April 2019 - WETA Magazine by WETA

APRIL 2019 MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS

RECONSTRUCTION WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR.

WETA co-production airs Tuesdays, April 9 & 16 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

Also in April: WETA co-production Korea: The Never-Ending War; Les MisÃ©rables on Masterpiece Masterpiece; and new Midsomer Murders C1_WETA_April_2019.indd 1

3/15/19 10:10 AM

WETA Focus I

PBS NEWSHOUR

n April, we premiere nationwide two timely, fascinating WETA co-productions that illuminate enormously consequential chapters in our nation’s story. The first film, Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, is a riveting production that is the latest series emanating from WETA’s partnership with our good friend, eminent scholar and filmmaker Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr., a significant presence in public television history programming for more than two decades. In the two-part program, Skip scrutinizes one of the least-understood periods in American history, the transformative years 1865-1877, when African Americans experienced in one decade more freedom and rights than ever before, and he explores the years beyond, when the arc of progress bent backwards. An extraordinary examination of America’s democracy, the film first chronicles the many gains made by African Americans — and then the reaction: the unraveling of Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow laws that institutionalized segregation, and how African Americans responded. We are very proud of this film and of our very productive partnership with Skip, which has brought similarly important stories to life via an array of programs created for the American public. Together we have collaborated on the series Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise (2016), Africa’s Great Civilizations (2017), and the engaging genealogy series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., which on April 9 completes its fifth season. Stay tuned for the next season of Finding Your Roots and more documentary history series from Skip and WETA. Also this month, we bring you the compelling new WETA co-production Korea: The Never-Ending War, a two-hour film that reminds us how history continues to resound. The program tells the story of how the world we live in today was shaped by the conflict, which in previous decades had taken on the moniker “The Forgotten War.” Forgotten no more, the story of the war, its aftermath and its contemporary reverberations is particularly timely and informative, providing vital context to current geopolitics surrounding the Korean Peninsula. Enjoy these new films and WETA’s other April programs — including a wide array of stellar drama offerings. Thank you for your support. -----------------------------This month on WETA production PBS NewsHour — public television’s marquee newscast — watch for a series of intriguing reports from Antarctica by correspondent William Brangham (at right) and producers Emily Carpeaux and Mike Fritz. They will explore Antarctica’s history and how climate change and tourism have affected the continent and its wildlife. I am delighted to share the news that we are expanding PBS NewsHour’s operations. In March, we announced that later this year we expect to open a new bureau, PBS NewsHour West, that will produce a West Coast version of the program and contribute to our national reporting on-air and online. Made possible with the generous support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the bureau will be based at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and Arizona PBS in Phoenix. This expansion, furthering our mission of public service, is very exciting. It will allow us to better serve Americans nationwide with journalism of excellence, broadening the reach of our fair, contextual and trustworthy NewsHour reporting on which so many rely each day. I look forward to sharing more details in the coming months.

Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President & CEO, WETA

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

Comcast 219 (Baltimore area)

3/18/19 4:44 PM

April Highlights on WETA TV 26/HD Masterpiece in April on WETA TV 26/HD

Les Misérables airs Sundays at 9 p.m. starting April 14 Unforgotten, Series 3 airs Sundays at 10 p.m. starting April 7

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

COURTESY MAINSTREET PICTURES FOR ITV AND MASTERPIECE

COURTESY OF MASTERPIECE/PBS

es Misérables, Victor Hugo’s masterpiece of love, death and the struggle for social justice in early 19th-century France, comes vividly to life in a faithful six-part adaptation by award-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House) on Masterpiece starting April 14. Dominic West (The Affair; The Wire) stars as Jean Valjean, the most famous fugitive in literature, with David Oyelowo (Selma) as his relentless pursuer, Javert. Lily Collins appears as the tragic seamstress and luckless single mother Fantine; Ellie Bamber plays her adolescent daughter, Cosette; Olivia Colman (Academy Awardwinner for The Favourite) and Adeel Akhtar (Unforgotten) are Cosette’s cruel overseers, the Thénardiers; and Josh O’Connor (The Durrells in Corfu) is the student and reluctant revolutionary Marius, who falls in love with Cosette at first sight. Also part of the extensive cast is Derek Jacobi as the kindly Bishop of Digne, who rescues Valjean at his lowest ebb. Les Misérables Les Misérables (“the wretched” or “the dispossessed”) is a challenging story to condense, but screenwriter Davies preserves Hugo’s intricate plotting, striking historical vignettes, powerful themes and evocative characterizations in this co-production of BBC and Masterpiece. The story opens after Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, a quarter of a century after the French Revolution. With the emperor’s downfall, the French monarchy is restored — and the thwarted ideals of the republic go underground. Valjean is released from prison that year after performing years of hard labor for stealing a loaf of bread, and after an unpromising start in petty crime again, risking re-arrest and a life sentence, he begins his journey to redemption, all the while hunted by Javert. Also this month, starting April 7 Masterpiece presents new episodes of the detective-mystery drama Unforgotten (Series 3), starring Nicola Walker (Last Tango in Halifax) and Sanjeev Bhaskar (Indian Summers) as crime-solving duo DCI Cassie Stuart and DS Sunny Khan. In the new storyline, the two investigators tackle a new cold case involving the discovery of a teenage girl’s remains. Their sleuthing leads them to a tight-knit group of four old school friends whose bonds are put to the test when they find themselves under suspicion. The cast includes Alex Jennings, Kevin McNally, Neil Morrissey and James Fleet. Unforgotten, Series 3

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

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: RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

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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

3/18/19 3:11 PM

WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. New WETA co-production airs Tuesdays, April 9 & 16 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

n a major new documentary film, WETA partner and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., presents the definitive history of one of the least understood chapters in American history — the transformative years following the American Civil War, when the nation struggled to rebuild itself in the face of profound loss, massive destruction and revolutionary social change. The two-part, four-hour WETA co-production Reconstruction: America After the Civil War explores the United States’ emergence from the war and slavery into the years known as Reconstruction, and how the legacy of that hopeful era and its rollback has reverberated in race relations in American society since. The issues central to Reconstruction — citizenship, voting rights, violence, the relationship between economic and political democracy — continue to roil the country today. Many Americans know about the Civil War and the later Civil Rights Era, but the history in between is less understood. “I hope our series can help to fill in the missing pieces,” said Gates, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. “Our film tells the real story of Reconstruction, honoring the struggle of the African Americans who fought their way out of slavery and challenged the nation to live up to the founding ideals of democracy, freedom and equality,” said Gates. “But we will also tell the tragic story of the sustained and often violent pushback against Reconstruction’s determination to secure equal rights for black people — and the rise of white supremacy leading to the implementation of Jim Crow segregation. More than 150 years later, this struggle continues.”

The History Reconstruction: America After the Civil War includes interviews from leading scholars, authors and other experts — including Reconstruction historian Eric Foner of Columbia University, the film’s chief consultant — amid a wide array of archival imagery. The film takes a broad view of the era and its aftermath, beginning with the hopeful moment of the war’s end and Emancipation in 1865, and carrying through to 1915, when the nation was fully entrenched in Jim Crow segregation.

“Reconstruction is one of the most important and consequential chapters in American history. It is also among the most overlooked, misunderstood and misrepresented. Our film tells the real story…” — Henry Louis Gates, Jr. After the war, members of the U.S. Congress endeavored to reunite North and South while granting citizenship rights to newly freed African Americans. Millions of former slaves and free black people sought out their rightful place as equal citizens under the law. Though tragically short-lived, this bold democratic experiment was, in the words of black intellectual W. E. B. Du Bois, a “brief moment in the sun” for African Americans, when they could advance and achieve education, exercise their right to vote, and run for and win public office.

2 APRIL 2019

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3/18/19 3:13 PM

PHOTOS: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS EXCEPT PARCHMAN (MISSISSIPPI DEPT OF ARCHIVES & HISTORY)

RECONSTRUCTION

The first half of Reconstruction: America After the Civil War centers on the pivotal decade following the war, charting black progress. The series’ second half traces the unraveling of Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow segregation, also exploring the myriad ways in which black people continued to acquire land, build institutions and strengthen communities amidst increasing racial violence and repression. The film also explores the flowering of African American art, music, literature and culture as tools of resistance in the struggle against Jim Crow racism, and the surge of political activism that marked the launch of iconic civil rights organizations.

An American Storyteller Professor Gates has produced many acclaimed documentary history series, including the Peabody Award-winning documentary The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross, the series African American Lives, and — with WETA — Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise, Africa’s Great Civilizations and the ongoing genealogy and history series Finding Your Roots, which this month concludes its fifth season. Gates has written two books about the Reconstruction era: “Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow” is slated for release April 2; and “Dark Sky Rising: Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow,” a narrative nonfiction book for ages 9-12, written with Tonya Bolden, was published earlier this year.

Learn More Reconstruction: America After the Civil War is a production of McGee Media, Inkwell Films and WETA. For more about the series, visit the WETA-produced website pbs.org/reconstruction. Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #ReconstructionPBS on Facebook and Twitter, and with @HenryLouisGates. To accompany the production, WETA is leading a nationwide public engagement campaign that includes screenings and discussions in communities around the country.

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MCGEE MEDIA

PHOTOS: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS EXCEPT PARCHMAN (MISSISSIPPI DEPT OF ARCHIVES & HISTORY)

Clockwise (archival): Family portrait, circa 1900; Richmond freedmen, 1865; U.S. Congressman Benjamin S. Turner, an ex-slave; chain gang, Parchman Penal Farm, Mississippi.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

VIEWERS’ GUIDE

Reconstruction: America After the Civil War The WETA co-production airs on WETA TV 26/HD Part 1 airs Tuesday, April 9 at 9 p.m. and repeats Wednesday, April 10 at 3 p.m.; Thursday, April 11 at 1 p.m.; Wednesday, April 17 at 1 p.m.; and Sunday, April 21 at 2:30 p.m. Part 2 airs Tuesday, April 16 at 9 p.m. and repeats Wednesday, April 17 at 3 p.m.; Thursday, April 18 at 1 p.m.; and Sunday, April 21 at 4:30 p.m.

Corporate support for Reconstruction: America After the Civil War is provided by Johnson & Johnson. Major funding is also provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the Ford Foundation; The Gilder Foundation; Lloyd Carney Foundation; Dr. Georgette Bennett and Dr. Leonard Polonsky CBE; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; and PBS.

3/18/19 3:14 PM

April Highlights on WETA TV 26/HD WETA co-production airs Tuesday, April 2 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

ETA reprises Ken Burns’s two-hour 2013 film The Central Park Five, a WETA co-production with Florentine Films that tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly convicted in the infamous Central Park Jogger Case, in which a white woman was brutally beaten and raped in New York City in 1989. The film, co-directed and produced by Burns, his daughter Sarah Burns and son-in-law David McMahon, chronicled the case for the first time from the perspective of the five teenagers whose lives were upended by the miscarriage of justice. Set against the backdrop of a city at that time beset by violence and facing deepening rifts between races and classes, the film intertwines the stories of these five young men, the victim, police officers and prosecutors, and the true perpetrator of the crimes, unraveling the forces behind the wrongful convictions.

