December 2017 - WETA Magazine by WETA

DECEMBER 2017 MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS

Music & Dance for the Season

Celebrate the holidays with The Nutcracker & more on Classical WETA 90.9 FM and WETA TV 26/HD

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New Call the Midwife and Last Tango in Halifax specials, a Beatles documentary, and new Met Opera season

11/16/17 1:45 PM

WETA Focus W

ETA has much to offer in December, celebrating the spirit of the season with a wide array of holiday music programming in our television and radio broadcasts, complemented by music specials airing as part of our winter membership campaign on WETA TV 26 and WETA HD. On the page opposite this column, learn about our seasonal television programming in addition to our traditional holiday offerings on Classical WETA 90.9 FM, which also rings in December with a new slate of Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcasts. In other programming, on WETA TV 26 we present the broadcast premiere of the acclaimed Ron Howard film The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years, which spotlights the band, its music and the Beatlemania phenomenon, illuminating its powerful cultural impact. December also heralds new drama specials from the popular series Call the Midwife and Last Tango in Halifax, and WETA presents an encore broadcast of blockbuster Masterpiece series Victoria to catch up viewers before the series’ second season gets underway in January. For additional superb drama, tune in to WETA UK this month to find Miss Marple and Sherlock mysteries and much more. Enjoy our special programming throughout December — from glorious music to entertaining drama, from engaging travel series to informative lifestyle specials — and thank you for your generous support, which makes possible WETA’s broadcasts and our many other services to the community.

Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President & CEO, WETA

Live from Lincoln Center: NY Philharmonic New Year’s Eve: Bernstein on Broadway

Sunday, December 31 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

CHRIS LEE

ing in 2018 with a special new “Live from Lincoln Center” presentation, NY Philharmonic New Year’s Eve: Bernstein on Broadway, which will feature Maestro Bramwell Tovey, music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, leading members of the New York Philharmonic in a concert celebrating the legacy of conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. Making special guest appearances to sing songs from Leonard Bernstein’s On the Town, Wonderful Town, West Side Story and Candide — all of which were nominated for or won Tony Awards — are Broadway vocalists Annaleigh Ashford, who earlier this year performed in Sunday in the Park with George opposite Jake Gyllenhaal; Grammy- and Emmy-winner Christopher Jackson (In the Heights, Hamilton); Laura Osnes, who just completed a starring run in the Tony Award–winning Broadway musical Bandstand and who appears in a reprised Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert on TV 26 this month); and Aaron Tveit (of shows Next to Normal, Catch Me if You Can and the film Les Misérables). The concert continues the Philharmonic’s celebrations of its laureate conductor’s 100th birthday year.

W E TA B R OA D CA S T S A N D S E R V I C E S WETA Television WETA TV 26 26.4 Over the Air Via Antenna Cox 26, 802 Comcast 26 Fios 26 RCN 26

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WETA HD 26.1 Over the Air Cox 1026, 1003 Fios 526 DirecTV 26, 26-1 RCN 613 Dish 8076

Via Antenna Comcast 800 (in the D.C. area)

WETA UK 26.2 Over the Air Via Antenna Cox 800 Comcast 265 Fios 474 RCN 39

Comcast 219 (Baltimore area)

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Seasonal Programming E

Holiday Music on Classical WETA 90.9 FM

njoy the sounds of the season on Classical WETA 90.9 FM as Greater Washington’s exclusive classical music radio service adds holiday music into its broadcasts in December. Seasonal offerings air throughout the month, increasing substantially with the “Home for the Holidays Weekend” (December 15-17) and culminating with special programming on December 24-25. Christmas Eve specials include the traditional Christmas Eve Carolfest (6 a.m.-5 p.m.); Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge (5 p.m.); and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker (7 p.m.). On Christmas Day, Classical WETA presents Christmas in Washington (10 a.m.), featuring performances of holiday music by D.C.-area choral and instrumental ensembles; Handel’s Messiah (3 p.m.); and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (9 p.m.). For complete WETA holiday programming details, visit weta.org/happyholidays.

For the Holidays, on WETA TV 26/HD

Cirque Dream Holidaze Fri 12/1, midnight; Sat 12/2, 7pm Rick Steves’ European Christmas Sun 12/3, 11:30am; Rpts Tue 12/5, 1:30pm; Sat 12/9, 3:30pm Call the Midwife Holiday Specials: 2015 Mon 12/11, 9pm; Rpts Tue 12/12, 2:30pm; Sun 12/24, 5pm 2016 Mon 12/18, 9pm; Rpts Tue 12/19, 2:30pm; Sun 12/24, 6:30pm 2017 Mon 12/25, 9pm; Rpts Tue 12/26, 2:30pm Carpenters Christmas Memories Mon 12/4, 12:30am; Tue 12/5, 1pm Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (featuring): Santino Fontana and the Sesame Street Muppets Fri 12/15, 8:30pm; Rpts Mon 12/18, 2:30pm; Sun 12/24, midnight; Mon 12/25, 1pm Rolando Villazón Fri 12/15, 9:30pm; Rpts Mon 12/18, 4:30pm; Wed 12/20, 1pm; Sun 12/24, 2am; Mon 12/25, 3pm Laura Osnes and Martin Jarvis Fri 12/15, 10:30pm; Rpts Tue 12/18, 3:30pm; Sun 12/24, 1am; Mon 12/25, 2pm Deborah Voigt and John Rhys-Davies Tue 12/19, 5pm; Rpts Sun 12/24, 11pm; Mon 12/25, noon Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special: Pt 1 of 2. Sun 12/17, 8pm; Rpts Mon 12/18, 10:30pm; Tue 12/19, 4pm Pt 2 of 2. Sun 12/24, 8pm; Rpts Mon 12/25, 10:30pm; Tue 12/26, 4pm Making a New American Nutcracker Fri 12/22, 9pm; Rpts Sat 12/23, 10am; Mon 12/25, 11am Wheaton College Christmas Festival: Love Divine Sat 12/23, midnight Chef’s Life Holiday Special Mon 12/25, 9am Live from Lincoln Center: NY Philharmonic New Year’s Eve: Bernstein on Broadway Sat 12/31, 9pm Visit weta.org/happyholidays for details.

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

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

WETA Online weta.org weta.org/learningmedia

COVER: MAKING A NEW AMERICAN NUTCRACKER/JOFFREY BALLET; PHOTO BY CHERYL MANN

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Classical WETA WETA 90.9 FM Washington WGMS 89.1 FM Hagerstown WETA 88.9 FM Frederick classicalweta.org vivalavoce.org

11/16/17 2:31 PM

WETA TV 26/HD Highlights Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages, Series 1 & 2 & Penelope Keith at Her Majesty’s Service

Thursdays, December 14, 21 & 28 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

n three Thursdays this month, WETA features two engaging U.K. travel series hosted by renowned British actress Dame Penelope Keith (The Good Life, To the Manor Born). First up is a six-part series, Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages, which follows Keith as she tours Britain’s most charming villages to discover what makes each one unique. Keith explores the rich artistic, literary and royal histories of each region she visits; discovers how time has changed village communities; and seeks out quirky traditions that continue to this day — from horn dancing to cheese rolling to tree kissing. Experiencing county shows, village fairs and ancient ceremonies, she looks for the community heartbeat of each village. After Hidden Villages, WETA features the four-part series Penelope Keith at Her Majesty’s Service, in which Keith escorts viewers behind the closed doors of Queen Elizabeth’s residences. Each episode focuses on the famous castles of the British royal family: Windsor in London, Hollyrood and Inveraray in Scotland, Hillsborough in Northern Ireland, and Caernarfon in Wales. At every stop, Keith witnesses the daily life of palace staff and finds out what it takes to keep a castle running smoothly.

Wednesdays, December 13, 20 & 27 at 10 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

n the three-part series Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia, the personable-in-real-life star of Doc Martin — the popular drama spotlighting a curmudgeon doctor — embarks upon an intriguing journey through 16 of Australia’s 8,000 islands to spotlight their resourceful inhabitants, exotic animals and unique marine environments. The islands represent a true cross-section of Australia’s diverse people, terrain and history. Clunes begins his travels in the eastern part of the country, discovering Sydney’s colonial past on Fort Denison and meeting a modern-day Robinson Crusoe on Restoration Island. In the north and west, Clunes swims with the whale shark in the Murions and faces venomous snakes on Carnac. He concludes his journey in the south, handling a fairy penguin on Phillip Island and learning about nearly extinct Tasmanian Devils on Maria Island.

AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia

COURTESY FUNCACIÓN NAO VICTORIA

Secrets of Spanish Florida: A Secrets of the Dead Special

Tuesday, December 26 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

he series Secrets of the Dead — which uses the latest scientific discoveries to challenge prevailing ideas and cast fresh light on unexplained historical events — this month turns its focus to the first permanent European settlement in the United States. Two generations before the settlements in Jamestown and Plymouth, the communities in Florida around modern-day St. Augustine were founded in 1565, not by English Protestants, but by the Spanish and a melting pot of people they brought with them from Africa, Italy, Germany and Ireland — including converted Jews, who integrated with the indigenous tribes. The two-hour program Secrets of Spanish Florida: A Secrets of the Dead Special, narrated by actor Jimmy Smits, uncovers a relatively unknown chapter in America’s past, featuring some of America’s leading archaeologists, maritime scientists, and historians sharing the story of Florida’s earliest European settlers. Funding for this program was provided, in part, by The Lastinger Family Foundation; The Hough Family Foundation; The Weaver Family Foundation Fund, through the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida; and The Joy McCann Foundation. Funding for Secrets of the Dead is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by public television viewers.

