americans brings insight into a generation whose loyalties were tested during World War II, and closely examines a new generation’s role in political and cultural issues in both the recent past and present. The series follows the stories of trailblazers, both prominent and forgotten, who had an impact on representation and what it means to be Asian American today. Interviewees in the film include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, activist Helen Zia, actor Randall Park, comedian Hari Kondabolu and academic expert Erika Lee. The documentary is narrated by actors Daniel Dae Kim and Tamlyn Tomita.

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Many Stories, Many Voices “These are American stories: stories of resilience in the face of racism, of overcoming challenges as refugees from war and strife, of making contributions in all sectors of society: business, technology, military service, and the arts,” said Stephen Gong, Executive Director of the Center for Asian American Media.

“People don’t quite think about Asian Americans as representing all of America, but I think that story in very surprising ways speaks to our entire experience here,” said filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña, a Japanese American whose family was incarcerated during World War II. “[Take], for example, Wong Kim Ark in the 1800s. He was born in San Francisco and a restaurant worker in Chinatown. When he was denied reentry into the United States, he took his case all the way to the Supreme Court. Birthright citizenship — this is the reason why my parents are citizens as the children of immigrants, and the reason many of the people on our team are citizens — was guaranteed through this Supreme Court case of this Chinese restaurant worker.”

“We’ve looked at all these tipping points in American history, and in many unexpected ways, Asian Americans were at the center of those stories,” said Tajima-Peña.

Hari Kondabolu, comedian, South Asian American and featured participant in the series said of the project, “I hope people who watch this series realize how diverse the Asian American community is, how many different stories they are, and how those stories intersect with the larger story of America.”

Deep Educational Resources Asian Americans, a comprehensive multiplatform initiative, is accompanied by educational, community engagement and digital components, all offering new perspective on the American experience. The organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles is producing an extended education curriculum to accompany the film. To learn more about the series, visit pbs.org/asianamericans. To follow the project on Twitter, use hashtag #AsianAmPBS. Major funding for Asian Americans is provided by Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Ford Foundation/JustFilms, National Endowment for the Humanities, The Freeman Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Kay Family Foundation, Long Family Foundation, Spring Wang and California Humanities.

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Program slate on WETA PBS Visit weta.org/asianpacific for complete listings and program descriptions.

Korea: The Never-Ending War Fri 5/1, 3pm POV: The Birth of Saké Fri 5/1, 10pm Independent Lens: One Child Nation Sat 5/2, 10pm Independent Lens: Out of State Sat 5/2, 11:30pm Pacific Heartbeat, Series 6: Mele Murals Sun 5/3, 2pm Visions in the Dark: The Life of Pinky Thompson Sun 5/3, 3pm Ever the Land Sun 5/10, 12n Next Goal Wins Sun 5/10, 1pm Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet Sun 5/3, 4pm The Story of India: Pts 1 & 2 Mon 5/4, 3pm; Pts 3 & 4 Tue 5/5, 3pm; Pts 5 & 6 Wed 5/6, 3pm The Story of China: Pts 1 & 2 Thur 5/7, 3pm; Pts 3 & 4 Fri 5/8, 3pm; Pts 5 & 6 Mon 5/11, 3pm Pacific Heartbeat, Series 7: Poi E: The Story of Our Song Sun 5/10, 2:30pm Making Good Men Sun 5/10, 3:30pm Being Bruno Banani Sun 5/10, 4:30pm Mr. Tanimoto’s Journey Sun 5/10, 7:30pm Tyrus Wong: American Masters Mon 5/11, 10pm The Chinese Exclusion Act: American Experience Tue 5/12, 3pm Quietest Place on Earth Fri 5/15, 4pm; Rpts Sat 5/16, 9am The Registry Sat 5/16, 7pm; Rpts 12:30am Pacific Heartbeat, Series 8: Prison Songs Sun 5/17, noon Leitis in Waiting Sun 517, 1pm Te Kuhane o te Tupuna (The Spirit of the Ancestors) Sun 5/17, 2pm Corridor Four Sun 5/17, 3pm Norman Mineta and His Legacy: An American Story Sun 5/17, 4pm Pacific Heartbeat, Series 9: Anote’s Ark Sun 5/17, 5pm Power Meri Sun 5/24, noon Born This Way: Awa’s Story/The Rogers Sun 5/24, 1pm Antiques Roadshow: Celebrating Asian-Pacific Heritage Sun 5/17, 7pm Mr. Tornado: American Experience Tue 5/19, 9pm Independent Lens: Eating Up Easter Mon 5/25, 10pm

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Stream Superb Programming on the Free PBS Video App & WETA Passport

ETA presents thousands of hours of programming via streaming video, beyond its broadcast offerings each month on the WETA PBS and WETA UK channels. The extensive WETA on-demand streaming library includes a host of popular programs across many genres, from select Masterpiece drama series to acclaimed WETA documentary series from Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; from science and nature series to arts, mysteries and “how to” shows; plus WETA news and public affairs programs PBS NewsHour and Washington Week; and much more.

Stream WETA and PBS programming on the free PBS Video App wherever you want, whenever you want. Watch on your computer, tablet, smartphone or internet-connected television; the App lets you stream your favorite shows online or on your Roku, AppleTV, FireTV, Samsung smart TV, AndroidTV, and any streaming device. To learn more about the PBS Video App, please visit weta.org/pbsapp. Once you have the app, be sure to select WETA as your local station to access WETA programming.

Get extended access to additional favorites via popular member benefit WETA Passport at weta.org/passport — which offers an expanded selection of stellar public television offerings. WETA Passport is available to WETA members who make a monthly qualifying donation of $5 (or $60 per year). Via WETA Passport, you can binge-watch many series before they begin airing on broadcast television. If you are a WETA member and have not activated WETA Passport, check the mailing label on the back of this magazine. You’re ready to activate at pbs.org/passport if you see a four-word activation code above your name and address. If you need help getting started with WETA Passport, visit weta.org/passport/FAQ or call 703-998-2724.

Available for streaming on the free PBS Video App is drama Call the Midwife, Series 9. Available from Ken Burns are his epic history series Baseball and The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, both produced with WETA. (Burns and WETA’s popular recent major series Country Music is also streaming, on WETA Passport). Available from WETA production partner Henry Louis Gates, Jr., are the acclaimed documentaries Reconstruction: America After the Civil War and Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise, also produced with WETA. Moving into WETA Passport in early May is the WETA science co-production Ken Burns Presents The Gene: An Intimate History, which spotlights the historical search for the human genome and the promise of modern research.

Popular drama offerings from Masterpiece, available for binge-watch streaming on WETA Passport, include the actionromance production Poldark (five seasons), Jane Austen adaptation Sanditon, story of India Beecham House (which will be broadcast this summer), World War II saga World on Fire and detective mystery Baptiste.

Sample the offerings on the free PBS Video App and, for access to even more great WETA programming, activate WETA Passport today.

Reconstruction Norman Borlaug

Poldark

The Roosevelts

Sanditon

Baseball

W E TA — O N T H E A I R & O N L I N E

For program and membership inquiries, visit weta.org or call 703-998-2724.

WETA PBS 26.1, 26.4 via antenna Cox 26, 802, 1026, 1003 Comcast 26, 800 (DC area) Comcast 219 (Baltimore area) DirecTV 26, 26-1 Dish 8076 Fios 26, 526 RCN 26, 613 WETA Passport Stream at weta.org/pbsapp

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WETA UK 26.2 via antenna Comcast 265 Cox 800 Fios 474 WETA PBS Kids 26.3 via antenna Comcast 266 Cox 801 Fios 472 RCN 38

Classical WETA WETA 90.9 FM Washington WGMS 89.1 FM Hagerstown WETA 88.9 FM Frederick classicalweta.org vivalavoce.org WETA Online weta.org weta.org/learningmedia

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TV Highlights on WETA PBS

BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

George W. Bush: American Experience

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Tune in Monday-Tuesday, May 4 & 5 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS or stream on the free PBS Video App

istory series American Experience explores the fascinating life and tumultuous presidency of George W. Bush in a new two-part biography of the 43rd U.S. president. The documentary features insights from historians, journalists, and members of the president’s inner circle, including chiefs of staff Andy Card and Joshua Bolten, speechwriter David Frum, press secretary Ari Fleischer, senior advisor Karl Rove and others. The film is the latest addition to American Experience’s awardwinning series of presidential biographies.

Part One chronicles Bush’s road to the White House. Few expected Bush, the once-wild son of a political dynasty, to ascend to the presidency. Yet he emerged the victor of the November 2000 election, the most hotly contested race in the nation’s history. Little could have prepared him for the events of September 11, 2001. Bush’s response to the deadly terrorist attacks would define a new era in American foreign policy. Part Two opens with the ensuing war in Iraq and continues through Bush’s second term, as the president confronts the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina and the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression.

The film was co-written by Barak Goodman — also senior producer of the program — and Chris Durrance.

Goodman and Durrance collaborated with WETA on the films Ken Burns Presents The Gene: An Intimate History (April 2020) and Ken Burns Presents Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies (2015).

Major funding for American Experience provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Consumer Cellular and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Additional funding provided by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, The Documentary Investment Group, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers.

Thriller Thursdays: Inspector Morse

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Tune in Thursdays, May 14, 21 & 28 on WETA PBS

ITV

hriller Thursdays return this month after the conclusion of the monumental Ken Burns series The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (May 7) on WETA PBS. WETA presents double features of classic mystery drama Inspector Morse each Thursday beginning May 14, picking up the drama where the series left off in March. John Thaw (right) stars as the cerebral detective of Oxford’s Thames Valley Police department, with Kevin Whately portraying Morse’s junior colleague, working-class Sergeant Robbie Lewis. In the May episodes, Morse investigates teen suicides, a revenge murder, Satanists, an assassination, a serial killer and more. Stay tuned — in June on Thriller Thursdays, after the conclusion of Inspector Morse, WETA presents the spin-off series Lewis, featuring Whately as Inspector Lewis. The series will air from the pilot episode.

COURTESY TRUE TO NATURE LTD.

Expedition with Steve Backshall

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Tune in Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS or stream on the free PBS Video App

en-part adventure series Expedition with Steve Backshall continues in May with four new episodes after premiering six programs in January and February.

