The Guide | December 2017 by WTTW

Holiday Music on WFMT See page 2 for highlights.

ALSO INSIDE This month on WTTW11, we celebrate the season with The Wheaton College Christmas Festival: Love Divine, a concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and two holiday specials Ăą Call the Midwife and Last Tango in Halifax.

MEMBER CONNECTIONS Andrea Bocelli in Concert Andrea Bocelli returns to the U.S. for seven concerts only of repWHAT ertoire from his Grammy-nominated album Cinema, special selecAndrea Bocelli in Concert tions from his groundbreaking release Romanza, and a selection of WHERE beloved arias, love United Center songs, and crossover 1901 W. Madison Street hits. in Chicago The concerts will be led by Maestro WHEN Eugene Kohn and will Wednesday, December 6, 7:30 pm also feature soprano Larisa Martinez and Broadway sensation and Chicago native Heather Headley. The Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus will join Bocelli for this special concert. WTTW is excited to offer tickets to see one of the world’s most celebrated tenors at the United Center on Wednesday, December Andrea Bocelli 6, 2017 at 7:30 pm. Visit wttw.com/events to purchase tickets.

Ethan Bortnick LIVE in Concert

Ethan Bortnick

WHAT

Celtic Thunder in Concert

Celtic Thunder

International singing sensation Celtic Thunder have scheduled a downtown Chicago performance as part of their upcoming North American Symphony Tour. This will be the second Symphony Tour for Celtic Thunder, who will depart from their traditional and critically acclaimed large set productions to perform their hits, songs from their Christmas albums, and songs from their new Celtic Thunder Inspirational album, in a dynamic live music experience accentuated by the instrumentals of full symphony orchestras. Celtic Thunder’s five male soloists Damian McGinty, Ryan Kelly, WHAT Emmet Cahill, Celtic Thunder in Concert Neil Byrne, and WHERE Michael O’Dwyer Chicago Theatre will perform solo 175 N. State Street and ensemble in Chicago numbers. WHEN You are invited Thursday, December 7, to celebrate the strength and courage of Ireland through this concert 7:30 pm spectacular live from the Chicago Theatre. Visit wttw.com/events to purchase tickets.

Ethan Bortnick LIVE in Concert

WHERE

Park West 322 W. Armitage Avenue

WHEN

Sunday, May 6, 7:30 pm

Recognized by the Guinness World Records as “The World’s Youngest Solo Musician to Headline His Own Concert Tour,” 15-year-old Ethan Bortnick has been performing around the world, raising over $40,000,000 for charities across the globe. See him in his return to the Chicago stage at Park West Theatre for a night of musical fun for the entire family. Backed by a stage of world-class musicians, this concert is upbeat with an inspiring song list that will touch you on so many levels! Every pair of tickets receives a Generations of Music 2-CD set. Visit wttw.com/events to purchase tickets.

WTTW Kids Big Idea Traveling Lab Join us for an exciting 45-minute FREE live show, perfect for children 2 to 7 years old, bringing to life the fun and learning from WTTW Kids’ most popular and beloved children’s shows. Hosted by the WTTW Kids Lab Guys, children will be inspired to discover their own BIG IDEAS WHAT using our very own recipe of Wonder, Watch & WTTW Kids Big Idea Traveling Lab Learn More! The exciting show will engage kids to explore themes like emotions, life cycles, recyWHERE cling, the natural world, and more as we discover Ford City Mall everyday BIG IDEAS. We’ll also learn about great 7601 S. Cicero Avenue children’s books that support the show’s themes in Chicago and experience a few fun surprises along the way. WHEN Some shows will include a character Meet & Greet Saturday, December 9, 11:00 am following the performance. Visit wttw.com/events to learn more.

2017 DECEMBER

50% Off Second Ticket to Hyde Park School of Dance Nutcracker Hyde Park School of Dance (HPSD) offers its annual presentation of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, featuring more than 175 dancers – from sevenyear-olds to grandparents. Staged by Gabrielle Roitman HPSD Founding Artistic Director August Tye, ballet mistress and choreographer at Lyric Opera of Chicago, the 90-minute production follows Clara, Fritz, and the mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer from the family holiday party and the midnight battle with the Mouse King and his troops through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets. The performances feature a hip hop dance battle to send a message of peace. Instead of battling with swords, the mouse-soldiers use hip hop as their “weapons.” The Nutcracker takes place Friday, December 8 at 7:00 pm at Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th Street in Chicago. WTTW members who purchase one full-price general admission ticket to this performance may purchase a second general admission ticket at half price by calling (773) 493-8498 and mentioning WTTW.