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11/16/17 1:44 PM

Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime

RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

Saturday nights, Dec. 23 & 30 on WETA TV 26/HD

mong mystery novelist Dame Agatha Christie’s classic sleuth characters are the husband-wife team of Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, an ordinary married couple that stumbles into spycraft and ends up being remarkably good at it. This month, WETA TV 26/HD presents Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime, featuring David Walliams and Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) as Tommy and Tuppence in recent adaptations of two classic espionage-mysteries set in 1950s Britain at the start of the Cold War. Tuppence throws herself headfirst into every mystery with passion and fervor, often to the dismay of her more cautious husband. In the series’ six episodes, the pair are embroiled in two, three-part mysteries, “The Secret Adversary” and “N or M?”, on Saturdays, December 23 (10 p.m.) and 30 (8 p.m.) — and repeating December 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Victoria, Series 1 on Masterpiece Sunday nights starting Dec. 17 on WETA TV 26/HD

Funding for Victoria on Masterpiece is provided by Viking River Cruises with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The Masterpiece Trust.

COURTESY ITV PLC

ETA reprises Series 1 of the popular drama Victoria on Masterpiece in anticipation of the upcoming premiere of Series 2 in mid-January. In the drama, Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who) stars as the young queen who wants it all: romance, power, an heir, and personal freedom. Victoria’s premiere season was one of the highest-rated dramas on public television in 20 years — second only to Downton Abbey, Series 1. The seven episodes of the first series follow Britain’s Victoria from the time in 1837 when she begins her 63-year reign as queen at the age of 18 through her relationship with Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) — her first prime minister and intimate friend — her education in politics, and her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes). This month, Victoria on Masterpiece airs at 9 p.m. on Sundays, December 17 and 24, and at 8 p.m. on December 31.

COURTESY NEAL STREET PRODUCTIONS 2017

Seasonal Drama Specials on WETA TV 26/HD

Call the Midwife Holiday Specials Mondays, December 11, 18 & 25 at 9 p.m. Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special Sundays, December 17 & 24 at 8 p.m.

COURTESY BBC/RED PRODUCTIONS/GARY MOYES

wo perennially popular drama series present new holiday specials this month. First WETA reprises the 2015 and 2016 Call the Midwife Holiday Special programs on Mondays, December 11 and 18 before presenting a new seasonal Call the Midwife special on Christmas Day. In the new program, the midwives are on the job, providing medical care to expectant mothers and families in London’s impoverished East End — but the team must battle snow, ice, power cuts and frozen pipes to provide patient care during the winter of 1963, the coldest in 300 years. In the storyline, Valerie helps a young couple that experiences a traumatic birth and Sister Julienne tries to reunite a family. Anita Dobson of EastEnders guest stars. The acclaimed series Last Tango in Halifax, at right — starring Derek Jacobi, Anne Reid, Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker — also presents a holiday special, airing in two parts on consecutive Sundays. The drama, packed with shocks and surprises, continues the compelling story of childhood sweethearts, reunited after nearly 60 years apart, as they and their families negotiate the highs and lows of life and relationships. In Part One, Caroline moves the family to a farmhouse and Alan has a difficult conversation with Gillian. In Part Two, Gillian makes a life-changing decision and Alan is forced to confront his fears.

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11/16/17 1:44 PM

WETA TV 26/HD December Specials The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years

The Ron Howard film premieres Saturday, December 2 at 8 p.m.

COURTESY ©APPLE CORPS LTD

ETA features Academy Award-winner Ron Howard’s authorized and highly acclaimed Emmy- and Grammy-winning documentary film about The Beatles’ extraordinary early career. The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years spotlights the band during the years 1962-1966, when the Fab Four toured and captured the world’s acclaim — from the days of The Cavern Club in Liverpool to their last concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The film explores how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr came together to become an extraordinary global phenomenon, revealing the band members’ inner workings — how they made decisions, created their music and built their collective career together — all the while exploring their musical gifts and remarkable, complementary personalities. By the time the band stopped touring they had performed 166 concerts in 15 countries and 90 cities around the world. The phenomenon their touring helped create, known as “Beatlemania,” was something the world had never seen before and laid the foundation for the globalization of culture. The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years features rare and never-before-seen archival footage of shows and interviews, plus new interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and numerous prominent observers. The film was produced with the full cooperation of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison. The program repeats December 4 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD.

Great Performances: Hamilton’s America

Sunday, December 3 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

COURTESY JOAN MARCUS

ETA reprises a documentary that follows the making of composer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical “Hamilton,” exploring the role that storytelling plays in history while spotlighting the production about one of America’s Founding Fathers and early political geniuses, Alexander Hamilton. Great Performances: Hamilton’s America examines how timeless the hot-button issues of today’s America are: immigration, race relations, debt, income inequality and states’ rights. These were the same fights that defined Hamilton’s time, and they are the driving force of the historic work by Miranda (above, with Phillipa Soo). The film delves deep into the creation of the Broadway show, revealing Miranda’s process of adapting Hamilton’s story into groundbreaking musical theater. Great Performances: Hamilton’s America repeats December 5 and 9 at 10 p.m.

My Music: The Big Band Years

he My Music series returns to the era of legendary orchestras, great singers and song standards in The Big Band Years, drawing upon the most popular melodies of the World War II era. This retrospective program mixes vintage live, rare and unreleased footage of bands and vocalists from the 1930s and ’40s, spotlighting a time when swing musicians ruled the radio and night clubs and brought a joyful escape to Americans during one of the most turbulent periods in the nation’s history. The program includes performances by iconic bandleader Glenn Miller and his orchestra, Harry James, Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, Peggy Lee (right), the Andrews Sisters, Guy Lombardo, the Pied Pipers, a young Frank Sinatra, and many others.

COURTESY TJL

Thursday, December 7 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

4 DECEMBER 2017

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WETA TV 26 & WETA HD December primetime simulcast listings. Weeknight primetime programming 8:00

Denotes WETA productions, co-productions and presentations

8:30

9:00

9:30

10:30

Fri

Sat

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years

Sun

Great Performances: Hamilton’s America

Mon

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years

Tue

Ric Edelman’s The Truth About Retirement

Great Performances: Hamilton’s America (to 12m)

Wed

Great Performances: Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy

Memory Rescue with Daniel Amen, MD (to 11:30pm)

Thu

My Music: The Big Band Years

The Carpenters: Close to You + Christmas (to 12m)

Fri

Washington Week

Sat

My Music: The Big Band Years

Great Performances: Hamilton’s America (to 12m)

Sun

Great Performances: Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy

Memory Rescue with Daniel Amen, MD (to 12m)

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Anaheim, CA

Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2015

Tue

Finding Your Roots, Season 4 (Ep 9 of 10. Southern Roots)

Finding Your Roots, Season 4 (Ep 4. The Vanguard) (encore)

Frontline: Putin’s Revenge (Pt 1)

Wed

Nature: Soul of the Elephant

NOVA: Secret Tunnel Warfare

Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia (Ep 1 of 3. East)

Thu

Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages, Series 1 & 2 (to 12m)

Fri

Washington Week

Sat

WETA Viewer Favorites

Sun

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special (Pt 1 of 2)

Victoria on Masterpiece (Pt 1 of 7)

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Anaheim, CA

Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2016

Tue

Finding Your Roots, Season 4 (Ep 10 of 10. Funny Business)

Finding Your Roots, Season 4 (Ep 1. The Impression) (encore)

Frontline: Putin’s Revenge (Pt 2)

Wed

Nature: The Story of Cats (Pt 1 of 2. Asia to Africa)

NOVA: Bird Brain

Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia (Ep 2 of 3. North and West)

Thu

Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages, Series 1 & 2

Penelope Keith at Her Majesty’s Service (Ep 1 of 4)

Fri

Washington Week

Joseph Smith: American Prophet (to 11:30pm)

Sat

The WETA Movie: Four Weddings and a Funeral

Sun

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special (Pt 2 of 2)

Victoria on Masterpiece (Pts 2 & 3 of 7)

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Naughty or Nice

Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2017

Tue

Bygone DC

Secrets of Spanish Florida: A Secrets of the Dead Special

Wed

Nature: The Story of Cats (Pt 2 of 2. Into the Americas)

NOVA: Day the Dinosaurs Died

Thu

Penelope Keith at Her Majesty’s Service (Eps 2-4 of 4)

Fri

Washington Week

Sat

Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime (Eps 3-6 of 6) (to 12m)

Sun

Victoria on Masterpiece (Pt 4 of 7)

8:00

Victor Borge: 100 Years of Music & Laughter

10:00

Washington Week

The Carpenters (to 12:30am) Suze Orman’s Financial Solutions for You (to 12m) Ric Edelman (to 12:30am)

Memory Rescue with Daniel Amen, MD

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week (to 1am)

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Santino Fontana & Sesame Street Muppets

Neighborhood Eats (Episode 2)

Neighborhood Eats (Episode 1)

Independent Lens: Newtown (to 12m)

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Rolando Villazón

Making a New American Nutcracker

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Laura Osnes and Martin Jarvis (to 11:30pm)

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special (Pt 1 of 2) (to 11:30pm)

Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime (Eps 1 & 2 of 6) (to 12m)

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special (Pt 2 of 2) (to 11:30pm)

Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia (Ep 3 of 3. South)

American Masters: This Is Bob Hope

Live from Lincoln Center: NY Philharmonic New Year’s Eve: Bernstein on Broadway

8:30

PBS NewsHour airs weeknights at 7 p.m.