CHRISTINE CORNELL

The Central Park Five

Funding for The Central Park Five provided by The Atlantic Philanthropies; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; PBS; and members of The Better Angels Society, including Bobby and Polly Stein.

Boss: The Black Experience in Business Tuesday, April 23 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

COURTESY NARA

he new documentary Boss: The Black Experience in Business, directed by award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson, explores the history of African American entrepreneurship over the past 150 years. The film features stories of trailblazing and contemporary business leaders, from Madam C.J. Walker and publisher John H. Johnson (left) to Motown CEO Berry Gordy and business pioneer and philanthropist Reginald F. Lewis, among others — and interviewees include Vernon Jordan; Cathy Hughes; Ursula Burns; Ken Frazier; Richelieu Dennis; Robert F. Smith; Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr.; and John Rogers. “African Americans have played a central role in the history of American business, but their stories are often left untold,” said Nelson, who created the films Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Historically Black Colleges; The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution; and Freedom Summer. “Today, as we see talented black businessmen and women not only building successful companies in mainstream America, but also emerging as managers and CEOs for some of the most powerful corporate entities in the world, Boss: The Black Experience in Business shares the remarkable stories of a community facing tremendous obstacles to pursue social, political and economic progress.” Major funding for Boss: The Black Experience in Business is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Citigroup. Additional funding is provided by The JPB Foundation as part of Chasing the Dream, a public media initiative from WNET reporting on poverty, jobs and opportunity in America; and by Fairview Capital, Yusef Kassim and public television viewers.

COURTESY WHITNEY JOHNSON/©EBC

Nature: American Spring LIVE

Mon.-Wed., April 29-May 1 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

pring is one of nature’s greatest performances, a time of rebirth, renewed energy and dramatic transformations. For three consecutive nights, the series Nature presents American Spring LIVE, spotlighting the change from winter to spring in real time from iconic locations across America. News anchor Juju Chang hosts the multi-platform event on public television and on Facebook, with on-camera experts (including biologist Thor Hanson and entomologist Phil Torres) highlighting springtime phenomena in ecosystems ranging from the Rockies to the Everglades, from inner-city parks to remote wilderness preserves. The series includes a mix of live and pre-taped footage. Researchers and citizen scientists will investigate how a wide range of organisms respond to the change of seasons, and they will share their insights into the natural world. Major support for Nature: American Spring LIVE was provided by the National Science Foundation and Anne Ray Foundation. Additional financial support was provided by the Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, the Anderson Family Fund, the Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Rosalind P. Walter, the Halmi Family in memory of Robert Halmi, Sr., Sandra Atlas Bass, Doris R. and Robert J. Thomas, Charles Rosenblum, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by the nation’s public television stations.

4 APRIL 2019

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3/18/19 3:14 PM

KOREA

The WETA co-production airs Monday, April 29 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD, repeating Tuesday, April 30 at 4 p.m.

THE NEVER-ENDING WAR

COURTESY OF AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS

COURTESY NATIONAL ARCHIVES

new two-hour WETA documentary film, Korea: The Never-Ending War, traces the history of the Korean War and its continuing impact on the world, shedding new light on a longtime geopolitical hotspot. As negotiations over the fate of the Korean Peninsula continue to dominate headlines worldwide, the program examines the story and legacy of an often-forgotten conflict that has reverberated for nearly 70 years, shaping the modern world. The documentary — written and produced by John Maggio (The Italian Americans; American Experience; Frontline) and narrated by Korean-American actor John Cho — offers a new understanding of the war, illuminating its role as a watershed in world history: the place where the Cold War first turned hot and where a fragile peace led to a nuclear standoff that continues to the present day. The production of WETA, KBS and ZED, in association with ARK Media and the BBC, includes interviews with American and South Korean veterans who fought in the war, civilians caught in the crossfire, and scholars of the war. It places modern events on the Korean Peninsula in historical context, encompassing the present and past of the conflict from the era of Truman, Stalin, Mao, North Korea’s Kim Il Sung and South Korea’s Syngman Rhee to today, as U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un (below) continue negotiations. “The political realities at the center of today’s current conflict mirror those faced in 1950,” said Maggio. “It’s a delicate and dangerous political chess game with the threat of nuclear war hanging over the entire world. The Korean War was largely forgotten in this country, falling in the shadow of World War II and Vietnam, but the lessons of that war are never more important. This war is not officially over, and my hope is this film, told from the perspective of the men and women who fought and survived it, will shed new light on how we arrived here.” Ending in a stalemate and armistice without a formal peace treaty, the war was a global event: 24 nations took part in the three-year struggle in which an estimated four million people died. Korea: The Never-Ending War provides multiple views of the conflict — on the ground and in the trenches, from ordinary citizens and soldiers to the political and military leaders who led the opposing sides. It explores historical turning points during and after the war, and spotlights the events that triggered North Korea’s nuclear program. The war from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953 was momentous: the first fought by the United Nations, the first and only war to pit Communist superpowers in direct battle against anti-Communist superpowers, and the first time an American president sent troops into full-scale combat without a vote by Congress. The Korean War led the U.S. to become the world’s policeman, Kim Jong Un with a large standing army, huge defense budget, military bases around the world, and mounting routine interventions in far-off conflicts. Korea: The Never-Ending War is accompanied by an interactive website and educational initiative designed to engage teachers and students. For more about the film, visit the WETA-produced website pbs.org/koreanwar. Viewers are encouraged to join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #KoreanWarPBS on Facebook and Twitter.

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Funding for Korea: The Never-Ending War is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and PBS.

3/18/19 3:14 PM

April Dramas on WETA TV 26/HD Midsomer Murders, Series 15

Starts Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

COURTESY RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

Newton’s Law

Fridays at 8:30 p.m. starting April 12 on WETA TV 26/HD

rom the makers of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, an Australian drama starring Claudia Karvan (Jack Irish) follows suburban solicitor (non-courtroom lawyer) and do-gooder Josephine Newton who, after helping the less fortunate for 10 years in practice, is led by a change in her circumstances to reluctantly accept a new job in a high-powered law firm as a courtroom barrister. Unfortunately, Josephine finds it’s not so easy to leave behind her clutch of ex-clientsturned-employees, who are reliant on her despite their best efforts to survive without her and despite Josephine’s best efforts to focus on herself for a change. When she discovers that an office space in the basement of her building is up for lease, the serendipity seems too perfect to ignore… Newton’s Law also airs on WETA UK, Thursday nights starting April 11.

Jack Irish, Series 2

Starts Monday, April 22 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

n the second series of the Australian mystery-drama Jack Irish, inspired by the novels of Peter Temple, Emmy Award-winner Guy Pearce reprises his role as a former criminal lawyer and part-time debt collector with a penchant for sleuthing. The returning cast includes Marta Dusseldorp as Irish’s ex, journalist Linda Hillier, amid an ensemble cast portraying his eccentric circle. In the six new episodes, Jack has returned to the law, working on mundane property transactions, until he learns of foreign students at a disreputable private college dying in bizarre circumstances. His investigation leads him down a rabbit hole to probe a corrupt government in league with a global enterprise. Jack Irish, Series 2 also airs on WETA UK, starting Friday, April 12 at 9 p.m. before settling into Thursdays at 10 p.m. the next week.

COURTESY RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

COURTESY AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

s popular mystery drama Midsomer Murders Series 14 continues on Saturday nights at 8 p.m., wrapping up in April, WETA begins airing Series 15 as well — also all-new to WETA’s air — in a double feature on Thursday, April 25. In the new season, Neil Dudgeon again stars as Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby of the Criminal Investigation Department alongside Jason Hughes as Barnaby’s colleague, Detective Sergeant Benjamin Jones (in Hughes’ final season in the role). Based on the novels of Caroline Graham, Midsomer Murders, Series 15 features six episodes that follow more investigations in the picturesque fictional English county of Midsomer: the duo probes murders oddly reminiscent of movie plots, a killer hunk of cheese, and more.

Girlfriends

Starts Mon., April 22 at 10 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD

COURTESY RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

six-part contemporary drama from BAFTA award-winning screenwriter Kay Mellor (The Syndicate) spotlights friends, family, responsibilities and the inevitable changes that age brings. Zoë Wanamaker, Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey) and Miranda Richardson star. In the story, after the sudden death of Linda’s husband Micky, childhood friends Linda (Logan), Sue (Richardson) and Gail (Wanamaker) find themselves together again. Each has problems; from a divorce to the loss of a job, from age discrimination to juggling responsibilities to grandchildren and aging mothers. As Linda tries to come to terms with being widowed, questions over Micky’s death yield accusations, secrets, deception and doubts that tear at the trio’s friendship. Will their relationship with each other survive? Girlfriends also airs on WETA UK, Friday nights starting April 12. 6 APRIL 2019

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3/18/19 3:15 PM

WETA TV 26 & WETA HD April primetime simulcast listings.

Denotes WETA productions, co-productions and presentations

8:00

8:30

9:00

9:30

Antiques Roadshow: Hotel del Coronado

Tales from the Royal Wardrobe

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Season 5 (Ep 9 of 10. The Eye of the Beholder)

The Central Park Five NOVA: Emperor’s Ghost Army

10:00

10:30

More Manner of Downton Abbey (to 11pm) & Indep. Lens: Tre Maison Dasan (to 12:30am)

Mon

Tue

Wed

Nature: Forest of the Lynx

Thu

And Then There Were None (Pts 1-3 of 3)

Fri

Washington Week

Sat

New to WETA!: Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (Ep 5 of 8. The Sleeper Under the Hill)

Sun

Call the Midwife, Series 8 (Pt 2 of 8)

Mrs. Wilson on Masterpiece (Pt 3 of 3)

Unforgotten, Series 3 on Masterpiece (Pt 1 of 6)

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Philbrook Museum (Ep 1 of 3)

Secrets of the Manor House

Independent lens: The Providers (to 11:30pm)

Tue

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Season 5 (Ep 10 of 10. All in the Family)

Reconstruction: America After the Civil War (Pt 1 of 2) NOVA: Mystery of Easter Island

Tintoretto: Artist of Renaissance Venice

Secrets of the Dead: Egypt’s Darkest Hour

Great Performances at the Met: La Traviata (to 12m) The WETA Movie: As Good as It Gets (to 12m)

Wed

Nature: The Egg: Life’s Perfect Invention

Thu

Decline and Fall (Pts 1-3 of 3)

Fri

Washington Week

Sat

New to WETA!: Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (Ep 6 of 8. The Night of the Stag)

Sun

Call the Midwife, Series 8 (Pt 3 of 8)

Les Misérables on Masterpiece (Pt 1 of 6)

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Philbrook Museum (Ep 2 of 3)

Frontline: Marcos Doesn’t Live Here Anymore

Tue

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Season 4 (Southern Roots)

Reconstruction: America After the Civil War (Pt 2 of 2)

