AUGUST 2019 MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS
American Experience film marks 50th anniversary of historic concert event Debuts Tuesday, Aug. 6, 9 p.m. and encores Aug. 17 & 18 on WETA TV 26/HD
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7/16/19 10:15 AM
Channel Rescan Required on July 29 for WETA TV Viewers Using Over-the-Air Antennas
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Visit weta.org or call 703-998-2724 for assistance
ear WETA Members,
Usually in this space I tell you about exciting WETA broadcasts and initiatives that your membership supports, but this month I want to be sure that no WETA viewer loses access to our superb television programming. Due to a Federal Communications Commission mandate, WETA is transitioning to a new broadcast frequency on July 29. Cable and satellite viewers will not be affected, but viewers using over-the-air antennas to receive WETA broadcasts will need to rescan channels on their television sets on or after July 29 to receive our new signal. Below this column is information about the process. For more details visit weta.org, and if you need assistance, call 703-998-2724 to reach WETA Audience Services staff. We have a wonderful lineup of programs for you in August and do not want you to miss a single show. Thank you for watching — and for your support of WETA.
Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President & CEO, WETA
A Message to TV Antenna Users: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has required that some television stations around the country transition to a new broadcast frequency, and WETA is one of the stations impacted. While cable and satellite viewers will not be affected, viewers using an over-the-air antenna will need to rescan their television channels on or after July 29. Rescanning enables your TV to search for and lock in anew all of the digital signals available in your area. After rescanning channels, you will still find WETA over the air on digital channels 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 and 26.4 and channel 26. To reiterate, this transition only affects signals received via antenna over the air. If you receive your TV service via cable or satellite you do not need to rescan; your service providers will do that for you. If I am affected, what can I do to be able to watch WETA again? On or after July 29, all viewers who receive WETA over-the-air television broadcasts via antenna will need to rescan channels on their television sets. It is the same scan performed when setting up your TV or converter box for the first time to find local channels. Rescanning will reprogram the TV to receive WETA broadcasts again. How do I rescan my television? Please consult your TV owner’s manual for the procedure. It is customarily straightforward and only takes a few minutes. (Note: you may find rescan instructions for your specific TV through an online search.) However, if you tried rescanning your TV tuner and service is not restored, the next option the FCC recommends is to “double rescan”: 1) Disconnect the antenna from the TV and rescan. 2) Then turn off the TV and turn it back on. 3) Reconnect the antenna and scan once more. This procedure can replace incorrect channel information saved in the TV’s memory. The FCC also recommends rescanning channels if you lose power or move your set to a new location in your home. I’ve already rescanned my television on or after July 29 but I’ve lost WETA channels. What can I do? WETA will be operating at a temporary broadcast tower while engaging in construction at our main tower facility in order to broadcast at our new frequency. Work is expected to be completed in Fall 2019. It is possible that some overthe-air viewers using a TV antenna will have trouble receiving the signal at our temporary site — or once our broadcasts resume at our main facility in the fall. These viewers may need to adjust antenna orientation and/or rescan their televisions once more. We apologize in advance for this inconvenience.
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)
7/16/19 10:14 AM
Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation
American Experience film airs Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD, repeating Aug. 17 & 18
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COLIN HUTTON/KUDOS, AN ENDEMOL SHINE CO., MASTERPIECE & ITV
August Highlights on WETA TV 26/HD
ifty years ago this month, in August 1969, against a backdrop of a nation in conflict over sexual politics, civil rights and the Vietnam War, half a million young people converged on a small dairy farm in upstate New York to hear the concert of a lifetime. A new American Experience film, Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation, examines the political and social upheaval that led to those three historic days — as well as the extraordinary events of the concert itself, when near disaster challenged the attendees’ and organizers’ ideals. Who were these people; what led them to Bethel, New York, that weekend; and how were they changed? The film tells the story through the voices of those who were present for the event that would become the defining moment of the counterculture revolution, spotlighting Woodstock as a cultural phenomenon and focusing on the experiences of individuals — from concert-goers to security guards and staff, from performers to local residents. The program was directed by award-winning filmmaker Barak Goodman, a WETA production partner whose many acclaimed films include Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, and MAKERS: Women Who Make America. “For three days in August 1969, the values of ‘peace and love,’ loudly championed by the counterculture movement, were actually put to the test in the miserable conditions at Woodstock,” said Goodman. “The more than 400,000 people who attended the festival proved that those were more than just words… I think Woodstock continues to inspire because the grace demonstrated there was real and enduring.” The program repeats Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18. Major funding for American Experience provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Consumer Cellular and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional funding for American Experience provided by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation; The Documentary Investment Group: The Estate of Gwenn Therrien, in memory of Gwenn Therrien and Michael Blake; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; and public television viewers.
My Music: John Sebastian Presents: Folk Rewind
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Saturday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
JOHN SEBASTIAN, COURTESY TJL PRODUCTIONS
ETA reprises a music special hosted by John Sebastian, former lead singer of The Lovin’ Spoonful (“Do You Believe in Magic”) and impromptu Woodstock performer (when rainfall required a quick pivot to an acoustic, rather than electric, set). Folk Rewind spotlights the greatest singers and songwriters of the classic 1950s and 1960s folk era, featuring a trove of historical footage plus more recent performances by a wide array of musical artists. The program features Pete Seeger and Judy Collins singing “Turn, Turn, Turn,” Harry Belafonte’s hit “Jamaica Farewell,” Trini Lopez’s rendition of “If I Had a Hammer,” Rod McKuen’s classic “Seasons in the Sun,” Bobby Darin’s heartfelt “Simple Song of Freedom” and many other memorable tunes of the time. Additional performers in archival footage include The Kingston Trio, The New Christy Minstrels, The Brothers Four and The Highwaymen. Appearing onstage are The Chad Mitchell Trio, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, Jesse Colin Young and Barry McGuire. The program repeats Tuesday, August 20 at 8 p.m.
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: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION; COURTESY WGBH
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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
7/16/19 10:14 AM
August Highlights on WETA TV 26/HD Downton Abbey Live! — New Special Sunday, August 18 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
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new Downton Abbey special presents a nostalgic celebration of all aspects of the British drama — the stellar cast, superb writing, spectacular locations and dazzling costumes. The program, Downton Abbey Live!, will be broadcast live from New York City in front of a studio audience on August 18 at 9 p.m. Planned participants include Allen Leech (Tom Branson), Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith), Jim Carter (Mr. Carson), Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore), Julian Fellowes (creator and writer), Liz Trubridge and Gareth Neame (executive producers) and surprise guests. Propelled by lively conversation, clips from the upcoming Downton Abbey motion picture, and cast interviews, the special will reveal never-before-heard stories from the Masterpiece drama and present a warm look back at the series. Downton Abbey Live! repeats Thursday, August 22 at 8 p.m. Also this month, on Friday, August 16 at 10:30 p.m., WETA reprises the June special Downton Abbey Returns!, hosted by Jim Carter.
Downton Abbey, Series 6 Encore
PHOTOS ©NICK BRIGGS/CARNIVAL FILM/TV LTD 2015 FOR MASTERPIECE
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Thursdays, Aug. 1, 8 & 15 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
n anticipation of the September 2019 Downton Abbey feature film premiering in theaters, WETA reprises the final season of the captivating television series, the most popular drama in Masterpiece’s 47-year history and the top PBS drama of all time. The nine episodes air over three Thursday nights in August, revisiting where fate, passion, ambition and duty lead the beloved characters. Enjoy the plot threads as they unfold again: What becomes of the grand estate — and of Robert and Cora? Do Lady Mary or Lady Edith find love again? Do Anna and John Bates finally find peace? And do the rest of the family and staff find happiness and success? Returning are Hugh Bonneville (Robert); Elizabeth McGovern (Cora); Michelle Dockery (Mary); Laura Carmichael (Edith); Maggie Smith (Violet); Penelope Wilton (Isobel); Jim Carter (Carson); Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes), Brendan Coyle (John Bates); Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates); Robert James-Collier (Thomas); Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore); and the rest of the ensemble cast. Series 6 opens in 1925 with several crises reflecting the momentous changes that are transforming society. Women’s rights have given Lady Mary and Lady Edith new positions of responsibility: Mary runs the estate, and Edith manages the magazine she inherited from Michael Gregson. Meanwhile, Tom Branson heads for Boston, and newlyweds Lady Rose and Atticus Aldridge are trying their luck in Jazz Age New York. Anna Bates faces a murder charge, though many still suspect her husband. And for the rest of the servants, troubling doubts hang over their jobs. Will great houses and the fortunes that support them soon be gone?
Poldark, Series 4 Finale Encore ith the approach in September of the fifth and final season of 18th-century drama-romance Poldark on Masterpiece, WETA presents a catch-up opportunity, reprising the final episode of Series 4. In the storyline, it is 1796 and, to defend Cornwall and those he loves from empowered villain George Warleggan, Ross Poldark must enter the realm of politics on a journey that takes him to London and into new perils. In the Series 4 finale, Elizabeth hopes to persuade George that Valentine is his child; Ross tries to mend fences with Demelza; Dwight delivers the Warleggans a daughter; George tells Elizabeth of his knighthood; and the Poldarks look to a new century of change together. The new season, Poldark, Series 5 on Masterpiece, premieres September 29.