Photo: Damien Thompson

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater

Photo: Ken Carl

MEMBER PERKS

50% Off Second Ticket to Deeply Rooted Dance Theater As the culminating event of its 20th anniversary season, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (DRDT) presents Deeply Free, featuring the premiere of South African choreographer Fana Tshabalala’s INDUMBA and works that span the company’s history. Originally intending to illuminate the spiritual impact of unresolved apartheid politics in his native South Africa, Tshabalala has created an American/Chicago-focused adaptation of INDUMBA, an evening-length work performed on Friday, December 8. “Indumba” means African healing hut, promising a work of stirring resilience and reconciliation. For the December 9 performance, DRDT performs Femme, choreographed by Nicole Clarke-Springer, which celebrates the allure, courage, strength, and beauty of women; Desire (1994), choreographed by Gary Abbott, which portrays three types of attraction: first sight, physical beauty, and young love; Church of Nations, created by Kevin Iega Jeff, which explores the religious, spiritual, and political implications of war and its devastating impact on humanity; and Jeff’s In a Child’s Eye, which tells the story of a little girl’s dream journey to a flower community, where she encounters a war between good and evil. Deeply Free features the premiere of INDUMBA on December 8 at 7:30 pm and company repertoire on December 9 at 7:30 pm at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts on the University of Chicago campus, 915 E. 60th Street in Chicago. WTTW members who purchase one full-price ticket for either the Ella Fitzgerald December 8 or December 9 performance may purchase a second ticket at half price, subject to availability, by calling (312) 795-9777 and mentioning WTTW. For more information, visit deeplyrooteddancetheater.org.

15% off Fresh Fruit for the Holidays The Fruit Company is one of the leading fruit basket delivery companies and premier fresh fruit providers of gourmet Fruit Baskets, Gift Towers, and Monthly Fruit Clubs in the nation. Since 1942, they’ve been offering the world’s finest fresh fruit, sourced from their own local orchards in Hood River, Oregon. Enjoy delicious orchard fresh fruit and gourmet delights delivered in an elegant basket or join a fruit of the month club and receive fruit shipped at the peak of harvest for the ripest, freshest fruit. WTTW members receive 15% off The Fruit Company products. To redeem this special offer, please use code WTTW15 at The Fruit Company website: thefruitcompany.com. Excludes free shipping offers.

2-for-1 Tickets to Silk Road Rising’s Wild Boar A gripping investigation of journalistic integrity, city planning, and social conscience, Wild Boar is a new play from one of Hong Kong’s most acclaimed playwrights. When a controversial professor goes missing, an editor and his student band together to publicize the truth. Old flames spark and friendships are tested in the U.S. premiere of this turbulent thriller about media manipulation, fake news, and who gets to speak for the poor. For 2-for-1 admission to Silk Road Rising’s Wild Boar, visit silkroadrising.org and use code WFMT when purchasing tickets. Performances are Thursday, November 9 through Sunday, December 17 at The Historic ChicagoTemple Building, 77 West Washington Street in Chicago.

FOR DOZENS OF OTHER DISCOUNTS, visit wfmt.com and, under the Support WFMT menu, click on “Member Benefits” or call (312) 987-WFMT for a recorded message. 4

DECEMBER

2017

Daily Television Programming • Programmer’s Picks on WTTW11

Cat’s Attic: Yusef Cat Stevens Celebrate 50 years of the illustrious career of singersongwriter Cat Stevens with this retrospective documentary filmed in London and featuring performances of many of his beloved hits. Stevens, also known as Yusuf, speaks about his fame, his songwriting process, and his many life-changing experiences.

Wednesday, December 6, 9:00 pm

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special

Secrets of Spanish Florida: A Secrets of the Dead Special

This two-part special continues the story of childhood sweethearts, reunited after almost 60 years apart, as they negotiate the highs and lows of life and relationships.

Join a team of archaeologists, scientists, and historians as they reveal the little-known history of America’s Spanish colonists who settled in Florida in 1565, long before Jamestown.

Sundays, December 17 & 24, 7:00 pm

Tuesday, December 26, 9:00 pm

See page 6 for information about WTTW Prime listings.

Friday 1 EARLY MORNING 1:30 Suze Orman’s Financial Solutions for You Suze Orman focuses on helping individuals “find financial solutions for you.” This special’s central theme is that financial decision-making should be guided by an understanding of “the goal of money.” 3:30 ’60s Pop, Rock, & Soul Legends of the 1960s unite

In the Spotlight

This is Bob Hope: American Masters This program explores the entertainer’s life with unprecedented access to his personal archives and clips from his classic films, radio, and TV shows. Hear excerpts of Hope’s writings voiced by Billy Crystal plus interviews with Woody Allen, Dick Cavett, Margaret Cho, Linda Hope, Kermit the Frog, Leonard Maltin, Conan O’Brien, Tom Selleck, Brooke Shields, Connie Stevens, and writers including Sherwood Schwartz and biographer Richard Zoglin.