Wed

Nature: Big Birds Can’t Fly

NOVA: Secrets of Noah’s Ark

Thu

Sherlock, Series 4 (Eps 1-3 of 3) (to 12:30am)

Fri

Washington Week

Sat

New to WETA!: Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (Ep 7 of 8. A Sacred Trust)

Sun

Call the Midwife, Series 8 (Pt 4 of 8)

Les Misérables on Masterpiece (Pt 2 of 6)

Unforgotten, Series 3 on Masterpiece (Pt 3 of 6)

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Philbrook Museum (Ep 3 of 3)

Jack Irish, Series 2 (Pt 1 of 6)

Girlfriends (Pt 1 of 6) (to 11pm) & Indep. Lens: Charm City (to 12:30am)

Tue

Boss: The Black Experience in Business

Wed

Nature: Sex, Lies and Butterflies

Thu

New to WETA!: Midsomer Murders, Series 15 (Ep 1 of 6. The Dark Rider)

New to WETA!: Midsomer Murders, Series 15 (Ep 2 of 6. Murder of Innocence)

Fri

Washington Week

Golden Years (to 11:06pm)

Sat

New to WETA!: Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (Ep 8 of 8. A Rare Bird)

Sun

Call the Midwife, Series 8 (Pt 5 of 8)

Les Misérables on Masterpiece (Pt 3 of 6)

Mon

Nature: American Spring LIVE (Ep 1 of 3)

Korea: The Never-Ending War

Tue

Nature: American Spring LIVE (Ep 2 of 3)

Kolkata with Sue Perkins

8:00

Newton’s Law (Pt 1 of 8)

Joseph Pulitzer: American Masters (to 11pm) & PBS Preview: Chasing the Moon (to 11:30pm) The WETA Movie: The Verdict (to 11:39pm)

Newton’s Law (Pt 2 of 8)

PBS NewsHour airs weeknights at 7 p.m.

Unforgotten, Series 3 on Masterpiece (Pt 2 of 6)

Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World (Ep 1 of 6. The Telescope)

Garry Winogrand: American Masters The WETA Movie: The Natural (to 12m)

Frontline: The Abortion Divide NOVA: Saving the Dead Sea

Newton’s Law (Pt 3 of 8)

8:30

Ozone Hole: How We Saved the Planet

Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World (Ep 2 of 6. The Airplane)

The WETA Movie: The King and I (to 12m)

9:00

Unforgotten, Series 3 on Masterpiece (Pt 4 of 6)

Frontline: The Last Survivors

9:30

10:00

10:30

Amanpour and Company airs late weeknights (check listings). For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 7

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3/18/19 3:15 PM

WETA TV 26 & WETA HD April 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 6 p.m. through primetime programs, and weekends beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 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 16 for schedule information. Program Key ■ — WETA productions, co-productions or presentations. R — Aired within the month. Listings are accurate as of press time. For late-breaking program updates, visit weta.org/tv or call 703-998-2724.

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — WETA production PBS NewsHour provides in-depth analysis of current events with a news summary, live studio interviews and discussions of domestic and international issues. Judy Woodruff anchors. Visit pbs.org/newshour. 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: HOTEL DE CORONADO — Hour Three. Repeats 4/2, 1pm; Wed 4/3, 2pm; Thur 4/4, 1pm 9:00 TALES FROM THE ROYAL WARDROBE — A film examines the significance of the royal wardrobes of English monarchs over the last 400 years. Learn why most kings and queens have carefully choreographed every aspect of their apparel and why. For those who have not, the consequences have sometimes been calamitous. Repeats Tue 4/2, 2pm; Thur 4/4, 2pm 10:00 MORE MANNERS OF DOWNTON ABBEY, A MASTERPIECE SPECIAL — Return to the world of manners with Alastair Bruce, Downton Abbey’s historical advisor. With interviews with Downton Abbey cast members such as Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery, the program navigates the social protocol of aristocrats and servants in the 1920s. 11:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: TRE MAISON DASAN — Explore the lives of Tre, Maison and Dasan, three of the estimated one in 14 American children with a parent in prison. Take an emotional look at relationships tested by separation and the challenges of growing up with a parent behind bars. 12:30AM AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Christiane Amanpour leads conversations with global thought leaders on contemporary issues. Repeats noon tomorrow

LION TELEVISION/WGBH

WETA Television

1 Monday

Wednesday, April 3 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD WETA reprises NOVA: Emperor’s Ghost Army, investigating how and why nearly 9,000 life-sized terracotta statues were made for the elaborate burial tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

2 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 5 — A new season of the WETA co-production continues, featuring Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovering the surprising ancestral stories of cultural trailblazers. Episode 9 of 10. The Eye of the Beholder. Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. shares the family histories of director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, iconoclastic performance artist Marina Abramovic and painter Kehinde Wiley. These visionary artists find their identities challenged — and affirmed. Repeats Wed 4/3, 5pm 9:00 THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE — An acclaimed film by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon tells the story of the five black and Latino Harlem teenagers who were wrongly convicted of assaulting and raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park in 1989. The 2013 co-production of Florentine Films and WETA chronicles the Central Park jogger case from the perspective of the young men whose lives were upended by this tragedy and miscarriage of justice. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

3 Wednesday FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 5 A WETA CO-PRODUCTION Tuesdays, April 2, 9 & 16 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., continues with more genealogies of series guests, including Washington-based radio talk-show host Joe Madison (above left, with Gates).

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: FOREST OF THE LYNX — Observe the regeneration of an Austrian alpine forest, Kalkalpen National Park, where wildlife thrives. This remote backcountry in the Alps was abandoned and unmanaged by man for close to a quarter of a century. Now returning are pygmy owls, woodpeckers, colorful insects and even the lynx, after 150 years of absence. Repeats Thur 4/4, 5pm 9:00 NOVA: EMPEROR’S GHOST ARMY — To defend himself in the afterlife, the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, was buried in a vast mausoleum accompanied by approximately 9,000 life-sized terracotta statues. With access to groundbreaking new research, NOVA investigates the

8 APRIL 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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COURTESY MAINSTREET PICTURES FOR ITV/MASTERPIECE

secrets of how and why the astonishing figures were made and the technology behind the still-lethal and highly advanced crossbows, spears, and swords carried by the clay warriors. Repeats Thur 4/4, 4pm 10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: EGYPT’S DARKEST HOUR — Follow a team of archaeologists as they examine a rare mass grave dating to the collapse of ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom, when political infighting and a changing climate brought down a dynasty in a moment of crisis and catastrophe. Repeats Thur 4/4, 3pm; Fri 4/5, 1pm; Mon 4/8, 1pm; Tue 4/9, 5pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

4 Thursday

5 Friday

COURTESY AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

Thursday, April 4 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD And Then There Were None, a star-studded adaptation of one of the most famous mystery novels by Agatha Christie, airs in three parts.

Sundays at 10 p.m. starting April 7 on WETA TV 26/HD Crime drama Unforgotten on Masterpiece returns with a new season, probing a new cold case. Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar star.

his contemporaries. This National Gallery of Art documentary, coinciding with the Tintoretto exhibition that opened in March at the Gallery, includes original footage of the artist’s works in the churches and palaces of Venice and interviews with curators and scholars. The film was made possible by the HRH Foundation. 9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: LA TRAVIATA — See Michael Mayer’s richly textured production of Verdi’s classic opera, starring soprano Diana Damrau as the tragic heroine Violetta and Juan Diego Florez as her hapless lover Alfredo. Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducts. Repeats Sat 4/6, 2am 12M AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon, Monday

6 Saturday ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-5:30PM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING 6:30 JULIE TABOULIE’S LEBANESE KITCHEN 7:00 CIAO ITALIA 7:30 NIGELLA: AT MY TABLE 8:00 JOANNE WEIR GETS FRESH 8:30 RICK STEVES’ EUROPE 9:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW — R 10:00 THE THIS OLD HOUSE HOUR 11:00 A CHEF’S LIFE 11:30 PATI’S MEXICAN TABLE 12N YAN CAN COOK: SPICE KINGDOM 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 SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 5:30PM-2AM: 5:30 SAMANTHA BROWN’S PLACES TO LOVE 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Follow 12 amateur bakers in their quest to be named Britain’s best. Judges are Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, and Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins provide comic relief. Part 2 of 10. Repeats Sun 4/7, 11pm 8:00 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 14 — NEW TO WETA TV 26/HD! Neil Dudgeon stars as detective DCI John Barnaby, joining DS Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) in police investigations in the seemingly idyllic fictional English county of Midsomer. Episode 5 of 8. The Sleeper Under the Hill. In Midsomer Mow, the gruesome discovery of a farmer’s eviscerated body in an ancient stone circle is made just days before the spring equinox. 9:30 THE WETA MOVIE: AS GOOD AS IT GETS — In James L. Brooks’ 1997 drama, a New York City waitress and single mother (Helen Hunt), a gay painter (Greg Kinnear) and a dog help a misanthropic author (Jack Nicholson) reach a self-awakening. Nicholson and Hunt won Best Actor/Actress Oscars for their performances. (2:18) Repeats Sat 4/7, noon

WETA Television

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 AND THEN THERE WERE NONE — In an adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery, as Europe teeters on the brink of war in 1939, 10 strangers, all with hidden pasts, are drawn together by a mysterious invitation for a weekend on an island off the coast of England. Oneby-one, the guests are killed by an unknown assailant, and those who remain must band together to survive. The all-star cast includes Aidan Turner (Poldark), Sam Neill (Peaky Blinders), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), and Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter). Part 1 of 3. Ten strangers are drawn away from their normal lives to an isolated isle off the Devon coast. As they wait for their hosts, the visitors find themselves cut off from civilization — with a murderer in their midst. Repeats Fri 4/5, 3pm; Sun 4/7, 3pm; Tue 4/9, 2pm; Fri 4/12, 3pm 9:00 AND THEN THERE WERE NONE — Part 2 of 3. The guests on Soldier Island are dying one by one, according to the rules of the nursery rhyme “Ten Little Soldier Boys.” As they make plans to combat the killer, the body count continues to rise — and dreadful secrets are teased into the light. Repeats Fri 4/5, 4pm; Sun 4/7, 4pm; Tue 4/9, 3pm; Fri 4/12, 4pm 10:00 AND THEN THERE WERE NONE — Part 3 of 3. Reduced to half their original number, the surviving guests of Soldier Island must turn to one another for comfort and for protection. But trust is in short supply. Repeats Fri 4/5, 5pm; Sun 4/7, 5pm; Tue 4/9, 4pm; Fri 4/12, 5pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

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8 Monday

Wednesday, April 10 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD In Nature: The Egg: Life’s Perfect Invention, Sir David Attenborough explores the wonder of the egg — from creation to hatching.

WETA Television

12M INDEPENDENT LENS: DEMOCRATS/SOFT VENGEANCE — Watch history being made as Zimbabwe attempts to draft its first-ever democratic constitution. Filmed over three years, this riveting account of a country’s challenging first steps towards democracy plays like a truelife political thriller. (2 hrs.)