The English adventurer, naturalist and BAFTA-winning TV presenter explores the unknown, venturing into uncharted territory around the globe to tackle unclimbed peaks, visit unexplored cave systems and navigate wild and exotic landscapes. In the series, Backshall takes on extreme physical challenges, encounters extraordinary wildlife and meets remarkable people. May episodes follow the explorer as he ascends an unclimbed summit in remote Greenland mountains; discovers Mayan secrets in caves in Mexico; descends an unmapped river in Suriname; and visits Oman’s Dhofar Mountains, where he encounters one of Earth’s rarest animals.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 5

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TV Highlights on WETA PBS National Memorial Day Concert 2020 Tune in to the WETA co-production Sunday, May 24 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS or stream on the free PBS Video App

COURTESY CAPITAL CONCERTS

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his year’s National Memorial Day Concert program, a national night of remembrance, features new content for these unprecedented times along with inspiring stories of service from previous shows. The broadcast, a WETA co-production with Capital Concerts, honors the members of the United States military and their families — from those who have sacrificed throughout the nation’s history to those continuing to give their all during the pandemic. A special segment honors American heroes in the war against the coronavirus. Hosts Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise and others provide current-day context for segments from past programs.

The National Memorial Day Concert is made possible by grants from the Lockheed Martin Corporation, the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, General Dynamics, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel is provided by American Airlines.

Mr. Tornado: American Experience merican Experience tells the story of pioneering meteorologist Ted Fujita, a JapaneseAmerican scientist who devoted his life to unlocking the mysteries of severe storms. Most widely known for creating the Fujita Scale, or F-Scale, of tornado damage intensity, Fujita brought relentless, creative energy to his field. His unique, forensic analysis of the aftermath left by destructive forces, borne out of the ashes of the world’s first atomic bombs, enabled him to map science onto a phenomenon thought to be unknowable, forever changing our understanding of tornadoes. His technological advancements — including his use of photogrammetry, the science of making measurements from images, and his discovery of the “microburst” — save lives and help Americans prepare for and respond to dangerous weather phenomena. Before the program, tune in for an encore presentation of NOVA: Deadliest Tornados at 8 p.m., spotlighting the 2011 tornado season in the United States, the worst in decades.

Major funding for American Experience provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Consumer Cellular and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional funding provided by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, The Documentary Investment Group, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers.

ANTHONY BOCCACCIO/NG IMAGE COLLECTION

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Tune in Tuesday, May 19 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS or stream on the free PBS Video App

NOVA: Eagle Power

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Tune in Wednesday, May 13 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS or stream on the free PBS Video App

COURTESY WGBH

agles dominate the skies. But what makes this iconic predator so special? And how does it fit into the global family of some 60 eagle species spread across six continents? To find out, NOVA spotlights these spectacular birds, following a nest of bald eagle chicks as they face everything from sibling rivalries to insect swarms and learn the skills they’ll need to survive. Meanwhile, researchers study one special golden eagle, using cuttingedge filming technology to capture her hunting techniques and flight maneuvers. Learn what makes an eagle extraordinary and see how these birds’ exceptional adaptations help them survive and thrive.

National corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Draper. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the David H. Koch Fund for Science, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. Additional funding is provided by the NOVA Science Trust.

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Cast Your Ballot for May 30-31 programs!

hat are your favorite programs on WETA PBS? We want to know because on May 30 and 31, the weekend’s programming will be chosen by you! Will the day feature history, drama, music or mystery? You decide. To cast your vote, simply go to weta.org/vote and choose the program you would most like to see. Then tune in on the weekend of May 30-31 as we air the programs that received the top votes. Voting ends May 18. Visit weta.org/vote and make your choice.

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Primetime Schedule WETA PBS

Denotes WETA productions, co-productions and presentations

Check weta.org for the most up-to-date schedule information.

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8:30

Washington Week

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations (Series 2)

9:00

9:30

10:00

10:30

Somewhere South (Ep 6 of 6. How Do You ’Cue)

POV: The Birth of Saké (to 11:30pm)

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Fri

2

Sat

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 1. Murder Most Scandalous)

Frankie Drake Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 6. Extra Innings)

The WETA Movie: Independent Lens: One Child Nation (to 11:30pm)

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Sun

Call the Midwife, Series 9 (Pt 6 of 8)

World on Fire on Masterpiece (Pt 5 of 7)

Baptiste on Masterpiece (Pt 4 of 6)

4

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: McNay Art Museum (Hour 3)

George W. Bush: American Experience (Pt 1 of 2)

5

Tue

The Queen at War

George W. Bush: American Experience (Pt 2 of 2)

6

Wed

Spy in the Wild, a Nature Miniseries (Ep 2 of 4. The North)

H20: The Molecule That Made Us (Ep 3 of 3. Crisis)

7

Thu

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History—A Film by Ken Burns (Pt 7 of 7. A Strong and Active Faith. 1944-1962)

8

Fri

Washington Week

9

Sat

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 2. Death Comes Knocking)

Frankie Drake Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 7. 50 Shades of Greyson)

The WETA Movie: Bugsy (to 12:30am)

10

Sun

Call the Midwife, Series 9 (Pt 7 of 8)

World on Fire on Masterpiece (Pt 6 of 7)

Baptiste on Masterpiece (Pt 5 of 6)

11

Mon

Asian Americans (Pt 1 of 5. Breaking Ground)

Asian Americans (Pt 2 of 5. A Question of Loyalty)

Tyrus Wong: American Masters (to 11:30pm)

12

Tue

Asian Americans (Pt 3 of 5. Good Americans)

Asian Americans (Pt 4 of 5. Generation Rising)

Asian Americans (Pt 5 of 5. Breaking Through)

13

Wed

Spy in the Wild, a Nature Miniseries (Ep 3 of 4. The Islands)

NOVA: Eagle Power

Expedition with Steve Backshall (Ep 8 of 10. Mexico — Maya Underworld)

14

Thu

Inspector Morse: Cherubim & Seraphim (to 9:45pm)

15

Fri

Washington Week

16

Sat

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 3. Dead Man’s Chest)

Frankie Drake Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 8. Diamonds Are a Gal’s Best Friend)

The WETA Movie: Funny Girl (to 12:30am)

17

Sun

Call the Midwife, Series 9 (Pt 8 of 8)

World on Fire on Masterpiece (Pt 7 of 7)

Baptiste on Masterpiece (Pt 6 of 6)

18

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Little Rock, AR (Hour 3)

Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words

19

Tue

NOVA: Deadliest Tornadoes

Mr. Tornado: American Experience

Frontline: Inside Italy's COVID War

20

Wed

Spy in the Wild, a Nature Miniseries (Ep 4 of 4. The Poles)

NOVA: Decoding COVID-19

Expedition with Steve Backshall (Ep 9 of 10. Suriname — Ghost River)

21

Thu

Inspector Morse: The Day of the Devil (to 9:45pm)

22

Fri

Washington Week

23

Sat

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 4. Deadweight)

24

Sun

National Memorial Day Concert 2020

25

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Charleston, SC (Hour 1)

Antiques Roadshow: Charleston, SC (Hour 2)

26

Tue

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Season 6 (Encore: Beyond the Pale)

Viral: Antisemitism in Four Mutations

27

Wed

Nature: Sex, Lies and Butterflies

NOVA: Last B-24

28

Thu

29

Fri

30

Sat

31

Sun

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations (Series 2)

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations (Series 2)

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations (Series 2)

In This Together: A PBS American Portrait Story

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations (Series 2)

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (Pt 7 of 7) (to 12m) (Encore) Great Performances: LA Phil 100

(from 9:45pm) Inspector Morse: Deadly Slumber (to 11:30pm)

Great Performances: Leonard Bernstein Mass

(from 9:45pm) Inspector Morse: Twilight of the Gods (to 11:30pm)

Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me: American Masters Frankie Drake Mysteries, Series 2 (Ep 9. Dealer’s Choice)

The WETA Movie: The Buddy Holly Story (to 12m)

National Memorial Day Concert 2020 (encore presentation)

Inspector Morse: The Way Through the Woods (to 9:45pm) Washington Week

Expedition with Steve Backshall (Ep 7 of 10. Greenland — Ice Mountains)

Independent Lens: Eating Up Easter Frontline: Last Survivors (to 11:30pm) Expedition with Steve Backshall (Ep 10 of 10. Oman — Desert Fortress)

(from 9:45pm) Inspector Morse: The Daughters of Cain (to 11:30pm)

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story: American Masters

Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration (60 min)

WETA Member Favorites Visit weta.org/vote by May 18 to make your choice!

WETA Member Favorites

8:00

8:30

PBS NewsHour airs weeknights at 7 p.m.

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9:00

9:30

10:00

10:30

Amanpour and Company airs late weeknights (check listings).

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TV Listings WETA PBS

WETA PBS is devoted to children’s educational programming 8 a.m.–5 p.m. each weekday. For 24 hours of children’s programming each day, tune in to the WETA PBS Kids channel. See page 16 for schedule information.

Program Key Blue type — WETA productions, co-productions or presentations. R — Aired within the month.

Listings are accurate as of press time. For late-breaking program updates, visit weta.org/tv or call 703-998-2724.

COURTESY BBC/NEAL STREET PRODUCTIONS

WETA Television

WEEKDAYS IN MAY: 6AM NHK NEWSLINE + 6:30AM BBC WORLD NEWS 7AM (Mondays:) PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 7:30 (Mondays:) WASHINGTON WEEK 7AM (Tuesdays-Saturdays:) PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM-2PM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING — Educational programming for pre-K to middle schoolers. See weta.org/athomelearning for listings. Details on page 16.

2PM-5PM EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING: NATURE, SCIENCE & HISTORY — Educational programming for upper grades. See weta.org/athomelearning for listings.

Details on page 16.

5PM AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeat of previous night 6PM BBC NEWS — BBC World News Outside Source (6pm, Mon-Thur); BBC World News America (6:30pm, MonFri); BBC World News Today (6pm, Fri) 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — WETA production PBS NewsHour provides in-depth analysis of current events with a news summary, interviews and discussions of domestic and international issues. Judy Woodruff anchors.

Visit pbs.org/newshour. Repeats, Sat. 7am 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek.

Repeats Sat 5/2, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 5/4, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — The renowned Washington, D.C.-based financier and philanthropist explores successful leadership through interviews with influential people in prominent fields of endeavor. Episode 12.

