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Alabama Public Television Upcoming Specials
 Sun, March 14 at 6:30 p.m.
On May 15, 1987 a group of A-list musicians gathered to celebrate the enormous influence that Chet Atkins had on their lives and careers. The program was taped live before a studio audience at Neeley Auditorium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Appropriately, this venue is just blocks away from Music Row, the two streets Chet made famous with his virtuoso guitar playing, visionary producing and incredible mind for music business. When Chet strikes the first notes of Deep Thumb Blues," you will be sucked in by his infectious attitude and amazing playing. His love for performing comes shining through and you can immediately see why he was one of the most revered musicians of his day. An amazing lineup of guest stars takes the stage to pay tribute including Mark Knopfler, the Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and more! "
 Sun, March 14 at 8 p.m.
From the late 1940s ’til the early 1970s, millions of viewers of all ages saw great musical acts each Sunday night on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” This installment in the MY MUSIC series presents classic song performances from 1963-1968. From the Beatles’ American television debut to the Doors’ infamous one-time-only appearance to the Rolling Stones, Sly and the Family Stone, the Mamas and the Papas and more, the special focuses exclusively on full-length music performances — no plate spinners or dancing elephants — that evoke the spirit of that decade’s youth movement.
 Sun, March 14 at 8 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of America's fastest growing religions, and its influence circles the globe. The church has 11 million members today and over half of them live outside the U.S. Yet the birth of Mormonism and its history is one of America's great neglected narratives. This four-hour documentary brings together FRONTLINE and AMERICAN EXPERIENCE in their first co-production to provide a searching portrait of this fascinating but often misunderstood religion. Produced by award-winning filmmaker Helen Whitney (Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero," "John Paul II: The Millennial Pope"), the film explores the richness, the complexities and the controversies of the Mormons' story as told through interviews with leaders and members of the church, with leading writers and historians and with supporters and critics of the Mormon faith. "
 Mon, March 15 at 7 p.m.
The five Brown siblings, all Juilliard-trained pianists, have taken the music world by storm with their inventive interpretations of classical, jazz and standards. The Browns are exciting to hear — and watch — on their own, but even more exciting as they take the stage at once and play as a passionate quintet.
 Mon, March 15 at 8:30 p.m.
Therapists Iris Cornelius and Joshua Coleman and author Allan Zullo (The Boomer's Guide to Grandparenting) discuss how Baby Boomers are redefining what being a grandparent is all about. Then, a conversation with Dr. Dennis McCullough, author of My Mother, Your Mother: Embracing Slow Medicine, the Compassionate Approach to Caring for Your Aging Loved Ones. And journalist Juan Williams (NPR, Fox News) struggles to determine just how old he is in the eyes of others.
 Tue, March 16 at 7 p.m.
This Big Band" retrospective features the songs that brought the country through WWII and kick-started the baby boom. The program mixes vintage live, rare and unreleased footage of bands and vocalists from the 1930s and 40s. Peter Marshall ("Hollywood Squares") hosts."
 Tue, March 16 at 9 p.m.
Following Up on 2005's pledge hit Motown - The Early Years", My Music presents more great Motown memories with a definitive DVD collection from Hittsville, USA. This made for pledge special focuses on archival hits and rare interviews from five Motown Legends: The Temptations, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Diana Ross & The Supremes and Marvin Gaye. "
 Tue, March 16 at 9 p.m.
& veteran Bettye LaVette sings songs from her critically lauded album The Scene of the Crime , followed by legendary pianist Pinetop Perkins and his catalog of blues classics.
 Tue, March 16 at 10 p.m.
The Del McCoury Band plus Paul Thorn and the incomparable Jessi Colter on the next Mountain Stage with Larry Groce- Del McCoury’s unmistakable tenor vocals guide his tight, high-energy band through the best of contemporary bluegrass music. Paul Thorn, Tupelo Mississippi’s second most famous singer, mixes a strong sense of humor with his southern fried tunes and Jessi Colter is a veteran of the Outlaw Country movement with her late husband Waylon Jennings.
 Wed, March 17 at 7 p.m.
Pulitzer-prize winning author Malachy McCourt (of the Angela's Ashes McCourt family) writes and produces this warm and nostalgic parade of Irish favorites from the past. The archival program will focus on Ireland's most beloved ballads and folk songs, performed by some of the world's greatest vocalists.
 Wed, March 17 at 8:30 p.m.
Celtic Woman vocalists Lisa Kelly, Chloe Agnew, Lynn Hilary and Alex Sharpe, with violinist Mairead Nesbitt, perform at Ireland’s historic Powerscourt House and Gardens in Enniskerry, County Wicklow. The musical repertoire ranges from spirited Celtic fiddle and bodhran pieces to lush arrangements of Irish classics, contemporary covers and original compositions. In addition to the six-piece band, the Aontas Choir, a film orchestra, the Discovery Gospel Choir, the Extreme Rhythm Drummers and a bagpipe ensemble join Celtic Woman for this event.
 Wed, March 17 at 9 p.m.
TIME TEAM AMERICA wades into the swamps of South Carolina to find the truth about North America's first human inhabitants. Experts debate about when people first came to this land. Did they follow big game across the continent 15,000 years ago or did they arrive much, much earlier? TIME TEAM AMERICA has just three days to search out evidence that could shed light on the controversy. What they find could rock the archaeological world. Along the way, they glimpse what life was like in North America 15,000 years ago, and what may have happened to the continent's first people.
 Wed, March 17 at 10 p.m.
Wartime Baseball - A Seattle man has a baseball, given to him by his father, that is autographed by baseball icon Dizzy Dean. The ball is dated July 12, 1944, and his father claims he played catcher in a wartime ballgame that brought together two legendary pitchers: Dizzy Dean and Negro League star Satchel Paige. It seems far-fetched that an Air Force Staff Sergeant could have shared the field with these two sports heroes, especially in an era when both the military and baseball were segregated. HISTORY DETECTIVES travels to Washington State, Indiana and Illinois to investigate whether the autographed ball could be evidence of the influence of America's national pastime on racial integration. Confederate Eyeglass - A contributor in Terre Haute, Indiana, has a tiny brass eyeglass that, when peered through, reveals an image of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The owner believes miniature "Davis" eyeglass pieces were a wartime adornment of confederate supporters in the North who used these objects to secretly identify themselves to one another. HISTORY DETECTIVES travels to New York and Virginia to examine the intricacies of microphotography and the truth behind a possible sympathizer "secret handshake." Howard Hughes' Invention - In the early morning hours of June 1st, 1909, Howard Hughes Sr. packed a secret invention into the trunk of his car and drove off into the Texas plains. At an oil well near Goose Creek, Texas, a crew of workers watched in awe as Hughes showed off his new creation: a twin-cone roller rock bit that would ultimately allow oilmen around the world to tap into previously unreachable oil reserves. But was it in fact Hughes who invented this device? A man in San Jose, California, has a letter that he believes will prove his grandfather deserves credit for the invention. HISTORY DETECTIVES travels to McMinnville, Oregon, and Houston, Texas, to explore the mysteries of the Texas oil industry and the Howard Hughes dynasty.
 Thu, March 18 at 7 p.m.
After performing more than 55,000 brain imaging studies, it is clear to me that if you want a better body, the first place to start is by having a better brain.
This program offers you a revolutionary new way to get and keep the body you have always wanted and reveals two of the major secrets why most diets don’t work.
Thu, March 18 at 9 p.m.
On May 15, 1987 a group of A-list musicians gathered to celebrate the enormous influence that Chet Atkins had on their lives and careers. The program was taped live before a studio audience at Neeley Auditorium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Appropriately, this venue is just blocks away from Music Row, the two streets Chet made famous with his virtuoso guitar playing, visionary producing and incredible mind for music business. When Chet strikes the first notes of Deep Thumb Blues," you will be sucked in by his infectious attitude and amazing playing. His love for performing comes shining through and you can immediately see why he was one of the most revered musicians of his day. An amazing lineup of guest stars takes the stage to pay tribute including Mark Knopfler, the Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and more! "
 Thu, March 18 at 10 p.m.