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MAMMOTH SCREEN FOR BBC AND MASTERPIECE
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Sunday, August 25 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
7/16/19 10:15 AM
ABBA Forever–A Celebration
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Monday, August 19 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
ABBA, COURTESY STANZA MEDIA LTD.
his year, pop supergroup ABBA is celebrating several anniversaries: 50 years since its four members first met, 40 years since their last concert, and 20 years since the musical Mamma Mia! gave their songs a second life. The new special ABBA Forever–A Celebration is exactly that: a celebration of the joy the Swedish group has brought to its fans in the United States. Featuring original interviews, rare archival footage and the music, the program uses storytelling to set up the group’s top songs and relate one of the most surprising popular music narratives of our age. Band members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad offer surprising insights. Other storytellers include studio engineers, costume designers and the group’s tour manager; musical artists Neil Sedaka, Donny Osmond and Barbara Dickson; and acclaimed lyricist Tim Rice. Together, they illuminate how the songs came about, how they evolved and what makes them so good. The program visits the Swedish island retreat where Benny and Björn wrote many key songs, heads into the recording studio to watch those songs being finalized, goes onto the stage of ABBA concerts, deconstructs the recording secrets behind favorite songs, and lands onstage once again for performances of Mamma Mia! With a greatest-hits soundtrack, the focus is on the music. The program repeats Friday, August 23 at 9:30 p.m.
The O’Jays: Live in New York Saturday, Aug. 17 at 10 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
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DENISE TRUSCELLO
new special taped on March 30, 2019, spotlights R&B supergroup The O’Jays in concert at the St. George Theatre in New York City. This program celebrates the group’s 50-year career and features classic fan favorites such as “Love Train,” “For the Love of Money” and “Use Ta Be My Girl” along with a few newly penned songs from the O’Jays’ recent and final album The Last Word, including the upbeat dance number “Enjoy Yourself” (co-written for the group by Bruno Mars and Pat Monahan). An indelible part of pop culture, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers scored their first of many Number 1 hits in 1972 with “Back Stabbers,” before producing other chart-toppers such as “Put Your Hands Together,” “I Love Music,” “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby” and “Livin’ for the Weekend.” Their success propelled The O’Jays to become the first black vocal group to perform in arenas throughout the U.S. in the 1970s and ’80s. The program repeats Tuesday, August 27 at 10 p.m.
My Music: Straight from the Heart: Timeless Music from the ’60s & ’70s
Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
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PHOTO BY RICHARD KELLY
ETA reprises a music special presenting a celebration of pop classics with a lineup of chart-topping artists. Tony Orlando hosts and headlines the 2004 program, recorded at Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center, reuniting with Dawn (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson) to bookend Tony Orlando & Dawn the show with performances of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ’Round the Old Oak Tree” and, in the finale, “Candida,” “Knock Three Times” and “Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose.” Between those sets, the Fifth Dimension, acclaimed for their vocal harmonies, deliver “Up, Up and Away” and their rendition of “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In” from the musical Hair. Dionne Warwick sings the Burt Bacharach classic “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” and her hit “I’ll Never Love This Way Again”; B.J. Thomas performs his classic “Hooked on a Feeling” and Bacharach’s “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”; and velvet-voiced crooner Lou Rawls sings his hit “Lady Love.” Debby Boone, the Association and Peaches & Herb also take the stage to sing their hits.
7/16/19 10:15 AM
August Highlights on WETA TV 26/HD COURTESY DIGITAL DIASPORA FAMILY REUNION LLC
Family Pictures USA
Monday, Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. & Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
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new three-part PBS series created and hosted by filmmaker and photographer Thomas Allen Harris (on right) explores American cities, towns and rural communities through the lens of the family photo album, unearthing personal stories that expand our understanding of our shared history, diversity and common values. Family photos of everyday milestones — marriage, childhood, a new car, a growing business — provide a visual portal through which to examine the roots, surprising connections and provocative parallels that shed light on Americans’ collective past and shared future. From the farm fields of North Carolina (Part 1, Aug. 12 at 9 p.m.), to the streets of Detroit (Part 2, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m.), to the shores of Southwest Florida (Part 3, Aug. 13 at 9 p.m.), participants introduce ancestors, parents and old friends — characters brought to life through a trove of images and stories handed down through generations. Each episode of Family Pictures USA begins at a community photo-sharing event, where people present their family images. Harris then engages participants, who share stories of hardship, perseverance and love. The series then visits their communities to expand these family narratives into a people’s history of the region. Says Harris, “…the stories and communities behind our photos are being lost. Family Pictures USA strives to keep these stories alive and — by sharing them — remind us of our common roots and strengthen connections with our friends, families and neighbors.” Support for Family Pictures USA is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Wyncote Foundation, Ford Foundation, Oasis Senior Advisors, ElectriCities and Capitol Broadcasting Company.
Rick Steves’ Fascism in Europe
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Thursday, Aug. 22 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
COURTESY RICK STEVES
n a new special, travel expert Rick Steves looks back over the last century to learn how fascism rose and then fell in Europe — taking millions of lives with it. Visiting sites around Europe, he traces fascism’s history from its roots in the turbulent aftermath of World War I when masses of angry people rose up, to the rise of charismatic leaders who manipulated that anger, the totalitarian societies those leaders built, and the brutal measures they used to enforce their ideologies. Steves spotlights the horrific consequences of genocide and total war, and he presents inspiring stories of those who resisted. Along the way, he explores locations throughout the Continent relating to fascism and talks with Europeans in Germany, Italy and Spain whose families lived through those times — aiming to learn from the hard lessons of 20th-century Europe and to recognize that ideology in the 21st century. The program repeats August 30 at 8:30 p.m.
“Summer of Space” Programming Continues
Wednesdays, Aug. 7 & 14, 8-11 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD
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COURTESY NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI
ontinuing the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in 1969, WETA TV 26/HD presents more space-themed programming on the first two Wednesdays in August. The “Summer of Space” lineup this month includes two more installments in the miniseries NOVA: The Planets — spotlighting Saturn (Aug. 7 at 9 p.m.) and, in the far reaches of the solar system, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto (Aug. 14 at 9 p.m.). The latter (left) is also in the spotlight on NOVA: Pluto and Beyond (Aug. 14 at 8 p.m.), which follows the voyage of NASA’s New Horizons space probe. The series Ancient Skies (Aug. 7 at 8 p.m.) concludes with an exploration of moments in history that have reshaped the solar system and helped us understand the universe. Reprised programs To Catch a Comet (Aug. 7 at 10 p.m.) and Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World (The Telescope) (Aug. 14 at 10 p.m.) round out the offerings. 4 AUGUST 2019
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WETA TV 26 & WETA HD August primetime simulcast listings.
Denotes WETA productions, co-productions and presentations
8:30
8:00
9:00
9:30
10:00
10:30
1
Thu
Downton Abbey, Series 6 (final season) on Masterpiece (Pts 1-3 of 9) (to 11:07pm)
2
Fri
Washington Week
3
Sat
Midsomer Murders, Series 15 (Ep 5 of 6. The Sicilian Defense)
4
Sun
The Heart Guy, Series 2 (Pt 7 of 10)
Grantchester, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 4 of 5)
Great British Royal Ships (Ep 1 of 2. Britannia: Secrets of the Royal Yacht)
5
Mon
Antiques Roadshow: Vintage Memphis
Antiques Roadshow: Vintage Madison
POV: The Distant Barking of Dogs
6
Tue
Attenborough’s Birds of Paradise
Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation: American Experience
7
Wed
Ancient Skies (Pt 3 of 3. Our Place in the Universe)
NOVA: The Planets (Pt 4 of 5. Saturn)
8
Thu
Downton Abbey, Series 6 on Masterpiece (Pts 4-7 of 9) (to 11:32pm)
9
Fri
Washington Week
10
Sat
Midsomer Murders, Series 15 (Ep 6 of 6. Schooled in Murder)
11
Sun
The Heart Guy, Series 2 (Pt 8 of 10)
Grantchester, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 5 of 5)
Great British Royal Ships (Ep 2 of 2. The Queen Mary: Our Royals at Sea)
12
Mon
Antiques Roadshow: Fort Worth, TX (Hour One)
Family Pictures USA (Ep 1 of 3. North Carolina)
POV: Happy Winter
13
Tue
Family Pictures USA (Ep 2 of 3. Detroit)
Family Pictures USA (Ep 3 of 3. Southwest Florida)
Frontline: Outbreak
14
Wed
NOVA: Pluto and Beyond
NOVA: The Planets (Pt 5 of 5. Ice Worlds)
Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World (The Telescope)
15
Thu
Downton Abbey, Series 6 on Masterpiece (Pts 8-9 of 9) (to 11pm) & Brain Secrets with Dr. Michael Merzenich (to 1am)
16
Fri
Washington Week
17
Sat
My Music: John Sebastian Presents: Folk Rewind
18
Sun
(from 6:30pm:) Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation: American Experience
19
Mon
ABBA Forever–A Celebration
20
Tue
My Music: John Sebastian Presents: Folk Rewind
21
Wed
Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 (to 12m)
22
Thu
Downton Abbey Live!