Saturday, December 2, 12:00 pm

5:30

in this performance special. Co-hosts Peter Noone and the late Davy Jones sing their biggest hits, focusing on the years 1965-1969. This program includes pop sounds from Frat Rock to Surf Pop, the British Beats to the Breakthrough Bands, Motown, Soul, and Pop classics. Chicago Tonight [R]

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman 7:30 The Beatles: Eight Days a Week is based on the first part of The Beatles’ career (19621966) – the period in which they toured and captured the world’s acclaim. The film explores how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr came together and reveals their inner workings all the while, exploring The Beatles’ extraordinary and unique musical gifts and their remarkable, complementary personalities. The film focuses on the time period from the early Beatles’ journey in the days of The Cavern Club in Liverpool to their last concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco in 1966. 10:00 ’60s Pop, Rock and Soul 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 The ’80s Take a joyful leap back into the 1980s, an era when music videos ruled the airwaves. Hosted by original MTV “VJ” Martha Quinn, this special revisits many of them, offering a nonstop celebration of pop hits by such superstars as Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Kim Carnes, Kenny Loggins, and more.

Saturday 2 EARLY MORNING 2:30 Motown 25 5:00 How Not to Die with Michael Greger, MD In this new special, Dr. Greger takes you

through the top ten causes of premature death, revealing which foods can address many of your health problems.

In the Spotlight

MORNING 6:30 New Rules of Food with Kristin Kirkpatrick Kristin’s fun, straightforward “new rules of food” will help you decipher ever-changing diet fads, the regulations on food packaging claims and nutrition labels, and how to answer the surprisingly difficult question: Is this food? 8:00 Suze Orman’s Financial Solutions for You See Fri. Dec. 1 at 1:30 am. [R] 10:00 Suze Orman’s Financial Solutions for You [R] AFTERNOON 12:00 This is Bob Hope: American Masters 2:00 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer 4:30 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer [R] EVENING 7:00 Great Performances: Hit Man - David Foster and Friends Legendary songwriter, producer, and maestro to the stars, David Foster has generated some of the world’s best known popular music, and collaborated with a veritable “Who’s Who” of superstars in a career that spans more than three decades. In celebration of his remarkable achievements, some of the biggest names in contemporary music gather at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for a one-night-only concert that brings down the house. 9:00 To be announced

Sunday 3

Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer Geoffrey Baer’s inaugural televised River tour in 1995 came about as a result of his work as a docent for the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Due to numerous changes to the landscape, he presented an updated and expanded tour of the River in 2005. Now, 12 years later, Geoffrey returns to his roots for an in-depth exploration of all three branches of the river, including the less well-known stretches extending south to the Sanitary and Ship Canal and winding north through the Botanic Garden and Skokie Lagoons. Along the way, Geoffrey shares dramatic stories of the river’s history, including how Chicago reversed the river’s flow in one of America’s most ambitious and controversial engineering projects ever.

Saturday, December 2, 2:00 pm

EARLY MORNING 12:00 To be announced MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-3:30 To be announced 3:30 He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley The intensity of Elvis Presley’s

love and devotion for gospel music is revealed in this film. Narrated by veteran newscaster Sander Vanocur, Presley’s story is told with vintage photos, interviews, 2017

DECEMBER

WTTW Digital Channel Highlights These digital channels are available with digital cable or over-the-air with a digital receiver. For more information about digital television and for complete schedules, visit wttw.com/schedule. Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2017 Monday, December 25, 8:00 pm

WTTW11 in HD Free TV, over-the-air antenna viewers can watch WTTW11 in high-definition by tuning to channel 11-1. Cable or satellite viewers can locate WTTW11 in highdefinition on the on-screen menu.

Join the midwives as they battle snow, ice, power cuts, and frozen pipes to provide patient care during the coldest winter in 300 years. Valerie helps a young couple who experience a traumatic birth and Sister Julienne tries to reunite a family.

Full schedule online at wttw.com/schedules Pictured: Barbara (Charlotte Ritchie) and Trixie (Helen George)

Downton Abbey New Year’s Marathon Begins Friday, December 29, 10:00 pm

WTTW Prime WTTW Prime is our “prime time all the time” channel. Free TV, over-the-air antenna viewers can tune to channel 11-2 to find WTTW Prime. WTTW Prime is on Comcast digital cable channel 370 and on RCN channel 37.

This beloved series spans 14 years of gripping drama centered on a great English estate on the cusp of a vanishing way of life. America fell in love with the Granthams and their family of servants, and has followed them through sweeping change, scandals, love, ambition, heartbreak, and hope ever since. Join us to return to Downton Abbey!

Full schedule online at wttw.com/schedules Pictured: Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess of Grantham

New Year’s Celebration

Sunday, December 31, 11:00 am

WTTW Create WTTW Create is our how-to and lifestyle programming channel. Free TV, over-the-air antenna viewers tune to channel 11-3. WTTW Create is on Comcast digital cable channel 369 and on RCN channel 38. WTTW Create programming airs from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Whether you are planning for an amazing gathering on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, our WTTW Create hosts make sure it will be an unforgettable cocktail party! Indulge in the tasty appetizers prepared by chefs Steven Raichlen and Julie Tabouli. Interior Decorator Katie Brown will be on hand to add some glistening touches to make your party shine.