Many complicated and opposing and controversial viewpoints are often presented about Africa.
Perhaps because of this, Africa is one of the most fertile grounds in our modern age for new, fresh
and exciting exploration.
The AfroPoP series is a celebration of the cultural and historical growth that has occurred in the last
generation with films tailored to a world audience from insightful, artful and often unique local
perspectives. These films were carefully selected to portray a more balanced view of Africa than
you’ll get on the nightly news and to provide fuel for what must be a global conversation on the
present day realities and contemporary lifestyles of Africans, both on the continent and in the
Diaspora.
Co-presented with American Public Television, hosted by Idris Elba, AfroPop is a series of six, one
hour documentaries scheduled for broadcast on public television June 2008.
 Fri, March 19 at 7:30 p.m.
This Emmy award-winning weekly newsmagazine engages viewers by probing the most important issues facing democracy. David Brancaccio pursues the stories overlooked by other public affairs broadcasts and travels the nation to shed light on the important public policy issues that have real-world impact on working Americans.
 Fri, March 19 at 8 p.m.
Bringing back the landmark PBS series that first aired 35 years ago, Bill Moyers Journal will be reinvented for the 21st century to reflect the new challenges facing journalism and the issues confronting democracy. As always with a Moyers project on PBS, this one will be on mission, timely, and important.
The goal is to enrich the conversation of democracy with fresh and original voices-perspectives seldom available anywhere else on television-that reflect a diversity of wisdom, experience, and insight. Each week in a one-hour broadcast, BILL MOYERS JOURNAL will feature produced analysis of vital issues, strong interviews with unique voices on politics, the arts and letters, science, religion, and the media, as well as debates on public issues and documentary specials.
 Sat, March 20 at 7 p.m.
Get ready for WIRED SCIENCE, a new one-hour television series that imports the DNA of Wired, the pre-eminent science/technology magazine, into a fast-paced and timely television series and website. WIRED SCIENCE brings Wired magazine's breakout journalism, great design and irreverent attitude to the screen and Internet with fun, fascinating and thought-provoking features. Tune in for the latest stories in sci/tech and their impact on culture, communication, entertainment, politics and business. The pilot episode takes viewers into the world of meteorite hunters, where space, commerce and art intersect; to Yellowstone National Park to harvest viruses; and underwater to find NEEMO, NASA's extreme astronaut training facility. Viewers will meet rocket-belt builders, stem cell explorers and learn about racing-fast electric cars. Science, technology, adventure and innovation - they're all on WIRED SCIENCE.
Sat, March 20 at 10 p.m.
TIME TEAM AMERICA wades into the swamps of South Carolina to find the truth about North America's first human inhabitants. Experts debate about when people first came to this land. Did they follow big game across the continent 15,000 years ago or did they arrive much, much earlier? TIME TEAM AMERICA has just three days to search out evidence that could shed light on the controversy. What they find could rock the archaeological world. Along the way, they glimpse what life was like in North America 15,000 years ago, and what may have happened to the continent's first people.
Sun, March 21 at 8 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of America's fastest growing religions, and its influence circles the globe. The church has 11 million members today and over half of them live outside the U.S. Yet the birth of Mormonism and its history are one of America's great neglected narratives. This four-hour documentary brings together FRONTLINE and AMERICAN EXPERIENCE in their first co-production to provide a searching portrait of this fascinating but often misunderstood religion. Produced by award-winning filmmaker Helen Whitney (Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero," "John Paul II: The Millennial Pope"), the film explores the richness, the complexities and the controversies of the Mormons' story as told through interviews with leaders and members of the church, with leading writers and historians and with supporters and critics of the Mormon faith. (Part 2 of 2)"
Mon, March 22 at 8:30 p.m.
While some crumble in the face of adversity, others survive and even thrive - what makes them different? Mayo Clinic physician and cancer survivor Stephen Kopecky; Kate Braestrup, author of Here if You Need Me, the story of surviving widowhood; and clinical psychologist Cheryl Gore-Felton explain how survivors bounce back from crisis. Then, Rutgers women's basketball head coach Vivian Stringer sits down to discuss her own survivor story, and how she mentors the younger generation. And Michael Gates Gill, a former advertising executive, on how he lost his job, marriage-and his health-but still found happiness working behind the counter at Starbucks.
 Tue, March 23 at 9 p.m.
Singer/songwriter/pianist Norah Jones returns to the AUSTIN CITY LIMITS stage, showcasing both old favorites and songs from her recent best-selling album, Not Too Late.
 Thu, March 25 at 10 p.m.
Women across the Arab world are redefining their role as leaders in Islam. VEILED VOICES investigates the world of Muslim women religious leaders through the eyes of these three women in Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. Shot over the course of two years, VEILED VOICES reveals a world rarely documented, exploring both the public and private lives of these women. The stories featured in the film give insight into how Muslim women are now increasingly willing to challenge the status quo from within their religion, promoting Islam as a powerful force for positive transformation in the world. Each triumphs over difficult challenges as they carve out a space to lead – both in Islam and in their communities.
VEILED VOICES profiles three influential women – along with their families and the communities they serve: Ghina Hammoud in Lebanon; Dr. Su’ad Saleh in Egypt; and Huda al-Habash in Syria.
Sat, March 27 at 7 p.m.
Get ready for WIRED SCIENCE, a new one-hour television series that imports the DNA of Wired, the pre-eminent science/technology magazine, into a fast-paced and timely television series and website. WIRED SCIENCE brings Wired magazine's breakout journalism, great design and irreverent attitude to the screen and Internet with fun, fascinating and thought-provoking features. Tune in for the latest stories in sci/tech and their impact on culture, communication, entertainment, politics and business. The pilot episode takes viewers into the world of meteorite hunters, where space, commerce and art intersect; to Yellowstone National Park to harvest viruses; and underwater to find NEEMO, NASA's extreme astronaut training facility. Viewers will meet rocket-belt builders, stem cell explorers and learn about racing-fast electric cars. Science, technology, adventure and innovation - they're all on WIRED SCIENCE.
 Sun, March 28 at 7 p.m.
More than fifty writers - including literary stars such as James Dickey, John Barth, Peter Taylor, Ray Bradbury, Shirley Ann Grau and Anne Rivers Siddons - have discussed their work on Bookmark during the past several years on Alabama Public Television. Host for the program is Don Noble, an English professor from the University of Alabama.
Mon, March 29 at 8:30 p.m.
You may be fed up with your current weight, or dismayed by the effects of getting older. Maybe you're looking to change careers, or already have a great career, but no life! Maybe there's just something missing from your life, and you don't know what. I also get visitors who are coaches and fitness professionals who want help upgrading their skills and careers!
 Tue, March 30 at 9 p.m.
Ben Harper debuts his new band Relentless7 with a rocking set drawn from his album White Lies For Dark Times.
Tue, March 30 at 10 p.m.
Host Larry Groce welcomes Arlo Guthrie and The Guthrie Family Legacy Tour to the Mountain Stage- America’s first family of folk music takes the stage to deliver old and new original songs as well as many of Woody Guthrie’s best loved classics. Arlo is joined by his son, Abe, daughter, Sarah Lee, and son-in-law, Johnny Irion. The program features extended candid interview segments with Arlo, who speaks his mind about his father’s legacy, the value of music and the music business.
Wed, March 31 at 9 p.m.