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Great Performances: Hitman: David Foster and Friends (to 12m)

9:00

9:30

10:00

Bygone DC (to 11:30pm)

10:30

Charlie Rose airs late weeknights (check listings)

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WETA TV 26 & WETA HD December simulcast primetime listings, plus weekends for WETA TV 26

• Programming on WETA TV 26 and WETA HD is the same — simulcast — Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. through Charlie Rose, and weekend evenings, beginning at 6 p.m. Saturdays and 11:30 a.m. Sundays. • Please note that Saturday daytime listings that follow are for WETA TV 26 only unless otherwise indicated. For complete 24-hour schedules of programs on WETA TV 26 and WETA HD, visit weta.org/tv. • The weeknight primetime schedule on WETA TV 26 often repeats the next weekday afternoon on WETA TV 26. • WETA TV 26 is devoted to children’s programming 5 a.m.–noon weekdays and 6–9 a.m. Sundays. For 24 hours of children’s programming each day, tune in to the WETA Kids channel. See page 13 for schedule information. Program Key ■ — WETA productions, co-productions or presentations. {DVI} — Descriptive Video Service. R — Aired within the month. Listings are accurate as of press time. For late-breaking program updates, call 703-998-2724 or visit weta.org/tv.

WETA Television

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. 8:30 VICTOR BORGE: 100 YEARS OF MUSIC & LAUGHTER — A special narrated by Rita Rudner features Borge’s funniest and most memorable skits from his eightdecades-long career in comedy, which blended oneliners, falls and double-takes with masterful piano variations. Repeats Sat 12/9, noon 10:30 GREAT PERFORMANCES: HITMAN: DAVID FOSTER AND FRIENDS — In celebration of songwriter, producer and maestro-to-the-stars David Foster — who has won 14 Grammy Awards and a host of other accolades — an array of musical artists gathered for a one-night-only concert in Las Vegas. Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Kenny Babyface Edmonds, Boz Skaggs, Kenny G and many others joined in the celebration, which featured a special performance by Céline Dion. 12M CIRQUE DREAM HOLIDAZE — See the Saturday, December 2, 7 p.m. listing. R 1AM CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

2 Saturday

COURTESY ©APPLE CORPS LTD.

SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-2AM: 6AM MY MUSIC: CLASSICAL REWIND — Experience the beauty, romance and power of classical musical masterpieces. Martin Goldsmith hosts, with reflections from Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Stewart Copeland and others. Repeats Thur 12/7, 1pm 7:30 FOREVER PAINLESS WITH MIRANDA ESMONDEWHITE — The best-selling author of “Aging Backwards” addresses the topic of chronic pain and offers a new approach to pain management. Repeats Mon 12/4, 4:30pm; Sat 12/9, midnight; Sun 12/10, 6am, 2pm

Saturday, December 2 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years, a Ron Howard film, spotlights the band from 1962 to 1966, following the Fab Four from their success in Liverpool through their final concert tour. Above: The Beatles at the Washington Coliseum, February 1964.

COURTESY TJL PRODUCTIONS

1 Friday

Saturday, December 2 at 10:30 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD My Music: The Carpenters: Close to You + Christmas chronicles the career and top hits of the superstar pop music duo.

9:00 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — See the Wednesday, December 6, 10 p.m. listing. 11AM AFRICA’S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS — Beginning with Africa’s ancient history as the cradle of mankind, this documentary series — a WETA co-production that premiered in February and March 2017 — features Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. bringing to life epic stories of both little-known and celebrated African kingdoms and cultures. Airing back to back are Part 1 of 3. Origins; Part 2 of 3. Cities of Gold; and Part 3 of 3. Commerce and the Clash of Civilizations. 6:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 7:00 CIRQUE DREAM HOLIDAZE — A special holiday stage extravaganza features hundreds of imaginative costumes, world-class astonishing acts — soaring acrobatics, gravity-defying feats, elaborate production numbers and mesmerizing illusions — original music and seasonal favorites, with snowmen, penguins, angels, reindeer, toy soldiers, gingerbread men, ornaments and Santa. 8:00 THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK—THE TOURING YEARS — Explore the history of the Fab Four from their early days in Liverpool to their last concert in San Francisco in 1966. The film, by Oscar-winner Ron Howard, reveals how the foursome united to become the global phenomenon that was “The Beatles.” Repeats Sun 12/3, 1:30pm, midnight; Mon 12/4, 8pm; Tue 12/5, 3:30pm; Fri 12/8, 10:30pm 10:30 MY MUSIC: THE CARPENTERS: CLOSE TO YOU + CHRISTMAS — WETA reprises a Carpenters retrospective that includes segments featuring the duo’s Christmas music. Between 1970 and 1984, the Grammy Award-winning duo achieved an astonishing run of hits with 17 singles in the Billboard Top 20 including three #1 songs and six songs at #2. Repeats Thur 12/7, 10pm; Fri 12/8, 2pm; Sat 12/9, 6pm; Sun 12/10, noon 12:30AM VISIONS OF EUROPE — See the Sunday, December 3, 7:30 a.m. listing.

6 DECEMBER 2017 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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insurance to buy; wills and trusts; student loans and more. Repeats Sat 12/9, 10am; Sun 12/10, 6pm 12M THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK—THE TOURING YEARS — R

Sunday, December 3 at 6 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD American Masters: This Is Bob Hope explores the entertainer’s life and career. Above: Hope regales U.S. troops in Vietnam.

3 Sunday

5 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 RIC EDELMAN’S THE TRUTH ABOUT RETIREMENT — See the Monday, December 4, 10:30 p.m. listing. 10:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: HAMILTON’S AMERICA — See the Sunday, December 3, 8 p.m. listing. 12M MINDFULNESS GOES MAINSTREAM — Explore the transformative power of mindfulness meditation — now embraced by millions of ordinary people — through expert opinions and interviews that include singer Jewel, clothing designer Eileen Fisher and UMASS Center for Meditation’s Jon Kabat-Zinn. Repeats Wed 12/6, 1pm 1AM CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

WETA Television

S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-2:30AM: 6AM THE AGE FIX WITH DR. TONY YOUN — Board-certified plastic surgeon and anti-aging expert Dr. Anthony Youn, named a “Top Doctor” by U.S. News & World Report and Harper’s Bazaar, opens up a world of insider tips, tricks and secrets from the fields of beauty, dermatology and plastic surgery, offering easy home remedies to achieve results without surgery. 7:30 VISIONS OF EUROPE — Soar above the wonders of Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Italy and Greece in this sweeping aerial tour. With stunning visuals set to classical music from each region, the film spotlights iconic landscapes. R 9:00 EAT TO LIVE WITH JOEL FUHRMAN, MD — The author and physician offers counsel about how to lose weight and lower blood pressure and cholesterol without drugs. 10:30 DEFENSE NEWS WEEKLY 11:00 VICTORIA RETURNS — A special program revisits Season One of the Masterpiece drama about Britain’s famed queen and previews Season Two of the hit series, which begins in January. Starring Jenna Coleman, the first series of the drama followed Victoria from the time she becomes Queen through her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert, dramatizing the romance and reign of the monarch. This special features interviews with Daisy Goodwin, series writer and creator, and Masterpiece Executive Producer Rebecca Eaton. 11:30 RICK STEVES’ EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS — Travel expert Rick Steves explores how diverse European cultures celebrate Christmas — in locations from England to Norway, Burgundy to Bavaria, and Rome to the Swiss Alps. R epeats Tue 12/5, 1:30pm; Sat 12/9, 3:30pm; 1:30 THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK—THE TOURING YEARS — R 4:00 A CONVERSATION WITH BILL MOYERS — Join the award-winning journalist, political commentator and author as he reflects on his life and storied career, from his days as White House Press Secretary for President Johnson to network news reporter to host of numerous programs for PBS. R epeats Mon 12/4, 1pm; Wed 12/6, 11:30pm; Sun 12/10, midnight 5:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:00 AMERICAN MASTERS: THIS IS BOB HOPE — During his eight-decade career, Bob Hope was the only performer to achieve top-rated success in every form of mass entertainment: Vaudeville, Broadway, movies, radio, television, popular song and personal appearances, including hosting the Academy Awards a record 19 times and his annual USO Christmas military tours. American Masters explores the entertainer’s life with access to his personal archives and clips from his classic films, radio and TV shows. R epeats Mon 12/4, 2:30pm; Fri 12/29, 9pm 8:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: HAMILTON’S AMERICA — WETA reprises a special Great Performances documentary spotlighting the creation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pop culture Broadway phenomenon Hamilton and the history behind it. Interviewees include presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, and Questlove, Jimmy Fallon, Nas, Stephen Sondheim and others. Repeats Tue 12/5, 10pm; Wed 12/6, 4pm; Sat 12/9, 10pm 10:00 SUZE ORMAN’S FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOU — In a program taped at American University, the personal finance expert presents advice on a broad set of financial issues, including: how to invest; whether to buy or rent a home; saving for retirement; what kind of life

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK—THE TOURING YEARS — See the December 2, 8 p.m. listing. R 10:30 RIC EDELMAN’S THE TRUTH ABOUT RETIREMENT — Financial advisor Ric Edelman — host of the television series The Truth About Money with Ric Edelman — provides an action plan that people can use to help ensure a fiscally secure retirement. With a focus on the new Social Security laws that took effect in the beginning of 2016, Edelman conveys the strategies that viewers of all ages need to plan their retirement and he covers investment strategies and estate planning. R epeats Tue 12/5, 8pm; Sun 12/10, 7:30am 12:30AM CARPENTERS CHRISTMAS MEMORIES — Repeats Tue 12/5, 1pm 1AM CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

6 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY — Why has the Broadway musical proven to be such fertile territory for Jewish artists of all kinds? Filmmaker Michael Kantor focuses on this question, arising from his Emmy-winning miniseries Broadway: The American Musical. Repeats Thur 12/7, 4pm; Sun 12/10, 8 p.m. 10:00 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — Psychiatrist, neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen offers advice on how to supercharge your memory and remember what matters most to you. Amen identifies major risk factors that destroy the brain, and shares his mnemonic to help people remember them. Knowing risk factors and how to overcome them, Amen suggests, is critical to rescuing one’s memory. Repeats Thur 12/7, 2:30pm; Fri 12/8, 8:30pm; Sat 12/9, 8am, 1:30pm; Sun 12/10, 9am, 10pm 11:30 A CONVERSATION WITH BILL MOYERS — R 1AM CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

©PHOTOFEST, INC.