23
Fri
Washington Week
24
Sat
(from 7pm:) Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 (to 11pm) & 3 Steps to Pain-Free Living (to 12:30am)
25
Sun
(from 3pm:) Reconstruction: America After the Civil War (Pts 1 & 2 of 2)
26
Mon
Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 (to 12m)
27
Tue
Retire Safe & Secure with Ed Slott
28
Wed
Downton Abbey Returns!
Discovering Alexandria: The Early Years (to 11:30pm)
29
Thu
My Music: Straight from the Heart: Timeless Music from the ’60s and ’70s
Memory Rescue with Daniel Amen, MD (to 11:30pm)
30
Fri
Washington Week
31
Sat
WETA Viewer Favorites
8:00
Gabriel’s Revolt
WETA Arts
The WETA Movie: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (to 11:30pm)
To Catch a Comet
Great Performances: Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2019
Great Performances: Chicago Voices (to 11:30pm)
Northanger Abbey (to 11pm) & Great Performances at the Met: Elektra (to 1am)
Memory Rescue with Daniel Amen, MD
Downton Abbey Returns! (to 12:30am)
The O’Jays: Live in New York (to 11:30pm)
Downton Abbey Live!
Retire Safe & Secure with Ed Slott (to 12:30am)
3 Steps to Pain-Free Living (to 11pm) & Downton Abbey Live! (to 12:30am) Brain Secrets with Dr. Michael Merzenich (to 12m)
Rick Steves’ Fascism in Europe (to 11pm) & PBS Previews: Country Music (to 12m) Aging Backwards 2 with Miranda Esmonde-White
ABBA Forever–A Celebration (to 11pm) & The O’Jays: Live in New York (to 12:30am)
Poldark, Series 4 on Masterpiece (season-ending episode)
8:30
My Music: Classical Rewind (to 12m)
The O’Jays: Live in New York (to 11:30pm)
Rick Steves’ Fascism in Europe
PBS NewsHour airs weeknights at 7 p.m.
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Ursula K. Le Guin: American Masters (to 10:30pm) & Hawking (to 11:30pm)
Brain Secrets with Dr. Michael Merzenich (to 12m)
9:00
9:30
10:00
10:30
Amanpour and Company airs late weeknights (check listings).
7/16/19 10:15 AM
WETA TV 26 & WETA HD August 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 13 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.
6:00 BBC WORLD NEWS 6:30 NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT 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 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — WETA reprises the blockbuster drama’s final season, following the Crawley family during the mid-1920s. The series opens in 1925; momentous changes threaten the great house, its owners and staff, and past scandals loom. Part 1 of 9. Extortion and downsizing threaten Downton Abbey. Change is afoot at the hospital. Mrs. Hughes poses a delicate question. Daisy speaks her mind, and Anna and Bates wait for the word. Repeats Fri 8/2, 2pm; Sun 8/4, 2pm 9:23 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 2 of 9. Wedding plans hit a snag. Pigs lead to trouble for Edith and Marigold. Thomas gets a hint. Anna has a secret appointment. Violet and Isobel lock horns over healthcare. Repeats Fri 8/2, 3:30pm; Sun 8/4, 3:30pm 10:14 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — 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 Fri 8/2, 4:30pm; Sun 8/4, 4:30pm 11:07 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Christiane Amanpour leads conversations with global thought leaders on contemporary issues. Repeats noon tomorrow
COURTESY AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION
WETA Television
1 Thursday
Sundays, August 4 & 11 at 10 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Great British Royal Ships spotlights iconic vessels linked to the British Royal Family that have played an outsized role in Britain’s maritime and cultural history, including The Queen Mary (above).
8:30
9:30
2 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists
10:30
NICK BRIGGS/©CARNIVAL FILM & TELEVISION LTD
11:30
Thursdays, August 1, 8 & 15 on WETA TV 26/HD In anticipation of the new Downton Abbey theatrical film premiering in September, WETA reprises the final season of the popular Masterpiece drama. Above: Michelle Dockery stars as Lady Mary.
who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. Repeats Sat 8/3, 6:30pm GABRIEL’S REVOLT — A documentary explores the largest conspiracy against the institution of slavery in North American history — in Richmond, Virginia in the summer of 1800. A series of public trials of the conspirators illustrates the extent and motivation of the Revolt, which was led by a young enslaved African man named Gabriel. Repeats Mon 8/5, 1pm URSULA K. LE GUIN: AMERICAN MASTERS — Explore the remarkable life and legacy of late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin, whose groundbreaking work, including “The Left Hand of Darkness,” transformed American literature by bringing science fiction into the literary mainstream. Repeats Wed 8/7, 5pm HAWKING — A biography, told in Stephen Hawking’s own words, traces the brilliant, disabled late theoretical physicist and cosmologist’s discoveries and his rise to fame and superstardom. The film spotlights Hawking’s life journey, from boyhood under-achiever to PhD genius, and from a healthful life to a diagnosis of motor neuron disease. Repeats Sun 8/4, 7pm; Tue 8/6, 5pm; Wed 8/7, 4pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon, Monday
3 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 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
6 AUGUST 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org
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URANUS; COURTESY WGBH
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 S IMULCAST 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 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 3 — Follow amateur bakers in a national competition. Judges are Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, and Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins provide comic relief. Part 6 of 10. R epeats Sun 8/4, 11pm 8:00 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 15 — Neil Dudgeon stars as detective DCI John Barnaby, investigating crime in the fictional English county of Midsomer. Episode 5 of 6. The Sicilian Defense. Harriet Farmer wakes up after being in a coma since the night she tried to elope. Soon afterwards, a serial killer strikes members of a chess club. Could the attack on Harriet a year before be linked to moves on a chess board? 9:30 THE WETA MOVIE: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID — Paul Newman and Robert Redford portray famed outlaws pursued by a relentless sheriff’s posse in George Roy Hill’s Oscar-winning 1969 western. Katharine Ross co-stars; William Goldman wrote the screenplay. (1:52) Repeats Sun 8/4, 11:30am 11:30 GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: ROBERTO DEVEREUX — The last opera in Donizetti’s Tudor trilogy, directed by Sir David McVicar, stars Sondra Radvanovsky as Elizabeth I and features Matthew Polenzani, Elı̄na Garanča and Mariusz Kwiecien. Maurizio Benini conducts. (3 hrs.)
Wednesdays, August 7 & 14 on WETA TV 26/HD “Summer of Space” programming continues with the conclusion of miniseries Ancient Skies (Aug. 7, 8 p.m.); NOVA series The Planets (Aug. 7 & 14, 9 p.m.); To Catch a Comet (Aug. 7, 10 p.m.) and more.
O N WETA TV 26, 6AM-11:30AM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6 AM-9AM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING 9:00 WHITE HOUSE CHRONICLE 9:30 TO THE CONTRARY WITH BONNIE ERBE 10:00 THIS IS AMERICA AND THE WORLD WITH DENNIS WHOLEY 10:30 THE OPEN MIND 11:00 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 11:30AM-12M: 11:30 THE WETA MOVIE: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID — (1:52) R 1:30 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 2:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 1 of 9. R 3:30 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 2 of 9. R 4:30 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 3 of 9. R 5:30 WETA ARTS — See the Friday, August 9, 8:30 p.m. listing. 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 7:00 HAWKING — R 8:00 THE HEART GUY, SERIES 2 — In the Australian drama, Rodger Corser stars as hedonist heart surgeon Hugh
WETA Television
4 Sunday
Knight, working his way back into good graces via a medial probation served in his rural hometown. Part 7 of 10. Hugh asks Penny out to dinner, but she ends things when he tests positive for drugs. Hayley participates in the Miss Whyhope competition, which consists of running, shooting, and scone baking; but another contestant catches Ajax’s eye. R epeats Mon 8/5, 4:30pm 9:00 GRANTCHESTER, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — New vicar Will Davenport, a firebrand, embraces the future and shocks Grantchester. But throughout the upheaval, Geordie knows one constant remains: a vicar can sometimes be a detective’s best friend. Robson Green and Tom Brittney star. Part 4 of 5. When Will asks for Geordie’s help with a family matter, Geordie is surprised to discover where Will really grew up: a house filled with secrets and lies. R epeats Mon 8/5, 3:30pm 10:00 GREAT BRITISH ROYAL SHIPS — Episode 1 of 2. Britannia: Secrets of the Royal Yacht. Rob Bell spotlights the iconic ship HMY Britannia. Now permanently berthed in Edinburgh, for 44 years it was a floating palace at sea, hosting world leaders and projecting British “soft power” around the globe. Described as the first of the world’s super yachts, HMY Britannia traveled more than one million miles, the equivalent of one circumnavigation of the earth for every year she was in service. Repeats Mon 8/5, 2pm; Tue 8/6, 4pm; Fri 8/9, 5pm 11:00 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 3 — Pt 6 of 10. R
5 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: VINTAGE MEMPHIS — Marvel at magnificent Memphis treasures from Season 9, including a $100,000 updated appraisal. R epeats Tue 8/6, 1pm; Thur 8/8, 2pm 9:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: VINTAGE MADISON — Journey back 15 years and learn how items hold up in today’s market; see an $80,000-$100,000 find. R epeats Tue 8/6, 2pm; Thur 8/8, 1pm 10:00 POV: THE DISTANT BARKING OF DOGS — A documentary follows the life of 10-year-old Oleg and witnesses the gradual erosion of his innocence beneath the pressures of the ongoing war in Eastern Ukraine. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow
BBC
6 Tuesday
Tuesday, August 6 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Attenborough’s Birds of Paradise features BBC naturalist-filmmaker David Attenborough observing the majestic birds in their habitat.