Full schedule online at wttw.com/schedules Pictured: Julie Tabouli cooks with her mother

Stories from the Stage: Holiday Horror

WTTW World WTTW WORLD features public television’s signature documentary, science, and news programming complemented by original content from emerging producers. Free TV, over-the-air antenna viewers tune to channel 11-3. WTTW WORLD is on Comcast digital cable channel 369 and on RCN channel 38. WTTW World airs from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am.

Monday, December 18, 8:30 pm

Join us for hilarious stories of holiday mishaps. Storytellers share their tales from epic blunders and celebrations gone wrong to unforgettable errors, unexpected consequences, and touching human connections!

Full schedule online at wttw.com/schedules Pictured: A storyteller shares a story

Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas

Friday, December 22, 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm

NEW! WTTW PBS Kids 24/7 Free TV, over-the-air antenna viewers can tune to channel 11-4. The WTTW PBS Kids 24/7 is on Comcast digital channels 368 and on RCN channel 39.

It’s Christmas time and the Wild Kratts are taking a break from creature adventuring to celebrate. But when they receive an alert that their favorite creatures are suddenly disappearing around the globe, their holiday party quickly turns into a rescue mission. Our heroes must race against time to thwart their greedy archrivals’ most miserly scheme yet!

Full schedule online at wttw.com/schedules Pictured: Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas

December On-Demand Picks on demand

WTTW on Demand Find WTTW on Comcast on Demand.

DECEMBER

2017

• America’s Test Kitchen • Check, Please! • Cook’s Country Pictured: Bridget and Julia, Cook’s Country

In the Spotlight

9:00

former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama Valerie Jarrett share memories of the dance halls, housing projects, and theaters that dotted Bronzeville; the birth of gospel music, and the unique blends of blues, jazz, and R&B that originated in Chicago; the outpouring of creative expression during the Black Arts Movement; and the monumental successes of Chicago institutions such as Soul Train, Ebony and Jet magazines, Ultra Wave and Soft Sheen, and the Bud Biliken Parade, among many others. To be announced

Monday 4 Celtic Woman – Homecoming: Ireland Celebrate the timeless emotion of Ireland’s centuries-old heritage in this live concert filmed in Dublin. Celtic Woman combines the country’s finest musical talents with epic stage production to present a uniquely inspiring live experience.

Sunday, December 3, 5:00 pm

5:00

and video footage, including some never-before-available scenes of Elvis’s impromptu offstage gospel performances. Many interviews reveal that Presley’s unshakable commitment to gospel music was tested many times by producers and record label executives, who were later to be surprised when the Grammys overlooked Presley’s No. 1 hits in favor of three of his best gospel performances. Celtic Woman – Homecoming: Ireland

EVENING 7:00 Victoria Returns Enjoy this sneak peek at season 2 of the popular drama series tracing the life of Queen Victoria, via interviews with writer Daisy Goodwin and Rebecca Eaton, the Executive Producer of the Masterpiece series. 7:30 An Evening With The HistoryMakers: Chicago Stories In this special hosted by Regina Taylor and Harry Lennix, influential African Americans celebrate the rich history and legacy of Chicago’s Black community. Special guest presenters, including former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, blues guitarist Wayne Baker Brooks, Ebony Media CEO Linda Johnson Rice, and

EARLY MORNING 12:00 To be announced 5:00 Forever Painless with Miranda Esmonde-White This program provides a groundbreaking and eye-opening education on pain and its causes, and offers a new approach to pain management, presenting an accessible and widely available solution to the current pain epidemic. MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 7:30 Hamilton’s America Follow the creation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pop culture Broadway phenomenon, Hamilton, and the history behind it. The program includes interviews with Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, Nas, Questlove, Stephen Sondheim, and more. 9:30 To be announced 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 To be announced

Tuesday 5 EARLY MORNING 12:00 To be announced 5:00 Victoria Returns See Sun. Dec. 3 at 7:00 pm. [R] 5:30 Chicago Tonight [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 7:30 Pavlo Live in Kastoria 9:00 Pavlo Live in Kastoria [R] 10:30 To be announced

Wednesday 6 EARLY MORNING 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 To be announced 5:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 7:30 Brit Floyd: The World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Show Live 9:00 Cat’s Attic: Yusuf Cat Stevens 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 To be announced

Thursday 7 EARLY MORNING 12:00 To be announced 5:30 Chicago Tonight [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 7:30 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer [R] 10:00 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer [R]

Friday 8 EARLY MORNING 12:30 BBC World News 1:00 To be announced 5:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

Victoria Returns Enjoy this sneak peek at season 2 of the popular drama series tracing the life of Queen Victoria, via interviews with writer Daisy Goodwin and Rebecca Eaton, the Executive Producer of the Masterpiece series.