7 Sunday ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-12N. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-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 11:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 12N-12M: 12N THE WETA MOVIE: AS GOOD AS IT GETS — (2:18) R 2:30 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 3:00 AND THEN THERE WERE NONE — Parts 1-3 of 3. R 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 7:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — WETA reprises the drama’s final season, following the Crawley family during the mid-1920s. Part 3 of 9. A wedding dress drama takes a disastrous turn. The breakfast battle is settled. A handsome volunteer helps Edith meet a deadline. The hospital debate gets nasty. Repeats Mon 4/8, 2pm 8:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 8 — Return to Nonnatus House in 1964, a time of change both in Poplar and throughout the world. The nuns and nurses face a variety of challenging issues such as interracial adoption, cleft palate and sickle cell. Part 2 of 8. See how Lucille assists an elderly hoarder struggling to keep her independence, and how Sister Hilda and the team work hard to help a Ghanaian family with an undiagnosed illness. Repeats Mon 4/8, 3pm 9:00 MRS. WILSON ON MASTERPIECE — Recent widow Alison Wilson searches for the truth after learning that her spy-novelist husband lived a double life. Determined to uncover the truth about the man she loved, she finds herself at the center of a mystery that proves truth can be stranger than fiction. Part 3 of 3. Alec’s handler in the secret service drops a bombshell, but is it the truth or another lie? Resigned to uncertainty about the past, Alison receives a final surprise. Repeats Mon 4/8, 4pm 10:00 UNFORGOTTEN, SERIES 3 ON MASTERPIECE — Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar reprise their roles as DCI Cassie Stuart and DI Sunny Khan, investigating another cold case. When a teenage girl’s remains are discovered, Cassie and Sunny work to track down the killer. The investigation leads to a tight-knit group of four old school friends whose bonds are put to the test when they find themselves under suspicion. Part 1 of 6. When human remains are found buried near a London motorway, Cassie and Sunny begin the task of identifying them. Repeats Mon 4/8, 5pm 11:00 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Part 2 of 10.

9 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 5 — The latest season of the WETA co-production concludes, featuring Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovering the ancestral stories of cultural trailblazers. Episode 10 of 10. All in the Family. Gates explores the family history of radio host Joe Madison and presents actor Ty Burrell's family genealogy as well. This episode also spotlights how a summer camp for children is using genealogy genetics to help young people better understand their identity. Repeats Wed 4/10, 5pm 9:00 RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — In this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. for an exploration of the transformative years following the Civil War, when the nation struggled to rebuild itself in the face of profound loss, massive destruction and revolutionary social change. Part 1 of 2. Experience the aftermath of the Civil War — a bewildering, exhilarating and terrifying time. For African Americans, despite their hard-won freedom, support for their social, economic and political gains did not last. Repeats Wed 4/10, 3pm; Thur 4/11, 1pm; Wed 4/17, 1pm; Sun 4/21, 2:30pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

10 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: THE EGG: LIFE’S PERFECT INVENTION — The egg is perhaps nature’s most perfect life support system. Step by step, from creation to hatching, host Sir David Attenborough reveals the wonder behind these incredible miracles of nature. Repeats Thur 4/11, 5pm 9:00 NOVA: MYSTERY OF EASTER ISLAND — Explore controversial claims that challenge previous thinking about Easter Island natives. Also, scientists use a 15-ton replica to test a theory of how the island’s famous statues were moved. Repeats Thur 4/11, 4pm

COURTESY RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

COURTESY MIKE BIRKHEAD ASSOCIATES

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: PHILBROOK MUSEUM — Travel to Tulsa for Roadshow treasures appraised at Philbrook Museum of Art. Hour 1 of 3. Repeats Tue 4/9, 1pm; Wed 4/10, 2pm; Fri 4/12, 1pm 9:00 SECRETS OF THE MANOR HOUSE — Find out what really went on behind the stately walls of the British manor house a century ago. Look beyond fiction to the truth of lives lived and see how mounting financial, political and social pressures were poised to bring momentous changes. Repeats Wed 4/10, 1pm; Fri 4/12, 2pm 10:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: THE PROVIDERS — Follow three “country doctors” in rural New Mexico — the site of a physician shortage and an opioid epidemic — who work at clinics that offer care for all, regardless of ability to pay. 11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

Thursday, April 11 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Decline and Fall, a three-part adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s popular comic novel skewering 1920s British society, stars Eva Longoria, English comedian Jack Whitehall and David Suchet (of Poirot).

10 APRIL 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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COURTESY RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

leaving behind her former clients-turned-colleagues, Helena and Johnny. Repeats Mon 4/15, 1pm 9:30 JOSEPH PULITZER: AMERICAN MASTERS — Discover the man behind the prestigious award. A journalist who became a media mogul with an outspoken, cantankerous editorial voice and two bestselling newspapers, Joseph Pulitzer championed what he regarded as the sacred role of the free press in a democracy. 11:00 PBS PREVIEWS: CHASING THE MOON — A preview of the upcoming six-hour film, American Experience: Chasing the Moon, slated for premiere in July, explores the documentary’s take on the story of the Space Age. 11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon, Monday

13 Saturday

Fridays at 8:30 p.m. starting April 12 on WETA TV 26/HD Drama series Newton’s Law stars Claudia Karvan as a socially responsible suburban lawyer who joins a large, high-powered law firm but still seeks to support her former employees and clients.

11 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 DECLINE AND FALL — Comedian Jack Whitehall, David Suchet (Poirot) and Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) star in an adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s comic novel. Part 1 of 3. Paul Pennyfeather is set upon a quiet life of contemplation as a priest, so he is shocked when he is expelled from Oxford University through no fault of his own. Without income, Paul must take a teaching position at a substandard boarding school in rural Wales. There he meets a wealthy widow, mother to one of the boys at the school. Repeats Sun 4/14, 3pm; Tue 4/16, 2pm 9:00 DECLINE AND FALL — Part 2 of 3. Pennyfeather is thrilled when he is invited to spend the summer holidays tutoring Peter, a pupil from his school, because Paul has fallen in love with Peter’s mother, Margot, a wealthy, beautiful widow. Can he keep from making a fool of himself in Margot’s socialite world and win her heart? Repeats Sun 4/14, 4pm; Tue 4/16, 3pm 10:00 DECLINE AND FALL — Part 3 of 3. Pennyfeather heads off to Marseilles following his fiancée’s instructions, embarking on what he believes will be a routine business trip. In what is turning out to be a theme in Paul’s life, however, he quickly falls victim to comic misfortune. Things go from bad to worse. Repeats Sun 4/14, 5pm; Tue 4/16, 4pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

WETA Television

10:00 OZONE HOLE: HOW WE SAVED THE PLANET — Discover the forgotten story of the hole in the ozone layer and how the world came together to fix it. Hear from the scientists and politicians who persuaded Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher to take action and solve the planetary problem. Repeats Thur 4/11, 3pm; Tue 4/16, 5pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-5:30PM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-5:30PM See the Saturday, April 6 listings. SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 5:30PM-1:09AM: 5:30 SAMANTHA BROWN’S PLACES TO LOVE 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Part 3 of 10. Repeats Sun 4/14, 11pm 8:00 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 14 — NEW TO WETA TV 26/HD! Neil Dudgeon stars as DCI John Barnaby, joining DS Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) in police investigations in the fictional English county of Midsomer. Episode 6 of 8. The Night of the Stag. A VAT inspector goes missing as he hunts for an illicit ciderstill responsible for brewing The Beast, a potent local hooch. At the Midsomer Abbas spring fair which celebrates its friendship with Midsomer Herne, Barnaby and Jones sample the local cider, and the body of missing man Peter Slim is found. Meanwhile, the mayor of Midsomer Abbas seeks to revive the ancient rite known as “The Stag.” 9:30 THE WETA MOVIE: THE VERDICT — In Sidney Lumet’s 1982 legal drama, a boozing lawyer (Paul Newman) takes on a law-firm dean (James Mason), the Archdiocese of Boston, and the system in general. Charlotte Rampling and Jack Warden co-star. (2:09) Repeats Sun 4/14, noon 11:39 INDEPENDENT LENS: MY NAZI LEGACY: WHAT OUR FATHERS DID — A film spotlights the sons of two Nazi war criminals who jointly were responsible for thousands of deaths. Through frank interviews, the men reflect on their fathers’ character and crimes. (90 min.)

14 Sunday ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-12N. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-12N See the Sunday, April 7 listings. SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 12N-12M: 12N THE WETA MOVIE: THE VERDICT — (2:09) R 2:30 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 3:00 DECLINE AND FALL — Parts 1-3 of 3. R 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

COURTESY BBC; PHOTO BY ROBERT VIGLASKY

12 Friday

Sundays at 9 p.m. starting April 14 on WETA TV 26/HD Les Misérables on Masterpiece adapts Victor Hugo’s classic story of early 19th-century France. Dominic West is Valjean, David Oyelowo is his pursuer Javert and Olivia Colman (above) is Mme. Thénardier.

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15 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: PHILBROOK MUSEUM — Hour 2 of 3. Repeats Tue 4/16, 1pm 9:00 FRONTLINE: MARCOS DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE — In a special two-hour presentation, Frontline — with Independent Lens and Voces — follows the efforts of a decorated U.S. Marine as she fights to reunite her family after the deportation of her husband, an undocumented man from Mexico. The film weaves a parallel love and immigration story set in a world often lived in the shadows. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

16 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 4 — Southern Roots. In a reprised episode from Season 4, 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. Repeats Wed 4/17, 5pm 9:00 RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — In this WETA co-production, join Henry Louis Gates, Jr. for an exploration of the transformative years following

BBC/HARTSWOOD FILMS FOR MASTERPIECE

7:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — WETA reprises the drama’s final season. Part 4 of 9. Miss Baxter faces a dilemma. Anna and Mary rush to London. Daisy continues to press her case. A former maid comes to lunch. Car talk is in the air. Repeats Mon 4/15, 2pm 8:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 8 — Part 3 of 8. At the clinic, the Turners oversee a measles vaccination trial while the team prepares for the Whitsun bank holiday. Valerie helps a struggling mother accept her son’s birth defect. Repeats Mon 4/15, 3pm 9:00 LES MISÉRABLES ON MASTERPIECE — Victor Hugo’s beloved masterpiece comes to television in this epic adaptation scripted by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice). Love, death and the struggle for social justice in early 19th-century France feature in the faithful retelling of the novel’s story. Dominic West stars as Jean Valjean, David Oyelowo is Javert, and the two are joined by a British ensemble cast that includes Lily Collins as Fantine, Olivia Colman as Madam Thénardier, and Josh O’Connor as Marius. Part 1 of 6. After serving a draconian prison term for stealing bread, Jean Valjean is released. He resorts to petty crime, but Bishop Myriel teaches him a valuable lesson. Repeats Mon 4/15, 4pm 10:00 UNFORGOTTEN, SERIES 3 ON MASTERPIECE — Detectives Cassie and Sunny work to learn who killed a teenage girl on the eve of the millennium. Part 2 of 6. The search for what happened to Hayley begins as the team travels down to Middenham to meet her family. Repeats Mon 4/15, 5pm 11:00 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Pt 3 of 10. R