Colin Powell, Retired General. Repeats Sun 5/3, 6:30pm 9:00 SOMEWHERE SOUTH — Explore savory dishes uniting people and creating new traditions across the American South with award-winning host and chef Vivian Howard. Episode 6 of 6. How Do You ’Cue? Follow Howard on a journey to learn how other Southerners cook and eat barbecue.

10:00 POV: THE BIRTH OF SAKÉ — Go behind the scenes at Japan’s Yoshida Brewery, where a brotherhood of artisans, ranging from 20 to 70, spends months in nearmonastic isolation as they follow an age-old process to create saké, Japan’s revered rice wine.

COURTESY INDEPENDENT LENS

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Saturday, May 2 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS Award-winning film One Child Nation kicks off WETA’s celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (see pages 2-3). The film explores the history and impact of China’s former one-child policy.

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Christiane Amanpour leads conversations with global thought leaders on contemporary issues. Repeats Monday, 5pm

2 Saturday 6AM 6:30 7AM 8AM 8:30 9AM 10AM 11AM 11:30 12N 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:00

Dramas air Sundays, 8-11 p.m. on WETA PBS Call the Midwife, Series 9 continues, leading a stellar Sunday-night drama lineup that includes new Masterpiece World War II series World on Fire and detective series Baptiste. Binge-watch these shows on WETA Passport (note that episodes of Call the Midwife, Series 9 are streamable Fridays before broadcast premieres on WETA PBS).

WASHINGTON WEEK — R FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R PBS NEWSHOUR — R STEP IT UP WITH STEPH (5/2); JOSEPH REDONDO’S TRAVELSCOPE (starts 5/16) RICK STEVES’ EUROPE ANTIQUES ROADSHOW — Repeat of Monday, except May 2 (Legacy List); May 16 (Quietest Place on Earth).

THE THIS OLD HOUSE HOUR A CHEF’S LIFE JACQUES PÉPIN: HEART & SOUL YAN CAN COOK: SPICE KINGDOM CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL’S MILK STREET TELEVISION NICK STELLINO: STORYTELLER LIDIA’S KITCHEN IN JULIA’S KITCHEN WITH MASTER CHEFS SARA’S WEEKNIGHT MEALS MARTHA STEWART’S COOKING SCHOOL MARTHA BAKES COOK’S COUNTRY FROM AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK’S ILLUSTRATED PATI’S MEXICAN TABLE SAMANTHA BROWN’S PLACES TO LOVE PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND WASHINGTON WEEK — R THE GOOD ROAD — In this documentary series, a WETA presentation, follow two best friends — hosts Earl Bridges and Craig Martin — as they travel the world to meet philanthropists and change-makers who have dedicated their lives to addressing global humanitarian issues. Parts 5 & 6 of 8: Bangkok, Thailand: The Big House... of Blessing. The Good Road returns to Craig and Earl’s hometown of Bangkok for a tour of the second largest maximum-security prison in all of Thailand. The episode explores the benefits of a unique partnership between the primarily Buddhist bureaucrats of the Thai government and the Christian ministry started by Craig’s father.

Nairobi, Kenya: The Power of Story. The Good Road explores the impact storytelling can have on underprivileged youth in Kenya: Craig and Earl meet a leading technologist and designer who escaped crime and poverty in Nairobi to

8 MAY 2020 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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6AM-9AM WETA KIDS — Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood/Dinosaur Train/Sesame Street/Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood/ Pinkalicious & Peterrific/Molly of Denali 9AM WHITE HOUSE CHRONICLE 9:30 TO THE CONTRARY WITH BONNIE ERBE 10AM THIS IS AMERICA AND THE WORLD WITH DENNIS WHOLEY 10:30 THE OPEN MIND 11AM FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — Repeats Saturdays, 6:30am 11:30 TO DINE FOR WITH KATE SULLIVAN — The four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist interviews celebrity go-getters, creators and dreamers over dinner at their favorite restaurant.

12N GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: WOZZECK — Experience artist William Kentridge’s interpretation of Berg’s tragic opera set in an apocalyptic pre-World War I environment. Peter Mattei makes his Met debut in the title role. Met music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.

2:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 6: MELE MURALS — Discover the transformative power of art through the unlikely union of graffiti and ancient Hawaiian culture.

At the center of the story are two renowned street artists, a group of Native Hawaiian youth, and the rural community of Waimea.

3:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 6: VISIONS IN THE DARK: THE LIFE OF PINKY THOMPSON — Learn how World War II combat veteran Myron “Pinky” Thompson

THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY A KEN BURNS FILM & WETA CO-PRODUCTION Thursday, May 7 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS Ken Burns’s acclaimed film The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, a WETA co-production spotlighting Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor, concludes. The full series repeats on WETA PBS weekdays at 3 p.m., May 18-22 and 25-26. Stream the series and Burns’s film Baseball on the free PBS Video App, and Country Music on WETA Passport.

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became a social worker, mentor and revered leader in the Native Hawaiian community — and left a legacy of positive social change and pride in Pacific heritage.

MUHAMMAD: LEGACY OF A PROPHET — Visit the Arabian sites where Islam’s prophet’s story unfolded, learn about the traditions and religious practices of American Muslims and hear the perspectives of leading scholars on Islam.

PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — Colin Powell, Retired General. R THE CRIMSON FIELD — Oona Chaplin stars in a drama about frontline World War I medics in France. Part 6 of 6. As Joan faces a possible lifetime in prison, Kitty is wracked with guilt that she knew about Joan but didn’t stop her. Kitty is desperate for someone to trust, but will she turn to Thomas or Miles? As the war grinds on, faith, hope and love are put to the test.

CALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 9 — The medics and midwives of Nonnatus House encounter new challenges.

Part 6 of 8. Disappointed by the cancellation of the Poplar Horticultural Show, Fred attempts to reinstate it.

The Turners receive an alarming phone call about their daughter. Valerie’s pregnant cousin hopes her baby will be born on a day well before her due date.

WORLD ON FIRE ON MASTERPIECE — In the drama series, follow the intertwining fates of ordinary people as they grapple with the effects of World War II on their everyday lives. The series is set in Britain, Poland, France and Germany during the first years of the war.

Among the cast are Sean Bean, Helen Hunt and Lesley Manville. Part 5 of 7. Harry and his unit reach Dunkirk, with the odds stacked against them.

BAPTISTE ON MASTERPIECE — Tchéky Karyo revives his role as French detective Julien Baptiste in this crime drama spin-off of The Missing. Part 4 of 6. Julien finds the money, but Edward makes a reckless move that puts the case in jeopardy.

MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Episode 1. Murder Most Scandalous. R

WETA Television

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CORBIS PICTURES

build a new life; they also meet a founder of Filamujuani, an organization that supports underprivileged young people by training them to become TV and film industry professionals. Repeats tonight, 12:30am 8:00 MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Essie Davis stars as glamorous private detective Miss Phryne Fisher, who investigates crimes in 1920s Melbourne, Australia. Episode 1. Murder Most Scandalous. Jack’s ex-father-in-law — the deputy commissioner of police — is implicated in the murder of a prostitute, and Jack and Phryne combine their efforts to get to the bottom of the case. Repeats tonight, 1:30am; Sun 5/3, 11pm 9:00 FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — In 1920s Toronto, two female sleuths defy expectations and rebel against conventions to crack the cases the police won’t investigate. Lauren Lee Smith and Chantel Riley star. Episode 6 of 10. Extra Innings. Frankie suspects sabotage when a baseball player dies mid-game. Her investigation puts her at odds with a ruthless mobster.

Repeats tonight, 2:30am 10:00 THE WETA MOVIE: INDEPENDENT LENS: ONE CHILD NATION — China’s one-child policy forever changed the lives of mothers and children. Inspired by the birth of her first child, filmmaker Nanfu Wang returns to China to speak with her mother and brother and explore the ripple effect of this social experiment.

Repeats tonight, 3:30am 11:30 INDEPENDENT LENS: OUT OF STATE — In this documentary, two Native Hawaiians — shipped thousands of miles away from Hawaii to a private prison in the Arizona desert — discover their indigenous traditions from a fellow inmate serving a life sentence.

12:30AM THE GOOD ROAD — Parts 5 & 6 of 8. R

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Monday-Tuesday, May 4 & 5 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS George W. Bush: American Experience airs over two nights, exploring the life and tumultuous presidency of George W. Bush, from his road to the White House to myriad challenges he faced while in office.

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: MCNAY ART MUSEUM — Hour 3.

Superb San Antonio appraisals abound when Roadshow visits the McNay Art Museum and finds a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond ring, an 1897 San Antonio Folk Art carved cane and a Kathe Kollwitz print & drawing.

9:00 GEORGE W. BUSH: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Explore the life and eight-year presidency of George W. Bush, from his unorthodox road to the White House to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the myriad challenges he faced over his two terms, from the war in Iraq to the 2008 financial crisis. Part 1 of 2. Explore Bush’s tumultuous youth and his unorthodox road to the presidency via the contested election of 2000. The new administration’s

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and begins planning for a peaceful postwar world, but a cerebral hemorrhage kills him at 63. After her husband’s death, Eleanor Roosevelt proves herself a shrewd politician and a skilled negotiator, as well as a champion of civil rights, civil liberties and the United Nations. When she dies in 1962, she is mourned as the First Lady of the World. Repeats tonight. Stream the series via the PBS Video App; visit weta.org/pbsapp.

10:00 THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY — A FILM BY KEN BURNS — Part 7 of 7. (Encore presentation).

12M AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

8 Friday A WETA CO-PRODUCTION Monday-Tuesday, May 11 & 12 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS Five-part WETA co-production Asian Americans airs over two nights, spotlighting the United States’ fastest-growing racial/ethnic group and exploring its impact on the country’s past, present and future.

Two parts air Monday, 8-10 p.m., and three air Tuesday, 8-11 p.m.

focus on domestic issues is abruptly brought to a halt by the shocking terrorist attacks of 9/11.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

WETA Television

5 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 THE QUEEN AT WAR — Learn the story of Queen Elizabeth’s experiences during World War II and how the longest reigning monarch in British history was shaped by the era.