7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ATTENBOROUGH’S BIRDS OF PARADISE — Natural history filmmaker David Attenborough offers his own personal take on the mystery and discovery, obsession and scientific revelation surrounding the elusive bird of paradise. Attenborough has spent a lifetime filming the birds’ displays and researching the creatures both in their remote forest homes and in the museums and collections of Europe. R epeats Wed 8/7, 3pm; Sun 8/11, 7pm
For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 7
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COURTESY ©ITV PLC (ITV STUDIOS GLOBAL ENT.)
9:00 WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the concert that became a touchstone for a generation. The film brings the three-day concert to life through the voices of those who were present at what became the defining moment of the counterculture revolution of the 1960s. R epeats Wed 8/7, 1pm; Sat 8/17, 5:30pm; Sun 8/18, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 8/19, noon 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow
7 Wednesday
WETA Television
7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANCIENT SKIES — Discover how centuries of knowledge, experimentation and engineering helped our ancestors understand the mysteries of space. Expert contributors decode astronomical myths and uncover the science behind their origins. Part 3 of 3. Our Place in the Universe. Complete the puzzle of our ancient skies. A cast of scientific pioneers reshapes the solar system and better understands a growing universe. But there is still much more space to explore. R epeats Thur 8/8, 5pm; Tue 8/13, 1pm 9:00 NOVA: THE PLANETS — Discover the life of our solar system told in dramatic stories spanning billions of years. Part 4 of 5. Saturn. NASA’s Cassini probe explores Saturn for 13 years, looping through its icy rings and flying by its moons. The probe captures stunning ring-moon interactions, but when it finds the ingredients for life on the moon Enceladus, a bittersweet decision is made. Repeats Thur 8/8, 3pm 10:00 TO CATCH A COMET — A documentary details the complexities and challenges of the 10-year, fourmillion-mile journey of the European Space Agency’s spacecraft Rosetta as it chased down and landed on the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in a historymaking feat. Repeats Thur 8/8, 4pm 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — R epeats noon tomorrow
8 Thursday
©ROBERT TORRES; ROBERTTORRESPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 7:59 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — WETA reprises the drama’s final season, following the Crawley family during the mid-1920s. 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 Fri 8/9, 1pm; Sun 8/11, 2pm 8:49 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — 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 Fri 8/9, 2pm; Sun 8/11, 3pm 9:41 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 6 of 9. The hospital war reaches a climax. Violet goes
Saturday, August 10 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Northanger Abbey, an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, stars JJ Feild as Henry Tilney and Felicity Jones as Catherine Morland.
on the warpath. Daisy tries to foil a romance. Prospects are looking up for Mary and Edith. Thomas feels trapped. Repeats Fri 8/9, 3pm; Sun 8/11, 4pm 10:32 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 7 of 9. A car race gives Mary flashbacks. Mrs. Patmore opens for business. Mrs. Hughes tricks Carson. Things get serious for Edith. Robert gets a surprise gift. Repeats Fri 8/9, 4pm; Sun 8/11, 5pm 11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow
9 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. R epeats Sat 8/10, 6:30pm 8:30 WETA ARTS — In a reprised program from July, the WETA TV 26 magazine-style series celebrates the 50th anniversary of the moon landing by exploring space-related visual and performing arts in Greater Washington. WETA Around Town’s Robert Aubry Davis hosts. The program explores how renowned conductor Emil de Cou created the surprising partnership between NASA and the National Symphony Orchestra; visits National Air & Space Museum director Dr. Ellen Stofan, who reveals which works from the vast NASA art collection adorn her office; spotlights how, in “Beyond,” local dance troupe Deviated Theatre imagines the personal struggle of an astronaut heading to Mars; and presents film critics Travis Hopson and Tim Gordon discussing some of the most thought-provoking movies about space exploration. 9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: VIENNA PHILHARMONIC SUMMER NIGHT CONCERT 2019 — Enjoy the worldrenowned Vienna Philharmonic’s annual concert from Schönbrunn Palace with guest conductor Gustavo Dudamel and famed pianist Yuja Wang playing works including Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. Repeats Tue 8/13, 2pm 10:30 GREAT PERFORMANCES: CHICAGO VOICES — Celebrate Chicago’s vibrant music culture with performances by Renée Fleming, Broadway’s Jessie Mueller, rap artist Lupe Fiasco, folk legend John Prine, pop and gospel singer Michelle Williams and world-renowned tenor Matthew Polezani. Repeats Sun 8/11, 1pm; Tue 8/13, 3:30pm 11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon Monday
10 Saturday Friday, August 9 at 9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Great Performances: Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2019 features the orchestra’s annual concert at Schönbrunn Palace with guest conductor Gustavo Dudamel and famed pianist Yuja Wang.
O N WETA TV 26, 6AM-5:30PM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6 AM-5:30PM See the Saturday, August 3 listings. S IMULCAST 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 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 3 — Part 7 of 10. Repeats Sun 8/11, 11pm
8 AUGUST 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org
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COURTESY MEREDITH NIERMAN ©WGBH 2016
12 Monday
Monday, August 12 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD The Antiques Roadshow Season 21 premiere, Fort Worth, features an Auguste Rodin “Eternal Spring” bronze of possible high value.
O N WETA TV 26, 6AM-11:30AM. See weta.org/hd for WETA HD. 6 AM-11:30AM See the Sunday, August 4 listings. S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 11:30AM-12AM: 11:30AM NORTHANGER ABBEY — R 1:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: CHICAGO VOICES — R 2:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 4 of 9. R 3:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 5 of 9. R 4:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 6 of 9. R 5:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 7 of 9. R 6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30 BBC ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 7:00 ATTENBOROUGH’S BIRDS OF PARADISE — R 8:00 THE HEART GUY, SERIES 2 — Rodger Corser stars. Part 8 of 10. After collapsing in his car, Jim is rushed to the hospital, where Hugh discovers that he’s been skipping his dialysis appointments. Hayley is still frosty to Ajax, and Charlie can’t stop reading bad reviews of her book. Repeats Mon 8/12, 5pm 9:00 GRANTCHESTER, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE —Part 5 of 5. While Will struggles with a decision that will determine his future, the violent death of a young man becomes conclusive proof to Geordie that the country has gone to the dogs. Repeats Mon 8/12, 4pm 10:00 GREAT BRITISH ROYAL SHIPS — Episode 2 of 2. The Queen Mary: Our Royals at Sea. Rob Bell examines RMS Queen Mary, the most famous ocean liner ever built. Constructed during the Great Depression, RMS Queen Mary lifted a nation out of an economic slump and reestablished Britain as a shipbuilding superpower. Bell discovers how the vessel would come to represent the golden age of ocean passage and epitomize 1930s style and elegance; the ship earned the prestigious Blue Riband for fastest Transatlantic passage. R epeats Mon 8/12, 3pm; Wed 8/14, 5pm 11:00 GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, SERIES 3 — Pt 7 of 10. R
7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 FAMILY PICTURES USA — Join host Thomas Allen Harris to explore American cities, towns and rural communities through the lens of the family photo album. Part 2 of 3. Detroit. Explore America’s comeback city through photos and personal stories shared by residents. From the influence of the auto industry to labor unions to the Motown sound, Detroit’s multilayered story is revealed via family narratives and memories. R epeats Wed 8/14, 2pm 9:00 FAMILY PICTURES USA — Part 3 of 3. Southwest Florida. Visit the Paradise Coast from Ft. Myers to the Everglades, home to ranchers, Native Americans and fishing communities. Explore cattle country in rural Florida and meet a family of migrant workers who now own the company that harvests the produce. R epeats Wed 8/14, 3pm 10:00 FRONTLINE: OUTBREAK — Amid a new Ebola outbreak, Frontline explores the story of the deadly 2014 epidemic. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow
14 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 NOVA: PLUTO AND BEYOND — Join the mission as the New Horizons spacecraft attempts to fly by NASA’s most distant target yet. Since it explored Pluto in 2015, New Horizons is zooming toward Ultima Thule, an object four billion miles from Earth.
COURTESY DIGITAL DIASPORA FAMILY REUNION LLC
11 Sunday
13 Tuesday
WETA Television
8:00 MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 15 — Neil Dudgeon stars as detective DCI John Barnaby. Episode 6 of 6. Schooled in Murder. When Debbie Moffett is crushed to death with a giant round of cheese in Midsomer Blue, secret plans to modernize the dairy are revealed while rumors about private lives of the parents cause a row at the local prep school. As other people linked to the dairy die, secrets begin to emerge. 9:30 NORTHANGER ABBEY — In this Andrew Davies adaptation of Jane Austen’s gentle parody of gothic fiction, Felicity Jones plays romance addict Catherine Morland. Invited to a medieval country house that appeals to her most lurid fantasies, she forms a close friendship with the younger son on the estate, Henry Tilney, but their budding romance is mysteriously cut short. R epeats Sun 8/11, 11:30am; Mon 8/12, 1pm 11:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: ELEKTRA — Richard Strauss’ blazing tragedy is presented in the late Patrice Chereau’s production, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, with Nina Stemme as the vengeful princess and Waltraud Meier, Adrianne Pieczonka, Eric Owens and Burkhard Ulrich. (2 hrs.)