Sunday, December 3, 7:00 pm

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman 7:30 To be announced 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 To be announced

Saturday 9 EARLY MORNING 12:00 To be announced MORNING 6:00 To be announced AFTERNOON 12:00 To be announced 2:30 Rick Steves Special: European Festivals Popular travel expert Rick Steves travels throughout the Continent celebrating festivals, each one rich with tradition, great food, and fun. In Spain, Rick runs with the bulls in Pamplona and dances with locals at the April Fair in Seville. He also dons a mask in Venice for Carnival, and cheers on the horses at The Palio di Siena in Italy. Continuing the celebration across Europe, Rick hoists a frothy stein at Munich’s Oktoberfest, tosses a caber (a large tapered pole) at a Scottish Highland Games, and joins several European families

Pavlo: Live in Kastoria Known for its picturesque lakes, the mountains of Greece come alive with the sounds of Pavlo’s Mediterranean guitar music. Pavlo has thrilled audiences throughout the United States and Canada, has been nominated for several Juno Awards for unique world guitar music, performed for Prince Charles, and most recently was the headline artist at the World Music stage at the closing of the Pan American Games in Toronto. This special features Pavlo’s greatest hits as well as beloved classics “Never On Sunday,” “Zorba,” and “Acropolis Adieu.”

Tuesday, December 5, 7:30 pm 2017

DECEMBER

4:00

for their traditional Easter and Christmas observances. Rick Steves Special: European Christmas From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands, this program celebrates the Christmas season throughout the European continent. In this special, Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. He begins his travels in England, where the Christmas pudding is the real centerpiece of a traditional English holiday meal. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower heralds the season with its red, twinkling lights. And in the countryside of Tuscany, villagers stack neat pyramids of wood for great bonfires. The lighting of the fires is a signal to villagers – dressed as shepherds – to come and sing old carols. Rick offers a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe where you will learn about customs from “the old countries,” hear local choirs, and discover holiday family traditions.

DECEMBER

2017

EVENING 7:00 To be announced

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids

Sunday 10

EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 The Jewish Journey: America A film that tells the three part story of I) Jewish life in the old country, II) the reasons behind leaving their respective homes and journeying to the U.S., and III) both the establishment of communities and the great accomplishments made in the U.S. 9:30 To be announced 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

EARLY MORNING 12:00 To be announced MORNING 6:00 To be announced AFTERNOON 12:00 To be announced 3:30 Ethan Bortnick: Generations of Music Join the talented young virtuoso for a concert spanning generations and genres. Featuring guests Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul, and Mary), Bethany Yarrow, and cellist Rufus Cappadocia, this concert will appeal to audiences of all ages and musical tastes. 5:00 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer [R] EVENING 7:30 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer [R] 10:00 To be announced

Monday 11 EARLY MORNING 12:00 To be announced

Tuesday 12 EARLY MORNING 12:30 Charlie Rose 1:30 Tavis Smiley 2:00 To be announced 4:30 Nightly Business Report 5:00 Chicago Tonight [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight

8:00

Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Southern Roots Three guests of disparate Southern backgrounds, DJ and producer Questlove, talk show host Dr. Phil and journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, find astonishing tales of bondage in their family histories. 9:00 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: The Vanguard Author Ta-Nehisi Coates, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and author and activist Janet Mock see their basic assumptions about their families challenged, placing their ancestors – of all colors - into the greater context of black history. 10:00 Frontline 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

Wednesday 13 EARLY MORNING 12:30 Charlie Rose 1:30 Tavis Smiley 2:00 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: The Vanguard See Tues. Dec. 12 at 9:00 pm. [R] 3:00 Frontline See Tues. Dec. 12 at 10:00 pm. [R]

2017

DECEMBER

3:00 4:00

Monday≠ Friday Mornings 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30

Arthur Arthur Ready Jet Go! Wild Kratts Nature Cat Curious George Daniel Tigerí s Neighborhood Daniel Tigerí s Neighborhood Splash & Bubbles Splash & Bubbles Sesame Street Sesame Street

Afternoons 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30

4:00

4:30 5:00

Super Why! Daniel Tigerí s Neighborhood Cat in the Hat Peg + Cat Curious George Arthur Nature Cat Nature Cat Wild Kratts Wild Kratts Odd Squad Odd Squad

Check, Please! BYOB Check, Please! presents a compendium of its past segments on great BYOB places, including Gio’s, EL Ideas, Isla Pilipina, Angry Crab, Andi’s Thai Kitchen, and more. Nightly Business Report Chicago Tonight [R]