TIME TEAM AMERICA heads to the picturesque and remote canyons of southern Utah to examine what remains of the Fremont Indians who vanished 1,000 years ago. The Fremont stashed their food in clay granaries high on the cliffs of these canyons. They entered their underground homes through a hole in the ceiling, and they decorated rock walls with petroglyphs that remain a mystery to this day. Utah's state archaeologist calls in TIME TEAM AMERICA to examine some of the most pristine and puzzling archaeology in the United States. The team probes the ground, scales the cliffs, and learns what life was like in these canyons a thousand years ago.
Wed, March 31 at 10 p.m.
SURVIVOR CAMERA: A woman in Boynton Beach, Florida has an antique camera she inherited from her uncle, a Polish Jew who survived the Holocaust. Adolf Fingrut stayed behind when his family members left Poland in the 1920's. His niece wants to know which of two conflicting family stories is true: did Uncle Adolf survive the Holocaust by going into hiding with the help of his gentile girlfriend, or did he take photographs for the Nazis with this camera? During World War II, some Jewish photographers faced the horrific dilemma of working with the Nazis in documenting their atrocities or going to the death camps. HISTORY DETECTIVES will be in New York to investigate how Adolf Fingrut kept one step ahead of death and shed light on the existential nightmare of survival during wartime. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS LETTER: A man from Laurel, Maryland owns a mysterious letter that was written in 1942. It's a tribute addressed to his grandmother on the occasion of his grandfather Herbert Wallace's death, acknowledging Mr. Wallace's support for the organization Alcoholics Anonymous. "We of the A.A. Group have never had a better friend, nor a stauncher one, than Herb when the going was hard," the note states. It is signed by a man named Bill Wilson. The contributor does not believe that his grandfather was an alcoholic, so is curious to learn how the supposedly sober, well-heeled customs attorney was involved in the early days of one of the most miraculous social movements of the modern era. HISTORY DETECTIVES searches New York's Westchester County, Brooklyn and Manhattan for personal insight into a movement that has changed the lives of millions worldwide and helped shape society's attitudes about alcoholism. TALLAHASSEE MYSTERY CROSS: About 15 years ago, archeologists at the Mission San Luis in Tallahassee, Florida made an astonishing discovery. In the process of excavating several hundred bodies at the site of this 17th century Spanish mission, they unearthed a beautiful and undamaged glass-like cross. The current Chief of the Apalachee Tribe says his ancestors once lived near the mission, but fled when British forces raided in the early 1700s. He wants to confirm whether the cross was made centuries ago by his own ancestors. HISTORY DETECTIVES journeys to Florida to examine the Spanish efforts to proselytize among native tribes and explore the fusing of native and Christian ideologies and symbols into a unique version of New World Catholicism.
 Thu, April 1 at 7 p.m.
The first half hour of the series continues This Old House. The second half hour, Ask This Old House, features host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook as they address home maintenance and repair questions. Also featured are in-studio demonstrations, new product reviews, "house call" visits, and guest specialists, including master carpenter Norm Abram.
 Thu, April 1 at 10 p.m.
Baltimore's Dan Deacon returned to the Bottletree with his usual table of gadgets and skull strobe, with a dance party guaranteed. The difference was that this time he brought us an electronic orchestra to back him up. What ensued was a chaotic venture with flashes of light and pounding beats rushing through the crowd. This is not one to forget.
Fri, April 2 at 7:30 p.m.
This Emmy award-winning weekly newsmagazine engages viewers by probing the most important issues facing democracy. David Brancaccio pursues the stories overlooked by other public affairs broadcasts and travels the nation to shed light on the important public policy issues that have real-world impact on working Americans.
Fri, April 2 at 8 p.m.
Bringing back the landmark PBS series that first aired 35 years ago, Bill Moyers Journal will be reinvented for the 21st century to reflect the new challenges facing journalism and the issues confronting democracy. As always with a Moyers project on PBS, this one will be on mission, timely, and important.
The goal is to enrich the conversation of democracy with fresh and original voices-perspectives seldom available anywhere else on television-that reflect a diversity of wisdom, experience, and insight. Each week in a one-hour broadcast, BILL MOYERS JOURNAL will feature produced analysis of vital issues, strong interviews with unique voices on politics, the arts and letters, science, religion, and the media, as well as debates on public issues and documentary specials.
 Sat, April 3 at 11 a.m.
Host Christopher Kimball offers cooking tips, techniques and advice in America’s Test Kitchen from Cook’s Illustrated. Twenty-six informative episodes feature Kimball and viewers’ favorite kitchen experts — Julia Collin, Bridget Lancaster, Adam Ried and Jack Bishop. Kimball and the America’s Test Kitchen team demonstrate both basic and innovative cooking techniques that can be used in the home kitchen. Whether working with techniques, raw materials or cookware, the America’s Test Kitchen experts and blind tasting judges come up with unbiased choices to help viewers save money, time and effort in the kitchen while preparing the best food for their families
 Sat, April 3 at 7 p.m.
The Happy Goodman Family ignited a firestorm in gospel music in the early 1960s with their explosive brand of gospel music. Vestal, with her instantly-recognizable voice and trademark white lace hanky, was known and loved the world over as the queen of gospel music, and together, she and Howard carried on the Goodman legacy after the untimely deaths of Sam and Rusty. The Goodmans were gospel music royalty who graced the Homecoming stage for more than a decade. Whether singing at an old tabernacle or in Carnegie Hall, Vestal and Howard electrified audiences, from their trademark "Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now" to "God Bless America." In this tribute to The Goodmans, drawn from numerous Homecoming videos, Bill Gaither adds his own unique perspective to this legendary family of talented, God-loving singers and songwriters.
Sat, April 3 at 7 p.m.
Adam Rogers rummages through a “space junkyard” to see how spaceships are being reverse-engineered from 40-year-old technology; Ziya Tong interviews computer scientist Louis von Ahn about using human perception to digitize books; Wisconsin neuroscientists show off an invention that’s helping blind patients see with their tongues;Chris Hardwick interviews maverick genomics pioneer Craig Venter; Ziya Tong travels to Napa Valley to find out what science has to do with creating the perfect bottle of wine.
 Sat, April 3 at 8 p.m.
Hyacinth suddenly decides to take Daddy out for a picnic in the country, but Daddy equally suddenly decides that he will take her car!
Sat, April 3 at 10 p.m.
TIME TEAM AMERICA heads to the picturesque and remote canyons of southern Utah to examine what remains of the Fremont Indians who vanished 1,000 years ago. The Fremont stashed their food in clay granaries high on the cliffs of these canyons. They entered their underground homes through a hole in the ceiling, and they decorated rock walls with petroglyphs that remain a mystery to this day. Utah's state archaeologist calls in TIME TEAM AMERICA to examine some of the most pristine and puzzling archaeology in the United States. The team probes the ground, scales the cliffs, and learns what life was like in these canyons a thousand years ago.
 Sun, April 4 at 2 p.m.
Through contemporary interviews and historical footage, the program traces the civil rights movement from the Montgomery bus boycott in 1954 to the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The three, two-hour programs profile some of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life. "Awakenings - 1954-1956," examines two key events in the civil rights struggle -- the lynching in Mississippi of 14-year-old Emmett Till, and the Montgomery, Alabama boycott that forced the desegregation of public buses. "Fighting Back - 1957-1962," examines the impact of the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and James Meredith's enrollment at the University of Mississippi.
 Sun, April 4 at 4 p.m.