7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: FORTH WORTH, TX — Hour One. Season 21 premieres with a Rodin bronze that could be the year’s big find. Is it authentic? Repeats Tue 8/13, 5pm; Wed 8/14, 4pm 9:00 FAMILY PICTURES USA — Join host Thomas Allen Harris to explore American cities, towns and rural communities through the lens of the family photo album, unearthing rich personal stories that expand our understanding of history, diversity and common values. Part 1 of 3. North Carolina. Discover how this historically rural state built on tobacco and textiles is rapidly changing. Entrepreneurs find a warm welcome in Durham, Native Americans come home to ancestral lands, and families separated by race and class work toward healing. Repeats Wed 8/14, 1pm 10:00 POV: HAPPY WINTER — Every summer on Palermo’s Mondello beach, more than 1,000 cabins are built for the summer holiday, producing a vanity fair of beachgoers hiding behind the memory of a social status that the economic crisis of recent years has compromised. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeats noon tomorrow
Mon., Aug 12 at 9 p.m./Tues, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Family Pictures USA features Thomas Allen Harris (right) exploring American communities through the lens of the family photo album to spotlight personal stories, history, diversity and common values. Above: Harris in Detroit with hat shop owner Paul Wasserman.
For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 9
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COURTESY STANZA MEDIA LTD.
This reprised special program features interviews with the cast and creators, and video clips. R epeats Sat 8/17, 8:30am; Wed 8/28, 8pm; Thur 8/29, 11:30pm 12:30AM FOOD: WHAT THE HECK SHOULD I EAT? WITH MARK HYMAN, MD —In this special, Dr. Mark Hyman (The Blood Sugar Solution) looks at every major food group and explains which foods nurture our health and which pose a threat. Hyman also explains food’s crucial role in functional medicine and offers a guide to achieving optimal weight and lifelong health. Repeats Fri 8/23, 12:30am; Thur 8/29, 1:30am
17 Saturday
WETA Television
Monday, August 19 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD ABBA Forever–A Celebration spotlights the pop music supergroup with a greatest-hits soundtrack, interviews and archival footage.
9:00 NOVA: THE PLANETS — Discover the life of our solar system told in dramatic stories spanning billions of years. Part 5 of 5. Ice Worlds. In the far reaches of the solar system, Uranus and Neptune dazzle with unexpected rings, supersonic winds and dozens of moons; and NASA’s New Horizons probe gets a stunning upclose view of Pluto before venturing deep into the Kuiper Belt. 10:00 BREAKTHROUGH: THE IDEAS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD — 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 light-years out. 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
15 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 DOWNTON ABBEY, SERIES 6 ON MASTERPIECE — Parts 8 & 9 of 9. Part 8: Two romances get complicated. Molesley and Spratt try out new jobs. Thomas takes a fateful step. Mrs. Patmore provokes a scandal. Isobel puts her foot down. Part 9: The curtain comes down on Downton Abbey. How will fate resolve the stories of Edith, Mary, Thomas, Anna, Robert, Cora, Daisy, Carson, Violet, Isobel and the other occupants of the great estate? 11:00 BRAIN SECRETS WITH DR. MICHAEL MERZENICH — More than a decade after the release of The Brain Fitness Program in 2006, neuroscience pioneer Dr. Michael Merzenich presents the latest research to reveal even more about brain training, counseling that it’s never too late to improve our mental abilities. He explains how neuroplasticity affects the brain across the lifespan, exploring how to improve and maintain cognitive fitness. Repeats Fri 8/16, 2:30pm; Sat 8/17, 6am; Tue 8/20, 10pm; Wed 8/21, noon; Fri 8/23, 4:30pm; Sat 8/24, 8:30am; Mon 8/26, 3pm; Wed 8/28, 1pm; Fri 8/30, 10pm
S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-1:30AM: 6AM BRAIN SECRETS WITH DR. MICHAEL MERZENICH — R 7:30 PBS PREVIEWS: COUNTRY MUSIC — Go behind the scenes of the upcoming Florentine Films and WETA coproduction Country Music, a sweeping new eight-part, 16-hour series directed by Ken Burns — and produced by Burns and his long-time collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey. The film begins airing on September 15. Repeats Tue 8/20, 1:30pm; Thur 8/22, 11pm; Fri 8/23, 2pm; Tue 8/27, 11:30pm; Wed 8/28, noon 8:30 DOWNTON ABBEY RETURNS! — R 10:00 3 STEPS TO PAIN-FREE LIVING — See the Monday, August 19, 9:30 p.m. listing. 12N MY MUSIC: CLASSICAL REWIND — Experience the beauty, romance and power of musical masterpieces in this joyride through the world of classical hits. Martin Goldsmith hosts, with reflections from Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Stewart Copeland of the band The Police, and others. Repeats Sun 8/18, 10am; Sun 8/25, 10:30pm; Mon 8/26, midnight; Thur 8/29, 2pm 1:30 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 3:30 RICK STEVES’ FASCISM IN EUROPE — See the Thursday, August 22, 9:30 p.m. listing. 5:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 5:30 WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the concert that became a touchstone for a generation. The film brings the three-day concert to life through the voices of those who were present at what became the defining moment of the counterculture revolution of the 1960s. R epeats Sun 8/18, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 8/19, noon 8:00 MY MUSIC: JOHN SEBASTIAN PRESENTS: FOLK REWIND — A music special focuses on the folk singers and songwriters of the classic 1950s and 1960s folk era. Presented by John Sebastian of The Lovin’ Spoonful, Folk Rewind features a trove of historical footage and concert performances by artists such as Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Harry Belafonte, Trini Lopez, Rod McKuen, Bobby Darin, The Kingston Trio and others. R epeats Sun 8/18, 3pm, 12:30am; Tue 8/20, 8pm; Wed 8/21, 4pm; Fri 8/23, noon; Sat 8/24, 3pm 10:00 THE O’JAYS: LIVE IN NEW YORK — Join the R&B supergroup for a concert featuring their greatest hits, fan favorites and new songs. Taped in March 2019, performances include “Love Train,” “Use Ta Be My Girl,” “For the Love of Money,” “Enjoy Yourself” and more. R epeats Fri 8/23, 11pm; Tue 8/27, 10pm; Fri 8/30, midnight
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. 8:30 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — Psychiatrist, neuroscientist and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen offers advice on how to supercharge your memory and remember what matters most to you. Amen identifies brain risk factors and shares his mnemonic to help people remember them. R epeats Sat 8/17, 1:30pm; Sun 8/18, 1pm; Mon 8/19, 2:30pm, 12:30am; Thur 8/22, midnight; Sat 8/24, 5:30pm; Sun 8/25, 10am; Tue 8/27, noon; Thur 8/29, 9:30pm 10:30 DOWNTON ABBEY RETURNS! — Join host Jim Carter (Mr. Carson) for a celebration of the beloved drama series and a sneak peek at the upcoming Downton Abbey movie, slated for theatrical release in September 2019.
DAN WOOLLER
16 Friday
Wednesday, August 21 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD WETA reprises Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2, a 2011 celebration of the blockbuster musical. Above: Alfie Boe.
10 AUGUST 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org
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12:30 MY MUSIC: JOHN SEBASTIAN PRESENTS: FOLK REWIND — R
19 Monday
Sat., Aug. 17, 5:30 p.m./Sun., Aug. 18, 6:30 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD WETA features encore presentations of the American Experience film Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation, by Barak Goodman. The program spotlights the festival as a defining cultural moment. Above: Musical artist John Sebastian performs at Woodstock, 1969.