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 Nature: Soul of the Elephant Ironically, every dead elephant with its ivory intact is a reason to celebrate. It means an elephant died of natural causes, not bullets, snares or poison, and a soul was allowed to be celebrated and mourned by its herd. Award-winning filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert start with the remains of two bull elephants and through a series of key flashbacks, look at the lives they would have led, the dramas they may have seen, their great migrations for water with their families, and their encounters with lions and hyenas. This film, shot over two years, will be an intimate look at elephants through the 10

DECEMBER

2017

Saturday Mornings 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30

Peg + Cat Sesame Street Sesame Street Splash & Bubbles Splash & Bubbles Daniel Tigerí s Neighborhood Daniel Tigerí s Neighborhood Nature Cat Arthur

Sunday Mornings 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30

Dinosaur Train Dinosaur Train Daniel Tigerí s Neighborhood Daniel Tigerí s Neighborhood Curious George Curious George Ready Jet Go! Nature Cat Wild Kratts Wild Kratts Odd Squad Odd Squad

lens of perhaps the greatest storytellers of natural history. 9:00 NOVA: Secret Tunnel Warfare During World War I, the Allies devised a devastating plan, planting 600 tons of explosives in secret tunnels driven under German trenches. Join NOVA to uncover traces of the operation, and learn why it failed to break the lethal deadlock of trench warfare. 10:00 Supernature: Wild Flyers – Defying Gravity (Part 1 of 3) Explore the basic principles of flight to see how animals become airborne in the first place. From leapers to gliders and those that effortlessly fly for hours, each creature has special techniques. But all must overcome a powerful force – gravity. 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

Thursday 14 EARLY MORNING 12:30 Charlie Rose 1:30 Tavis Smiley 2:00 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Southern Roots See Tues. Dec. 12 at 8:00 pm. [R]

4:30 5:00

Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: The Vanguard [R] Rick Steves’ Europe: The Netherlands Beyond Amsterdam By train, bike, and boat, we visit the top Dutch sights outside of Amsterdam: from Haarlem to Rotterdam, and from Delft to the Zuiderzee. Along the way, we enjoy charming towns with fragrant cheese markets, soggy polderland, mighty dikes, and windmills both new and old. Nightly Business Report Chicago Tonight [R]

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 The Great British Baking Show: Christmas Masterclass 9:00 A Chef’s Life: Holiday Special Join Vivian Howard as she serves up the best of her Southern cooking heritage and the Chanukah traditions of her husband Ben. From humble Hoppin’ John to elegant red velvet cake, sample a charming and delicious holiday celebration. 10:00 Is Your Brain Male or Female? New research suggests that the connections in men and women’s brains follow different patterns patterns which may explain typical forms of male and female behavior. But are these patterns innate, or are they shaped by the world around us? Using a team of human lab rats and a troop of Barbary monkeys, Michael Mosley and Alice Roberts test the science and challenge old stereotypes. They ask whether this new scientific research will benefit both men and women - or whether it could drive the sexes even further apart. 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

Friday 15 EARLY MORNING 12:30 Charlie Rose 1:30 Tavis Smiley 2:00 Frontline [R] 3:00 NOVA: Secret Tunnel Warfare See Wed. Dec. 13 at 9:00 pm. [R] 4:00 Rick Steves’ Europe: Prague The capital of the Czech Republic, Prague is the best-preserved Baroque city in Central Europe. We experience its massive castle, beloved statue-lined bridge, evocative Jewish Quarter, and thrilling 20th-century history

4:30 5:00

while enjoying its infectious love of music and perhaps the best beer in Europe. With a beautifully preserved Old Town, Prague deserves its nickname: the Golden City of a Hundred Spires. Nightly Business Report Chicago Tonight [R]

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman 7:30 Mike Leonard’s “Nothing Special” Local documentarian Mike Leonard (The Ride of Our Lives, Old St. Patrick’s Church: A Chicago Renaissance Story) visits the Wilmette Sports Shop and takes a funny look at a family tradition; offers a retrospective of ordinary Americans who donated extraordinary trees to Rockefeller Center; introduces us to two American characters who engage in coffee shop repartee about “nothing special” and offer witty social commentary reminiscent of Larry David; and much more. 8:00 Check, Please! Forbidden Root, Miss Saigon, Sofi Host Catherine De Orio welcomes three new guest-reviewers: Clare Lane, who loves Forbidden Root in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood; Daniel Nguyen, who chose the Uptown eatery Miss Saigon, and Mary Zavett, whose pick is Sofi in Printer’s Row. 8:30 European Christmas Markets Discover Europe’s Christmas Markets, where the town center, market square, or just the narrow, cobblestone streets of the cities and towns of Europe come alive in winter with festively decorated wooden stalls offering all sorts of treats and delights, as the Kingston Trio provides special folk arrangements of traditional Christmas carols. 9:00 Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Rolando Villazon 10:00 Lidia Celebrates America: Homegrown Heroes Join Lidia Bastianich to celebrate our homegrown heroes – veterans who now cultivate the land they fought to defend. For many vets, farming is therapy for the wounds of war. Lidia farms and cooks with them, then gathers with them for a holiday dinner. 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman [R]