Thursday, April 18 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD WETA reprises Sherlock, Series 4 on Masterpiece, presenting the season’s three episodes back to back from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as Sherlock Holmes.

the Civil War, when the nation struggled to rebuild itself in the face of profound loss, massive destruction and revolutionary social change. Part 2 of 2. Explore the rise of Jim Crow and the undermining of Reconstruction’s legal and political legacy, and see how African Americans fought back using artistic expression to put forward a “New Negro” for a new century. Repeats Wed 4/17, 3pm; Thur 4/18, 1pm; Sun 4/21, 4:30pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

17 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: BIG BIRDS CAN’T FLY — Explore the evolution and unique stories of ostriches, emus, rheas, cassowaries and kiwis. Though it’s said a bird is three things — feathers, flight and song — these birds can’t fly or sing, and their feathers are closer to fluff. Sir David Attenborough hosts. Repeats Thur 4/18, 5pm 9:00 NOVA: SECRETS OF NOAH’S ARK — A 3,700-year-old inscribed clay tablet reveals a surprising new version of the Biblical flood story, complete with how-to instructions for assembling an ark. Following the directions, expert boat builders assemble and launch a massive reed boat. Repeats Thur 4/18, 4pm 10:00 BREAKTHROUGH: THE IDEAS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD — Explore human history as told through six iconic objects that modern people take for granted, and see how science, invention and technology built on one another to change everything. Episode 1 of 6. The Telescope. Meet the brilliant minds throughout history, from Galileo to Edwin Hubble, responsible for creating the telescope. Today, their invention allows humanity to reach the furthest limits of seeing — 13 billion lightyears out. Repeats Thur 4/18, 3pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

COURTESY BIGGER BANG COMMUNICATIONS LTD

18 Thursday

Wednesdays at 10 p.m. starting April 17 on WETA TV 26/HD Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World explores six iconic innovations in human history (in April, the telescope and the airplane) and how science, technology and invention created change.

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 SHERLOCK, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE: THE SIX THATCHERS — WETA reprises Season 4 of mystery series Sherlock. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman star as Holmes and Watson; Toby Jones guest-stars as one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s greatest villains. The Six Thatchers. Holmes (Cumberbatch) is back on British soil, as Watson (Freeman) and his wife, Mary, prepare for their biggest challenge yet: becoming parents. Repeats Fri 4/19, 1pm 9:30 SHERLOCK, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE: THE LYING DETECTIVE — Sherlock faces perhaps the most chilling enemy of his long career: the powerful, seemingly unassailable Culverton Smith — a man with a dark secret. Repeats Fri 4/19, 2:30pm 11:00 SHERLOCK, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE: THE FINAL PROBLEM — Long-buried secrets catch up with the Baker Street duo. Someone has been playing a long game and Sherlock and Watson face their greatest-ever challenge. Is the game finally over? Repeats Fri 4/19, 4pm 12:30AM AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

12 APRIL 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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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. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. Repeats Sat 4/20, 6:30pm 8:30 NEWTON’S LAW — In the Australian drama, a suburban lawyer with a strong sense of responsibility attempts to return to courtroom practice. Part 2 of 8. The Butterfly Effect. Josephine is livid when her daughter, Lydia, is arrested for criminal damage at an environmental protest organized by Lydia’s father, Callum. Meanwhile, Josephine represents a transgender teen undergoing hormone treatment against her parents’ wishes. Repeats Mon 4/22, 1pm; Tue 4/23, 3pm 9:30 GARRY WINOGRAND: AMERICAN MASTERS — Discover the life and work of Garry Winogrand, the epic storyteller in pictures who harnessed the serendipity of the streets to capture the American 1960s-70s. His “snapshot aesthetic” is now the universal language of contemporary image making. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon, Monday

20 Saturday

21 Sunday ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-12N. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-12N See the Sunday, April 7 listings. SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 12N-12M: 12N THE WETA MOVIE: THE NATURAL — (2:14) R 2:30 RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — Part 1 of 2. R 4:30 RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — Part 2 of 2. R 6:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 7:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — WETA reprises the drama’s final season. Part 5 of 9. Thomas makes Andy a generous offer. Spratt rescues Denker. A powerful politician comes to dinner. Robert upsets the family. Mary gets suspicious. Repeats Mon 4/22, 2pm 8:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 8 — Part 4 of 8. Witness the team’s attempt to reunite an estranged mother and daughter who are both pregnant. Trixie’s friend is devastated to discover she is pregnant. Repeats Mon 4/22, 3pm 9:00 LES MISÉRABLES ON MASTERPIECE — Travel to 19thcentury France for a new retelling of Victor Hugo’s beloved masterpiece. Part 2 of 6. Living respectably as

Monday, April 22 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD WETA features new Series 2 episodes of mystery drama Jack Irish, the Australian production starring Guy Pearce in a signature role. Following Jack Irish on April 22 is British drama Girlfriends, starring Phyllis Logan, Miranda Richardson and Zoë Wanamaker. After the first episodes air, the two series pick up again in May.

a provincial mayor and factory owner, Valjean hires the single mother Fantine. Trouble follows that reunites him with his old adversary Javert. Repeats Mon 4/22, 4pm 10:00 UNFORGOTTEN, SERIES 3 ON MASTERPIECE — Detectives Cassie and Sunny work to learn who killed a teenage girl on the eve of the millennium. Part 3 of 6. Cassie and Sunny interview the four male occupants of the holiday home over the millennium, whose accounts are fairly consistent. The rest of the Bishop Street Station team looks at the timelines and leads from the original investigation. Repeats Mon 4/22, 5pm 11:00 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Pt 4 of 10. R

22 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: PHILBROOK MUSEUM — Travel to Tulsa for Roadshow treasures appraised at Philbrook Museum of Art. Hour 3 of 3. Repeats Tue 4/23, 1pm 9:00 JACK IRISH, SERIES 2 — In the Australian mystery drama, Guy Pearce reprises his role as a former criminal lawyer turned sleuth and debt collector. Marta Dusseldorp stars as Irish’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, who joins in Jack’s investigations. In Series 2, Jack investigates student deaths as he delves into the murky world of international colleges. Part 1 of 6. In an effort to save his deteriorating relationship with Linda, Jack mails her a package, but three years later, he discovers it never arrived. Eddie, the courier Jack hired, went missing after looking into the death of Lakshmi, an Indian college student studying in Australia. A chain of events unfolds that sees Jack risking his life to uncover the truth about student deaths. Repeats Tue 4/23, 4pm; Wed 4/24, 2pm; Fri 4/26, 2pm 10:00 GIRLFRIENDS — In the 2018 drama, three lifelong friends come together in middle age, each facing challenges, after one is suddenly widowed. Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey), Miranda Richardson and Zoë Wanamaker star. Part 1 of 6. Linda and Micky celebrate their anniversary on a cruise ship, but tragedy strikes when Micky drinks too much. Meanwhile, Sue faces a crisis at work and Gail’s son, Tom, returns home from prison. Repeats Tue 4/23, 5pm; Wed 4/24, 3pm; Fri 4/26, 1pm 11:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: CHARM CITY — Meet a group of Baltimore citizens, police and government officials as they cope with the consequences of three years of unparalleled violence. With grit, fury and compassion, they’re trying to reclaim their city’s future. 12:30AM AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

WETA Television

ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-5:30PM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-5:30PM See the Saturday, April 6 listings. SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 5:30PM-2:30AM: 5:30 SAMANTHA BROWN’S PLACES TO LOVE 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Part 4 of 10. Repeats Sun 4/21, 11pm 8:00 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 14 — NEW TO WETA TV 26/HD! Neil Dudgeon stars as DCI John Barnaby, joining DS Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) in police investigations in the fictional English county of Midsomer. Episode 7 of 8. A Sacred Trust. Barnaby and Jones investigate the cloistered world of Midsomer Priory when a nun is strangled to death. The detectives uncover a complex mystery involving holy orders, teenage romantic liaisons, African art and missing antique silver as the community is forced to open its doors to 21st-century policing. 9:30 THE WETA MOVIE: THE NATURAL — In Barry Levinson’s 1984 drama, the almost mythical ability of a middleaged baseball player rockets a major-league team toward the 1939 pennant. Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Wilfred Brimley, Barbara Hershey, Robert Prosky and Richard Farnsworth star. (2:14) Repeats Sat 4/21, noon 12M INDEPENDENT LENS: PEACE OFFICER — A film spotlights Dub Lawrence, a crusading former sheriff whose investigations highlight the increasingly militarized state of American police. He established Utah’s first SWAT team, only to see that same unit kill his son-inlaw in a controversial standoff. (2.5 hrs.)

COURTESY RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

19 Friday

23 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 BOSS: THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS — Learn about the untold story of African American entrepreneurship, in which skill, industriousness, ingenuity and sheer courage in the face of overwhelming odds

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WETA Television

Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Midsomer Murder, Series 15, new to WETA, begins airing in a double feature on April 25. Series 14 episodes continue on Saturday nights at 8 p.m. Neil Dudgeon stars as Barnaby, alongside Jason Hughes.

provide the backbone of America’s economic and social growth. Stanley Nelson directs. Repeats Wed 4/24, 4pm; Thur 4/25, 1pm 10:00 FRONTLINE: THE ABORTION DIVIDE — Frontline goes inside the fight over abortion through the stories of women struggling with unplanned pregnancies. Drawing on a landmark Frontline film from the 1980s, the program looks at both sides of the abortion divide in a community still embroiled in the conflict. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

24 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: SEX, LIES AND BUTTERFLIES — Explore the astounding abilities of butterflies’ 360° vision, deceptive camouflage, chemical weaponry and fantastic flight. Look beyond their bright colors and fragile beauty and follow them on one of the greatest migrations on Earth. Repeats Thur 4/25, 5pm 9:00 NOVA: SAVING THE DEAD SEA — As the Dead Sea shrinks, engineers prepare a daring solution: connect it with the Red Sea by way of a massive desalination plant. If it works, it could stabilize the legendary lake and ease regional tensions. But will it put the environment at risk? Repeats Thur 4/25, 4pm 10:00 BREAKTHROUGH: THE IDEAS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD — Learn the story of how humans changed the world, told through six revolutionary inventions. Episode 2 of 6. The Airplane. Take to the sky with the dreamers whose work gave humans the ability to fly. From Leonardo da Vinci’s “flying machines” to the modern commercial plane, without these inventions, we may have never left the ground. Repeats Thur 4/25, 3pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