18 Sunday S IMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-2:30AM: 6AM WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — R 8:30 DEEPAK CHOPRA: THE SPIRITUAL LAWS OF SUCCESS — Explore how understanding our true nature can lead to a sense of well-being, good health, fulfilling relationships, enthusiasm for life and material abundance. Integrative medicine and personal transformation expert Deepak Chopra offers wisdom and practical steps to apply right away. R epeats Tue 8/20, noon; Sun 8/25, 6am 10:00 MY MUSIC: CLASSICAL REWIND — R 11:30 RICK STEVES’ FASCISM IN EUROPE — See the Thursday, August 22, 9:30 p.m. listing. R 1:00 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 3:00 MY MUSIC: JOHN SEBASTIAN PRESENTS: FOLK REWIND — R 5:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 5:30 AGING BACKWARDS 2 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDEWHITE — Many people think that how they age — whether or not they remain mobile, healthy and pain free throughout their entire lives — is a matter of luck. But we have a choice in how we age. Former professional ballerina Miranda Esmonde-White uses science to explain that the fountain of youth is within each of us and explores how to access it. R epeats Wed 8/21, 3pm; Fri 8/23, 8:30pm; Sat 8/24, 6am; Sun 8/25, 2pm; Mon 8/26, noon; Wed 8/28, 11:30pm; Thur 8/29, 3:30pm; Fri 8/30, 1:30pm 6:30 WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — R 9:00 DOWNTON ABBEY LIVE! — In anticipation of the September 2019 premiere of the Downton Abbey feature film, a new live special celebrates all aspects of the most successful British drama ever — the stellar cast, superb writing, spectacular locations and dazzling costumes. The program, broadcast from New York City in front of a studio audience, includes teases from the upcoming movie and features exclusive interviews with the series’ cast and creators. R epeats Mon 8/19, 4:30pm, 11pm; Wed 8/21, 1:30pm; Thur 8/22, 8pm; Fri 8/23, 3pm; Sat 8/24, 12:30am 10:30 RETIRE SAFE & SECURE WITH ED SLOTT — What do recent tax code changes mean for you and your family, and how can you protect your hard-earned savings? Retirement, tax and financial expert Ed Slott, CPA, explores these topics and more in this special. R epeats Tue 8/20, 2:30pm; Wed 8/21, midnight; Sat 8/24, 10am; Sun 8/25, 8am; Tue 8/27, 8pm; Wed 8/28, 4pm; Fri 8/30, noon
20 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 MY MUSIC: JOHN SEBASTIAN PRESENTS: FOLK REWIND — R 10:00 BRAIN SECRETS WITH DR. MICHAEL MERZENICH — R 12M DISCOVERING ALEXANDRIA: THE EARLY YEARS — R
21 Wednesday
WETA Television
11:30 DISCOVERING ALEXANDRIA: THE EARLY YEARS — A WETA production explores the story of Alexandria, Virginia, through the Civil War era, featuring the city’s most noted historians and authors. Relive the birth of one of the nation’s most vibrant port cities, meet the men and women who made history and called Alexandria their home, and discover the stories of some of the community’s famous landmarks. Repeats Tue 8/20, midnight; Sun 8/25, noon; Wed 8/28, 9:30pm; Thur 8/29, noon
7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 LES MISÉRABLES 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT AT THE O2 — Celebrate the legendary musical with a stellar cast including Alfie Boe, Nick Jonas, Lea Salonga, Colm Wilkinson, Norm Lewis and Ramin Karimloo. The musical celebrated its 25th birthday in 2010, and to mark the occasion, producer Cameron Mackintosh staged an extraordinary concert at the O2 Arena in London that premiered on public television in 2011 — and WETA reprises this month. Repeats Thur 8/22, 2pm; Sat 8/24, 7pm; Mon 8/26, 8pm; Tue 8/27, 2pm 12M RETIRE SAFE & SECURE WITH ED SLOTT — R
22 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 DOWNTON ABBEY LIVE! — R 9:30 RICK STEVES’ FASCISM IN EUROPE — Travel expert Rick Steves explores how fascism rose and then fell in Europe, taking millions of people with it. He traces fascism’s history from its roots in the turbulent aftermath of World War I, when masses of angry people rose up, to the rise of charismatic leaders who manipulated that anger, and the totalitarian societies they built. In addition, Steves chronicles the brutal measures the leaders used to enforce their ideologies. Along the way, he visits sites throughout Europe relating to fascism,
COURTESY RICK STEVES
COURTESY HENRY DILTZ
7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 ABBA FOREVER–A CELEBRATION — Celebrate the popular Swedish supergroup with Neil Sedaka, Donny Osmond, Tim Rice and the band members themselves. Featuring a greatest hits soundtrack including “Dancing Queen” and “Mamma Mia!,” the program includes original interviews and rare archival footage. R epeats Tue 8/20, 4:30pm; Fri 8/23, 9:30pm 9:30 3 STEPS TO PAIN-FREE LIVING — Eliminate the root cause of many painful conditions with this easy-to-follow plan from neuromuscular therapist, yoga instructor and pain specialist Lee Albert, who teaches five simple exercises to correct muscle imbalance. R epeats Thur 8/22, noon; Sat 8/24, 1:30pm, 11pm; Sun 8/25, midnight; Fri 8/30, 4pm 11:00 DOWNTON ABBEY LIVE! — R 12:30AM MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R
Thursday, August 22 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Rick Steves’ Fascism in Europe features the travel expert tracing the ideology’s history on the Continent to explore the hard lessons of the 20th century and to recognize fascism in this century.
For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 11
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BRAIN SECRETS WITH DR. MICHAEL MERZENICH — R RETIRE SAFE & SECURE WITH ED SLOTT — R RICK STEVES’ FASCISM IN EUROPE — R 3 STEPS TO PAIN-FREE LIVING — R MY MUSIC: JOHN SEBASTIAN PRESENTS: FOLK REWIND — R 5:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 5:30 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 7:00 LES MISÉRABLES 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT AT THE O2 — See the Wednesday, August 21, 8 p.m. listing. R 11:00 3 STEPS TO PAIN-FREE LIVING — R 12:30AM DOWNTON ABBEY LIVE! — R
25 Sunday
A WETA CO-PRODUCTION
WETA Television
Sunday, August 25, 3-5:30/6-9 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD WETA co-production Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, featuring Henry Louis Gates, Jr., airs in back-to-back episodes, presenting the definitive history of the nation’s postbellum years.
and he talks with Europeans whose families lived through those times. Repeats Sat 8/24, noon; Thur 8/29, 4:30pm; Fri 8/30, 8:30pm 11:00 PBS PREVIEWS: COUNTRY MUSIC — Go behind the scenes of the upcoming Florentine Films and WETA coproduction Country Music, a sweeping new eight-part, 16-hour series directed by Ken Burns — and produced by Burns and his long-time collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey. The film begins airing on September 15. 12M MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R
23 Friday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — In WETA’s long-running weekly production, join moderator Robert Costa for a robust roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories emanating from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. 8:30 AGING BACKWARDS 2 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDEWHITE — R 9:30 ABBA FOREVER–A CELEBRATION — See the Monday, August 19, 8 p.m. listing. R 11:00 THE O’JAYS: LIVE IN NEW YORK — See the Saturday, August 17, 10 p.m. listing. R 12:30AM FOOD: WHAT THE HECK SHOULD I EAT? WITH MARK HYMAN, MD — R
1853 LITHOGRAPH; ALEXANDRIA LIBRARY, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-2AM: 6AM DEEPAK CHOPRA: THE SPIRITUAL LAWS OF SUCCESS —R 8:00 RETIRE SAFE & SECURE WITH ED SLOTT — R 10:00 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 12N DISCOVERING ALEXANDRIA: THE EARLY YEARS — R 2:00 AGING BACKWARDS 2 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDEWHITE — R 3:00 RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — In this reprised 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. Part 2 airs after PBS NewsHour Weekend. Repeats Tue 8/27, 12:30am 5:30 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:00 RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — 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 8/28, 12:30am 9:00 POLDARK, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 8 of 8. In anticipation of the drama’s final season (Series 5), premiering in September, WETA reprises the final episode of Series 4. Elizabeth hopes to persuade George that Valentine is his child. Ross tries to mend
24 Saturday SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-2AM: 6AM AGING BACKWARDS 2 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDEWHITE — R 7:00 THIS OLD HOUSE—40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL — This Old House celebrates the 40th season of the home improvement program with a special that features interviews with hosts and cast members, vintage clips and favorite moments from the series that inspired an entire genre of television programming. The special will revisit some favorite renovations from the past 40 years and feature new interviews with current and alumni hosts Kevin O’Connor, Steve Thomas and Bob Vila, who discuss the “how-to” series’ evolution.
DISCOVERING ALEXANDRIA: THE EARLY YEARS A WETA PRODUCTION Wednesday, August 28 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA TV 26/HD Discovering Alexandria: The Early Years, a reprised WETA production, chronicles the Virginia port city’s history through the 19th century.