COURTESY BOB HOPE LEGACY, LLC

4 Monday

Wednesday, December 6 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Great Performances: Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy, a film by Michael Kantor, explores why the Broadway musical has proven to be such fertile territory for Jewish artists. Above: Zero Mostel performs in the 1964 Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof.

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COURTESY BEVERLY JOUBERT/©WILDLIFE FILMS

body, help prevent bone loss and keep metabolism running efficiently. 12N MY MUSIC: THE CARPENTERS: CLOSE TO YOU + CHRISTMAS — R 2:00 FOREVER PAINLESS WITH MIRANDA ESMONDE-WHITE —R 3:30 MY MUSIC: THE BIG BAND YEARS — R 5:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:00 SUZE ORMAN’S FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOU — R 8:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY — R 10:00 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 12M A CONVERSATION WITH BILL MOYERS — R

11 Monday Wednesday, December 13 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Nature: Soul of the Elephant, filmed in Botswana over two years, reconstructs the lives of two bull elephants, experienced through the eyes of acclaimed filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert.

WETA Television

7 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 MY MUSIC: THE BIG BAND YEARS — The My Music series presents a “Big Band” retrospective featuring the music that helped bring the country through World War II and kick-started the baby boom: songs by Glenn Miller, the Andrews Sisters, Benny Goodman and many more artists from the 1930s and 1940s. Peter Marshall hosts. Repeats Sat 12/9, 8pm; Sun 12/10, 3:30pm 10:00 MY MUSIC: THE CARPENTERS: CLOSE TO YOU + CHRISTMAS — See the Saturday, December 2, 10:30 p.m. listing. 12M EASY YOGA FOR DIABETES WITH PEGGY CAPPY 1AM CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

8 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. 8:30 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — See the Wednesday, December 6, 10 p.m. listing. 10:30 THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK—THE TOURING YEARS — R 1AM CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

9 Saturday

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: ANAHEIM, CA — R epeats Tue 12/12, 1:30pm; Wed 12/13, 2pm 9:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2015 — The Poplar neighborhood readies itself for Christmas 1960. An unexpected surprise for a grieving mother brings the holiday magic home, while Nonnatus House is rocked when one of its own disappears. Repeats Tue 12/12, 2:30pm; Sun 12/24, 5pm 10:30 INDEPENDENT LENS: NEWTOWN — An independent film explores the aftermath and resilience of a community devastated by the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, which took the lives of 20 children and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut. 12M CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

12 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 4 — In a co-production with WETA, Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the ancestry of popular figures. Episode 9 of 10. Southern Roots. Three guests of disparate Southern backgrounds, DJ and producer Questlove, talk show host Dr. Phil, and journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, find astonishing tales of bondage in their family histories. R epeats Wed 12/13, 3pm; Thur 12/14, 1pm 9:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 4 — WETA reprises Episode 4: The Vanguard. Author Ta-Nehisi Coates, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and author and activist Janet Mock see their basic assumptions about their families challenged, placing their ancestors — of all colors — into the greater context of black history. Repeats Wed 12/13, 4pm; Thur 12/14, 2pm 10:00 FRONTLINE: PUTIN’S REVENGE (PART 1) — Amid claims that Vladimir Putin hacked the 2016 election, Frontline presents the inside story of the Russian

COURTESY ARK MEDIA

S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-1:30AM: 6AM YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE WITH DEEPAK CHOPRA 8:00 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 10:00 SUZE ORMAN’S FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOU — R 12N VICTOR BORGE: 100 YEARS OF MUSIC & LAUGHTER 1:30 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 3:30 RICK STEVES’ EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS — R 5:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:00 MY MUSIC: THE CARPENTERS: CLOSE TO YOU + CHRISTMAS — R 8:00 MY MUSIC: THE BIG BAND YEARS — See the Thursday, December 7, 8 p.m. listing. 10:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: HAMILTON’S AMERICA — See the Sunday, December 3, 8 p.m. listing. 12M FOREVER PAINLESS WITH MIRANDA ESMONDE-WHITE —R

10 Sunday S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-1:30AM: 6AM FOREVER PAINLESS WITH MIRANDA ESMONDE-WHITE 7:30 RIC EDELMAN’S THE TRUTH ABOUT RETIREMENT — R 9:00 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 10:30 DEFENSE NEWS WEEKLY 11:00 EASY YOGA: THE SECRET TO STRENGTH AND BALANCE WITH PEGGY CAPPY — Discover how yoga can aid anyone, of any age, who wants to increase strength and mobility. Peggy Cappy shows how yoga poses can increase range of motion, improve awareness of the

FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 4 A WETA CO-PRODUCTION Tuesdays, December 12 & 19 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Ancestry series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Season Four, a WETA co-production, continues, exploring more genealogies. Above: Gates with musical artist/producer Questlove.

8 DECEMBER 2017 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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COURTESY ITV PLC

of rugged coastal communities and distinct identities forged over centuries. She finds that many ancient traditions are being kept alive as she travels to a former silver mining village, a cliff-edge fishing village, the most exposed theatre in the country, and small communities near Fowey Harbor. R epeats Fri 12/15, 4pm 10:00 PENELOPE KEITH’S HIDDEN VILLAGES, SERIES 1 & 2 — Cumbria. Keith learns about life in the renowned landscape: the wonder of the Lake District cannot be ignored, but from Morecambe Bay to the Pennines, she finds there is much more to life in a Cumbrian village than tourists and tea shops — all of it owing to the dramatic local geography. Along the way she meets a community buying its local mountain, indulges in the unique Cumbrian pursuit of hound trailing and visits the home of Sticky Toffee Pudding. Repeats Fri 12/15, 5pm 12M CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon Sunday nights starting December 17 on WETA TV 26/HD WETA reprises Victoria, Series 1 on Masterpiece in anticipation of the premiere of Series 2 in January. Starring Jenna Coleman, the drama follows the British monarch in the first years of her reign.

15 Friday

leader’s conflict with the U.S., investigating Putin’s mounting grievances with the U.S. and his efforts to exact revenge leading up to the presidential election. 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

13 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: SOUL OF THE ELEPHANT — Nature delves into the hearts, minds and souls of elephants through the eyes of award-winning filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, whose uniquely personal experiences with these iconic creatures of Africa provide a window into the animals’ remarkable lives. {DVI} R epeats Thur 12/14, 5pm; Mon 12/18, 1:30pm 9:00 NOVA: SECRET TUNNEL WARFARE — During World War I, the Allies devised a devastating plan, planting 600 tons of explosives in secret tunnels driven under German trenches. NOVA uncovers traces of the operation and learns why it failed to break the lethal deadlock of trench warfare. {DVI} R epeats Thur 12/14, 3pm 10:00 MARTIN CLUNES: ISLANDS OF AUSTRALIA — Doc Martin star Martin Clunes embarks upon a journey through 16 of Australia’s islands. Characterized by their resourceful inhabitants, exotic animals and unique marine environments, these islands represent a true cross-section of Australia’s diverse people, lands and history. Episode 1 of 3. East. Clunes’ journey begins in Sydney Harbor, visiting Fort Denison, an island that symbolizes the city’s colonial past, before heading for the subtropical paradise of Lord Howe Island, 600 kilometers from the mainland. Next up is Norfolk Island where he learns about its brutal, convict past and its proud present, meeting descendants of the Bounty mutineers. From Norfolk, Martin travels to Restoration Island to meet a modern-day Robinson Crusoe and his dingo. Then on to Thursday and Friday Islands, the tropical homes of music and pearls. R epeats Thur 12/14, 4pm 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

WETA Television

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. 8:30 CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING SANTINO FONTANA AND THE SESAME STREET MUPPETS — Stage and singing star Santino Fontana, the Muppets from Sesame Street and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square perform a 2015 concert that includes songs from Sesame Street and sacred Christmas music. R epeats Mon 12/18, 2:30pm; Mon 12/25, 1pm 9:30 CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING ROLANDO VILLAZÓN — The 2017 season’s cross-cultural spectacular features the world’s leading tenor, Rolando Villazón, performing seasonal favorites with the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir. R epeats Mon 12/18, 4:30pm; Wed 12/20, 1pm; Mon 12/25, 3pm 10:30 CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING LAURA OSNES AND MARTIN JARVIS — Broadway star Laura Osnes, acclaimed British screen actor Martin Jarvis and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra participate in the 2016 Christmas concert at Temple Square. R epeats Mon 12/18, 3:30pm; Mon 12/25, 2pm 11:30 CHARLIE ROSE: THE WEEK 12M CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

16 Saturday S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-6AM: 6 AM-6:30PM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES 6:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 7 PM-6AM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES

17 Sunday S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-5AM: 6 AM-10:30AM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 PENELOPE KEITH’S HIDDEN VILLAGES, SERIES 1 & 2 — British actress Dame Penelope Keith (To the Manor Born) tours Britain’s most charming villages to discover what makes each one unique. East Anglia. Keith journeys to East Anglia and attends a regatta on the Norfolk Broads, takes to the skies over the village of Little Snoring, learns to speak like a native of the county and attends a fete — complete with a performance by wheelbarrow display team, the Red Sparrows. R epeats Fri 12/15, 2pm 9:00 PENELOPE KEITH’S HIDDEN VILLAGES, SERIES 1 & 2 — Southwest England. Keith visits Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire, where she sees villages that have been in film and TV. These include the community where To the Manor Born was filmed, and the setting of Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, Castle Combe, where she also discovers a motor racing circuit. Repeats Fri 12/15, 3pm 10:00 PENELOPE KEITH’S HIDDEN VILLAGES, SERIES 1 & 2 — Devon and Cornwall. In this episode, Keith visits a land

AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

14 Thursday

Thursdays, December 14, 21 & 28 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Dame Penelope Keith hosts two series that tour the U.K.; first, six Hidden Villages episodes air back-to-back on December 14 and 21, followed by visits to royal residences in At Her Majesty’s Service.