25 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 15 — NEW TO WETA TV 26/HD! Neil Dudgeon stars as detective DCI John Barnaby, investigating crime in the seemingly idyllic fictional English county of Midsomer. Episode 1 of 6. The Dark Rider. When Bentham DeQuetteville falls to his death from a roof after seeing a headless horseman, his aristocratic family seems more concerned about their forthcoming Civil War re-enactment than the incident. As Barnaby and Jones try to find out the truth behind the ghostly figure, their investigation uncovers shocking secrets about the DeQuettevilles. Repeats Fri 4/26, 3pm; Sun 4/28, 2:30pm 9:30 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 15 — NEW TO WETA TV 26/HD! Episode 2 of 6. Murder of Innocence. When a barrister is killed in Midsomer, suspicion falls on convicted murderer Grady Felton. Grady has just returned to the village of Binwell where he committed a murder years ago amid much anger from locals. But Grady has a solid alibi. Barnaby suspects he is working with an accomplice — until Grady himself is targeted in an arson attack. Repeats Fri 4/26, 4:30pm; Sun 4/28, 4pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

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. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. Repeats Sat 4/27, 6:30pm 8:30 NEWTON’S LAW — A suburban lawyer with a strong sense of responsibility attempts to return to courtroom practice. Part 3 of 8. Control Theory. Josephine and Lewis defend a woman accused of murdering her personal trainer after the fitness studio denied her request to break her contract. Insurance investigator Skye visits Helena’s downstairs office in need of a lawyer for her father, but Helena is afraid to take the case to court. Repeats Sun 4/28, 5:30pm; Mon 4/29, 1pm; Tue 4/30, 3pm 9:30 GOLDEN YEARS — After five decades of law-abiding, tax-paying citizenship, retired couple Arthur (Bernard Hill) and Martha (Virginia McKenna) are forced into an unexpected life of crime in this star-studded comic heist caper. Britain’s financial crisis has emptied their hard-earned pension accounts, so the couple decides to replenish their funds through a series of bank robberies, at the same time helping friends who are down on their luck and saving their social club from becoming a supermarket. The ensemble cast features Sue Johnston, Phil Davis, Brad Moore, Una Stubbs, Simon Callow and Alun Armstrong. 11:06 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon, Monday

27 Saturday ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-5:30PM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-5:30PM See the Saturday, April 6 listings. SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 5:30PM-1AM: 5:30 SAMANTHA BROWN’S PLACES TO LOVE 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7:00 THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Part 5 of 10. Repeats Sun 4/28, 11pm 8:00 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 14 — NEW TO WETA TV 26/HD! Neil Dudgeon stars as new detective DCI John Barnaby, joining DS Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) in police investigations in the seemingly idyllic fictional English county of Midsomer. Episode 8 of 8. A Rare Bird. A row between keen birdwatchers in Midsomer-in-theMarsh turns nasty when their president is killed. Patrick Morgan met his death while hoping to sight a rare bird, but is his obsession with ornithology to blame — or something more sinister? Guest stars include Allan Corduner (Homeland). 9:30 THE WETA MOVIE: THE KING AND I — In Walter Lang’s 1956 musical, a young Victorian widow (Deborah Kerr) goes to Siam to become governess and teacher to the children of the king (Yul Brynner). Rita Moreno co-stars. Music by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The film’s five Oscar wins included Best Music and Best Actor (Brynner). (2:13) Repeats Sun 4/28, noon

COURTESY RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

COURTESY AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

26 Friday

Friday, April 26 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Heist caper Golden Years, featuring an ensemble cast, follows a retired couple that loses their pension and starts robbing banks.

14 APRIL 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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Mon.-Wed., April 29-May 1 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Nature: American Spring LIVE spotlights the change of seasons across North America in real time in iconic locations with varied ecosystems, such as Yosemite National Park in California.

12M 10 BUILDINGS THAT CHANGED AMERICA — A documentary surveys 10 works of American architecture that changed the way we live, including Virginia’s state capitol, which Thomas Jefferson designed to resemble a Roman temple; Dulles Airport, with its swooping concrete roof that seems to float on air; and other buildings around the nation. Geoffrey Baer hosts. (1 hr.)

28 Sunday

29 Monday

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: AMERICAN SPRING LIVE — In iconic locations with varied ecosystems, researchers and citizen scientists investigate how a wide range of organisms respond to the coming of spring. Episode 2 of 3. Migration. Breeding and the greening of the landscape are tied to another major spectacle of spring: the mass movements of animals as they take advantage of spring’s bounty. Meet the scientists who track these journeys from winter refuge to spring nesting grounds. As they attempt to uncover the precise triggers and timing of migration and its impact on other animal species, the scientists grapple with how these patterns and behaviors may shift due to climate change. 9:00 KOLKATA WITH SUE PERKINS — With comedian Sue Perkins, explore the story of India through the life of one of its most beguiling and exuberant cities, Kolkata. From its grand history as the seat of British Imperial power to its modern reincarnation as a center of commerce, the past, present and future of India co-exist here like nowhere else. 10:00 FRONTLINE: THE LAST SURVIVORS — A landmark Frontline documentary spotlights some of the last survivors of the Holocaust. Only children at the time, these now elderly survivors reflect on how the trauma of the Holocaust has affected the rest of their lives. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

WETA Television

ON WETA TV 26, 6AM-12N. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6AM-12N See the Sunday, April 7 listings. SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 12N-12M: 12N THE WETA MOVIE: THE KING AND I — (2:13) R 2:30 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 15 — Episodes 1 and 2 of 6. The Dark Rider/Murder of Innocence. R 5:30 NEWTON’S LAW — Part 3 of 8. Control Theory. R 6:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 7:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — WETA reprises the drama’s final season, following the Crawley family during the mid-1920s. Part 6 of 9. The hospital war reaches a climax. Violet goes on the warpath. Daisy tries to foil a romance. Prospects are looking up for Mary and Edith. Thomas feels trapped. Repeats Mon 4/29, 2pm 8:00 CALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 8 — Part 5 of 8. Join Trixie as she cares for a young woman who is diagnosed with an intersex condition. A pregnant woman’s husband begins experiencing inexplicable pain similar to her symptoms. Repeats Mon 4/29, 3pm 9:00 LES MISÉRABLES ON MASTERPIECE — Travel to 19thcentury France for a new retelling of Victor Hugo’s beloved masterpiece. Part 3 of 6. Valjean saves an innocent man at enormous personal cost. Again evading justice, he tracks down Fantine’s daughter Cosette. Pursued by Javert, they need a miracle to escape. Repeats Mon 4/29, 4pm 10:00 UNFORGOTTEN, SERIES 3 ON MASTERPIECE — Detectives Cassie and Sunny work to learn who killed a teenage girl on the eve of the millennium. Part 4 of 6. Cassie and Sunny suspect that the men colluded in lying about their version of events for that evening, but why? The press begins to circle as they find out that James has been questioned in connection to the Hayley Reid case. Repeats Mon 4/29, 5pm 11:00 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 2 — Pt 5 of 10. R

30 Tuesday

COURTESY NATIONAL ARCHIVES; SGT. F. C. KERR

COURTESY JOSEPH PONTECORVO/©THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC

range of organisms respond to the coming of spring. Episode 1 of 3. Birth and Rebirth. Tracing the green wave that sweeps across the continent in spring, see how the rising temperatures and longer days spur plants to awaken and flower. Animals go through their own transformations, seeking out newly abundant resources, moving from winter homes to summer breeding grounds, or emerging from hibernation. Learn how both plants and animals have incorporated seasonal change into their life cycles. 9:00 KOREA: THE NEVER-ENDING WAR — This WETA coproduction sheds new light on a geopolitical hot spot. Often considered a “forgotten war,” the Korean War was an important turning point in world history that still reverberates today. The film encompasses the present and past of the conflict, from today’s leaders and events to historic personalities and moments of the past. Actor John Cho narrates. Repeats Tue 4/30, 4pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow

KOREA: THE NEVER-ENDING WAR A WETA CO-PRODUCTION

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NATURE: AMERICAN SPRING LIVE — Witness the change of seasons in real time. In iconic locations with varied ecosystems, a diverse group of researchers and citizen scientists investigate how a wide

Monday, April 29 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Korea: The Never-Ending War, a WETA co-production, explores the history of the conflict and its reverberations in contemporary geopolitics. Above: 1st Marine Division, Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

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. ©2019 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 32, Number 4. ISSN No. 1041-2700. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

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

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

Providing a Safe Haven for Children WETA Kids offers safe programming for our young viewers, presenting educational television broadcasts 24 hours each day, seven days each week. Below are weekday daytime listings for WETA Kids. Note that children’s programming also airs six days a week on WETA TV 26. Please visit weta.org/kids to find complete schedules of children’s programs on the WETA Kids channel and WETA TV 26.

• Curious George, 5am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 5:30am • Sesame Street, 6am • Peg + Cat, 6:30am • Arthur, 7am • Ready Jet Go!, 7:30am • Wild Kratts, 8am • Nature Cat, 8:30am • Curious George, 9am • Let’s Go Luna!, 9:30am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 10am, 10:30am • Pinkalicious and Peterrific, 11am • Sesame Street, 11:30am • Splash and Bubbles, 12n • Dinosaur Train, 12:30pm • The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, 1pm • Sesame Street, 1:30pm • Super WHY!, 2pm • Pinkalicious and Peterrific, 2:30pm • Let’s Go Luna!, 3pm • Nature Cat, 3:30pm • Wild Kratts, 4pm, 4:30pm • Odd Squad, 5pm, 5:30pm • Arthur, 6pm, 6:30pm • Ready Jet Go!, 7pm • WordGirl, 7:30pm • Sesame Street, 8pm, 8:30pm • Cyberchase, 9pm • Odd Squad, 9:30pm • SciGirls, 10pm • Maya & Miguel, 10:30pm • Let’s Go Luna!, 11pm

COURTESY AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

WETA Television

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ON THE WETA KIDS CHANNEL

Kid Stew Sundays at 7 a.m. on the WETA Kids channel

id Stew is a fast-paced series, filled with humor, that’s by kids, about kids and for kids, encouraging their interest in cultural arts, music and reading. Developed from a concept by James Patterson, the best-selling author of adult and children’s books, the programs feature an engaging, diverse cast of pre-teens in a variety of entertaining vignettes and sketches. Each episode includes original music videos, guest appearances by creative kids and adults, and comedy bits. The series showcases inspiring stories and segments, and celebrates imagination and fun. Series 1 includes a young violinist who composes his own music; street art with muralist Lebo; and a visit to India to explore the exotic dances of Bollywood. The programs also include interviews with authors such as Dave Barry, Edwidge Danticat, Brad Meltzer and Carl Hiaasen. Series 2 begins April 28.

WEEKDAYS ON WETA TV 26 • Super WHY!, 5am • Cyberchase, 5:30am • Peg + Cat, 6am • Arthur, 6:30am • Ready Jet Go!, 7am • Wild Kratts, 7:30am • Nature Cat, 8am • Curious George, 8:30am • Let’s Go Luna!, 9am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 9:30am, 10am • Pinkalicious and Peterrific, 10:30am • Sesame Street, 11am • Splash and Bubbles, 11:30am

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

COURTESY AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

SUNDAYS ON WETA TV 26 • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 6am-8am • Peg + Cat, 8am, 8:30am

Produced by The Fred Rogers Company, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood teaches preschoolers strategies and skills necessary for growing and learning. The series airs 10 a.m. weekdays on the WETA Kids channel, and 9:30 a.m. weekdays on WETA TV 26.