In the Spotlight Saturday 16

11:00 The Great British Baking Show: Christmas Masterclass See Thurs. Dec. 14 at 8:00 pm. [R]

EARLY MORNING 12:00 Charlie Rose 1:00 Tavis Smiley 1:30 Nature: Soul of the Elephant See Wed. Dec. 13 at 8:00 pm. [R] 2:30 Supernature: Wild Flyers – Defying Gravity (Part 1 of 3) See Wed. Dec. 13 at 10:00 pm. [R] 3:30 Is Your Brain Male or Female? See Thurs. Dec. 14 at 10:00 pm. [R] 4:30 Nightly Business Report 5:00 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman [R]

AFTERNOON 12:00 Cook’s Country: When Only Chocolate Will Do 12:30 A Chef’s Life: Holiday Special See Thurs. Dec. 14 at 9:00 pm. [R] 1:30 Simply Ming: Tiffani Faison 2:00 America’s Test Kitchen from Cook’s Illustrated: Summer Dinner Party 2:30 America’s Test Kitchen from Cook’s Illustrated: Outsmarting Thanksgiving 3:00 Martha Stewart’s Cooking School: Sweets 3:30 Martha Bakes: Better (For You) Bake Sale 4:00 Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television: Crazy Noodles 4:30 Check, Please! Forbidden Root, Miss Saigon, Sofi See Fri. Dec. 15 at 8:00 pm. [R] 5:00 Rick Steves’ Europe: Berlin 5:30 Moveable Feast with Fine Cooking

MORNING 5:30-10:00 WTTW Kids 10:00 Sara’s Weeknight Meals: Best-Loved Italian Recipes 10:30 Ellie’s Real Good Food: How to Fish

Photo: Chloe Hamilton

In the Spotlight

Ashley Wheater with Anais Bueno

Making a New American Nutcracker In 2016, Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet gave the work an ingenious makeover and a new setting: the fairgrounds of Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Now, WTTW takes you behind the scenes to reveal how it was made and introduce the A-list creative talents who made it happen. They and many of the performers share anecdotes about the process and recall their first experiences either seeing or performing in The Nutcracker.

Saturday, December 16, 10:00 pm Saturday, December 23, 7:00 pm For full schedule, visit wttw.com/schedule.

EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour Weekend 6:30 Washington Week 7:00 Mr. Stink This holiday special from the U.K. is based on David Walliams’ bestselling book, telling the story of Chloe, a lonely little girl who meets the malodorous tramp Mr. Stink (Hugh Bonneville) and his clever dog Duchess, and lets them live in the family’s garden shed. 8:00 Father Brown: The Hand of Lucia When a local writer is murdered, Father Brown must delve into her infamous novel Lulu and Lucia for inspiration. 9:00 Death in Paradise (Season 3, Part 4 of 8) DI Goodman and his team are introduced to the jet-setting world of airline pilots and cabin crew when an air stewardess is discovered murdered. Will Humphrey and his team manage to unravel the mysteries at the heart of this seemingly impossible murder? 10:00 Making a New American Nutcracker 11:00 The Great British Baking Show: Christmas Masterclass [R]

Sunday 17 EARLY MORNING 12:00 A Chef’s Life: Holiday Special [R] 1:00 Is Your Brain Male or Female? [R] 2:00 Lidia Celebrates America: Homegrown Heroes See Fri. Dec. 15 at 10:00 pm. [R] 3:00 Mr. Stink See Sat. Dec. 16 at 7:00 pm. [R]

4:00

Nature: Soul of the Elephant [R]

MORNING 5:00-11:00 WTTW Kids 11:00 Pati’s Mexican Table 11:30 My Greek Table with Diane Kochilas: Santorini – Flavors of a Volcano AFTERNOON 12:00 Check, Please! Forbidden Root, Miss Saigon, Sofi [R] 12:30 Lidia’s Kitchen: A Special Occasion Lidia shares some of her best recipes for the perfect holiday feast. 1:00 Pritzker Military Presents: James Holland – The Allies Strike Back Author James Holland returns to the Pritzker Military Museum & Library to discuss the second book in his acclaimed War in the West trilogy on World War II. 2:00 To be announced EVENING 6:00 Making a New American Nutcracker See Sat. Dec. 16 at 10:00 pm. [R] 7:00 Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special (Part 1 of 2) Caroline’s new headmistress position involves moving the family to a ramshackle farmhouse in time for Christmas. Alan has a difficult conversation with Gillian, who’s consumed by thoughts of the afterlife, convinced she’s being haunted by Eddie. 8:00 Victoria on Masterpiece: Doll 123 (Season 1, Part 1 of 7) As a new queen, the young Victoria struggles to take charge amid plots to manipulate her. Her friendship with the prime minister leads to a crisis in Parliament. 10:00 Marley’s Ghosts (Season 1, Part 2 of 3) The ghosts are still in residence at Marley’s home, and they’re driving her up the wall and out of the house. 10:30 Check, Please! Forbidden Root, Miss Saigon, Sofi [R] 11:00 Austin City Limits: Ryan Adams/Shakey Graves Enjoy intimate performances from singer/songwriters Ryan Adams and Shakey Graves. Adams performs a special acoustic set of hits and deep cuts. Graves showcases his latest effort, And the War Came.