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WETA Television

18 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: ANAHEIM, CA — R epeats Tue 12/19, 1:30pm; Wed 12/20, 2pm 9:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2016 — Follow the Nonnatus House family to South Africa after they receive an S.O.S. call from a mission hospital that’s understaffed, underfunded and threatened with closure. Repeats Tue 12/19, 2:30pm; Sun 12/24, 6:30pm 10:30 LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX HOLIDAY SPECIAL — Part 1 of 2. See the Sunday, December 17, 8 p.m. listing. 11:30 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

19 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 4 — In a co-production with WETA, Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the ancestry of popular figures. Episode 10 of 10. Funny Business. Comedic guests Garrison Keillor, Amy Schumer and Aziz Ansari take a serious look at their family trees, learning contrasting stories of assimilation, independence, hardship, and success all over the globe. R epeats Wed 12/20, 3pm; Thur 12/21, 1pm 9:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 4 — WETA reprises Episode 1: The Impression. Comedian Larry David and politician Bernie Sanders discover they have more in common than they thought as they trace their roots from 1940s Brooklyn back to Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. R epeats Wed 12/20, 4pm; Thur 12/21, 2pm 10:00 FRONTLINE: PUTIN’S REVENGE (PART 2) — Frontline explores how the U.S. struggled to confront Vladimir Putin over Russian involvement in the 2016 election. The film investigates how revenge may have motivated Putin to target American democracy, and the U.S. responses under Presidents Obama and Trump. 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

20 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: THE STORY OF CATS — Part 1 of 2. Asia to Africa. Nature explores how the first cats arose in the forests of Asia, how they spread across the continent and later came to conquer Africa. Part One reveals how cats evolved with an in-depth look at lions, servals, caracals, cheetahs, tigers, and fishing and sand cats. {DVI} Repeats Thur 12/21, 5pm 9:00 NOVA: BIRD BRAIN — Witness the brainpower of birds. Long mocked as empty-headed, our feathered friends hide surprisingly acute intelligence. But how smart are they? Watch as scientists test avian aptitude and challenge our basic notions of intelligence. {DVI} R epeats Thur 12/21, 3pm 10:00 MARTIN CLUNES: ISLANDS OF AUSTRALIA — Doc Martin star Martin Clunes journeys through Australia’s islands. Episode 2 of 3. North and West. Clunes travels to the Tiwi Islands for some “bush tucker” and “Aussie footie.” From there, it’s on to the magical Murions where he discovers the Ningaloo Reef and swims with

the biggest fish in the ocean: the whale shark. On his next stop on the Abrolhos Islands, Clunes hears a tale of bloody mutiny and learns to catch a lobster. Then, to Rottnest, where, amongst the tourists, he discovers a dark past and some friendly marsupials. Clunes next travels by boat to Carnac, home to one of the world’s most venomous snakes. Repeats Thur 12/21, 4pm 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

21 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 PENELOPE KEITH’S HIDDEN VILLAGES, SERIES 1 & 2 — Royal Deeside. Keith travels through a remote part of Aberdeenshire. It’s a land of enormous estates served by tiny communities. She visits the few villages that exist and explores how important Queen Victoria was in shaping modern Deeside. Keith takes to the skies in a glider, visits the station built for Queen Victoria in the 1860s, goes to the Highland Games arena and discovers the secrets of the current Queen’s vegetable patch at Balmoral. R epeats Fri 12/22, 2pm 9:00 PENELOPE KEITH’S HIDDEN VILLAGES, SERIES 1 & 2 — East Sussex and Kent. Keith ventures to a rural, unspoiled swath of busy southeast England. She finds a remarkable hidden village that hasn’t changed in almost a century, discovers the origins of the English Country Garden and sees a war memorial supported by Rudyard Kipling. Steam power whisks her to the prettiest villages in Kent where she uncovers why so many of them take pride in their beautiful signs. She also visits a village that stopped a naval embarrassment from turning into a national disaster and uncovers the origins of the bungalow. Repeats Fri 12/22, 3pm 10:00 PENELOPE KEITH AT HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE — Dame Penelope Keith travels across the United Kingdom and escorts viewers behind the closed doors of Queen Elizabeth’s royal residences in London, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Episode 1 of 4. Windsor. At the Queen’s much-loved Windsor Castle, Keith finds out about the Knights of the Garter, visits the Royal Herb Strewer and she joins the Queen’s Bargemaster for a trip along the River Thames. Repeats Fri 12/22, 3pm 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — R epeats next weekday, noon

22 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. R epeats Sat 12/23, 6:30pm 8:30 NEIGHBORHOOD EATS — Episode 2. The second episode of the WETA TV 26 Neighborhood Eats series features culinary hotspots of Greater Washington areas Adams Morgan/Mt. Pleasant; Southwest D.C.; Del Ray in Alexandria, Virginia; and Silver Spring, Maryland. 9:00 MAKING A NEW AMERICAN NUTCRACKER — An original Joffrey Ballet production that re-creates the classic Nutcracker story goes behind the scenes with the visionaries and performers who brought this new story to life. Repeats Sat 12/23, 10am; Mon 12/25, 11am

COURTESY RUTH CAMPBELL/©PLIMSOLL PRODUCTIONS

10:30 DEFENSE NEWS WEEKLY 11AM-8PM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES 8:00 LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX HOLIDAY SPECIAL — The drama series continues the story of childhood sweethearts reunited after nearly 60 years apart. Part 1 of 2. Caroline moves the family to a ramshackle farmhouse before Christmas. Alan has a difficult conversation with Gillian, who’s consumed by thoughts of the afterlife, convinced she’s being haunted by Eddie. R epeats Mon 12/18, 10:30pm; Tue 12/19, 4pm 9:00 VICTORIA ON MASTERPIECE — WETA reprises Series 1 in anticipation of the January premiere of Series 2. Jenna Coleman stars as the British monarch, portraying Victoria from the time she becomes queen in 1837 at age 18 through her relationship with Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell), her first prime minister, and her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes). Part 1 of 7. Doll 123. As a new queen, the young Victoria struggles to take charge amid plots to manipulate her. Her friendship with the prime minister leads to a crisis in Parliament. 11:00 WETA VIEWER FAVORITES

Wednesdays, December 20 & 27 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Two-part miniseries Nature: The Story of Cats explores felines’ origins in Asia and relates how they spread around the world.

10 DECEMBER 2017 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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JOSEPH SMITH: AMERICAN PROPHET A WETA PRESENTATION Friday, December 22 at 10 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Docudrama Joseph Smith: American Prophet, a WETA presentation, updates a 1999 film chronicling the life of the founder of Mormonism. Above: Actor John Foss portrays Smith.

23 Saturday O N WETA TV 26, 6AM-6PM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING 6:30 ESSENTIAL PÉPIN 7:00 CIAO ITALIA 7:30 HUBERT KELLER: SECRETS OF A CHEF 8:00 JOANNE WEIR’S COOKING CONFIDENCE 8:30 RICK STEVES’ EUROPE 9:00 GLOBE TREKKER 10:00 MAKING A NEW AMERICAN NUTCRACKER, 12/23; THE THIS OLD HOUSE HOUR, 12/30 11:00 A CHEF’S LIFE 11:30 PATI’S MEXICAN TABLE 12N THE MIND OF A CHEF 12:30 SARA’S WEEKNIGHT MEALS 1:00 BAKING WITH JULIA 1:30 LIDIA’S KITCHEN 2:00 IN JULIA’S KITCHEN WITH MASTER CHEFS 2:30 JACQUES PÉPIN: MORE FAST FOOD MY WAY! 3:00 MARTHA STEWART’S COOKING SCHOOL 3:30 MARTHA BAKES 4:00 COOK’S COUNTRY FROM AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN 4:30 AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK’S ILLUSTRATED 5:00 CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL’S MILK STREET TELEVISION 5:30 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — Episode 6. R S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6PM-12M: 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 DOC MARTIN, SERIES 7 8:00 THE WETA MOVIE: FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL — In Mike Newell’s 1994 film, a reserved Englishman meets a beautiful American woman at a wedding and falls in love with her, but his inability to express his feelings seems to forestall any possibility of a relationship, until they meet again and again. Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell star. (1:57) R epeats Sun 12/24, 11:30am

24 Sunday O N WETA TV 26, 6AM-11:30AM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6 AM-9AM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING 9:00 WHITE HOUSE CHRONICLE 9:30 TO THE CONTRARY WITH BONNIE ERBE 10:00 THIS IS AMERICA AND THE WORLD WITH DENNIS WHOLEY 10:30 DEFENSE NEWS WEEKLY 11:00 THE OPEN MIND S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 11:30AM-12M: 11:30 THE WETA MOVIE: FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL — (1:57) R 1:30 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — A WETA TV 26 production offers an unfiltered look at the Greater Washington restaurant scene via a panel of citizen reviewers. Rose Previte hosts. Episode 2. Spotlighting Palisades, Takoma Park and Petworth, guest reviewers highlight a modern Belgian bistro, a Korean-American diner, and a Latin American wine bar. 2:00 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — Episode 3. Guest reviewer selections explore farm-to-table fare in the West End, classic Maryland crabs at the water’s edge, and a Burmese spice adventure in Sterling, Virginia. 2:30 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — Episode 4. Guest reviewer selections include a French bistro on Capitol Hill; fastcasual Greek delights in Falls Church, Virginia; and a brewpub/kitchen in Shaw. 3:00 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — Episode 5. Guest reviewer selections include a Laotian “jungle” menu in Columbia

Saturday nights, December 23 & 30 on WETA TV 26/HD Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime stars David Walliams and Jessica Raine as amateur sleuths Tommy and Tuppence Beresford in mysteries airing at 10 p.m., Dec. 23 and 8 p.m., Dec. 30.