9:00 GEORGE W. BUSH: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Part 2 of 2. Follow the evolution of Bush’s presidency, from 9/11 and the ensuing war in Iraq to his second-term challenges, including anthrax scares, threat levels, Hurricane Katrina and the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

6 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 SPY IN THE WILD 2: A NATURE MINISERIES — A sequel miniseries places more animatronic spy cameras disguised as animals to secretly record animal behavior in the wild. Episode 2 of 4. The North. Spy Macaque records how snow monkeys bathe and socialize at thermal pools in the snow-covered mountains of Japan.

In Canada, Spy Snake slithers along with male garter snakes. In England, Spy Squirrel becomes caught in a fight between rival stags fighting over females.

9:00 H2O: THE MOLECULE THAT MADE US — Find out how our success is intimately connected to our control of water, and how the growth of our civilizations has also created a dangerous dependence on this precious resource. Episode 3 of 3. Crisis. Earth’s changing water cycle — and a globalized movement towards water for profit — is forcing changes in humans’ reliance on water. Can a geopolitical crisis be averted?

10:00 EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL — Head into the unknown with explorer Steve Backshall as he journeys to the world’s last unexplored places and faces challenges around the globe. Episode 7 of 10. Greenland — Ice Mountain. Follow Backshall as he tries to summit a remote and unclimbed mountain in Greenland’s Stauning Alps. After facing quicksand, a river and a glacier to reach basecamp, the climb gives Steve a unique insight into a fast-changing environment.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek.

Repeats Sat 5/9, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 5/11, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — Episode 13. Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin CEO. Repeats Sun 5/10, 6:30pm 9:00 IN THIS TOGETHER, A PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT STORY — Americans around the country use self-shot video plus photos and text to share how the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting their lives, telling their stories in their own words, in their own creative ways and from their own points of view.

9:30 GREAT PERFORMANCES: LA PHIL 100 — Celebrate the centennial of the Los Angeles Philharmonic with La Valse by Ravel, Stravinsky’s Firebird and more, led by three renowned LA Phil conductors: Zubin Mehta, EsaPekka Salonen, and current music and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel. Repeats Sun 4/26, 3pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats Monday, 5pm

9 Saturday 6AM WASHINGTON WEEK — R 6:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R 7AM PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM-6PM See the Saturday, May 2 listings.

6PM PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 THE GOOD ROAD — In this documentary series, a WETA presentation, follow two best friends — hosts Earl Bridges and Craig Martin — as they travel the world to meet philanthropists and change-makers who have dedicated their lives to addressing global humanitarian issues. Parts 7 & 8 of 8: Mbale, Uganda: Five Years if You’re Lucky. Earl and Craig journey to meet heroes in the eastern part of Uganda. At Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, they meet a family that serves this remote city, saving lives. Earl and Craig explore the family’s inspiring and at times heartbreaking world.

Yangon, Myanmar: Punk Rock Buddha. Earl and Craig visit the former capital of Myanmar. War, genocide, and conflict have raged for decades in this country gripped by ethnic struggle, but beyond the headlines there are powerful stories of unexpected heroes, including a Burmese punk rocker who, with his band, helps street

COURTESY TRUE TO NATURE LTD.

ASIAN AMERICANS

7 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY—A FILM

BY KEN BURNS — Part 7 of 7. A Strong and Active Faith.

(1944-1962). The WETA co-production with Florentine Films concludes: Frail and failing but determined to see the war through to victory, FDR wins re-election

Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS Expedition with Steve Backshall returns with four new episodes, following the adventurer to the world’s unexplored places as he visits remote areas of Mexico, Greenland, Suriname and Oman.

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10 Sunday 6AM-12N See the Sunday, May 3 listings.

12N PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 6: EVER THE LAND — For 150 years, grievances over colonization tactics defined the relationship between the Ngâi (tribe) Tûhoe and New Zealand government. In 2014, history was made as the Tûhoe’s ancestral homelands were returned, the government officially apologized and Tûhoe built a “Living Building” as a testament to their values and vision of self-governance.

1:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 6: NEXT GOAL WINS — In 2001, the tiny Pacific island of American Samoa suffered a world-record defeat at the hands of Australia, garnering headlines across the world as the worst soccer team on the planet. This film spotlights the power of hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds and offers an object lesson in what it really means to be a winner in life.

2:30 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 7: POI E: THE STORY OF OUR SONG — Discover the story of how “Poi E,” a simple song with a catchy beat, became New Zealand’s unofficial national anthem. Not many songs have the power to bridge cultures, save towns, change lives, travel the world, set records and give pride to a culture, a community, a language and a people.

3:30 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 7: MAKING GOOD MEN — What would you say if you came face to face with your childhood bully as an adult? A film chronicles the story of two men — Norm Hewitt, a former New Zealand rugby player, and actor Manu Bennett (The Hobbit) — who reveal their account of bullying with unprecedented honesty and reconcile many years after one violently attacked the other at school.

4:30 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 7: BEING BRUNO BANANI — Learn about the first and only Tongan luge athlete, who managed to qualify in a remarkably short amount of time for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am 6:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin CEO. R 7:00 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 ASIAN AMERICANS — A WETA co-production explores the impact of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, on the country’s past, present and future, told through individual lives and personal histories. Part 1 of 5. Breaking Ground. See how new immigrants from China, Japan and beyond, despite anti-Asian laws, build railroads, dazzle in Hollywood and fight for equality.

9:00 ASIAN AMERICANS — Part 2 of 5. A Question of Loyalty.

The first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II. 10:00 TYRUS WONG: AMERICAN MASTERS — Discover the art, life and enduring impact of Tyrus Wong, the renowned Chinese-American painter behind Bambi and Rebel Without a Cause, via new and never-before-seen interviews, movie clips and art. Wong once exhibited with Picasso and Matisse.

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

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WETA Television

kids through food distributions and education/reading projects. Repeats tonight, 12:30am 8:00 MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Essie Davis stars. Episode 2. Death Comes Knocking. A séance to contact a soldier killed in World War I leads to two murders in Melbourne a decade after the war’s end.

Repeats tonight, 1:30am; Sun 5/10, 11pm 9:00 FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Lauren Lee Smith and Chantel Riley star. Episode 7 of 10. 50 Shades of Greyson. Mary’s job is threatened when she accuses Detective Greyson of hiding evidence. Has she overstepped her bounds, or is Greyson a dirty cop? Repeats tonight, 2:30am 10:00 THE WETA MOVIE: BUGSY — Barry Levinson’s 1991 drama follows the story of how New York gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel started Las Vegas. Warren Beatty, Annette Bening and Harvey Keitel star. (2:15) 12:30AM THE GOOD ROAD — Parts 7 & 8 of 8. R

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7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 ASIAN AMERICANS — The WETA co-production continues, exploring the impact of Asian Americans on the country’s past, present and future, told through individual lives and personal histories. Part 3 of 5. Good Americans. Learn how Asian Americans are targeted as perpetual foreigners during the Cold War. 9:00 ASIAN AMERICANS — Part 4 of 5. Generation Rising. A younger generation fights for equality in the fields, on campuses and in the culture, and new immigrants and war refugees expand the definition of Asian American.

10:00 ASIAN AMERICANS — Part 5 of 5. Breaking Through.

Revisit the turn of the millennium, when Asian Americans are empowered by growing numbers and rising influence but face a reckoning of what it means to be an American in an increasingly polarized society.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

COLUMBIA PICTURES/PHOTOFEST

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Thursdays at 8 p.m. starting May 14 on WETA PBS “Thriller Thursdays” return, with the classic series Inspector Morse (above) airing in double features each week starting May 14. After the drama concludes in June, sequel series Lewis will begin.

7:30 MR. TANIMOTO’S JOURNEY — After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, 120,000 American citizens of Japanese descent were imprisoned in internment camps across the United States. Follow the story of Jim Tanimoto, the last living member of a group of men known as Block 42 — who protested the loss of their constitutional rights.

8:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 9 — Part 7 of 8. The team celebrates the arrival of the maternity home’s long-awaited incubator. Kevin’s newest patient has a troubled home life and needs his emotional as well as medical support. Nurse Crane struggles with the cubs in Sgt. Woolf’s absence.

9:00 WORLD ON FIRE ON MASTERPIECE — Part 6 of 7. Paris falls to the Nazis, and Webster and Albert’s lives are turned upside down.

10:00 BAPTISTE ON MASTERPIECE — Part 5 of 6. Julien plots an audacious move to frame Constantin, which ends in bloodshed.

11:00 MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Episode 2. Death Comes Knocking. R

Saturday, May 16 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS The WETA Movie features Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand (Oscar winner for her role) and Omar Sharif in William Wyler’s 1968 biographical comedy about Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice.

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7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 SPY IN THE WILD 2: A NATURE MINISERIES — A Nature miniseries places more animatronic spy cameras disguised as animals to record animal behavior in the wild.

Episode 3 of 4. The Islands. The Spy creatures explore the islands of the Southern Seas. Among segments, Spy Koala captures breeding behavior in footage filmed at Australia’s Kangaroo Island before the recent fires. On Christmas Island, Spy Crab joins an army of red crabs as they emerge from burrows following a monsoon and march to the sea, where they perform a victory dance that shakes their thousands of eggs into the ocean.

9:00 NOVA: EAGLE POWER — Eagles dominate the skies. But what makes these predators so special? Researchers study one special bird — and stunning up-close footage reveals her exceptional strength, eyesight, and flying skills. With access to a bald eagle family, NOVA goes into the nest to witness the drama of chicks struggling to survive.

10:00 EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL — Join explorer Steve Backshall as he visits the world’s last unknown places. Episode 8 of 10. Mexico — Maya Underworld.

Return to Mexico, where Backshall explores a honeycomb of subterranean Mexican caves that the ancient Maya believed were a portal to a terrifying underworld.

In a dark and flooded cave, Steve finds incredible never-before-seen artifacts.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

WETA Television

14 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 INSPECTOR MORSE: CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM — John Thaw stars. Morse’s step-niece commits suicide, and he takes compassionate leave. He researches her past and comes to grips with the generation gap.

His investigation into the girl’s death leads him into a world of teenage hedonism: house parties, raves and designer drugs.

9:45 INSPECTOR MORSE: DEADLY SLUMBER — The owner of a private hospital is found murdered in his car after receiving a series of anonymous threatening letters.

Suspicion falls on a man whose daughter suffered brain damage during an operation some years before.

Morse investigates.