16 APRIL 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org

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

British Television at Its Best The WETA UK channel is devoted to the best in British television programming, presenting beloved classics and contemporary series around the clock, seven days a week. WETA UK offers a full schedule of 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. • Pride and Prejudice (4/7, 4-10:30pm) • VIEWER FAVORITES ALL DAY 4/14!

SUNDAY

P.M. PROGRAMMING ON WETA UK IN APRIL FRIDAY

SATURDAY

• Maigret, Series 1 (4/7, 4 hrs) • Jonathan Creek, Series 5 (starts 4/21)

Are You Being Served?

As Time Goes By

Doctor Blake Mysteries (except 4/13) (12:30pm on 4/6)

Atlantis (starts 4/21)

New Tricks

Jonathan Creek, Series 4 (Series 5 starts 4/20)

Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (4/21-4/28)

MI-5

Father Brown, Series 5 (4/6) (Series 7 on 4/20, 4/27)

3pm

BBC Antiques Roadshow (4/21-4/28)

Waking the Dead

3:30pm

Jericho of Scotland Yard, Series 1 (4/21-4/28) to 5pm

800 Words, Series 2 (4/6, 4/20, 4/27)

• Midsomer (2 hrs, 4/8) • BBC Antiques Roadshow (4/15) • Joanna Lumley’s India (starts 4/22) • Attenborough’s Birds of Paradise (5pm, 4/1) • Real History of Science Fiction (5pm, starts 4/22)

• Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (2 hrs on 4/2) • Atlantis (4/9, Ep 1) • Death in Paradise, Series 8 (4/9, Ep 1) • BBC Antiques Roadshow (4/16-4/30) • Agatha Christie’s Marple (4/16-4/30, 4:30pm)

• Attenborough’s Birds of Paradise (4/3) • Doctor Blake Mysteries (4/10) • Death in Paradise, Series 8

Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (2 hrs on 4/4, 4/11)

• 800 Words, Series 2 (except 4/12) • Father Brown, Series 7 (4/12)

• Hetty Wainthropp (4/6) • Girlfriends (2 hrs 4/20, 1 hr 4/27)

• Jonathan Creek, Series 4 (4/3) • 800 Words (4/10, 5:30) • Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (4/17) • Doctor Blake Mysteries (4/24)

• BBC Antiques Roadshow (4/18, 4/25) • Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 5 (5:30pm, 4/18, 4/25)

EastEnders

Pie in the Sky (except 4/13)

• BBC Antiques Roadshow (4/21) • Mekong River with Sue Perkins (4/28)

• Victoria & Albert: The Wedding (4/1) • 800 Words (4/8) • BBC Antiques Roadshow (4/15) • Atlantis (starts 4/22)

• Pie in the Sky, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 4/16) • Jonathan Creek (4/9, Ep 1)

• Victoria & Albert: The Wedding (4/3) • Upstart Crow (4/10, 6:30pm) • Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (4/17-4/24)

• Tales from the Royal • Jonathan Creek, Wardrobe (4/5) Series 4 (4/4) • Father Brown, • Fleming: The Man Series 7 (4/12) Who Would Be • Newton’s Law (4/19-4/26) Bond (4/11)

• Midsomer Murders • Pie in the Sky (4/20) • Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (2 hrs, 4/27)

• BBC Antiques Roadshow (4/21) • Joanna Lumley’s India (starts 4/28)

Are You Being Served?

As Time Goes By

Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (4/20, 6-8pm on 4/27)

Mekong River with Sue Perkins (4/21-4/28)

• Pie in the Sky, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 4/15) • Atlantis (4/8, Ep 1 preview)

Doctor Blake Mysteries, Series 2 (to 10:30pm 4/9) (Series 3 starts 4/23)

Midsomer Father Brown, Murders, Series 14 Series 5 (2 hrs on 4/3, 4/10) (Series 7 starts 4/11)

• Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Series 3 (4/5) • Girlfriends (8pm 4/12, then 9pm)

• Maigret, Series 1 (4 hrs, 4/6) • Maigret, Series 2 (4 hrs, 4/13) • Atlantis (starts 4/20)

Joanna Lumley’s India (starts 4/21)

• Agatha Christie’s Marple (4/1, to 10:30pm) • Death in Paradise, Series 8 (starts 4/8)

Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 5 (4/17, 4/24)

• Silent Witness, Series 18 (4/1, 10:30pm) • Jonathan Creek (4/8, Ep 1) • Agatha Christie’s Marple (4/15-4/29, to 11:30pm)

• Dark Angel on Masterpiece (2 hrs, 4/5) • Jack Irish, Series 2 (2 hrs, 4/12) • Girlfriends and 800 Words (4/19, 4/26)

Silent Witness, Series 18 (4/20, 4/27)

Real History of Science Fiction (starts 4/21)

• Jonathan Creek, Series 4 (to 11pm, 4/2) (Series 5 starts 4/16) • Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (4/9, 9:30pm; 4/16-4/30, 10pm)

• Jonathan Creek, Series 4 (4/4, 2 eps, from 10:30pm) • Midsomer Murders, Series 14 (4/11-4/25)

• Indian Summers, Series 2 (2 hrs, 4/5) • Father Brown, Series 7 (4/12; 11:30pm 4/19, 4/26) • Dreamland (4/19, 4/26)

• Attenborough’s Birds of Paradise (4/20) • Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Series 3 (4/27)

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

12pm 12:30pm

1pm

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Pride and Prejudice (4/13, 11:30am-6pm)

1:30pm

2pm 2:30pm

4pm

Pride and Prejudice • Mekong River with Sue Perkins (4/1) (4/7, 6.5 hrs)

4:30pm

5pm

Silk, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 3/24)

5:30pm

6pm 6:30pm

7pm 7:30pm

8pm 8:30pm

9pm 9:30pm

10pm 10:30pm

11pm 11:30pm

• Maigret, Series 1 (4/7, 2 hrs) • Atlantis (starts 4/21)

SUNDAY

• Father Brown, Series 5 & 7 • Maigret, Series 1 (4/8, 11pm)

MONDAY

• Wolf Hall, Series 1 on Masterpiece (to 12m, 4/3) Rick Steves Special • Brokenwood Mysteries, (4/9, to 2:30am) Series 5 • Hetty Wainthropp (to 12m, 4/10) Investigates, • Jericho of Series 3 (4/2) Scotland Yard • Pie in the Sky, (4/17-4/24) Series 3 (starts 4/16) (10:30pm-12m)

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

• 800 Words, Series 2 (4/4) • Father Brown Series 7 (4/11) • Newton’s Law (4/18) • Dreamland, Series 2 (4/4) • Newton’s Law (4/11, then 9pm) • Jack Irish, Series 2 (4/18, 4/25)

Silk, Series 3 (4/20, 4/27)

SATURDAY

VISIT WETAUK.ORG FOR A PRINTABLE FULL-DAY SCHEDULE. For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 17

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3/18/19 3:15 PM

WETA UK April Highlights Pride and Prejudice

Coming to WETA UK this month! Pride and Prejudice — The classic!

Complete airings: Sun., April 7, 4 p.m. & Sat., April 13, 11:30 a.m.

Newton’s Law

Thursday nights starting April 11 — see page 6

Jack Irish, Series 2 — New season!

Starts Friday, April 12, then moves to Thursdays — see page 6

Girlfriends

©BBC

Friday nights starting April 12 — see page 6

Maigret, Series 1 & 2

Series 1 & 2 air Saturdays, April 6 & 13 at 8 p.m. on WETA UK

owan Atkinson stars as novelist Georges Simenon’s French detective Jules Maigret in gripping crime stories set in 1950s Paris. Series 1 presents two cases: “Maigret Sets a Trap,” in which Chief Superintendent Maigret is under pressure to apprehend a serial killer stalking the streets of the seedy Montmartre district; and “Maigret’s Dead Man,” spotlighting the murder of a gambler with connections to a Czech gang whose members are robbing and killing wealthy Parisians. Series 2 also features two cases. In “Night at the Crossroads,” Maigret interrogates a suspected murderer who insists he’s innocent, even after a victim was found on his property, in his car, killed with his gun. In “Maigret in Montmartre,” a stripper reports hearing about an imminent murder, but her story is not taken seriously until tragedies strike.

The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 5

RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA

Wednesdays nights starting April 10 on WETA UK

eill Rea reprises his role as Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Shepherd alongside Fern Sutherland as his methodical partner, Detective Kristin Sims, Nic Sampson as young DC Sam Breen, Cristina Ionda as medical examiner Dr. Gina Kadinsky, and Pana Hema Taylor as Shepherd’s Maori neighbor Jared Morehu in a new season of contemporary New Zealand police drama The Brokenwood Mysteries. The series is set in a small fictional town north of Auckland. The new four stand-alone cases find the sleuth and his team probing a man’s death on a train, seemingly of fright; a bride’s murder at her bachelorette party; a biker’s suspicious death after a mountain ride; and a death by electrocution at an abandoned mental-health facility. The series begins April 10 at 10 p.m., and then settles into a 9 p.m. slot the following week.

The Real History of Science Fiction

Sundays at 10 p.m. starting April 21 on WETA UK

©BBC

ome of science fiction’s greatest creative pioneers tell the story of sci-fi in a four-part series spanning all its forms, from time travel to artificial intelligence, from space exploration to alien encounters. The Real History of Science Fiction features filmmakers, writers, actors and graphic artists whose obsession and imagination have taken them into the unknown — and whose creations have captivated audiences. Participants include actors William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Rutger Hauer, Zoe Saldana, Nathan Fillion, Richard Dreyfuss, David Tennant, Peter Weller, Christopher Lloyd, Keir Dullea and Edward James Olmos; filmmakers John Carpenter, Douglas Trumbull, Paul Verhoeven, John Landis and Doctor Who writer and producer Steven Moffat; and authors Ursula K. Le Guin, Neil Gaiman and William Gibson. With the help of scientists Brian Cox and the late Stephen Hawking, the series also explores concepts underpinning sci-fi stories.

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3/18/19 3:15 PM

Death in Paradise, Series 8 — NEW!