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 8. 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
12 AUGUST 2019 For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org
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things with Demelza. Dwight delivers the Warleggans a daughter and George tells Elizabeth of his knighthood. The Poldarks look to a new century of change together. Repeats Mon 8/26, 4:30pm; Wed 8/28, 2:30pm 10:30 MY MUSIC: CLASSICAL REWIND — R 12M 3 STEPS TO PAIN-FREE LIVING — R
26 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 LES MISÉRABLES 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT AT THE O2 — See the Wednesday, August 21, 8 p.m. listing. R 12M MY MUSIC: CLASSICAL REWIND — R
27 Tuesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 RETIRE SAFE & SECURE WITH ED SLOTT — See the Sunday, August 18, 10:30 p.m. listing. R 10:00 THE O’JAYS: LIVE IN NEW YORK — See the Saturday, August 17, 10 p.m. listing. R 11:30 PBS PREVIEWS: COUNTRY MUSIC — Go behind the scenes of the upcoming Florentine Films and WETA coproduction Country Music, a sweeping new eight-part, 16-hour series directed by Ken Burns — and produced by Burns and his long-time collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey. The film begins airing on September 15. 12:30AM RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — Part 1 of 2. R
28 Wednesday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 DOWNTON ABBEY RETURNS! — See the Friday, August 16, 10:30 p.m. listing. R 9:30 DISCOVERING ALEXANDRIA: THE EARLY YEARS — A WETA production explores the story of Alexandria, Virginia, through the Civil War era, featuring the city’s most noted historians and authors. Relive the birth of one of the nation’s most vibrant port cities, meet the men and women who made history and called Alexandria their home, and discover the stories of some of the community’s famous landmarks. R 11:30 AGING BACKWARDS 2 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDEWHITE — R 12:30AM RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR — Part 2 of 2. R
29 Thursday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR 8:00 MY MUSIC: STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART: TIMELESS MUSIC FROM THE ’60S & ’70S — Tony Orlando and Dawn, the Fifth Dimension, Dionne Warwick, B.J. Thomas, Lou Rawls, Debby Boone, The Association and other pop acts perform their signature songs at a concert taped in Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center. Repeats Fri 8/30, 2:30pm 9:30 MEMORY RESCUE WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 11:30 DOWNTON ABBEY RETURNS! — R
26.3 Over the Air Comcast 266 Cox 801 FiOS 472 RCN 38
The WETA Kids channel offers a safe haven for young viewers, presenting educational programming 24 hours each day, seven days a week. WETA KIDS ON WEEKDAYS WETA KIDS AIRINGS IN BLACK; WETA TV 26 IN BLUE • Curious George, 5am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 5:30am • Sesame Street, 6am • Peg + Cat, 6:30am (6am) • Arthur, 7am (6:30am) • Ready Jet Go!, 7:30am (7am) • Nature Cat, 8am (7:30am) • Wild Kratts, 8:30am (8am) • Molly of Denali, 9am (8:30am) • Curious George, 9:30am (9am) • Let’s Go Luna!, 10am (9:30am) • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 10:30am, 11am (10am, 10:30am) • Sesame Street, 11:30am (11am) • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 12N (11:30am) • Dinosaur Train, 12:30pm — New episodes Aug. 26-30! • The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, 1pm • Sesame Street, 1:30pm • Splash and Bubbles, 2pm • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 2:30pm • Let’s Go Luna!, 3pm • Nature Cat, 3:30pm • Wild Kratts, 4pm Visit weta.org/kids • Molly of Denali, 4:30pm for full listings of • Odd Squad, 5pm, 5:30pm children’s programs • Arthur, 6pm, 6:30pm on WETA Kids • Ready Jet Go!, 7pm & WETA TV 26. • WordGirl, 7:30pm • Sesame Street, 8pm, 8:30pm • Cyberchase, 9pm (5:30am) • Odd Squad, 9:30pm • SciGirls, 10pm • Maya & Miguel, 10:30pm • Let’s Go Luna!, 11pm • Ready Jet Go!, 11:30pm
30 Friday COURTESY WGBH. TM/©VICTORIA KANN/ELIZABETH KANN
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. 8:30 RICK STEVES’ FASCISM IN EUROPE — See the Thursday, August 22, 9:30 p.m. listing. R 10:00 BRAIN SECRETS WITH DR. MICHAEL MERZENICH — R 12M THE O’JAYS: LIVE IN NEW YORK — R
31 Saturday SIMULCAST ON WETA TV 26 & WETA HD, 6AM-6AM: 6AM-6PM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES 6PM PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 6:30PM-6AM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES
A new special, Pinkalicious & Peterrific: A Pinkaperfect Birthday, airs Monday, August 5 and Friday, August 9 at noon on the WETA Kids Channel and at 11 a.m. on WETA TV 26 (+9 a.m. Aug. 5).
For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 13
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British Television at Its Best The WETA UK channel is devoted to the best in British television programming, presenting beloved classics and contemporary series around the clock, seven days a week. WETA UK offers a full schedule of great entertainment programming — featuring drama, mystery, comedy and documentary series — all delivered with an accent from the Isles. Visit wetauk.org for a complete schedule and program descriptions.
P.M. PROGRAMMING ON WETA UK IN AUGUST SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
Shakespeare & Hathaway, Series 2
New Tricks
New Tricks
New Tricks
New Tricks
New Tricks
The Coroner, Series 1
Midsomer Murders, Series 12
MI-5
MI-5
MI-5
MI-5
MI-5
Father Brown, Series 5
Shetland, Series 2
Waking the Dead
Waking the Dead
Waking the Dead
Waking the Dead
Waking the Dead
800 Words, Series 3
The Heart Guy, Series 2
Life; Tales from Royal Wardrobe (8/12); Secrets of Highclere Castle (8/19); Secrets of Althorpe (8/26)
Yellowstone; Secrets of Henry VIII’s Palace (8/20); Chatsworth (8/27)
Shetland, Series 2
Midsomer Murders, Series 12
800 Words, Series 3
Grantchester, Series 2 on Masterpiece (Series 3 starts 8/17, 90 min)
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Series 2
Mum, Series 2 & 3
BBC Antiques Roadshow
Father Brown, Series 5
EastEnders
Upstart Crow, Series 2 & 3
Pie in the Sky, Series 5 (except 8/17)
• Yellowstone • Secrets of Highclere Castle (8/25)
Shakespeare & Hathaway, Series 2
Endeavour, Series 4 & 5 on Masterpiece
Death in Paradise, Series 5 (Series 6 starts 8/29)
Poldark, Series 2 on Masterpiece
Doc Martin, Series 6
The Heart Guy, Series 2
Death in Paradise, Series 5 (Series 6 starts 8/31)
Life; Tales from Royal Wardrobe (8/18); Secrets of Henry VIII’s Palace (8/25)
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Shetland, Series 2
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By
Yellowstone; Secrets of… Highclere Castle (8/18); …Althorpe (8/25)
Pie in the Sky, Series 5
Doctor Blake Mysteries, Series 4 (Series 5 starts 8/13)
Midsomer Murders, Series 12
Father Brown, Series 5
Grantchester, Series 2 on Masterpiece (Series 3 starts 8/16, 90 min)
Shakespeare & Hathaway, Series 2
Shetland, Series 2
The Coroner, Series 1
Doc Martin, Series 6
The Heart Guy, Series 2
Poldark, Series 2 on Masterpiece (9:30 on 8/16)
Vera, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 8/17)
9:30pm
Life (8/4); Tales From Royal Wardrobe (8/11); Secrets of …Henry VIII’s Palace (8/18); …Chatsworth (8/25)
10pm
Mum, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 8/11) Upstart Crow, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 8/11)
• The Body Farm, Series 1 • Sherlock, Series 4 on Masterpiece (starts 8/13)
Death in Paradise, Series 5 (Series 6 starts 8/28)
Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 4 (Series 5 starts 8/29)
800 Words, Series 3 (10:30 on 8/16)
10:30pm
Endeavour, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Series 5 starts 8/12)
BBC World News (8/6)
BBC World News
Pie in the Sky, Series 4 (BBC World News as of 8/13)
Doctor Blake, Series 4 & 5
12pm
The Coroner, Series 2
12:30pm
1pm
Doctor Blake Mysteries, Series 4 (Series 5 starts 8/17)
1:30pm
2pm 2:30pm
3pm 3:30pm
4pm 4:30pm
5pm 5:30pm
6pm 6:30pm
7pm 7:30pm
8pm 8:30pm
9pm
11pm
Shakespeare & Hathaway, Series 2
11:30pm
BBC World News
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
BBC World News BBC World News
THURSDAY
Father Brown, Series 5
FRIDAY
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Series 2
Grantchester, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 8/17)
SATURDAY
VISIT WETAUK.ORG FOR A PRINTABLE FULL-DAY SCHEDULE. 14 AUGUST 2019
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WETA UK August Highlights tarring Academy Award-winner Lesley Manville, Mum is a family comedy seen through the eyes of Cathy, a mother in her late fifties who finds herself at a milestone in life after the death of her husband. Unlike the drama’s previous two series, set over the course of a year, the new and final season (Series 3) is set during one week. The characters include Cathy’s lifelong friend Michael (Peter Mullan), and her family — son Jason and his girlfriend Kelly, Cathy’s brother Derek and his partner Pauline, and Cathy’s in-laws. In Series 3, Cathy manages her family’s expectations about her growing relationship with Michael; and the family decamps on a vacation at a country home to celebrate Derek’s birthday after an invitation from Pauline, who has rented the place. To catch up on the storyline, see the Series 2 finale on August 4.
BBC
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Mum, Series 3 — New!
Sundays at 10 p.m. starting August 11 on WETA UK
Sherlock on Masterpiece
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©BBC/HARTSWOOD FILMS FOR MASTERPIECE
Death in Paradise, Series 6
Wednesdays at 10 p.m. starting August 28 on WETA UK
ollowing Series 5, Kris Marshall returns in his final season as DI Humphrey Goodman in Series 6 of the Caribbean mystery series. The drama finds Goodman eagerly awaiting the return of Martha, an old acquaintance from London. But as soon as she arrives on the island, their burgeoning romance is put to the test by a murder. Meanwhile, DS Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert) becomes emotionally involved in a case when an old schoolmate is found dead; and team member JP (Tobi Bakare) struggles with the realities of married life. From the murder of a cricket club president, to a scientist found dead halfway up a volcano, there are plenty of crimes to probe, and another case takes the team to London in a two-part story.
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Tuesdays at 10 p.m. starting August 13 on WETA UK
ETA UK presents the Emmy Award-winning Sherlock special The Abominable Bride and Sherlock, Series 4 in August, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s great sleuth Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as the detective’s faithful friend, Doctor Watson. In the programs, Holmes and Watson investigate crimes and battle villains as the sleuth employs his signature deductive reasoning and his stunning lack of social grace. On August 13, Sherlock on Masterpiece: The Abominable Bride weaves a storyline between contemporary times and Victorian London. Then, Sherlock, Series 4, starting August 20, features three episodes: The Six Thatchers, The Lying Detective and The Final Problem — Holmes is back on British soil, and Doctor Watson and his wife are preparing to become parents.