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. ©2017 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 30, Number 12. ISSN No. 1041-2700.

WETA Television

10:00 JOSEPH SMITH: AMERICAN PROPHET — A WETA presentation updates a 1999 documentary spotlighting the story of the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Mormon faith. Co-directors Lee Groberg and Mark Goodman have filmed new re-enactments and new interviews with new scholars, keeping some portions of Groberg’s original film and the narration by actor Gregory Peck. The program relates Smith’s rise from poverty and obscurity to leader of thousands of church followers — and the persecution that led to his murder in 1844. 11:30 CHARLIE ROSE: THE WEEK 12M CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

GROBERG FILMS

10:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S PARTNERS IN CRIME — Mystery author Dame Agatha Christie’s many memorable characters include Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, an ordinary married couple who stumble into spycraft and end up being good at it. David Walliams and Jessica Raine (of Call the Midwife) star in adaptations of two classic Christie mysteries, set in 1950s Britain at the start of the Cold War. Episode 1 of 6. The Secret Adversary, Part 1. On a train from Paris, Tommy and Tuppence meet an agitated young woman who mysteriously disappears. Tuppence is determined to find her. Major Anthony Carter, Tommy’s uncle who works for the “Third Floor,” a branch of British military intelligence, warns them off. But soon the pair is searching for the woman, a secret recording, and a Soviet hit man named Brown. Repeats Sun 12/31, 11:30am 11:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S PARTNERS IN CRIME — Episode 2 of 6. The Secret Adversary, Part 2. Tommy is mistaken for a wealthy mastermind who’s working with Brown’s violent, criminal gang. Tuppence takes a job as maid to Rita Vandemeyer, a faded soprano with ties to Brown. Vandemeyer receives a package from Brown, Major Carter is no help at all, and the Beresfords work to maintain their cover in the face of increasing peril. Repeats Sun 12/31, 12:30pm

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

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

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11/16/17 1:46 PM

BBC WORLD NEWS NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT PBS NEWSHOUR ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: NAUGHTY OR NICE — A special features favorite appraisals from past seasons. Repeats Tue 12/26, 1:30pm; Wed 12/27, 1pm 9:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2017 — Join the midwives as they battle snow, ice, power cuts and frozen pipes to provide patient care during the coldest winter in 300 years. Valerie helps a young couple who experience a traumatic birth and Sister Julienne tries to reunite a family. Repeats Tue 12/26, 2:30pm 10:30 LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX HOLIDAY SPECIAL — Part 2 of 2. See the Sunday, December 24, 8 p.m. listing. Repeats Tue 12/26, 4pm 11:30 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

U.S. COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS

6:00 6:30 7:00 8:00

26 Tuesday BYGONE DC A WETA TV 26 PRODUCTION

WETA Television

Tuesday, December 26 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Bygone DC, a WETA TV 26 production, spotlights unique places and people from yesteryear in Washington, D.C. Above: temporary government buildings on the National Mall, World War II era.

Heights; crispy Neapolitan pizza in Vienna, Virginia; and the essence of the Dominican Republic in Northwest. 3:30 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — Episode 6. Guest reviewer selections highlight Hawaiian fare in Arlington, Virginia; seasonal American cuisine in an Annapolis, Maryland, bungalow, and modern Indian in Penn Quarter downtown. 4:00 EVENING WITH THE HISTORYMAKERS: CHICAGO STORIES — A program draws from more than 400 interviews with African Americans across the city of Chicago, presenting a path both of remembrance and of celebration of the rich history and legacy of Chicago’s African American community. 5:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2015 — R 6:30 CALL THE MIDWIFE HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2016 — R 8:00 LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX HOLIDAY SPECIAL — Part 2 of 2. Caroline tells Gillian the truth about why she took the new headship. Gillian’s mounting guilt over Eddie’s death drives her to make a life-changing decision. On the night of Celia’s play, a twist of fate means Alan is forced to confront his fears. Repeats Mon 12/25, 10:30pm; Tue 12/26, 4pm 9:00 VICTORIA ON MASTERPIECE — Jenna Coleman stars as the British monarch. Part 2 of 7. Brocket Hall. Facing rioters and suitors, Victoria grows into her royal role. As she ponders marriage, her friendship with Lord Melbourne grows more complex. Repeats Mon 12/25, 4pm 10:00 VICTORIA ON MASTERPIECE — Part 3 of 7. The Clockwork Prince. Albert (Tom Hughes) pays a visit against the queen’s wishes and meets royal disdain. Where could it possibly lead? Meanwhile, the mystery of Miss Skerrett’s past deepens. Repeats Mon 12/25, 5pm 11:00 CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING DEBORAH VOIGT AND JOHN RHYS-DAVIES — Soprano Deborah Voigt and acclaimed British actor John Rhys-Davies join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in a 2014 Christmas concert of holiday favorites. Repeats Mon 12/25, noon

25 Monday 9AM 10:00 11:00 12N 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00

A CHEF’S LIFE HOLIDAY SPECIAL LIDIA CELEBRATES HOMEGROWN HEROES MAKING A NEW AMERICAN NUTCRACKER CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING DEBORAH VOIGT AND JOHN RHYSDAVIES — R CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING SANTINO FONTANA AND THE SESAME STREET MUPPETS — R CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING LAURA OSNES AND MARTIN JARVIS — R CHRISTMAS WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR FEATURING ROLANDO VILLAZÓN — R VICTORIA ON MASTERPIECE — Part 2 of 7. Brocket Hall. R VICTORIA ON MASTERPIECE — Part 3 of 7. The Clockwork Prince. R

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 BYGONE DC — A WETA TV 26 production remembers the unique places and people of Washington D.C.’s past. Through archival footage and original interviews, discover the locales that defined the city and how their impact still lingers in the community. Repeats Wed 12/27, 5pm 9:00 SECRETS OF SPANISH FLORIDA: A SECRETS OF THE DEAD SPECIAL — A team of archaeologists, scientists and historians reveals the little-known history of America’s Spanish colonists who settled in Florida in 1565, long before Jamestown or Plymouth. Actor Jimmy Smits narrates. Repeats Wed 12/27, 3pm; Thur 12/28, 1pm 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

27 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: THE STORY OF CATS — Part 2 of 2. Into the Americas. Nature tracks the story of cats into the Americas, from battles with the rival Canids, to the rise of domestic cats. Meet the mighty jaguar, the urban mountain lion, the curious ocelot, the Canada lynx, the nimble margay, the Siamese cat and the Sphynx. {DVI} Repeats Thur 12/28, 5pm 9:00 NOVA: DAY THE DINOSAURS DIED — Investigate how an asteroid vanquished the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Join scientists as they drill into the impact crater and, for the first time, reconstruct the events that unfolded in the minutes, hours and months after the impact. {DVI} Repeats Thur 12/28, 3pm 10:00 MARTIN CLUNES: ISLANDS OF AUSTRALIA — Doc Martin star Martin Clunes journeys through 16 of Australia’s islands. Episode 3 of 3. South. Clunes travels to Mundoo Island in South Australia, arriving just in time for some high-energy cattle mustering. Then, on Phillip Island he handles a fairy penguin and races at top speed in a Mini Cooper. On King Island he helps to gather storm-driven bull kelp on the beach. Ultimately, Clunes heads to Maria Island, ending his trip on Tasmania where he learns about the race to save Tasmanian Devils from extinction. Repeats Thur 12/28, 4pm 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

28 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 PENELOPE KEITH AT HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE — Dame Penelope Keith travels across the United Kingdom and escorts viewers behind the closed doors of Queen Elizabeth’s royal residences. Episode 2 of 4. Inveraray and Holyroodhouse. Keith’s tour continues through Scotland. She visits the bedchamber of Mary Queen of Scots, and she meets the Royal Falconer at Borthwick Castle. Repeats Fri 12/29, 2pm 9:00 PENELOPE KEITH AT HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE — Episode 3 of 4. Hillsborough Castle. In Northern Ireland, Keith meets the Queen’s bugler and uncovers an unexpected treasure dating back to the Coronation. Repeats Fri 12/29, 3pm 10:00 PENELOPE KEITH AT HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE — Episode 4 of 4. Caernarfon Castle. On the final leg of her journey, Keith visits Caernarfon Castle in Wales, where she meets a royal harpist, champion dog breeders and is serenaded by a male choir. Repeats Fri 12/29, 4pm 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

12 DECEMBER 2017 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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11/16/17 2:31 PM

CHRIS LEE

SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 11:30AM-11:30PM: 11:30 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S PARTNERS IN CRIME — Episodes 1-6 of 6. (Six hour-long episodes) 5:30 SCI-TECH NOW 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — A WETA TV 26 production offers an unfiltered look at the Greater Washington restaurant scene via a panel of citizen reviewers. Rose Previte hosts. Episodes 1-3. R 8:00 VICTORIA ON MASTERPIECE — Jenna Coleman stars as the British monarch; Tom Hughes portrays Prince Albert. Part 4 of 7. An Ordinary Woman. Courtship at court leads to second thoughts and other complications. Will Victoria and Albert take the fateful step into matrimony? And will the queen promise “to obey” her foreign prince? 9:00 LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER: NY PHILHARMONIC NEW YEAR’S EVE: BERNSTEIN ON BROADWAY — Ring in 2018 with a celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s bestloved works for Broadway, including West Side Story, featuring the New York Philharmonic and special guests. 10:30 BYGONE DC — See the December 26, 8 p.m. listing. 11:00 NEIGHBORHOOD EATS — Episode 2. R

Sunday, December 31 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Live from Lincoln Center: NY Philharmonic New Year’s Eve: Bernstein on Broadway celebrates some of the composer’s best-known works. Above: Maestro Bramwell Tovey leads the orchestra.