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

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7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek.

Repeats Sat 5/16, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 5/18, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — Episode 14. Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State. Repeats Sun 5/17, 6:30pm 9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: LEONARD BERNSTEIN MASS — Enjoy Ravinia Festival’s production of Leonard Bernstein’s theater piece starring Tony Award-winning

Monday, May 18 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words presents a rare look into the life and perspective of the U.S. Supreme Court justice.

COURTESY WGBH

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Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS Encore presentation NOVA: Deadliest Tornadoes spotlights a 2011 outbreak of particularly destructive storms across the USA.

baritone Paulo Szot and featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra artistic director Marin Alsop conducts.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats Monday, 5pm

16 Saturday 6AM WASHINGTON WEEK — R 6:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R 7AM PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM-6PM See the Saturday, May 2 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 THE REGISTRY — Learn the hidden history of the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Service (MIS) during World War II — a story made possible because of a few determined, Internet-savvy aging veterans. The film profiles several Americans of Japanese descent who served in a secret U.S. Army unit that fought on the front lines in the Pacific. Well into their 90s, these veterans try to preserve their stories by creating a registry of those who served in the unit. Repeats tonight, 12:30am 8:00 MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Essie Davis stars. Episode 3. Dead Man’s Chest. Phryne begins by looking into a burglary at the home of an establishment family fallen on hard times — but ends up investigating three murders. Repeats tonight, 1:30am; Sun 5/17, 11pm 9:00 FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Lauren Lee Smith and Chantel Riley star. Episode 8 of 10. Diamonds Are a Gal’s Best Friend. What starts as a simple case of a missing horse leads the team into the gardens of Toronto’s elite in pursuit of a murderous jewel thief.

Repeats tonight, 2:30am 10:00 THE WETA MOVIE: FUNNY GIRL — In William Wyler’s 1968 biographical comedy, famed early-1900s Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) falls for gambler Nicky Arnstein (Omar Sharif). Streisand won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance. (2:30) 12:30AM THE REGISTRY — R

17 Sunday 6AM-12N See the Sunday, May 3 listings.

12N PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 8: PRISON SONGS — Inmates imprisoned in Darwin’s overcrowded Berrimah Prison are shown in a new light in Australia’s first ever documentary musical, sharing their feelings, faults and experiences through song.

1:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 8: LEITIS IN WAITING — Discover Tonga’s evolving approach to gender fluidity through a portrait of the most prominent leiti (transgender) in the Kingdom, Joey Mataele, a devout Catholic of royal descent. Her story reveals what it means to be different in a deeply religious and conservative society.

2:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 8: TE KUHANE O TE TUPUNA (THE SPIRIT OF THE ANCESTORS) — Journey from Easter Island to London in search of the lost Moai Hoa Haka Nanaia, a statue of significant cultural importance. The documentary explores the social and political landscape of the island of Rapanui as the people attempt to claim what is rightfully theirs.

12 MAY 2020 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: LITTLE ROCK, AR — Hour 3.

Discover hidden treasures in Little Rock, such as a 1985 Charles Schulz Snoopy sketch, Chinese altar garniture, ca. 1850, and a 1919 William Faulkner handmade poetry book. Can you guess which is valued at $70,000 to $100,000?

9:00 CREATED EQUAL: CLARENCE THOMAS IN HIS OWN WORDS — In a new film from director Michael Pack, take a rare look into the life and perspective of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as he discusses his life, legacy and legal theories.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

19 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 NOVA: DEADLIEST TORNADOES — In April 2011, the worst tornado outbreak in decades left a trail of destruction across the U.S., killing more than 360 people. What caused such an extreme outbreak? Why did so many die? This NOVA special offers a look at the science behind the storms.

9:00 MR. TORNADO: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Meet pioneering meteorologist Ted Fujita, who transformed our understanding of tornados. His technological advancements saved lives and helped Americans prepare for and respond to dangerous weather phenomena.

10:00 FRONTLINE: INSIDE ITALY’S COVID WAR — Frontline goes inside a hospital battling COVID-19 cases in Northern Italy, as doctors are forced to make life-and-death decisions. Also in this hour: how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting U.S. families already facing poverty.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

20 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am

21 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 INSPECTOR MORSE: THE DAY OF THE DEVIL — Morse (John Thaw) and Lewis (Kevin Whately) hunt a violent rapist who has escaped from prison. They find themselves drawn into an investigation of a group of Satanists.

9:45 INSPECTOR MORSE: TWILIGHT OF THE GODS — A nasty, rich businessman and a world-famous opera singer are in Oxford to receive honorary degrees from the Chancellor of the University. The ceremony is shockingly disrupted. Who was the intended target?

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

22 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek.

Repeats Sat 5/23, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 5/25, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — Episode 15. James A. Baker III, former U.S. Secretary of State. Repeats Sun 5/24, 6:30pm 9:00 SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: I’VE GOTTA BE ME: AMERICAN MASTERS — Explore the entertainer’s vast talent and journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress in 20th-century America.

Interviewees include Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg,

COURTESY THE ESTATE OF ALTOVISE DAVIS

18 Monday

8:00 SPY IN THE WILD 2: A NATURE MINISERIES — A Nature miniseries places more animatronic spy cameras disguised as animals to record animal behavior in the wild.

Episode 4 of 4. The Poles. Spy Chick gains an intimate view of life inside a penguin colony on South Georgia Island. Spy Puffin joins male puffins on Norway’s Hornoya Island as they gather and search for partners. On Ellesmere Island, Spy Pup wins the trust of Arctic wolf cubs, who head out on their first hunt, watched by Spy Snowy Owl. 9:00 NOVA: DECODING COVID-19 — The coronavirus SARSCoV-2 upended life as we know it in a matter of mere months. But at the same time, an unprecedented global effort to understand and contain the virus — and find a treatment for the disease it causes — is underway. Join the doctors on the front lines of the fight as they strategize to stop the spread of the virus, and meet the researchers racing to develop treatments and vaccines. Learn how this devastating disease emerged, what it does to the human body, and why it exploded into a pandemic.

10:00 EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL — Join explorer Steve Backshall as he visits the world’s last unknown places. Episode 9 of 10. Suriname — Ghost River. Backshall visits a region of Suriname that is so remote, it could conceal undiscovered natural wonders. He and his team travel deep into the jungle to kayak an unnamed river. The journey results in a surprise beyond their wildest dreams.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

WETA Television

3:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 8: CORRIDOR FOUR — Hear the story of nationally recognized K9 Unit Officer, Isaac Ho‘opi‘I, who was responsible for saving numerous people from the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, but was scarred by the event.

4:00 NORMAN MINETA AND HIS LEGACY: AN AMERICAN STORY — Meet the statesman who served as cabinet secretary for presidents Clinton and George W. Bush.

Mineta, imprisoned by the U.S. during World War II for his Japanese ancestry, was the first Asian American to serve in a presidential cabinet.

5:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 9: ANOTE’S ARK — Remote Pacific Island nation Kiribati (population: 100,000) is seemingly far-removed from the pressures of modern life. Yet it is one of the first countries that must confront an existential dilemma of our time: imminent annihilation from sea-level rise. In this film, Kiribati President Anote Tong’s struggle to save his nation is intertwined with the fate of a mother fighting to migrate her family to New Zealand.

6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am 6:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State. R 7:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: CELEBRATING ASIAN-PACIFIC HERITAGE — Travel with Roadshow as it turns the spotlight on incredible items with Asian and Pacific Islands origins, including a Hawaiian kou bowl, a Gandhi presentation spinning wheel and an 1888 Joseph Nawahi painting. Which is valued at $250,000-$300,000?

8:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 9 — Part 8 of 8. When the council sends a letter announcing plans to cut Nonnatus House’s funding, Sister Julienne takes matters into her own hands. Nurse Crane cares for an unmarried expectant mother. Petra must move up her wedding after becoming pregnant.

9:00 WORLD ON FIRE ON MASTERPIECE — Part 7 of 7. Harry has a second chance at saving Kasia from Warsaw. In Manchester, could Lois be set for happiness at last?

10:00 BAPTISTE ON MASTERPIECE — Part 6 of 6. Julien discovers the inside source, bringing the case to a devastating conclusion.

11:00 MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Episode 3. Dead Man’s Chest. R

Friday, May 22 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me: American Masters explores the entertainer’s vast talent and search for identity in America.

For the most up-to-date schedules and program information, visit weta.org 13

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2:00

CAPITAL CONCERTS, INC.

3:00

4:00

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT A WETA CO-PRODUCTION Sunday, May 24 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS National Memorial Day Concert, a WETA co-production, presents a special night of remembrance, honoring those who have sacrificed for the nation throughout its history — and celebrating those who put their lives at risk to serve the public during the pandemic.

6:00 6:30 7:00

23 Saturday 6AM WASHINGTON WEEK — R 6:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R 7AM PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM-6PM See the Saturday, May 2 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 SUMMONED: FRANCES PERKINS AND THE GENERAL WELFARE — Learn about the first woman appointed to a U.S. Presidential cabinet, Frances Perkins. She created America’s social safety net. In her 12 years as FDR’s Labor Secretary, Perkins created the Social Security program, a federal minimum wage, the 40-hour work week and unemployment compensation, and ended the legal use of child labor. The film tells Perkins’ story through recordings of her voice, and interviews with Nancy Pelosi, George Mitchell, David Brooks, Lawrence O’Donnell and Amy Klobuchar.

8:00 MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Essie Davis stars. Episode 4. Deadweight. The police try to channel an outbreak of gang warfare into the boxing ring, but when someone kills a gang member, Phryne and Jack become embroiled in the dangerous world of fight-rigging and illegal betting. Repeats tonight, 12am; Sun 5/24, 11pm 9:00 FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Lauren Lee Smith and Chantel Riley star. Episode 9 of 10. Dealer’s Choice. Frankie and Trudy reluctantly take a case from a mob boss, but things take a turn when Frankie is accused of murder. Repeats tonight, 1am 10:00 THE WETA MOVIE: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY — Steve Rash’s 1978 bio-pic chronicles the life and career of the early rock ’n’ roll singer, from his meteoric rise to stardom, to his marriage and untimely death. Gary Busey stars alongside Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith. (1:54)

8:00

9:30 11:00

25 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am

COURTESY VIRAL: ANTISEMITISM IN FOUR MUTATIONS

WETA Television

and Norman Lear; plus clips from Davis’ television, film and concert performances.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY

5:00

who formed the first visible group of transgender men in the Pacific Islands, The Rogers of Samoa.