FRONTLINE explores the life of Jesus and the movement he started, challenging familiar assumptions and conventional notions about the origins of Christianity. Drawing upon new and sometimes controversial historical evidence and interviews with the nation's leading New Testament scholars, the series transports the viewer back two thousand years to the time and place where Jesus once lived and preached. The film traces Jesus' life, focusing on the events that occurred after he died and on his first followers, the men and women whose belief, conviction, and martyrdom created a major movement that transformed the Roman Empire in the space of only three hundred years. "Pax Romana"--This segment traces the life of Jesus, exploring the message that helped his ministry grow and the events that led to his crucifixion. Born in the reign of Emperor Augustus in the Pax Romana -- the Roman Peace -- Jesus was a subject of the Roman Empire. This first hour looks at how scholars and archaeologists have pieced together a new portrait of where Jesus was born, how he lived and who he was. "A Light to the Nations"--The second hour turns from the life of Jesus to the period that followed his death, examining the rise of Christianity and concluding with the First Revolt -- the bloody and violent siege of Jerusalem and the beginning of a rift between Christianity and Judaism. "A Light to the Nations" explores new evidence suggesting that Jesus' followers, because of their diversity and the differences in their cultures and languages, looked at and interpreted Jesus and his teachings in many different ways. (This program was soft fed as two separate episodes FRON1610-4/8 and FRON1611-4/16)
 Sun, April 4 at 8 p.m.
Innovative technology takes us inside animals to reveal the bioengineering of "how animals work."
 Sun, April 4 at 8 p.m.
This special from the creator of the long-running PBS hit series Championship Ballroom Dancing takes viewers onto the dance floor and behind the scenes as 24 professional ballroom dance couples vie for the title of "America's Best" in the Ohio Star Ball in Columbus -- the largest ballroom dancing competition in the world.
 Sun, April 4 at 9 p.m.
Sean Bean returns as British soldier-hero Richard Sharpe, a rough diamond who has risen through the ranks of the army on the back of his brave exploits. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, "Sharpe" is based on the popular novels of Bernard Cornwall. "Sharpe's Peril" opens with Sharpe traveling across India in 1818, escorting the beautiful Marie-Angelique Bonnet to meet her fiancee. Little does our hero know that he will inadvertently stumble across a massive opium trafficking ring.
 Mon, April 5 at 7 p.m.
In Denver, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Peter Shemonsky visit the unclaimed property office of the Colorado State Treasurer and discover some orphaned gems. Program highlights include: a Dodger's game-used jersey, worn by pitching ace Don Drysdale in 1966; an heirloom 17th-century Massachusetts armchair; and an heirloom 1817 schoolgirl needlework family portrait, valued at $50, 000 to $70,000.
 Mon, April 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Family, friends and neighbors – everyone who takes care of young children – are child care providers. Every interaction and every activity of these adults with their charges provide valuable opportunities to help children learn and grow.
A Place of Our Own shares ways for us all to help children acquire cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills, as well as nurture language and literacy development.
 Mon, April 5 at 8:30 p.m.
Visit Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, AL; Carl Sandburg Home-Flat Rock, NC; Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams-Madisonville, TN and Blue Willow Inn Restaurant-Social Circle, GA.
 Tue, April 6 at 7 p.m.
In a two-hour special, NOVA examines how a simple instrument, the telescope, has fundamentally changed our understanding of our place in the universe. What began as a curiosity-two spectacle lenses held a foot apart-ultimately revolutionized human thought across science, philosophy and religion. Telescope takes viewers on a global adventure of discovery, dramatizing the innovations in technology and the achievements in science that have marked the rich history of the telescope. This tale of human ingenuity involves some of the most colorful figures of the scientific world-Galileo, Kepler, Newton, William Herschel, George Hale, and Edwin Hubble-leading up to today's colossal telescopes, housed in space-age cathedrals or orbiting high above the Earth. Now at the center of an international space race, a new generation of ever-larger telescopes is poised to reveal answers to longstanding questions about our universe-and, in turn, to raise new questions.
 Tue, April 6 at 9 p.m.
The ever-evolving Wilco performs classics and cuts from its latest disc, Sky Blue Sky.
 Wed, April 7 at 7 p.m.
Two and a half millennia ago, a new religion was born in northern India, generated from the ideas of a single man, the Buddha, a mysterious Indian sage who famously gained enlightenment while he sat under a large, shapely fig tree. The Buddha never claimed to be God or his emissary on earth. He said only that he was a human being who, in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, had found a kind of serenity that others could find, too. This documentary by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin tells the story of his life, a journey especially relevant in our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. Richard Gere narrates.
 Wed, April 7 at 9 p.m.
East meets West in the Deep South. An overcrowded maximum-security prison in Alabama is dramatically changed by the influence of an ancient Buddhist meditation program. THE DHAMMA BROTHERS tells a dramatic tale of human potential and transformation as it closely documents the stories of a group of prison inmates who enter into an intensive 10-day silent meditation program. This inspiring film challenges assumptions about the nature of prisons as places of punishment rather than rehabilitation and raises the question: is it possible for these men, some of whom have committed horrendous crimes, to change? In the words of Sister Helen Prejean (Dead Man Walking), "it gives you hope for the human race."
Rating: TVG
Wed, April 7 at 9 p.m.
The archaeologists of TIME TEAM AMERICA ride to the rescue of a Wild West time capsule. In 1865, a unit of cavalry soldiers thought they had volunteered to fight in the Civil War. Instead, they found themselves sent west to defend pioneer settlers against angry Sioux Indians in what is now South Dakota. Upon their arrival, the soldiers built what was to be one of the only stone forts on the American frontier. The fort's pink granite walls still peek out from under a grassy field. Our team has just three days to map, dig, and uncover what remains of Forth James. What they find tells an intriguing tale of 1865 frontier life.
Wed, April 7 at 10 p.m.
CALF CREEK ARROW: An Oklahoma resident discovered an unusual bison skull while fossil hunting in a dry riverbed. Lodged in the bone was a handmade point, which the contributor believes dates back to the Calf Creek culture, around 3000 B.C. Could this be just another hoax or an incredible archeological discovery? HISTORY DETECTIVES learns more about this group of nomadic hunter-gatherers, while putting this handmade point through the extreme rigors of modern forensic testing. DOC HOLLIDAY WATCH: Four years ago, a pawn store clerk in Tulsa, Oklahoma, met a customer with a pawned antique watch, engraved with a potentially historic inscription. Could this watch have been a gift from the fearless frontier lawman Wyatt Earp to the dentist, gambler and gunman "Doc" Holliday, perhaps in gratitude for his help fighting the Clanton outlaw gang at the OK Corral? HISTORY DETECTIVES uncovers the surprising facts behind this legendary gunfight and the real relationship between Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. BLACK STAR LINE CERTIFICATES: A North Carolina woman recently found two Black Star Line stock certificates that had been purchased by her great grandfather in 1919. She didn't know the significance of the documents, but what looked like a Marcus Garvey signature on the papers saved them from the trashcan. Garvey founded the steamship company through his United Negro Improvement Association in 1919. Could this document be a rare artifact from Garvey's heyday? HISTORY DETECTIVES takes a closer look at this controversial and enigmatic figure who fought for economic self-reliance and political self-determination for African Americans.
Thu, April 8 at 7 p.m.
The first half hour of the series continues This Old House. The second half hour, Ask This Old House, features host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook as they address home maintenance and repair questions. Also featured are in-studio demonstrations, new product reviews, "house call" visits, and guest specialists, including master carpenter Norm Abram.
 Thu, April 8 at 10 p.m.
JEFF The Brotherhood is Jake and Jamin Orrall, two brothers that play drums and guitar. They grew up in Tennessee making music and trying to have a good time.
Fri, April 9 at 7:30 p.m.
This Emmy award-winning weekly newsmagazine engages viewers by probing the most important issues facing democracy. David Brancaccio pursues the stories overlooked by other public affairs broadcasts and travels the nation to shed light on the important public policy issues that have real-world impact on working Americans.
Fri, April 9 at 8 p.m.
Bringing back the landmark PBS series that first aired 35 years ago, Bill Moyers Journal will be reinvented for the 21st century to reflect the new challenges facing journalism and the issues confronting democracy. As always with a Moyers project on PBS, this one will be on mission, timely, and important.