The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 4 & 5
RLJ ENTERTAINMENT/ACORN MEDIA
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Thursdays at 10 p.m. on WETA UK
eill Rea reprises his role as Detective Mike Shepherd in Series 4 and 5 of the contemporary New Zealand police drama The Brokenwood Mysteries, alongside Fern Sutherland as his methodical partner Detective Kristin Sims, and Nic Sampson as eager young DC Sam Breen. Together, they confront the violent impulses and roiling passions beneath the surface of the fictional small town of Brokenwood. In Series 4, the team witnesses a skydiving accident and must sort out what happened; they must solve the killing of a woman with an arrow; they probe a farm catastrophe; and they investigate a local rest home. In Series 5, the team probes a man’s death on a train; looks into a bride’s murder; investigates a biker’s suspicious death after a mountain ride; and seeks clues to a death at an abandoned mental-health facility.
Also this month: Endeavour on Masterpiece continues Mondays at 10 p.m., entering Series 5 on August 12; Midsomer Murders, Series 12 continues Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; Grantchester on Masterpiece continues Fridays at 8 p.m., entering Series 3 on August 16; Poldark, Series 2 on Masterpiece continues Fridays at 9 p.m.; 800 Words, Series 3 continues Friday nights; and Vera continues Saturdays at 9 p.m., entering Series 3 on August 17. For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org 15
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Vespers of Saint James on Choral Showcase Sundays at 9 p.m.
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By Bill Bukowski, Midday On-Air Host
WIKICOMMONS/YEAROFTHEDRAGON
Classical WETA 90.9 FM
ew recordings on Classical WETA 90.9 FM’s weekly Sunday-night broadcast Choral Showcase this month celebrate two renowned choirs, explore a long-lost work by Bach and an unclassifiable one by Berlioz, and take us on a pilgrimage to 12th-century Spain. We begin August 4 with the Vespers of Saint James, as Marcel Pérès leads Ensemble Organum in a reconstructed vespers service from the Codex Calixtinus — a 12th-century spiritual guidebook for pilgrims journeying to the Vespers of Saint James sets a service for pilgrims to Spain’s Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (right). Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela We’ll hear another musical reconstruction August 11, with Bach’s St Mark Passion. Performed first in 1731 and again in 1744, the music was lost; but with the recently discovered 1744 libretto and the baroque practice of parody (in which music from older works is recycled and adapted for newer use), this lost passion has been newly arranged and recorded by Jordi Savall with La Capella Reial de Catalunya and Le Concert de Nations. Is it an oratorio? A concert opera? Or something entirely different?: Hector Berlioz called Roméo et Juliette a “dramatic symphony,” and we’ll hear his Shakespeare-inspired masterpiece in a new recording on August 18 with Leonard Slatkin and the Orchestre National de Lyon. Then, two choral groups celebrate anniversaries this year with new releases that we will explore on August 25. The present chapel of The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge, was consecrated 150 years ago, and conductor Andrew Nethsingha leads a program of artfully chosen works from that 150-year period for Locus Iste, the choir’s 100th recording. Although not as old as St John’s, The Sixteen Choir, founded in 1979 by conductor Harry Christophers, honors their history with An Enduring Voice: music spanning the 15th through the 21st centuries, including a newly commissioned work by James MacMillan honoring the choir’s 40th anniversary. Join us each week for Choral Showcase, Sunday nights at 9 p.m. on Classical WETA.
Classical WETA Opera House
Saturdays at 1 p.m. on Classical WETA 90.9 FM
Hrachuhi Bassenz and Francesco Meli in Simon Boccanegra
©ROH 2018. PHOTO BY CLIVE BARDA
August operas are from Royal Opera House, Covent Garden August 3:
Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra With Carlos Álvarez, Hrachuhi Bassenz & Francesco Meli Royal Opera House Orchestra & Chorus Henrik Nánási conducts
August 10:
Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades With Eva-Maria Westbroek Royal Opera House Orchestra & Chorus Sir Antonio Pappano conducts
August 17:
Verdi’s La forza del destino With Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann Royal Opera House Orchestra & Chorus Sir Antonio Pappano conducts
August 24:
Britten’s Billy Budd With Jacques Imbrailo and Toby Spence Royal Opera House Orchestra & Chorus Ivor Bolton conducts
August 31:
Giordano’s Andrea Chénier With Roberto Alagna and Sondra Radvanovsky Royal Opera House Orchestra & Chorus Daniel Oren conducts
VivaLaVoce on vivalavoce.org
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Stream Audio at classicalweta.org
7/16/19 10:16 AM
A Tribute to Bernstein on Front Row Washington
BERNARD MARTINEZ
Classical for Washington Mondays at 9 p.m.
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By John Banther, On-Air Host and Producer
Gloria Chien
WIDMANN BY LENNARD RUEHLE; CHIEN COURTESY THE ARTIST
Carolin Widmann
Center Stage from Wolf Trap
Classical WETA 90.9 FM
his month on Classical WETA 90.9 FM’s Monday night program Front Row Washington, we hear a piano concerto by Mozart in a setting you’ve likely not heard; a tribute to Bernstein; and a recent work by French-Lebanese composer Benjamin Attahir. We start on the August 5 broadcast with a local ensemble — the National Chamber Players. They are led by NSO cellist James Lee, and this performance also includes violist Benny Kim and pianist Audrey Andrist. From their concert series (free and open to the public) at Alexandria’s Episcopal High School, we listen to the beautiful and time-stopping Notturno Trio Zadig in E-flat Major by Franz Schubert, and the Piano Trio in B-flat Major, op. 97 by Beethoven. The latter is known as the “Archduke” Trio as it was dedicated to Archduke Rudolph of Austria, a friend and patron of Beethoven’s. The work’s premiere on April 11, 1814 was the final public performance for Beethoven as a pianist. On August 12 we feature violinist Carolin Widmann with pianist Gloria Chien for music by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Jörg Widmann (Carolin’s brother) from the Phillips Collection. Jörg Widmann’s work is Paraphrase über Mendelssohns Hochzeitmarsch (Paraphrase on Mendelssohn’s Wedding March) for violin. It was composed specifically for a wedding and was premiered by Carolin in Rome in 2016. On August 19 we listen to the piano as Mozart heard it in the 18th century. Kristian Bezuidenhout plays the fortepiano, an instrument much smaller than today’s grand piano and which has a different sound with less sustain. Bezuidenhout joins the Chiaroscuro Quartet for an intimate setting of the Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major by Mozart, which is commonly played with an orchestra. In the first half of the concert, the quartet performs Franz Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, “Death and the Maiden.” Leonard Bernstein’s birthday is on August 25 and would have made him 101 this year. On August 26 we present a special program featuring Trio Zadig from the Phillips Collection. They perform Fantasy on themes from West Side Story, an arrangement of Bernstein’s music made by Bruno Fontaine that offers favorite moments from the musical. Earlier in the program Trio Zadig presents a newer work by Benjamin Attahir called Asfar. This composer has a unique sound, drawing on the heritage of his French and Middle Eastern background. The Trio starts the concert with the Piano Trio in A minor by Maurice Ravel, which he finished in the outbreak of World War I. He raced to complete the trio, writing to a friend that he was composing with the “lucidity of a madman.”
Saturdays at 9 p.m.
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Sphinx Virtuosi
KEVIN KENNEDY
he series Center Stage from Wolf Trap continues on Classical WETA 90.9 FM each Saturday evening, 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: pianist Jonathan Biss, performing works by Mozart (August 3); the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, performing works by Tchaikovsky (August 10); the ensemble Sphinx Virtuosi, performing works by Tartini and Dvořák (August 17); Kuok-Wai Lio and Zoltán Fejérvári, duo pianists, playing works by Chopin and Schumann (August 24); and the Jack Quartet with clarinetist Derek Bermel, performing a Brahms quintet (August 31). Classical WETA’s Rich Kleinfeldt hosts Center Stage from Wolf Trap along with Lee Anne Myslewski, who programs the Chamber Music at The Barns series.
Classical WETA: 90.9 FM Greater Washington; 88.9 FM Frederick; WGMS 89.1 FM Hagerstown
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WETA Passport Stream Masterpiece dramas and much more with WETA Passport, our popular member benefit that provides you with access to an extensive library of the best public television programs! You’re ready to activate now at pbs.org/passport if you see a four-word activation code above your name and address at left; or go to weta.org/passport to make your qualifying donation of $60 (or $5 monthly) to start enjoying WETA Passport today.
SPECIAL NOTICE FOR VIEWERS OF WETA TV VIA OVER-THE-AIR ANTENNA — TV set channel rescan required on or after July 29 — The Federal Communications Commission is requiring that some television stations transition to new broadcast frequencies and WETA is among them. Viewers who use an over-the-air antenna to receive WETA broadcasts need to take action to continue to view WETA programming as a result of this FCC mandate. Please rescan channels on your television sets on or after July 29 so that your television can locate the new WETA signals. Cable/satellite viewers will not be affected and do not need to rescan.
For details, see the inside front cover of this magazine or visit weta.org. For assistance, call 703-998-2724.
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