THE GREATEST BOND — Follow the journey of four disabled veterans as they travel to a prison in Gatesville, Texas, to each be paired with a service dog expertly trained by female prison inmates serving time. The documentary is a story of redemption and profound new hope.

MILITARY FAMILY DOCUMENTARY: WHILE TIME STANDS STILL — Filmmaker and Iraq war veteran spouse Elena Miliaresis travels to Twentynine Palms, a Marine Corps base in the Mojave Desert, to meet two wives on the eve of their husbands’ deployment to Iraq with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines. Over six years, the film follows their journey, revealing their resilience.

PEARL HARBOR—INTO THE ARIZONA — USS Arizona survivor Donald Stratton hasn’t seen the inside of his ship since the Japanese destroyed it at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. But 75 years later, an expedition crew aimed to show him the interior of the ship, considered to be a sacred tomb.

GOING TO WAR — Going to war brings terror, pain and grief, but also exhilaration and a sense of purpose.

Decorated Vietnam War veteran, U.S. Marine and author Karl Marlantes and author Sebastian Junger make sense of this paradox, while military veterans reveal the truths of combat with unflinching candor.

PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — James A. Baker III, former U.S. Secretary of State. R ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY — A WETA production spotlights Arlington National Cemetery, an active national cemetery, an extraordinary tourist destination, and a place of grief, reflection, and healing for thousands of families whose loved ones are interred there. Repeats Mon 5/25, 5pm NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT 2020 — In this WETA co-production with Capital Concerts, join hosts Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise for the 31st annual broadcast of America’s national night of remembrance, featuring special guests. The program honors the service and sacrifice of America’s men and women in uniform, their families at home, and all those who gave their lives for our country. Repeats tonight NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT 2020 — (Encore presentation) MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, SERIES 2 — Episode 4. Deadweight. R

24 Sunday 6AM-12N See the Sunday, May 3 listings.

12N PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 9: POWER MERI — Follow Papua New Guinea’s first national women’s rugby league team, the PNG Orchids, on their journey to the 2017 World Cup. The trailblazers must beat the sporting competition, plus intense sexism, a lack of funding, and national prejudice to reach their biggest stage.

1:00 PACIFIC HEARTBEAT, SERIES 9: BORN THIS WAY: AWA’S STORY & AND THE ROGERS — Meet openly transgender New Zealand teen Te Awarangi ‘Awa’ Puna, attending her final year at Kapiti College in Wellington, New Zealand, and follow her journey from male to female. Then, learn about the lives of those

Tuesday, May 26 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS Documentary Viral: Antisemitism in Four Mutations examines the recent worsening of prejudice against Jews in the United States, Hungary, England and France. Above: A conspiracy-theory poster.

14 MAY 2020 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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COURTESY WGBH

fantastic flight. Look beyond their fragile beauty, and follow them on one of the greatest migrations on Earth.

9:00 NOVA: LAST B-24 — Join the investigation of the wreckage of the Tulsamerican, a B-24 Liberator bomber that crashed off the coast of Croatia in 1940, entombing three occupants. See a team of archaeologists working to recover the fallen airmen and identify their remains.

10:00 EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL — Join explorer Steve Backshall as he visits the world’s last unknown places. Episode 10 of 10. Oman — Desert Fortress. Visit the remote and impenetrable Dhofar Mountains in Oman, where Backshall hopes to become the first to climb unexplored cliffs. Along the way, he encounters one of the rarest animals on Earth.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

28 Thursday Wednesday, May 27 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS NOVA: Last B-24 follows the exploration of the wreckage of a U.S. Liberator bomber that crashed off the coast of Croatia in 1940.

26 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 6 — In this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Encore Episode: Beyond the Pale. Gates explores the Jewish heritages of actor Jeff Goldblum, radio host Terry Gross and comedian Marc Maron, uncovering previously unknown stories that show each shares much more with their ancestors than a religious tradition.

9:00 VIRAL: ANTISEMITISM IN FOUR MUTATIONS — Antisemitism in the U.S. and Europe is rising and worsening in ways not seen since the 1930s. Like a virus, it mutates and evolves across cultures, borders and ideologies, making it all but impossible to stop. Filmmaker Andrew Goldberg explores its infectious behavior as he travels through the United States, Hungary, England and France. Interviewees include victims — and Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Fareed Zakaria, George Will and Deborah Lipstadt.

10:30 FRONTLINE: THE LAST SURVIVORS — Frontline presents a landmark documentary about some of the last survivors of the Holocaust. They reflect on how the trauma affected their lives.

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

27 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 NATURE: SEX, LIES AND BUTTERFLIES — Explore the astounding abilities of butterflies: 360-degree vision, deceptive camouflage, chemical weaponry and

29 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek.

Repeats Sat 5/30, 6am; Mon 6/2, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER-TO-PEER CONVERSATIONS, SERIES 2 — Episode 1. President George W. Bush & President Bill Clinton.

9:00 BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY: AMERICAN MASTERS — Discover the story of the Austrian-American actress, one of the most beautiful woman in the world and an ingenious inventor. Her pioneering work helped revolutionize modern communication, including WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth.

10:30 MARY TYLER MOORE: A CELEBRATION — A program special features dozens of classic TV and movie clips and comments from the late actress and her co-stars.

Oprah Winfrey recounts Moore’s critical role in inspiring her — and millions of others — as TV’s first independent career woman.

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats Monday, 5pm

WETA Television

8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: CHARLESTON, SC — Hour 1.

Travel to Charleston with Antiques Roadshow and learn about a Babe Ruth archive, a Japanese Komai iron and gold vase from around 1890, a Virginia Federal walnut cellarette and more. Which one is highest-valued?

9:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: CHARLESTON, SC — Hour 2.

Find out the history and value of treasures in Charleston, such as a locally made Francis Sommer astronomical regulator clock, an 1899 Oscar Wilde manuscript poem and a 1960 Rene Portocarrero “Catedral” oil. One is worth $80,000 to $100,000.

10:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: EATING UP EASTER — See how Easter Island provides a climate change and globalization wake-up call for the world. Climate change and a booming tourism trade threaten the fragile economy of Rapanui (Easter Island); meet the islanders balancing their strong cultural heritage with modern-day challenges.

11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Repeats tomorrow, 7am 8:00 INSPECTOR MORSE: THE WAY THROUGH THE WOODS — John Thaw stars as Morse and Kevin Whately portrays Sgt. Lewis. A man suspected of being a serial killer is slain in prison while awaiting trial, leaving the disappearance of a fifth woman unsolved. In the missing woman’s effects was a postcard of a painting, the background of which was painted in the woods near Oxford.

Morse investigates when a body is found.

9:45 INSPECTOR MORSE: THE DAUGHTERS OF CAIN — Murder strikes at the heart of the University when Dr. Felix McClure, a retired college don, is found stabbed to death. Morse follows the leads.

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats tomorrow, 5pm

30 Saturday 6AM WASHINGTON WEEK — R 6:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R 7AM PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM-6PM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES 6PM PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30PM WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7PM-6AM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES

31 Sunday 6AM-6PM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES 6PM PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am 6:30PM-6AM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES

WETA Magazine is published monthly by the Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association for its members. Three dollars of each member’s dues are designated for its subscription. WETA occasionally exchanges member names with other organizations. If you wish that your name not be exchanged, please call Audience Services at 703-998-2724. ©2020 by Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

Periodical postage paid at Arlington, VA 22210 and additional offices. Send address changes to WETA, 3939 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, Virginia 22206. Volume 33, Number 5. ISSN No. 1041-2700.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Publisher Mary Stewart Editor Jeff Giese Design MANIFEST LLC Editorial and Advertising Offices 3939 Campbell Ave. Arlington, VA 22206

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 15

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26.3 Over the Air Via Antenna Comcast 266 Cox 801 Fios 472 RCN 38

The WETA PBS Kids channel offers a safe haven for young viewers, presenting educational programming 24 hours each day, seven days a week.

WEEKDAYS ON WETA PBS KIDS WETA PBS KIDS • Cyberchase, 6am, 6:30am • Arthur, 7am • Odd Squad, 7:30am • Ready Jet Go!, 8am • Peg + Cat, 8:30am • Clifford the Big Red Dog, 9am • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 9:30am • Sesame Street, 10am • Super WHY!, 10:30am • WordWorld, 11am • Splash and Bubbles, 11:30am • Sid the Science Kid, 12n • Caillou, 12:30pm • VA TV CLASSROOM, 1pm-4pm • The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, 4pm • Dinosaur Train, 4:30pm • Let’s Go Luna!, 5pm • Nature Cat, 5:30pm • Wild Kratts, 6pm, 6:30pm • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 7pm • Molly of Denali, 7:30pm • Odd Squad, 8pm • Arthur, 8:30pm • Ready Jet Go!, 9pm • WordGirl, 9:30pm • Sesame Street, 10pm • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 10:30pm, 11pm • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 11:30pm • The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, 12m • Dinosaur Train, 12:30am • Let’s Go Luna!, 1am • Nature Cat, 1:30am • Wild Kratts, 2am, 2:30am • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 3am • Molly of Denali, 3:30am • Odd Squad, 4am • Arthur, 4:30am • Ready Jet Go!, 5am • World Girl, 5:30am

WEEKDAYS ON WETA PBS

Visit weta.org/AtHomeLearning for 8 a.m.-5 p.m. listings on the WETA PBS channel in April/May. SUNDAYS ON WETA PBS • Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, 6am • Dinosaur Train, 6:30am • Sesame Street, 7am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 7:30am • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 8am • Molly of Denali, 8:30am

WETA Educational Initiatives At-Home Learning

W

Visit weta.org/AtHomeLearning

W

Visit weta.org/vatvclassroom

ETA is partnering with local public media organizations Maryland Public Television (MPT) and Howard University Television (WHUT) to support the education needs of families in the region whose children are learning from home during the coronavirus public health emergency. Through the At-Home Learning initiative, the three stations are coordinating staggered daytime programming schedules to maximize educational viewing opportunities for children, providing a combined 11-hour weekday window of program offerings. WETA’s weekly slate of trusted, enriching programs has been expanded and structured into program blocks to supplement curriculums for early learners (grades pre-K to 3), middle grades (grades 4 to 8), and high school (grades 9 to 12). These programs air on WETA principal channel WETA PBS from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visit weta.org/AtHomeLearning to find coordinated weekday schedules updated weekly for all three stations, along with digital resources for parents, teachers, caregivers and students.