The goal is to enrich the conversation of democracy with fresh and original voices-perspectives seldom available anywhere else on television-that reflect a diversity of wisdom, experience, and insight. Each week in a one-hour broadcast, BILL MOYERS JOURNAL will feature produced analysis of vital issues, strong interviews with unique voices on politics, the arts and letters, science, religion, and the media, as well as debates on public issues and documentary specials.
 Sat, April 10 at noon
America’s finest chefs showed their skills in seafood preparation at the 2009 Great American Seafood Cook-Off, held Saturday in New Orleans for the sixth straight year. The event, which has featured both up-and-coming and celebrity chefs over the years, underscored the importance of cooking with domestic seafood and encouraged the use of products from sustainable fisheries.
 Sat, April 10 at 4 p.m.
Woodsmith is America's favorite fully-illustrated woodworking magazine, featuring furniture plans, shop jigs, tool news and finishing techniques.
Sat, April 10 at 7 p.m.
A Woods Hole Institute expedition sails to the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean to deploy autonomous undersea vehicles in hopes of discovering new life forms; chemistry teacher Chris Schrempp turns cotton balls into smokeless gunpowder; Chris Hardwick and Kamala Lopez tour the WIRED Living Home; Ziya Tong explores the area in West Virginia known as “the quiet zone” and learns why this is the perfect site for radio astronomers searching for life on other planets; Adam Rogers goes behind the scenes to show us how Hollywood is cracking the code to create “perfect water” on screen; and Rainn Wilson joins Chris Hardwick to explore what’s inside a popular product that relieves symptoms of the common cold.
Sun, April 11 at 2 p.m.
Ain't Scared of Your Jails - 1960-1961 examines the impact of four black student protests during the 1960-1961 period -- the lunch counter sit-ins of 1960; the formation of SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee); the impact of the sit-ins on the Kennedy-Nixon presidential campaign; and the freedom rides of 1961. Easy Walk - 1961-1963 examines three major civil rights movement events -- Albany, Georgia, where in a test of nonviolent tactics, police chief Laurie Pritchett overshadows Martin Luther King Jr.; Birmingham, Alabama, where children march against Bull Connor's fire hoses; and the march on Washington, D.C., which reveals broad support for the civil rights movement.
 Sun, April 11 at 4 p.m.
As the population ages, many adult children are grappling with an unprecedented social, cultural, economic and personal revolution as they become the primary caregivers for their aging parents. This documentary draws much-needed attention to this widespread reality. Through an intimate look at five American families, the first 90 minutes of the special underscore today's struggle to keep parents at home, the tensions between siblings and the complexity of shifting caregiver roles. In the end, successful caregiving requires one primary ingredient - love. Immediately after the 90-minute broadcast, former NBC medical correspondent Dr. Art Ulene leads A Conversation About Caring," a half-hour panel discussion that offers concrete advice and guidance on how to start the conversation - often the most difficult step in caregiving. "
 Sun, April 11 at 7 p.m.
NATURE presents the conclusion of MOMENT OF IMPACT. When animals of astounding ability connect with each other and the world around them there is a "moment of impact." The world is filled with these unique moments created by animals whose abilities and behaviors are incredible to behold, like the violent collision of cheetah with gazelle, the blink-of-an-eye strike of a deadly cobra and the amazing dexterity of an elephant's trunk as it feeds, fights or reaches out with affection
 Sun, April 11 at 8 p.m.
Morgan Freeman hosts BLUES DIVAS featuring performances and interviews with eight of the world's most soulful female performers. The two-hour program features performances by: Deborah Coleman, Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples, Odetta, Bettye Lavette, Ann Peebles, Renee Austin and Denise LaSalle Freeman, co-owner of Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi, introduces and interviews performers Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples, Odetta, Deborah Coleman, Ann Peebles, Bettye LaVette, Renee Austin and Denise LaSalle. The program series was taped at the Ground Zero Blues Club in the spring of 2004.
 Sun, April 11 at 8 p.m.
Alabama Stories looks at the legacy of Helen Keller.
 Sun, April 11 at 9 p.m.
A new, authentic adaptation of Anne Frank's feisty, poignant, and timeless account of her life in a cramped hidden annex during World War II. A remarkable performance by newcomer Ellie Kendrick (An Education) brings to life the eloquent reflections of a teenage girl trying to live an ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances.
Mon, April 12 at 7 p.m.
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Suzanne Perrault visit a unique memorial to renowned potter Artus Van Briggle: a building on the Colorado College campus decorated inside and out with Van Briggle tiles. Program highlights include two circa 1958 prototype chairs designed by the guest's father when he worked for noted modernist George Nelson; a turn-of-the-century salesman's sample canoe; and a 1941 Martin guitar, played live on the radio by the guest's great-uncle, "Cowboy Slim," and valued at $65,000 to $75, 000.
 Mon, April 12 at 8 p.m.
The story of the largest public health experiment in American history — the effort to eradicate polio, one of the 20th-century’s most dreaded disease.
Mon, April 12 at 8:30 p.m.
Head to Atlanta, Georgia as we speak with President and Mrs. Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum; visit James K. Polk Home-Columbia, TN and Andrew Johnson-Greenville, TN.
 Mon, April 12 at 10 p.m.
Ground Breakers Groundbreakers leading the way and inspiring change for the better. Designer Mary McFadden, Mississippi Mayor, Stonewall, Wally’s Café.
 Tue, April 13 at 12:30 p.m.
The kids are having a yard sale, getting rid of old toys, books and clothes. Kioko shows up holding a prized possession-a music box from Switzerland. By accident, Ben includes the music box in a cardboard box of yard sale items-and the music box is sold! Kioko is sad and Ben wants to make things right, so he and Barney travel to Switzerland in search of a replacement gift. While there, they sample Swiss food, customs and games-but no music box! Luckily when Ben returns the music box is returned!
Tue, April 13 at 7 p.m.
In a two-hour special, NOVA examines how a simple instrument, the telescope, has fundamentally changed our understanding of our place in the universe. What began as a curiosity-two spectacle lenses held a foot apart-ultimately revolutionized human thought across science, philosophy and religion. Telescope takes viewers on a global adventure of discovery, dramatizing the innovations in technology and the achievements in science that have marked the rich history of the telescope. This tale of human ingenuity involves some of the most colorful figures of the scientific world-Galileo, Kepler, Newton, William Herschel, George Hale, and Edwin Hubble-leading up to today's colossal telescopes, housed in space-age cathedrals or orbiting high above the Earth. Now at the center of an international space race, a new generation of ever-larger telescopes is poised to reveal answers to longstanding questions about our universe-and, in turn, to raise new questions.
 Tue, April 13 at 9 p.m.
Health care reform was the first big policy deal taken on by the Obama administration. Many say the young president has bet the mid-term elections, possibly his presidency, on the outcome. In a new investigation FRONTLINE goes behind closed doors at the White House, in Congress and the boardrooms of the giant health-care lobby to examine the political battles and costly compromises that defined Barack Obama's endeavor. From early positive efforts, through the bitter battles with the Tea Party, the elation of apparent success at Christmas, to the crushing failure in the Massachusetts Senatorial election, FRONTLINE follows the story and reveals the first in-depth look at how the Obama administration operates. In "Obama's Deal," FRONTLINE veteran producer Michael Kirk ("Bush's War," "Dreams of Obama," "Inside the Meltdown," "The Warning") provides a sobering expose of the realities of American politics, the power of special interest groups and the role of money in policy making.
 Tue, April 13 at 9 p.m.
Nashville band of brothers Kings of Leon rocks the ACL studio in support of its latest record, Because of the Times. Psychedelic innovator Roky Erickson demonstrates why he's a Texas rock 'n' roll legend, with songs from the length and breadth of his 40-year career.
Tue, April 13 at 10 p.m.