29 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. Repeats Sat 12/30, 6:30pm 8:30 NEIGHBORHOOD EATS — A May 2017 WETA TV 26 special, a companion to the WETA Neighborhoods series, features culinary hotspots from Washington D.C. areas Dupont Circle, Georgetown, Anacostia and Capitol Hill. 9:00 AMERICAN MASTERS: THIS IS BOB HOPE — See the Sunday, December 3, 6 p.m. listing. 11:00 CHARLIE ROSE: THE WEEK 11:30 CHARLIE ROSE — Repeats next weekday, noon

30 Saturday ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-6PM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-5:30PM See the Saturday, December 23 listings. 5:30 CHECK, PLEASE! DC — Episode 1. R SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6PM-12M: 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 DOC MARTIN, SERIES 7 8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S PARTNERS IN CRIME — David Walliams and Jessica Raine star. Episode 3 of 6. The Secret Adversary, Part 3. With Tommy’s cover blown, the gang gives him an assignment: steal a file from the Third Floor or risk the life of his young son, George. Tommy gets the file with help from Tuppence. The Beresfords race to foil a plot that threatens the British government. Repeats Sun 12/31, 1:30pm 9:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S PARTNERS IN CRIME — Episode 4 of 6. N or M?, Part 1. There’s an intelligence leak, and Tommy is the only man Major Carter can trust. Carter sends him on a mission so secret he can’t even tell Tuppence: find a missing British scientist, a nuclear bomb, and a Soviet spy code-named N — or is it M? Tommy goes in search of the kidnapper, but Tuppence is two steps ahead of him. Repeats Sun 12/31, 2:30pm 10:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S PARTNERS IN CRIME — Episode 5 of 6. N or M?, Part 2. When their prime suspect turns up dead, the Beresfords look elsewhere for the bomb thief. Tommy thinks it’s Carl Denim, a beatnik who’s flirting with Tuppence. Tuppence thinks it’s the glamorous Mrs. Sprot, who has her eye on Tommy. Tommy lets his guard down and ends up in trouble. Repeats Sun 12/31, 3:30pm 11:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S PARTNERS IN CRIME — Episode 6 of 6. N or M?, Part 3. Tommy finds the missing scientist, but both are held captive, and the agent’s identity is still unknown. Luckily, the scientist hid an important key to the bomb before his capture. Tuppence comes to the rescue, and together she and Tommy attempt to retrieve the key, but danger lies in wait. The Beresfords turn to Carter for help. Repeats Sun 12/31, 4:30pm

31 Sunday ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-11:30AM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-11:30AM See the Sunday, December 24 listings.

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

The WETA Kids channel offers a safe haven for young viewers, presenting educational broadcasts 24 hours each day, 7 days a week. WETA KIDS ON WEEKDAYS WETA KIDS AIRINGS IN BLACK; WETA TV 26 IN BLUE • Sid the Science Kid, 5am • Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, 5:30am • Sesame Street, 6am • Thomas & Friends, 6:30am (6am) • The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, 7am (6:30am) • Ready Jet Go!, 7:30am (7am) • Wild Kratts, 8am (7:30am) • Nature Cat, 8:30am (8am) • Curious George, 9am, 9:30am (8:30am, 9am) • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 10am, 10:30am (9:30am, 10am) • Splash and Bubbles, 11am, 11:30am (10:30am, 11am) • Sesame Street, 12n, 12:30pm (11:30am) • Super WHY!, 1pm (5am) • Peg + Cat, 1:30pm • Dinosaur Train, 2pm • Ready Jet Go!, 2:30pm • Nature Cat, 3pm, 3:30pm To learn about • Wild Kratts, 4pm, 4:30pm WETA Kids • Odd Squad, 5pm, 5:30pm holiday specials in December, visit • Arthur, 6pm, 6:30pm weta.org/happyholidays. • Martha Speaks, 7pm • WordGirl, 7:30m • Sesame Street, 8pm, 8:30pm • Cyberchase, 9pm (5:30am) • Bob the Builder, 9:30pm • SciGirls, 10pm • Maya & Miguel, 10:30pm • Bob the Builder, 11pm • Thomas & Friends, 11:30pm • Arthur, 12m

Visit weta.org/kids for full listings of children’s programs on WETA Kids & WETA TV 26

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11/16/17 1:46 PM

26.2 Over the Air Via Antenna Cox 800 Comcast 265 FiOS 474 RCN 39

British Television at Its Best The WETA UK channel is devoted to presenting the best in British television programming, broadcasting beloved classics and contemporary series around the clock, seven days a week. WETA UK offers a full schedule of great 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 DECEMBER SUNDAY

12pm

MONDAY

Globe Trekker

12:30pm

1pm

Janet King, Series II

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Are You Being Served?

As Time Goes By

New Tricks

Midsomer Murders, Series IX/X

MI-5

The Coroner, Series I/II

Waking the Dead

• Inspector Morse, Series VI • Miss Marple (starts 12/21)

Father Brown, Series V

• Father Brown, Series V (12/9, 12/16) • Blue Planet (starts 12/23)

• Inspector Lynley Mysteries (5pm 12/7-12/14) • Chef! (6:30pm 12/7-12/14) • Miss Marple (5 & 6pm, starts 12/21)

EastEnders (also 9am Saturdays)

2:30pm

3pm 3:30pm

4pm 4:30pm

5pm 5:30pm

6pm 6:30pm

7pm 7:30pm

8pm

• Secrets of Althorp, 4pm, 12/3 • Poldark, Series I/II, 4pm, 12/10, 12/17 • Foyle’s War, Series II, 4pm, 12/24-12/31

• Penelope Keith at Her Majesty’s Service (12/4-12/11) • Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (starts 12/18)

Inside Men

Poldark, Series I on Masterpiece (Series II starts 12/17)

The Coroner, Series I/II

Midsomer Murders Series X

• Chef! (6pm, 12/3) Midsomer • Raised by Wolves Murders Series IX/X (6:30pm, 12/3) • Blue Planet (6pm, starts 12/10)

9:30pm

10pm

Doctor Blake Mysteries, Series IV/II

Pie in the Sky, Series IV

Doc Martin I/II

Pie in the Sky, Series IV

Are You Being Served? Janet King, Series II

Are You Being Served?

As Time Goes By

Blue Planet

Pie in the Sky, Series IV

Doctor Blake Mysteries, Series IV (Series II starts 12/12)

Inspector Morse, Series VI

Father Brown, Series V

Poldark, Series I on Masterpiece (8-10pm, 12/8) (Season II starts 12/15, 8-10pm)

• Penelope Keith at Her Majesty’s Service (12/3-12/10) • Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (starts 12/17)

Silent Witness, Series XVIII

Doc Martin, Series I (Series II starts 12/12)

Hinterland

Globe Trekker

Midsomer Murders, Series X

The Body Farm

Doctor Who Peter Davison Movies

Father Brown, Series V

• Brokenwood Mysteries, Series III • Sherlock, Series III on Masterpiece (starts 12/19, to 12m)

• Inspector Lynley • Foyle’s War, Series II (9-11pm, Mysteries, Series 12/1; 9pm, 12/22, III (9pm-12m,12/7) 12/29) • Miss Marple (9pm-12m, 12/14, • Inside Men (10pm, starts 12/28; 9-11pm, 12/8) 12/21)

10:30pm

11pm

Globe Trekker

• Penelope Keith at Her Majesty’s Service (12/3-12/17) • Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (starts 12/24)

8:30pm

9pm

BBC Antiques Roadshow • Poldark, Series I/II on Masterpiece (to 3:30pm on 12/9, 12/16) • Father Brown, Series V (2:30pm, except 12/9, 12/16)

1:30pm

2pm

SATURDAY Doctor Blake Mysteries, Series IV/II

Hustle, Series V

New Tricks, Series VII

• People Like Us (6pm 12/2) • Raised by Wolves (6:30pm 12/2) • Secrets of Althorp (6pm 12/9) • Penelope Keith (12/16, 12/23, 12/30) • As Time Goes By (7pm, two eps)

Janet King, Series II

The Coroner, Series I (Series II starts 12/9)

Ordinary Lies

Silent Witness, Series XVIII

Hustle, Series IV (12m starting 12/19)

11:30pm SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

VISIT WETAUK.ORG FOR A PRINTABLE FULL-DAY SCHEDULE. 14 DECEMBER 2017

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11/16/17 1:45 PM

WETA UK December Highlights The Blue Planet

n epic documentary film about the world’s oceans by the BBC Natural History Unit airs in eight parts, narrated by renowned wildlife filmmaker Sir David Attenborough. The dazzling series — which took five years to create, won two BAFTA Awards and was nominated for five Emmy Awards — travels the globe to explore the total environment of the oceans and their communities. The Blue Planet presents a definitive exploration of the marine world, chronicling the denizens and habitats of the open ocean and the deep, and spotlighting coastlines and coral reefs, sea mammals, tidal and climatic influences and more as a complete biological system.