VA TV Classroom

ETA is collaborating with other Virginia public television stations in the VA TV Classroom initiative to present special teacher-led instructional content on the air 1 to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The initiative serves students across the state in grades K-10 who cannot access other distance learning options due to a lack of high-speed internet. The instructional broadcasts, aligned with the Commonwealth’s academic standards, began April 13 on the WETA PBS Kids channel. The “VA TV Classroom” on-air schedule features K-3 instruction from 1 to 2 p.m. — and grade 7-10 instruction from 2 to 3 p.m., with content focusing on earth sciences and algebra. [As of presstime, the 3-4 p.m. hour was under consideration for grade 4-6 instruction in May.] During the week of April 27, the 3 to 4 p.m. hour is devoted to AP Prep, focusing on different AP subjects each day. The hour includes two 30-minute segments. The VA TV Classroom initiative is a partnership between Virginia public television stations WETA, Blue Ridge PBS, VPM, and WHRO Public Media, working closely with the Virginia Department of Education.

I

Stuck at Home Survival Guide

Visit weta.org for a wide array of resources

n support of all who are sheltering in place, WETA has created a variety of helpful tips, tools, suggestions and links — including parenting advice for these unprecedented times and recommended in-home entertainment options — in a Stuck at Home Survival Guide available at weta.org.

16 MAY 2020 • Stream programs via the free PBS KIDS Video App.

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British Television at Its Best The WETA UK channel is devoted to the best in British television programming, presenting beloved classics and contemporary series around the clock, seven days a week. WETA UK offers a full schedule of fine entertainment programming — featuring drama, mystery, comedy and documentary series — all delivered with an accent from the Isles. Visit wetauk.org for a complete schedule and program descriptions.

P.M. PROGRAMMING ON WETA UK IN MAY SUNDAY

12pm 12:30pm

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

New Tricks

New Tricks

New Tricks

New Tricks

New Tricks

Janet King, Series 2 & 3

Shakespeare & Hathaway, Series 1

MI-5

MI-5

MI-5

MI-5

MI-5

Father Brown, Series 8

Midsomer Murders, Series 16

Waking the Dead

Waking the Dead

Waking the Dead

Waking the Dead

Waking the Dead

Doc Martin, Series 8 & 7

A Place to Call Home, Series 2

Escape to the Country, Series 1

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 3 (back-to-back episodes)

Janet King, Series 3

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 2

Father Brown, Series 8

• Queen's Garden (5/2) • Secrets of: Tower of London (5/9); Westminster (5/16); Underground London (5/23); Chatsworth (5/30)

World on Fire on Masterpiece

• London: 2000 Years of History (5/4-5/18) • The Queen Mother (starts 5/25)

Father Brown, Series 8

EastEnders My Mother and Other Strangers on Masterpiece

Pie in the Sky, Series 5

Modus (back-to-back episodes) (Series 2 starts 5/10)

1pm

A Place to Call Home, Series 2

1:30pm

2pm 2:30pm

3pm 3:30pm

4pm 4:30pm

5pm 5:30pm

Shakespeare My Mother and Other Strangers on & Hathaway, Series 1 Masterpiece

Pie in the Sky, Series 5

World on Fire on Masterpiece

Doc Martin, Series 7

Silent Witness, Series 20

Death in Paradise, Series 7 (Series 8 starts 5/16)

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served?

7:30pm

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 3 (next ep airs Saturday 7pm)

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 3 (next ep airs Sunday 7pm)

8pm

Escape to the Country, Series 1

Pie in the Sky, Series 5

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 2

Midsomer Father Brown, Murders, Series 16 Series 8

World on Fire on Masterpiece (starts 5/1)

Shakespeare & Hathaway, Series 1

• London: 2000 Years of History (5/3-5/17) • The Queen Mother (5/24-5/31)

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 3 (back-to-back episodes)

Janet King, Series 3

Doc Martin, Series 7

Silent Witness, Series 20

• My Mother and Other Strangers on Masterpiece • Baptiste on Masterpiece (starts 5/29)

Modus (back-to-back episodes) (Series 2 starts 5/9)

Lewis, Series 3 (Series 4 starts 5/19)

Death in Paradise, Series 7 (Series 8 starts 5/13)

Musketeers, Series 1

A Place to Call Home, Series 2

BBC World News

BBC World News

BBC World News

Midsomer Murders, Series 16

Father Brown, Series 8

World on Fire on Masterpiece (starts 5/1)

6pm 6:30pm

7pm

8:30pm

9pm 9:30pm

10pm 10:30pm

11pm

• Earth’s Natural Wonders, Series 1 & 2 • Earth's Great Seasons (starts 5/31)

Hold the Sunset, Series 1

BBC World News Father Brown, Series 8

11:30pm SUNDAY

MONDAY

BBC World News

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

• Dreamland, Series 3 • Vicious Special (5/30)

SATURDAY

VISIT WETAUK.ORG FOR A PRINTABLE FULL-DAY SCHEDULE.

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World on Fire

WETA UK Highlights Coming to WETA UK this month!

World on Fire on Masterpiece Fridays at 8 p.m. starting May 1

T

Baptiste on Masterpiece

Fridays at 9 p.m. starting May 29 Tchéky Karyo revives his role as French detective Julien Baptiste in a spinoff of The Missing. While visiting his daughter in Amsterdam, Baptiste becomes drawn into a missing-persons case.

Modus, Series 2

Saturdays at 9 & 10 p.m. starting May 9 on WETA UK

COURTESY WALTER PRESENTS

©MAMMOTH SCREEN 2019

Follow the intertwining fates of ordinary people in five countries as they grapple with the effects of World War II on their everyday lives. Helen Hunt, Sean Bean and Lesley Manville star.

he Swedish psychological thriller, based on a novel by Norwegian author Anne Holt and adapted for television by Emmy Award-winning writers Mai Brostrøm and Peter Thorsboe, enters Series 2 on May 9. The drama follows the work of psychologist Inger Johanne Vik (Melinda Kinnaman), who has previously assisted the Swedish police and the FBI as a profiler. In the first series, she collaborated with Swedish police inspector Ingvar Nyman (Henrik Norlén).

The second eight-part series, filmed in 2017, stars Kim Cattrall and Greg Wise among new cast members. In Series 2, U.S. President Helen Tyler goes missing during a state visit to Sweden. Inger Johanne is partnered with Nyman and detailed to work with Warren Schifford, an FBI agent and special advisor to the president, to investigate. Vik and Schifford have history, dating from her time with the FBI. Both Series 1 and 2 can be streamed on WETA Passport.

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Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on WETA UK

n the popular Australian mystery-drama series adapted from Kerry Greenwood’s novels, protagonist Miss Phryne Fisher, portrayed by Essie Davis (Girl with a Pearl Earring), is a thoroughly modern woman of late 1920s Melbourne — a highly independent, glamorous private detective who is determined to solve any crime. Fisher has a knack for being in the right place at the right time — and she’s usually armed with the right weapon. To the dismay of her reluctant police collaborator DI Jack Robinson (Nathan Page), Fisher ventures from the city’s mansions to its brothels, gaining admirers and enemies along the way. She ignores danger, but beneath her devil-may-care attitude, she hides ghosts from the past. Series 2, underway on WETA UK, co-stars Hugo Johnstone-Burt as Constable Hugh Collins, boyfriend of Fisher’s maid Dot, played

by Ashleigh Cummings. Richard Bligh portrays Fisher’s loyal butler.

RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

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Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

Escape to the Country Sundays at 8 p.m. on WETA UK

BBC

BBC reality program aids people seeking to quit the rat race for the peace of the countryside, helping city families, couples and individuals to find their country dream home and guiding them through the process of buying, selling and moving. Each program follows one move, from the beginning of the search for a suitable property to the final selection, and includes everything from snug, chocolate-box cottages to rambling castles. Movers include a funky young London couple planning to go green, and a couple in their late 50s who don’t mind where they move to as long it has enough land to set up a riding school. The prospective buyers are guided every step of the way by one of the program’s two expert presenters: Catherine Gee, who spent six years promoting the country dream for Country Living magazine, and former rural realtor Nick Page (right), who worked as an estate agent selling country properties.

Also this month: Midsomer Murders, Series 16 (episodes new to WETA UK) continues Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; Father Brown, Series 8 (episodes new to WETA UK) continues Thursdays at 8 p.m.; Silent Witness continues Thursdays at 9 p.m.; The Musketeers continues Thursdays at 10 p.m.; Australian drama A Place to Call Home continues Fridays at 10 p.m.; and mystery series Janet King continues Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

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Death in Paradise, Series 8

Wednesdays at 10 p.m. starting May 13 on WETA UK

©BBC/RED PLANET PICTURES/JONATHAN FORD

eries 8 of the popular Caribbean-set mystery series stars Irish actor Ardal O’Hanlon as Detective Jack Mooney, who is starting to get to know the people and places of the fictional island of Saint Marie (the series is filmed on the French island of Guadeloupe). The policeman has little time for sightseeing though, with his casebook of murders to solve. From a local radio DJ killed while live on-air to a zookeeper felled by a poisonous dart, Jack and his team — including DS Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert, left, with O’Hanlon) have their work cut out for them. Cassell has found love: the charming Patrice has captured her heart.

And there is a new face on the team, as energetic officer Ruby Patterson — the commissioner’s niece — arrives, and Officer JP Hooper has his hands full trying to train her. Mooney must lead them all, using his unconventional methods to track down the killers in some of the team’s most challenging investigations yet.