John Hammond championed traditional delta blues when others ignored it. After four decades of performing, inspired and encouraged by Tom Waits, he shifted gears and turned his considerable vocal and guitar talent to gritty contemporary songs, including several originals. Odetta's influence on American music is hard to overstate - Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan are just two of many who credit her as a major influence. Over five decades into a storied career, she is a powerful performer with energy and style that cross all boundaries of genre and age. An original member of The Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, Jorma is a student of traditional American music, especially the Rev. Gary Davis.
 Wed, April 14 at 7 p.m.
WHEN FAMILIES GRIEVE features families coping with the death of a parent. This special, starring Katie Couric and the Sesame Street Muppets, performs a valuable service to families everywhere -- in both the military and the public at large -- by creating awareness of the courageous struggles of parents and children, and sharing the strategies that have helped them to move forward while keeping the memories alive.
 Wed, April 14 at 8 p.m.
WORSE THAN WAR, based on Daniel Jonah Goldhagen's book of the same title, is the first documentary to step back and focus on the general phenomenon of genocide -- offering insights about its dimensions, its patterns and causes, and its tragic role in politics and human affairs. Goldhagen travels, listens to witnesses, and confronts perpetrators in nine countries around the world, bringing viewers on an unprecedented journey of insight and analysis.
Wed, April 14 at 9 p.m.
In this special two-hour presentation from the United Kingdom’s groundbreaking archaeology series, TIME TEAM takes viewers on an expedition to Jamestown, where a British company’s commercial enterprise planted the seeds of the United States. There have been nearly a million finds from the site’s trenches, but this anniversary special is far more than just an excavation. The team retrieves piles of perfectly preserved 17th-century pieces, traces the names and life stories of the early American pioneers, and learns why a third of them died within months of arrival. The colonists at Jamestown went looking for gold and silver. Instead, they found fertile soil, tough conditions and the beginnings of the world’s most powerful nation. Then, in part two, Britain’s most famous archaeologists discover what secrets lie buried beneath several of the world’s most famous English residences. TIME TEAM tears into the queen’s gardens in an unprecedented opportunity to unearth the secrets of Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, where the royal finds include the foundation of a 14th-century building where Edward III honored the legendary Arthurian knights.
Thu, April 15 at 7 p.m.
The first half hour of the series continues This Old House. The second half hour, Ask This Old House, features host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook as they address home maintenance and repair questions. Also featured are in-studio demonstrations, new product reviews, "house call" visits, and guest specialists, including master carpenter Norm Abram.
 Thu, April 15 at 10 p.m.
Phosphorescent is Matthew Houck, a one-man indie folk/alt country band that is often compared to Iron and Wine, Will Oldham, and Neil Young.
Sat, April 17 at 11 a.m.
Host Christopher Kimball offers cooking tips, techniques and advice in America’s Test Kitchen from Cook’s Illustrated. Twenty-six informative episodes feature Kimball and viewers’ favorite kitchen experts — Julia Collin, Bridget Lancaster, Adam Ried and Jack Bishop. Kimball and the America’s Test Kitchen team demonstrate both basic and innovative cooking techniques that can be used in the home kitchen. Whether working with techniques, raw materials or cookware, the America’s Test Kitchen experts and blind tasting judges come up with unbiased choices to help viewers save money, time and effort in the kitchen while preparing the best food for their families
 Sat, April 17 at 7 p.m.
Set off for an adventure on the great Nile River to uncover ancient history, myths and culture.
Sat, April 17 at 10 p.m.
In this special two-hour presentation from the United Kingdom’s groundbreaking archaeology series, TIME TEAM takes viewers on an expedition to Jamestown, where a British company’s commercial enterprise planted the seeds of the United States. There have been nearly a million finds from the site’s trenches, but this anniversary special is far more than just an excavation. The team retrieves piles of perfectly preserved 17th-century pieces, traces the names and life stories of the early American pioneers, and learns why a third of them died within months of arrival. The colonists at Jamestown went looking for gold and silver. Instead, they found fertile soil, tough conditions and the beginnings of the world’s most powerful nation. Then, in part two, Britain’s most famous archaeologists discover what secrets lie buried beneath several of the world’s most famous English residences. TIME TEAM tears into the queen’s gardens in an unprecedented opportunity to unearth the secrets of Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, where the royal finds include the foundation of a 14th-century building where Edward III honored the legendary Arthurian knights.
Sun, April 18 at 4 p.m.
A new, authentic adaptation of Anne Frank's feisty, poignant, and timeless account of her life in a cramped hidden annex during World War II. A remarkable performance by newcomer Ellie Kendrick (An Education) brings to life the eloquent reflections of a teenage girl trying to live an ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances.
 Sun, April 18 at 7 p.m.
As amphibian species vanish off the face of the Earth, scientists attempt to save those they can.
 Sun, April 18 at 8 p.m.
"The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE and the Changing Face of Comics" tells the story of one of the most successful journeys in independent comics. In his acclaimed graphic novel BONE, described as "Bugs Bunny meets The Lord of The Rings," Jeff Smith set out to write and draw the kind of book he had always dreamed of reading. Inspired by the work of Walt Kelly, Carl Barks and others, Jeff’s dream of telling a spellbinding adventure story with wall-to-wall humor and brilliant drawing began in the earliest imaginings of his childhood. "The Cartoonist" takes us down that road with Jeff and his characters, through his early years, college comic strips, detours into animation and attempted syndication, and finally toward the decision to self-publish.
 Sun, April 18 at 9 p.m.
Adapted from Andrea Levy's best-selling, award-winning novel, "Small Island" tells the moving saga of two couples - one Jamaican, one English - whose lives intertwine in both friendship and tragic misunderstanding in post-World-War-II Britain. Naomie Harris (Pirates of the Caribbean) and David Oyelowo (The Last King of Scotland) star as the Jamaican immigrants, with Ruth Wilson ("Jane Eyre") and Benedict Cumberbatch ("The Last Enemy") as their English landlords.
Mon, April 19 at 7 p.m.
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Stuart Whitehurst visit Phoenix' Hall of Flame Museum, home to the largest collection of fire-fighting materials in North America. Program highlights include a circa 1905 advertising display for waterproof baby pants; a 1797 Chippendale marriage chest; and a collection of original Charles Schulz "Peanuts" artwork, valued at $350,000.
Mon, April 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Family, friends and neighbors – everyone who takes care of young children – are child care providers. Every interaction and every activity of these adults with their charges provide valuable opportunities to help children learn and grow.
A Place of Our Own shares ways for us all to help children acquire cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills, as well as nurture language and literacy development.
 Mon, April 19 at 8 p.m.
It is now all the rage in the Age of Al Gore and Barack Obama, but can you remember when everyone in America was not "Going Green?" "Earth Days" looks back to the dawn and development of the modern environmental movement -- from its post-war rumblings in the 1950s and the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's incendiary bestseller Silent Spring, to the first wildly successful 1970 Earth Day celebration and the subsequent firestorm of political action. The stories of the era's pioneers -- among them former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall; biologist/Population Bomb author Paul Ehrlich; Whole Earth Catalog founder Stewart Brand; Apollo Nine astronaut Rusty Schweickart; and renewable energy pioneer Hunter Lovins -- are illustrated with an incredible array of footage from candy-colored Eisenhower-era tableau to classic tear-jerking 1970s anti-litterbug PSAs. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Robert Stone (Oswald's Ghost, Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst) this AMERICAN EXPERIENCE film is both a meditation on man's complex relationship with nature and a history of the revolutionary achievements -- and missed opportunities -- of groundbreaking eco-activism.
 Tue, April 20 at 7 p.m.
Program looks at everything California is doing, from energy conservation and efficiency to the development of new sources of carbon-free power, to find out how the rest of the country can join in the aggressive pursuit of a sustainable energy future.
 Tue, April 20 at 9 p.m.
Kentucky's indie rock heroes My Morning Jacket return to the ACL stage to showcase their latest acclaimed album Evil Urges. In HD where available.
Tue, April 20 at 10 p.m.