Mondays at 9 p.m. starting April 8 on WETA UK

he popular Caribbean-set whodunit returns with eight new episodes, featuring Irish actor Ardal O’Hanlon as Detective Jack Mooney, who is starting to get to know the people and places of the fictional island of Saint Marie (the series is filmed on the French island of Guadeloupe). But there’s little time for sightseeing, as there are some fiendishly clever murders to solve. From a local radio DJ killed while live on air to a zookeeper felled by a poisonous dart, Jack and his team — including DS Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert) have their work cut out for them. Cassell has found love: the charming Patrice has captured her heart. And there is a new face on the team, as energetic officer Ruby Patterson — the commissioner’s niece — arrives, and Officer JP Hooper has his hands full trying to train her. Jack must lead them all using his unconventional methods, tracking down the killers in some of the team’s most challenging cases yet.

ominic Cooper stars in a four-part drama that tells the story of Ian Fleming, the man who created James Bond. The story opens in London, 1938: Ian Fleming is an irresponsible playboy living in the shadow of his dead war hero father, his successful author brother and his domineering mother. Bound to a dismal desk job and seen as a disappointment, Fleming nonetheless dreams of becoming a hero, a lover, the “ultimate” man. When the Second World War breaks out, he finds himself with a chance to prove his worth with a job in Naval Intelligence and begins to learn where his talents lie. Featuring romance, humor, jeopardy and action — and set in Britain, France, Germany and Jamaica — the series tells the story of the man whose own life was the inspiration for modern literature’s iconic spy. Lara Pulver (Sherlock) co-stars amid a star-studded cast. The series begins April 9 at 9:30 p.m., and then settles into a 10 p.m. slot the next week.

©BBC

Starts Tuesday, April 9 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA UK

Father Brown, Series 7 — NEW! Thursdays at 8 p.m. starting April 11 on WETA UK

ark Williams returns in new 2019 episodes to solve more mysteries in the sleepy Cotswold village of Kembleford as sleuthing Roman Catholic priest Father Brown. Based on short stories by G. K. Chesterton, the series is set in rural 1950s England — a countryside dotted with small villages, rural parish churches and large country houses. Each episode sees Father Brown investigate a crime in his own particular way, using intuition and psychology. In the new season’s 10 episodes, Father Brown finds himself trapped with a murderer during a dark, stormy night; a fundraiser at a finishing school puts Mrs. McCarthy in the path of a rogue bullet; Inspector Mallory accepts a partnership with Father Brown when they are summoned to the site of a past murder; and a daring train robbery sees Lady Felicia and Mrs. McCarthy carried off.

Atlantis, Series 1

Saturdays at 8 p.m. starting April 20 on WETA UK

13-part series from the creators of hit show Merlin and the creator of the BAFTA-winning series Misfits stars Jack Donnelly as a young man who sets out to find his father and washes up on the shores of an ancient land — a mysterious place of bull leaping, of snake-haired goddesses and of palaces so vast it was said they were built by giants — the lost city of Atlantis. Beneath the surface is a dark and simmering past, a complicated web of treachery and deceit in which Jason seems inexplicably bound. Aided by the studious young Pythagoras (Robert Emms) and the overbearing Hercules (Mark Addy), Jason embarks on a voyage of discovery through an array of Greek myths and legends. The series begins April 20, but WETA UK previews Episode 1 on April 8 at 8 p.m.

Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond

Also this month: Joanna Lumley’s India airs Sundays at 9 p.m. starting April 21; Agatha Christie’s Marple continues Mondays (times vary), except April 8; Jonathan Creek continues Tuesdays at 9 p.m., except April 9, entering Series 5; Midsomer Murders, Series 14 continues Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; Jericho of Scotland Yard airs Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. starting April 17; and Dark Angel on Masterpiece airs Friday, April 5 at 9 p.m.

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3/18/19 3:16 PM

Classical WETA 90.9 FM A Celebration of Spring on Choral Showcase UFFIZI GALLERY, FLORENCE

Sundays at 9 p.m.

By Bill Bukowski, Midday On-Air Host

Classical WETA 90.9 FM

pring, the season of rebirth, renewal, and resurrection, has inspired music of hope and anticipation. We’ll celebrate Spring this month on Classical WETA 90.9 FM’s weekly program Choral Showcase, beginning April 7 with Benjamin Britten’s Spring Symphony for La Primavera, by Botticelli soprano, alto, tenor, boys’ choir, mixed chorus and orchestra. Utilizing poems from the 16th and 17th centuries, plus one by his friend W.H. Auden, Britten said the symphony represents “not only spring itself, but the progress from Winter to Spring and the reawakening of earth and of life.” It pairs nicely with the “Spring” movement, Primo Vere, from Carl Orff’s popular cantata, Carmina Burana. On April 14, Gustav Mahler’s choral symphony, the Symphony No. 2, (“Resurrection”), takes up the challenge of Beethoven’s Ninth, and the question of whether there is life after death, answering with a bold and affirmative “yes” in the final movement. There’s resurrection music on Easter Sunday, April 21, with two works by Johann Sebastian Bach. The Cantata BWV 4, Christ lag in Todesbanden, “Christ Lay in the bonds of death”, is Bach’s first Easter cantata, and one of his earliest. The opening sinfonia, and the cantata itself, underlines the darkness and desolation of the tomb, and Christ’s ultimate triumph over death. By contrast, the more joyful Easter Oratorio, BWV 249 conveys the paschal mystery with the discovery by the disciples of the empty tomb. Our Spring festival concludes April 28 with Franz Joseph Haydn’s second great oratorio, Die Jahreszeiten, “The Seasons”, a work that took the aged composer two years to complete. Folks from the countryside experience the four seasons through the promise of spring, a summer storm, an autumn harvest and wine festival, and finally, the wintry weather withal and a warm fire within. Tune in to Choral Showcase, Sundays at 9 p.m.

April in Paris: NSO Showcase Presents an All-French Program Wednesday, April 3 at 9 p.m.

By Nicole Lacroix, Afternoon On-Air Host

ast month’s NSO Showcase program featured a single choral work, John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary. Gospel retold the Passion story from the perspective of modern social activism. This month’s choral masterpiece is very different. Maurice Duruflé’s post-war Requiem is a sublimely beautiful evocation of Gregorian chant bathed in rich impressionistic harmonies. As Duruflé wrote: “This Requiem is not an ethereal work that sings of detachment from earthly worries. It reflects, in the immutable form of Christian prayer, the anguish of man in front of the mystery of his final end. It is often dramatic, or filled with resignation or hope or terror, just like the corresponding texts in the liturgy. It tries to translate human feelings confronted with the terrifying, inexplicable or consoling destiny.” There were moments, the composer told his wife, where the beauty of the melodies would bring him to tears. Like Fauré’s Requiem, Duruflé’s does not include the terror-inducing Dies Irae so beloved of Verdi and Berlioz. Unlike Gabriel Fauré however, Duruflé does not, in Dylan Thomas’ words, go “gentle into that good night”: his masterpiece brings to dramatic life the soul’s ultimate journey through terrifying visions of the flames of hell to the peace of paradise. In addition to the Duruflé Requiem, Classical WETA 90.9 FM’s all-French NSO Showcase will also include 4 Preludes and Trois Nocturnes by Debussy, all conducted by Donald Runnicles, as well as Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole with Ludovic Morlot at the helm of the National Symphony Orchestra. This month, we invite you to revel in the lush harmonies of Classical WETA’s all-French NSO Showcase. Donald Runnicles

VivaLaVoce on vivalavoce.org

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Stream Audio at classicalweta.org

3/18/19 3:16 PM

Classical for Washington From Bach to the Present on Front Row Washington Mondays at 9 p.m.

By John Banther, On-Air Host and Producer

Pianist Pedja Mužijević

JACOB BLICKENSTAFF

MARCO BORGGREVE

his month on Front Row Washington, we experience music from Bach to the 21st century. On April 1, we listen to pianist Lura Johnson’s recital at Downtown Piano Works in Frederick, Maryland. It’s a recital she called Calidore String Quartet “The Art of Prelude and Fugue,” and is one uninterrupted program of preludes and fugues by Johann Sebastian Bach and Dmitri Shostakovich. They are two vastly different composers from different centuries. But you can hear Shostakovich’s admiration in his own set of preludes and fugues inspired by J.S. Bach. April 8 brings us a concert from the Phillips Collection featuring the Calidore String Quartet. They play Haydn and Schumann, but the star of the performance may be the new work by the youngest Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Caroline Shaw. Her piece is titled Three Essays and was co-commissioned by the Phillips Collection. The Three Essays are Nimrod, Echo and Ruby. Collectively, they are a reflection on communication: from the written word, to social media, modern-day political discourse, and even computer programming. Patrick Rucker of The Washington Post said of this performance of the Three Essays: “I’ve never experienced a new piece of music that kept a room full of people on the edge of their seats, rapt throughout. But this one did.” On April 15 in a Phillips Collection concert, the Busch Trio performs major works from the repertoire, Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1, and Dvořák’s Piano Trio No. 3. April 22 is the Phillips Collection performance of pianist Pedja Mužijević, which features a program so diverse it escapes definition. He plays music by Scarlatti, Antheil, Satie, Granados, Debussy, Schumann, and also the young composer James Joslin. The latter’s work is Cadaquésan Landscape for piano, mechanical music box, and two metronomes. James Joslin says: “Salvador Dalí’s 1931 painting “The Persistence of Memory” served as the inspiration for this composition, firstly with its famous melting clocks characterized by multiple phasing metronomes, but more importantly, for the overarching sense of anxiety induced in me when observing much of Dalí’s work. In “Cadaquésan Landscape” I try to recreate the desperation I expect to experience should I ever stumble upon a similar formation to Dalí’s scene…” Our final program of the month, on April 29, features the violin piano duo Anthony Marwood and Aleksandar Madžar, with a concert of Janáček, Beethoven, Ravel, and Prokofiev from the Phillips Collection. Join me every Monday at 9 p.m. on Classical WETA 90.9 FM for Front Row Washington.

Center Stage from Wolf Trap

he series Center Stage from Wolf Trap begins a 26-week run on Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. starting April 6 on Classical WETA 90.9 FM, showcasing live performances recorded from Chamber Music at The Barns. The programs present some of today’s finest chamber musicians in concert. This month’s artists are violinist Lara St. John and pianist Matt Herskowitz; cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han; Canadian Brass; and Cuarteto Latinoamericano. Classical WETA’s Rich Kleinfeldt hosts the broadcasts along with Lee Anne Myslewski, who programs the Chamber Music at The Barns series.

Classical WETA Opera House Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcasts Saturdays at 1 p.m. April 6: Puccini’s Tosca With Jennifer Rowley Carlo Rizzi conducts April 13: Wagner’s Siegfried (11:30 a.m.) With Stefan Vinke & Christine Goerke Philippe Jordan conducts April 20: Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito With Matthew Polenzani & Joyce DiDonato Lothar Koenigs conducts April 27: Wagner’s Götterdämmerung (11 a.m.) Philippe Jordan conducts

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

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WETA Passport Start streaming Masterpiece and your other favorites with WETA Passport, our popular member benefit that provides you with access to an extensive library of the best public television programs! Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to activate now at pbs.org/passport if you see a four-word activation code above your name and address at left â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or go to weta.org/passport to make your qualifying donation of $60 (or $5 monthly) to start enjoying WETA Passport today. ADVERTISEMENT

Charles Hinman, Sails, 1965, Acrylic on shaped canvas, 34 x 36 x 6 1/2 inches, The Kreeger Museum, Washington, DC

Charles Hinman: Structures, 1965-2014 April 18 through July 31

kreegermuseum.org | @KreegerMuseum 2401 Foxhall Road NW | Washington, DC 20007

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