BBC

Sundays at 8 p.m. starting December 3 on WETA UK

Inside Men

Fridays at 10 p.m. starting December 8 on WETA UK

four-part British crime drama spotlights three employees of a security depot who plan and execute a multimillion-pound cash robbery. John Coniston (on right, Steven Mackintosh, of Luther) is the seemingly straight-laced manager of the secure depot; Marcus (left, Warren Brown, of Luther) moves trolleys of cash; and Chris (Ashley Walters) is a security guard. Every day they watch as millions of pounds worth of cash is counted, bound and stored in a vault. When Coniston catches the others stealing money from the vault, he surprises them by wanting to join in, and the three set their sights on a much bigger heist.

Miss Marple

Thursdays at 9 p.m. starting December 14 on WETA UK

Sherlock, Season 3 on Masterpiece Tuesdays at 10 p.m. starting December 19 on WETA UK

enedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman reprise their star turns as genius sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his friend and colleague Watson, a retired army doctor wounded in Afghanistan, in productions that reinvent classic stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Set in contemporary London, the acclaimed BAFTA- and Peabody Award-winning thrillers bring the world’s most famous detective into the 21st century. The three, two-hour productions in Series 3 feature archenemy Charles Augustus Magnussen, portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen (House of Cards, Borgen), in the cases “The Empty Hearse,” “The Sign of Three” and “His Last Vow.”

Also in December on WETA UK: Silent Witness, Series XVIII continues Mondays at 9 p.m.; Doc Martin airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m.; The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series III continues Tuesdays at 10 p.m., Hinterland and The Body Farm continue Wednesdays at 9 and 10 p.m., respectively; Poldark on Masterpiece continues Fridays at 8 p.m., entering Series II on December 15; The Coroner continues Saturdays at 9 p.m., entering Series II on December 9; and Ordinary Lies continues Saturdays at 10 p.m.

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Doc Martin

AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

BBC/HARTSWOOD FILMS FOR MASTERPIECE

BBC

lassic BBC adaptations of crime novelist Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories star Joan Hickson in her signature role as the spinster sleuth with a razor-sharp mind for inquiry. The productions, among a series of Marple films created between 1984 and 1992 when the actress was 78-86 years old, aimed to be as true as possible to Christie’s novels and were filmed on location, oozing period atmosphere. The three cases airing on WETA UK in December are The Body in the Library, an investigation of a strangling death; The Moving Finger, a case of poison-pen letters; and A Murder Is Announced, a case of predicted murder that is erroneously dismissed as a joke.

11/16/17 1:45 PM

The Splendor of the Baroque on NSO Showcase Wednesday, December 6 at 9 p.m. By Nicole Lacroix, Afternoon On-Air Host

MICHAEL LATZ

he December broadcast of NSO Showcase on Classical WETA 90.9 FM pays tribute to two of the Baroque’s greatest composers, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, with performances led by two of the most legendary Baroque conductors, Ton Helmuth Rilling Koopman and Helmuth Rilling. The program begins with Ton Koopman leading Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.1. With its sporty horn passages and lilting dances, it’s a festive opening to our concert. Maestro Koopman also conducts Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, a sophisticated work commissioned for a grand celebration commemorating the end of a lengthy war between many European powers. The event itself was plagued by disasters — the weather was poor, the crowd of over 12,000 people caused historic traffic on London Bridge, and part of the massive wooden structure built to launch the impressive fireworks display caught fire. Despite this, Handel’s music was an explosive success and ultimately proved to be one of the composer’s most famous works. In addition, German Bach specialist Helmuth Rilling ushers in the holiday season as he leads the National Symphony Orchestra in two Bach Christmas Cantatas featuring distinguished soloists and the University of Maryland Concert Choir. Bach performed Cantata No. 63, Christen, ätzet diesen Tag (“Christians Engrave this Day”) on December 25, 1723, the first year of his tenure as Thomaskantor in Leipzig. Two years later, again on Christmas Day, Bach premiered the ebullient Cantata 110 Unser Mund sei voll Lachens (“May your Mouth be Full of Laughter”) that features an opening chorus brimming over with merriment. Join us for NSO Showcase, Wednesday evening, December 6 at 9 p.m. to celebrate the glory of the Baroque, with the National Symphony Orchestra, Koopman and Rilling and Bach and Handel. It’s a festive way to usher in the holiday season on Classical WETA. Nathan Gunn in The Magic Flute

Saturday afternoons starting December 2 on Classical WETA 90.9 FM

new season of the Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcasts begins December 2 on the weekly Saturday program Classical WETA Opera House with an exciting concert performance of Verdi’s Requiem led by James Levine and featuring soloists Krassimira Stoyanova, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Aleksandrs Antonenko and Ferruccio Furlanetto. Additional broadcasts this month include an English-language version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Dec. 9); Bellini’s Norma (Dec. 16); Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Dec. 23); and Lehár’s The Merry Widow (Dec. 30). The 2017-2018 season’s 23 performances air Saturdays at 1 p.m., with a few earlier starts, through the May 5 finale, Gounod’s Romeó et Juliette. The radio broadcasts, each a Saturday matinee airing live (with an occasional archival exception) from New York’s Lincoln Center, feature the world’s greatest contemporary opera vocalists. Mary Jo Heath returns as Met matinee broadcast host, alongside commentator Ira Siff. The season features four Puccini operas: Tosca (Jan. 27) with Sonya Yoncheva, Vittorio Grigolo and Bryn Terfel, La Bohème (Feb. 24), Madama Butterfly (Mar. 3) and Turandot (Mar. 24); three Verdi operas, including Il Trovatore (Feb. 3), and Luisa Miller (Apr. 14) with Sonya Yoncheva, Piotr Beczala, and Plácido Domingo; two Donizetti operas: L’Elisir D’Amore (Feb. 10) with Pretty Yende and Matthew Polenzani, and Lucia di Lammermoor (Apr. 7); and, an additional Mozart offering, Così fan tutti (Mar. 31) with Tony Award-winner Kelli O’Hara. Two Met premieres, Adès’ The Exterminating Angel (Apr. 21), and Massenet’s Cendrillon (Apr. 28) with Joyce DiDonato in the Cinderella story, are also on the bill, as is a revival, Rossini’s Semiramide (Mar. 10) with Angela Meade. For details, visit classicalweta.org. MARTY SOHL/METROPOLITAN OPERA

Classical WETA 90.9 FM

2017-2018 Met Opera Season

The 2017-2018 Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee radio broadcast season is sponsored by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury homebuilder®, with generous long-term support from The Annenberg Foundation, The Neubauer Family Foundation, and the Vincent A. Stabile Endowment for Broadcast Media, and through contributions from listeners worldwide. Local support for the broadcasts is provided by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

VivaLaVoce on vivalavoce.org

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Stream Audio at classicalweta.org

11/16/17 1:45 PM

Classical for Washington Beethoven Month, The Nutcracker & More on Front Row Washington Mondays at 9 p.m. By Deborah Lamberton, Senior Producer

COURTESY THE ARTISTS

Classical WETA 90.9 FM

COURTESY THE ARTIST

ANDREW GARN

ecember’s Front Row Washington offers both holiday fare and a celebration of Beethoven Month on Classical WETA. We begin Monday, December 4 at 9 p.m. with a Phillips Collection recital of Beethoven sonatas by cellist Ralph Kirshbaum and pianist Shai Wosner, who open their program with Beethoven’s ever-popular variations on “See the conqu’ring hero comes” from Handel’s Judas Maccabeus. Beethoven Stewart Goodyear dedicated the work to Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia — an amateur cellist whose love of music was exemplified by the top-tier orchestra he created at his own court. Beethoven’s admiration for Handel also extended to Mozart, whose opera The Magic Flute he once described as Mozart’s greatest work. It is no surprise that he created another set of variations on this favorite opera, using Papageno’s aria Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen as the theme. Kirshbaum and Wosner also include two sonatas in their all-Beethoven recital, one from 1796 and a later one from 1808, both dedicated to cellists who had befriended Beethoven. Beethoven Month continues on Front Row Washington on Monday, December 11 with Alexander Kobrin’s “Beethoven Sonata Project” at Downtown Piano Works in Frederick, Maryland. Heralded as “the Van Cliburn of today” by the BBC, Mr. Kobrin received the Gold Medal at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2005. Now on the faculty at the Eastman School of Music, Mr. Kobrin began his cycle of Beethoven sonatas at Downtown Piano Works’ free performances with Nos. 9, 17, 27 and 28. Then it’s time for some traditional seasonal fare, with a twist: you may think you know Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet, but not as well as celebrated Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear, who loves the work so much he made his own arrangement of the complete ballet for solo piano. On the Monday, December 18 broadcast, Front Row Washington presents Goodyear performing The Nutcracker at the Phillips Collection — a fresh way to enjoy this popular holiday work in what The Washington Post Alexander Kobrin described as “a bold, gripping performance, full of propulsive drama.” We wrap up December’s Front Row Washington offerings on Christmas Day at 9 p.m. with Tempesta di Mare Chamber Players’ program from the National Gallery of Art, “Winter: A Cozy Noel.” Recently hailed by Fanfare magazine for its “abundant energy, immaculate ensemble, impeccable intonation, and an undeniable sense of purpose,” Tempesta di Mare is the only American baroque ensemble to record for the British Chandos label. The program includes Corelli’s well-known “Christmas Concerto” along with Giovanni Antonio Guido’s “Winter” concerto — a work that some think was the basis for Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” — and early 18th-century composer Michel Corrette’s Symphony of Carols IV, based on popular Christmas noels of the day. Tune in to Classical WETA’s weekly broadcast Front Row Washington each Monday at 9 p.m. in December for Tempesta di Mare Beethoven and much more.

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

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