Martina McBride and Diana Jones visits the venerable Mountain Stage public radio show- One of country music’s most talented stars performs classic songs made famous by Hank Williams, Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn and other Country Music Hall-of-Famers as well as her own hits. The program also features a cameo appearance by Diana Jones, an Americana singer/songwriter whose roots reach deep into Appalachia. .
 Wed, April 21 at 7 p.m.
This program is about dog trainer Jennifer Arnold, the service dogs she trains and the families whose lives they have changed. Arnold's non-profit organization, Canine Assistants, trains dogs to assist people with a variety of disabilities. Based in part on Arnold's forthcoming book of the same name, the film also presents the science that explains the amazing dog/human bond and what makes Arnold's training techniques so effective for anyone with a canine in the family.
 Wed, April 21 at 8 p.m.
Filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli -- the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults. Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser ("Fast Food Nation"), Michael Pollan ("The Omnivore's Dilemma") along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs, this film reveals surprising -- and often shocking truths -- about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here
 Wed, April 21 at 9 p.m.
Prague’s Old Jewish Cemetery, a place of haunting beauty and mystery, has endured wars and pogroms, floods and fires, assimilation and an urban clearing project that destroyed most of the ancient Jewish Quarter it once served. Miraculously, it even survived the Nazi occupation and 40 years of communist neglect. HOUSE OF LIFE tells the story of the vibrant Prague Jewish community of the past and of today’s small Jewish community for whom the cemetery still serves as a spiritual center. The film features the curators, historians, rabbis, guides and conservationists who are all devoted to the preservation of this unforgettable place. Claire Bloom narrates.
Wed, April 21 at 10 p.m.
Grace Kelly Automobile - In 1955, famed director Alfred Hitchcock was at the top of his game with the release of To Catch a Thief, a romantic thriller starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. But for some Hitchcock fans, the real star of the film is the Sunbeam Alpine, a sleek, sexy 1953 convertible. The car was already popular in elite automotive circles, but its Hitchcock film cameo would transform this car into a cult object. Now, a man in Los Angeles believes he has the original Sunbeam Alpine used in the film. HISTORY DETECTIVES heads to California to revisit the glamour of 1950s Hollywood and rub elbows with some of the key players who worked side by side with the Master of Suspense. Illicit P.O.W. Photos - A contributor from Daytona Beach, Florida, has an extraordinary set of photographs he believes come from his great-great-grandfather, who fought in the Civil War and was once a confederate prisoner of war at Johnson's Island on Lake Erie. The collection of portraits comes with a note that asserts the images were taken illicitly and depict fellow incarcerated confederate officers. The author claims the photos were taken with a camera he built from items he possessed when he was captured, as well as tools he collected while in the prison camp, and adds that the chemicals used to develop the photos were stolen from the camp hospital. Is the contributor's relative in fact the photographer, and if so, would it have been possible for him to make a camera with the materials he describes? HISTORY DETECTIVES heads to Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania to investigate the history of Civil War photography and discover how confederate and union prisoners, officers and enlisted men, were treated during wartime. Mystery Motorcycle - A man in Flemington, New Jersey, has recently purchased a beautiful old Harley-Davidson motorcycle and is eager to learn more about the machine's early history. The tank of his 1914 bike bears the "Cross of Lorraine," a historic symbol of French nationalism. The contributor is aware that Harley-Davidson sold motorcycles to the U.S. Military during WWI, and he wants to know whether his bike clocked mileage in war-torn Europe. As the detectives follow this lead in New Jersey and Wisconsin, their course takes an unanticipated swerve when they find that the cross also served as the emblem for the U.S. National Tuberculosis Association in the early 1900s. While uncovering clues about the early public health initiative to wipe out tuberculosis, the detectives dig deep in the Harley-Davidson archives to examine the company's possible involvement in the campaign to eradicate the deadly "White Plague."
 Thu, April 22 at 9 p.m.
Action-packed drama taking us into the thrilling world of MI5, the clandestine security service, and the people who make up the elite team. There's organized crime, terrorist activities, embassy sieges, weapons proliferation, subversives, anarchists and drug traffickers, not to mention the conflicts and power struggles that they have to deal with back in the office. A topical and edgy drama about passion, jeopardy and the intrigue of people who have to lie for a living - and who can never tell the truth to their loved ones about what it is that they do.
 Thu, April 22 at 10 p.m.
Ghosts were an indie/pop band from London and were 9th on the BBCs Sound Of 2007 poll.Before signing with Atlantic Records in November 2006 they were previously known as Polanski. Their sound has been compared to Keane, Thirteen Senses, The Bluetones and Radiohead.
 Sat, April 24 at 1 p.m.
What are you having for dinner tonight? If you’re getting tired of the same ingredients, then tune in to Simply Ming, as Emmy Award–winning chef Ming Tsai dishes up easy solutions to having East-West food on the table in almost the same amount of time it takes to order out. By using one of his simple master recipes to create a variety of meals—either the casual bite or a menu worthy of a dinner party—you can have a flavorful dish in half an hour. The series furthers Ming’s mission of providing viewers a simple, straightforward approach to mastering East-West cooking. By crafting dishes from the show’s master recipes, anyone can keep dining at more home interesting and fun all week long—whether you are a beginner in the kitchen or an experienced chef. Join Ming Tsai as he shares time-saving tips and mouthwatering recipes, all while helping you make the most of your time in the kitchen.
Sat, April 24 at 7 p.m.
Set off for an adventure on the great Nile River to uncover ancient history, myths and culture.
Sat, April 24 at 8 p.m.
Hyacinth borrows a holiday cottage in the country for the weekend and plans a small barbecue. Small, that is, only by comparison with the planning efforts used by Churchill in the last war.
 Sat, April 24 at 10 p.m.
This program chronicles the story of the Phoenix Mars Lander, which launched in August 2007 and is scheduled to land on the Martian surface on May 25, 2008. The program features interviews with scientists who discuss the spacecraft’s custom instruments and the intricate preparations that preceded the launch. After touchdown, the lander will collect soil and ice samples to search for trace organics and for evidence of how water has changed the subsurface environment. The scientists hope to determine where the water on Mars went.
It’s a question that both intrigues and excites us … what if? Since our forebears first looked to the heavens, we’ve asked ourselves if there’s life “out there” — on any of the other planets in our galaxy or beyond.
The University of Arizona’s Lunar & Planetary Laboratory has teamed with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, the Canadian Space Agency and other scientific organizations from around the world to attempt to answer that age-old question. The project is chronicled in a thrilling high-definition documentary, PHOENIX MARS MISSION: ASHES TO ICE, narrated by NASA astronaut Mark E. Kelly. The program airs Thursday, May 22, 2008, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS.
The historic mission is headed by the University of Arizona’s Peter Smith, who serves as the project’s principal investigator. The Phoenix Mars Mission, rising from the ashes of previous unsuccessful missions, blasted off to the Red Planet in August 2007. PHOENIX MARS MISSION: ASHES TO ICE follows the mission from its meticulous preparations through its spectacular pre-dawn launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The documentary crew, given unprecedented access to the scientific team throughout the early days of planning, chronicled the preparations and joined the excited crowd at the awe-inspiring liftoff. PHOENIX MARS MISSION: ASHES TO ICE features interviews with Smith as well as other key scientists who bring the mission to life as they discuss the spacecraft’s custom instruments and the intricate preparations that preceded the launch. The 800-pound, seven-foot-high lander is traveling 423 million miles at 74,000 miles per hour.
Touchdown on Mars is scheduled for May 25, 2008 (three days after the program airs). The lander will have about 90 days before the brutal Martian winter sets in to learn about the history of water on the planet and search for organic compounds in the ice-rich soil of Mars’ northern polar region. The lander will collect soil and ice samples to search for trace organics and for evidence of how water has changed the subsurface environment. The scientists hope to determine where the water on Mars went.