Earth’s Natural Wonders, Series 1 & 2 Sundays at 10 p.m. on WETA UK

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BBC

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All Creatures Great and Small Mondays at 9 & 10 p.m. on WETA UK

ased on the engaging autobiographical novels by British veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot, the popular drama in production from 1978 to 1990 stars Christopher Timothy as a young, newly qualified surgeon who arrives in the picturesque rural village of Darrowby, England, during the late 1930s. There he takes up his first job in the established Skeldale House surgery — the veterinary practice of Siegfried and Tristan Farnon (Robert Hardy and Peter Davison). But in the Yorkshire Dales, with few medicines available, the treatment of sick animals still seems to be rooted in the Dark Ages, and the country folk are suspicious of strangers. The drama, currently in Series 3 on WETA UK, follows the vet’s episodic experiences with the animals and the locals. Carol Drinkwater (left, with Timothy) plays Herriot’s wife Helen in Series 1-3; Lynda Bellingham portrays Carol in Series 4-7.

The Queen Mother

Sundays at 9 p.m. starting May 24 on WETA UK

two-part biography reveals the dramatic story of the tumultuous life of Britain’s Queen Mother, from royal power struggles to leading a nation at war. Wife, monarch and muchloved public figure, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was one of the most respected members of the British Royal family. The profile spotlights the moments of pain and upheaval that ultimately defined her legacy. Find out how she and King George VI steered the country through the darkness of World War II, and how she later forged a new role for herself as the senior matriarch of the Royal Family. With testimonies from royal experts and insiders, as well as extensive archive materials, The Queen Mother forensically examines the life of a woman with an iron will, determined to protect the British monarchy.

HULTON DEUTSCH

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BBC

ilmed on six continents, a BBC miniseries created in partnership with PBS features stunning photography and daring cinematography, spotlighting spectacular locations around the globe. Among the stories in Series 1, in Living Wonders (May 3), a father and son brave killer bees and man-eating tigers to find prized honey in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove forest. Series 2, Life at the Extremes, visits places where survival is challenging.

Surviving the Extreme (May 10) examines how — in locations from mountain to jungles to frozen polar worlds — people need bravery and ingenuity to survive. Surviving with Animals (May 17) explores how wildlife holds the key to survival for the people who live in some extreme environments. Then, Surviving Against the Odds (May 24) spotlights how in some environments, people survive by pushing themselves to their limits.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 19

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Classical WETA 90.9 FM Music for Rossini, Mother’s Day and more on Choral Showcase NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS

Sundays at 9 p.m.

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By Bill Bukowski, Midday On-Air Host

On NSO Showcase: From Beach to Barnyard to the Brilliance of Mahler’s Fifth Wednesday, May 6 at 9 p.m.

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By Nicole Lacroix, Afternoon On-Air Host

NIRMAL BASKE; CC BY-SA 4.0 WIKICOMMONS

have a dream of making a T-shirt that says ‘Keep Sibelius Weird,’” says conductor Cristian Măcelaru, who leads the National Symphony Orchestra in Sibelius’ The Oceanides, on the May NSO Showcase program. Premiered at the Norfolk Music Festival in Connecticut in 1914, this tone poem about nymphs cavorting in the Mediterranean Sea earned the composer an honorary doctorate from Yale.

A somewhat less romantic kind of creature pecks its way through Haydn’s Symphony No.83, “The Hen,” named for the “clucking” second theme in the first movement. Ton Koopman conducts the NSO in this delightful Haydn symphony, written for Paris audiences in 1785.

The main attraction of this month’s NSO Showcase program is Mahler’s 5th symphony, a passionate and powerful masterpiece by the 31-year-old composer who had just survived a brush with death and become engaged to Alma Schindler, “the most beautiful woman in Vienna.” DC Metro Arts’ critic was blown away by the NSO’s performance under Gianandrea Noseda, writing: “...I confess I was so taken up by the history unfolding before me, when the final movement ended and everyone around me leapt to their feet cheering, I had to collect myself from the emotional pool into which I’d slid and remind myself I was there to work [to write this review.]”

Sadly, the Mahler Fifth was to be one of the highlights of the NSO’s Asia tour which had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. As we look forward to the future and to once again filling our concert halls, please take this opportunity to join us in enjoying this very special NSO Showcase on Classical WETA. CHRISTIAN FERRER; CC BY-SA 4.0 WIKICOMMONS

Classical WETA 90.9 FM

new work celebrating stories from the Underground Railroad, and music for Rossini and for Mother’s Day are among themes this month on Classical WETA’s William Still, who inspired Paul Sunday-night program, Choral Showcase. If you saw last year’s film Harriet, the story Moravec’s oratorio Sanctuary Road of Harriet Tubman, you may recall the Underground Railroad conductor she met upon her arrival in Philadelphia. William Still, a key figure in the abolitionist movement, chronicled harrowing tales of slavery and escape in his 1872 book, The Underground Railroad. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec drew from these stories for his oratorio, Sanctuary Road, which we will present to you on May 24.

Following the death of Gioachino Rossini in 1868, Giuseppe Verdi proposed a one-time collaboration with his fellow composers in a requiem mass for the first anniversary of Rossini’s passing. The project fell apart, and the manuscript disappeared. Upon the rediscovery of the Messa per Rossini in 1970, there have been several anniversary performances, and on May 3, we’ll hear one from La Scala in 2018, marking the 150th anniversary of Rossini’s death.

We feature a mass for the Blessed Mother on Mother’s Day, with Franz Joseph Haydn’s Missa Cellensis, the “Mariazell Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary”. This early mass by Haydn, written for the pilgrimage church of Mariazell in southern Austria, will be heard May 10 in a new recording with the RIAS Chamber Choir and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin.

Two English composers from the 20th century are celebrated May 17, with works by Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) sung by the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, and music of Sir John Tavener (1944-2013) with the Winchester Cathedral Choir. There’s music of a watery nature on May 31, with Walden Pond by Dominic Argento; Sir Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures arranged for chorus; Water Night by Eric Whitacre, and more. Join me for the best in choral music on Classical WETA’s Choral Showcase, each Sunday at 9 p.m.

VivaLaVoce on vivalavoce.org

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Stream audio at classicalweta.org

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Classical for Washington Z.E.N. Trio

Local Barclay Brass Ensemble on Front Row Washington Mondays at 9 p.m.

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By John Banther, On-Air Host and Producer

Barclay Brass

Classical WETA 90.9 FM

COURTESY THE ARTISTS

COURTESY THE ARTISTS

his month on Monday-night Classical WETA program Front Row Washington, we present the fifth and final installment of our series exploring the complete string quartets

by Mieczysław Weinberg from the Phillips Collection. On May 4, we listen to the ensemble Quatuor Danel perform Weinberg’s String Quartets Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 17.

On May 11 we listen to a concert of the Z.E.N. Trio from the Phillips Collection.

Their name is an acronym made up of their initials (Zhang, Esther and Narek) and represents their philosophy in music making — the forgoing of the self for total togetherness. They have performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Their performance includes the serene Notturno in Eb Major by Schubert, Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise and a musical reaction to the Nazi death camps of World War II: Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor.

The May 18 program brings us more Rachmaninoff and solo cello music by J.S. Bach with cellist Alban Gerhardt and pianist Cecile Licad. Their concert from the Phillips Collection starts with a passionate rendition of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 5, followed by Rachmaninoff’s Danse Orientale, Op. 2 No. 2 and Cello Sonata in G minor, the latter of which he finished days before its premiere and after several years of almost no composing.

Our final program of the month, on May 25, is a concert of Barclay Brass, a local ensemble made up of some the most talented brass players in the United States Armed Forces. It is a thrilling display of virtuosity and depth. All the music was arranged by the ensemble’s co-founder, Musician 1st Class David Miller. The repertoire ranges from film music by John Williams, Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, and much more.

Join me Monday nights at 9 p.m. for world-class local concert performances on Front Row Washington.

Classical WETA Opera House Opera Radio Broadcasts Saturdays at 1 p.m.

Janácek’s Kát’a Kabanová Met Opera performance from December 25, 2004 With Karita Mattila Jirí Belohlávek conducts

May 9:

Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda Met Opera performance from January 19, 2013 With Joyce DiDonato and Matthew Polenzani Maurizio Benini conducts

May 16: Gluck’s Alceste (in French) Bavarian State Opera; National Theatre, Munich Bavarian State Orchestra and Opera Chorus Antonello Manacorda conducts May 23: Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann (in French) Vienna State Opera; Vienna State Opera Chorus and Orchestra Frédéric Chaslin conducts

May 30: Richard Strauss’ Elektra (in German) Vienna State Opera; Vienna State Opera Orchestra With Christine Goerke Semyon Bychkov conducts

KEN HOWARD/METROPOLITAN OPERA

May 2:

A scene from Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda, December 2012 Met rehearsal

Classical WETA: 90.9 FM Greater Washington; 88.9 FM Frederick; WGMS 89.1 FM Hagerstown

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WETA Passport Stream Masterpiece dramas and much more with WETA Passport, our popular member benefit that provides you with access to an extensive library of the best public television programs! You’re ready to activate now at pbs.org/passport if you see a four-word activation code above your name and address at left; or go to weta.org/passport to make your qualifying donation of $60 (or $5 monthly) to start enjoying WETA Passport today.

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Angel Blue as Mimì in La bohème Photo by Matt Karas.

Washington National Opera 2020/2021 Season Fidelio

Rigoletto

Nixon in China

Così fan tutte

Boris Godunov

La bohème

with the American Opera Initiative and Marian Anderson Vocal Award Winner Will Liverman in recital.

National Symphony Orchestra Beethoven at 250 In honor of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, Gianandrea Noseda leads the Orchestra in a three-week festival of concerts celebrating the composer’s remarkable genius and impact on music. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear all nine of his symphonies—music that resounds as loudly today as it did two centuries ago. All five programs will be recorded for future release.

Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3

Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8

Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5

Symphony No. 9

May 28 & 29

May 30–June 3 S U B S C R I B E T O D AY!

June 9 & 10 June 12–14

Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7 June 5 & 6

Kennedy-Center.org

Groups call (202) 416-8400

For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540

Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars.

Additional support for WNO’s artistic programming is provided by Clarice Smith.

David M. Rubenstein is the Presenting Underwriter of WNO.

Additional support for Nixon in China is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger and Victoria Sant.

(202) 467-4600

WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.

WNO’s Presenting Sponsor Generous support for WNO Italian Opera is provided by Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello.

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Additional support for the Marian Anderson Vocal Award is provided by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.

The Abramson Concert Series is made possible by the generous support of the Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation Fund in Honor of Ronald D. Abramson.

The Blue Series is sponsored by United Technologies Corporation.

The NSO’s Beethoven Symphony No. 9 concert week is generously sponsored by Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather.

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