The $420 million mission is headquartered at the University of Arizona — the first time in NASA’s history that it has permitted a public university to have such off-site control of a Mars project.
The world eagerly awaits what the Mars lander can tell us about the history of the intriguing Red Planet. PHOENIX MARS MISSION: ASHES TO ICE takes an unforgettable trip to Mars.
![]() Sun, April 25 at 2 p.m.
Strauss's comic masterpiece of love and intrigue in 18th-century Vienna stars Renee Fleming as the aristocratic Marschallin and Susan Graham in the trouser role of her young lover. Music Director James Levine conducts a cast that also includes Kristinn Sigmundsson and Thomas Allen.
 Sun, April 25 at 7 p.m.
The story of the first year of a humpback whale's life as she learns the lessons of humpback life from her mother. Together, they make the long journey from her birthplace in the suptropical waters in Hawaii to summer feeding grounds in the cold seas off Alaska's southeast coast. The youngster will meet dangerous orcas and sharks, and playful dolphins and seals. She will learn to use her flippers and tail to announce herself and to communicate with other whales. By the time they return to Hawaii for the winter, she will be ready to set out on her own and find her own place in her community of whales.
 Sun, April 25 at 8 p.m.
Guido's Orchestra, an exciting act from Holland, performs for an American audience for the first time - only on PBS. Guido is a virtuoso violinist, conductor and composer whose unique mix of classical/rock crossover features his own compositions and some of the best-loved music in the world. This program, recorded at the point where Holland, Belgium and Germany meet, stars Guido, his young orchestra and his wife, Wendy, who performs her European hit, The 7 Cs," during which she sings seven high Cs in one song. "
Sun, April 25 at 9 p.m.
Adapted from Andrea Levy's best-selling, award-winning novel, "Small Island" tells the moving saga of two couples - one Jamaican, one English - whose lives intertwine in both friendship and tragic misunderstanding in post-World-War-II Britain. Naomie Harris (Pirates of the Caribbean) and David Oyelowo (The Last King of Scotland) star as the Jamaican immigrants, with Ruth Wilson ("Jane Eyre") and Benedict Cumberbatch ("The Last Enemy") as their English landlords.
Mon, April 26 at 7 p.m.
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW host Mark L. Walberg visits Phoenix' Desert Botanical Garden with appraiser Don Creswell for a discussion of antique botanical artwork. Program highlights include a 1982 bronze maquette by renowned sculptor Henry Moore; an heirloom amethyst jewelry collection; and an early abstract painting by noted modern artist Chuck Close, received by the guest's father as repayment of an $8 loan, valued at $100,000 to $150,000.
 Mon, April 26 at 8 p.m.
What drove a company of American soldiers --ordinary young men from around the country deployed to liberate a small foreign nation from an oppressive neighbor -- to dehumanize and murder more than 300 unarmed civilians? Were they "just following orders" as some later declared? Or, as others argued, did they break under the pressure of a misguided military strategy that measured victory by body count? Today, as the United States once again finds itself questioning the morality of actions taken in the name of war, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Barak Goodman (The Lobotomist, Scottsboro: An American Tragedy) focuses his lens on the 1968 My Lai Massacre, its subsequent cover-up, and the heroic efforts of the soldiers who broke rank to halt the atrocities. This film draws upon the eyewitness accounts of Vietnamese survivors and the men of the Charlie Company 11th Infantry Brigade and recently discovered audio recordings.
Mon, April 26 at 8:30 p.m.
Tour the Prichard's Distillery in Kelso, TN; Hot Diggity Dogs-Nashville, TN; National Weather Service-Morristown, TN; Lane Packing Company (peaches)-Fort Valley, GA.
 Tue, April 27 at 7 p.m.
In the aftermath of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Mind Over Money" explores why mainstream economists failed to predict the crash of 2008 and why we so often make irrational financial decisions. It reveals surprising, hidden money drives in us all and explores controversial new arguments about the world of finance. Before the current crash, most Wall Street analysts believed that markets are "efficient" -- that investors are reasonable and always operate in their own self-interest. Most of the time, these assumptions of classical economics work well enough. But in extreme situations, people panic and conventional theories collapse. In the face of the recent crash, can a new science that aims to incorporate human psychology into finance-behavioral economics-do better? We'll see how the brains and bodies of Wall Street traders respond as they buy and sell stocks. We'll watch as an ingenious experiment reveals how too many spending choices and the way they're framed can overwhelm consumers' ability to make rational decisions. Through these real-life experiments, NOVA showed how mood, decision-making, and economic activity are all tightly interwoven. By delivering unexpected insights from leading analysts and powerful experiments, "Mind Over Money" exposes the mysterious and surprising nature of the two most powerful forces on our planet: the human mind and money."
 Tue, April 27 at 9 p.m.
ACL veterans and country music legends Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel join forces onstage in celebration of their collaborative LP Willie and the Wheel.
 Tue, April 27 at 9 p.m.
Public health scientists and clinicians tout vaccines as one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. But for many ordinary Americans vaccines have become controversial. Young parents are concerned at the sheer number of shots -- some 26 inoculations for 14 different diseases by age six -- and follow alternative vaccination schedules advocated by gurus like Dr. Robert Sears. Other parents go further. In communities like Ashland, Oregon, up to one-third of parents are choosing not to vaccinate their kids at all. And some advocacy groups, like Generation Rescue, argue that vaccines are no longer a public health miracle but a scourge; they view vaccines as responsible for alarming rises in certain disorders, including ADHD and autism. This is the vaccine war: On one side sits scientific medicine and the public health establishment; on the other a populist coalition of parents, celebrities (like Jenny McCarthy), politicians and activists. It's a war that increasingly takes place on the Internet with both sides using the latest social media tools, including Facebook and Twitter, to win the hearts and minds of the public.
 Wed, April 28 at 7 p.m.
Shakespeare's tortured Danish prince receives a dynamic contemporary spin in this exciting and critically acclaimed new production from the Royal Shakespeare Company. Starring David Tennant as Hamlet (familiar to fans as Dr. Who in the cult-favorite UK science fiction TV series) and Patrick Stewart as Claudius, this television adaptation features an edgy interpretation by innovative director Gregory Doran, utilizing location shooting at St. Joseph's College, London, as the setting for a present day Elsinore Castle. Winning a highly-coveted 2009 Olivier Award for his performance, Tennant is joined by Oliver Ford Davies as Polonius, Penny Downie as Gertrude, and Mariah Gale as Ophelia.
 Thu, April 29 at 10 p.m.
The Walkmen is an American indie rock band, with members based in New York City and Philadelphia. The band formed in 2000 with three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater—Paul Maroon (guitar, piano), Walter Martin (organ/bass), and Matt Barrick (drums)—and two from The Recoys, Peter Bauer (bass/organ) and Hamilton Leithauser (vocals, guitar). All but Bauer attended St. Albans in Washington, D.C.
Fri, April 30 at 7:30 p.m.
This Emmy award-winning weekly newsmagazine engages viewers by probing the most important issues facing democracy. David Brancaccio pursues the stories overlooked by other public affairs broadcasts and travels the nation to shed light on the important public policy issues that have real-world impact on working Americans.
Fri, April 30 at 8 p.m.
Bringing back the landmark PBS series that first aired 35 years ago, Bill Moyers Journal will be reinvented for the 21st century to reflect the new challenges facing journalism and the issues confronting democracy. As always with a Moyers project on PBS, this one will be on mission, timely, and important.
The goal is to enrich the conversation of democracy with fresh and original voices-perspectives seldom available anywhere else on television-that reflect a diversity of wisdom, experience, and insight. Each week in a one-hour broadcast, BILL MOYERS JOURNAL will feature produced analysis of vital issues, strong interviews with unique voices on politics, the arts and letters, science, religion, and the media, as well as debates on public issues and documentary specials.
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