Monday 18 EARLY MORNING 12:00 Death in Paradise (Season 3, Part 4 of 8) See Sat. Dec. 16 at 9:00 pm. [R] 1:00 Father Brown: The Hand of Lucia See Sat. Dec. 16 at 8:00 pm. [R]

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special This series continues the story of childhood sweethearts, reunited after nearly 60 years apart, as they and their families negotiate the highs and lows of life and relationships. In this two-part special, Caroline’s new headmistress position involves moving the family to a ramshackle farmhouse just in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, Alan has a difficult conversation with Gillian, who’s consumed by thoughts of the afterlife, convinced she’s being haunted by her late husband Eddie.

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2:00 3:00 4:00 4:30 5:00

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Making a New American Nutcracker [R] Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special (Part 1 of 2) See Sun. Dec. 17 at 7:00 pm. [R] European Christmas Markets See Fri. Dec. 15 at 8:30 pm. [R] Check, Please! Forbidden Root, Miss Saigon, Sofi [R] P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home: Leaders in the Field Join P. Allen Smith as he learns a thing or two from gardeners, chefs, and designers who are leading the pack in their field and are anything but traditional. Martha Stewart’s Cooking School: Sweets [R]

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 Antiques Roadshow: Richmond (Part 2 of 3) Highlights include a 1765 Thomas Pitts silver epergne valued at $15,000 to $50,000,

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In the Spotlight 4:30 5:00

Nightly Business Report Chicago Tonight [R]

MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids

Wheaton College Christmas Festival: Love Divine This new special draws tells the story of a long-awaited child – a king of glory born into the humblest of circumstances, a story that changed human history. Join the Wheaton College Concert Choir, Men’s Glee Club, Percussion Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Women’s Chorale, and guest artist Claire Holley for a selection of pieces spanning the centuries, including “Wolcum Yole,” “A Rhapsody on Christmas Carols,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and “Gloria.”

Thursday, December 21, 8:00 pm

and a Tiffany & Co. brooch, ca. 1937, valued at $65,000. 9:00 Antiques Roadshow: Richmond (Part 3 of 3) Highlights include a collection of Langston Hughes-signed first editions and a 1935 Bride of Frankenstein pressbook, featuring many of the graphics used for the film’s top posters. 10:00 Independent Lens: Supergirl Meet Naomi, a seemingly ordinary Orthodox Jewish preteen from New Jersey whose extraordinary talent – breaking world powerlifting records turns her into an international phenomenon in this unique coming-of-age story. 11:30 BBC World News

Tuesday 19 EARLY MORNING 12:00 Chicago Tonight [R] 1:00 Charlie Rose 2:00 Tavis Smiley 2:30 Victoria on Masterpiece: Doll 123 (Season 1, Part 1 of 7) See Sun. Dec. 17 at 8:00 pm. [R] 12

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EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Funny Business Comedic guests Garrison Keillor, Amy Schumer, and Aziz Ansari take a serious look at their family trees, learning contrasting stories of assimilation, independence, hardship, and success all over the globe. 9:00 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: The Impression Comedian Larry David and politician Bernie Sanders discover they have more in common than they thought as they trace their roots from 1940s Brooklyn back to Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. 10:00 Frontline 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

Wednesday 20 EARLY MORNING 12:30 Charlie Rose 1:30 Tavis Smiley 2:00 Antiques Roadshow: Richmond (Part 3 of 3) See Mon. Dec. 18 at 9:00 pm. [R] 3:00 Independent Lens: Supergirl See Mon. Dec. 18 at 10:00 pm. [R] 4:30 Nightly Business Report 5:00 Chicago Tonight [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 Nature: The Story of Cats Asia to Africa (Part 1 of 2) Discover how the first cats arose in the forests of Asia, how they spread across the continent, and later came to conquer Africa. We reveal how cats evolved with an in-depth look at lions, servals, caracals, cheetahs, tigers, fishing, and sand cats. 9:00 NOVA: Bird Brain Long mocked as empty-headed, birds hide surprisingly acute intelligence. But just how smart are they? As scientists test avian aptitude with brainteasers, discover how the genius of birds is leading us to rethink our basic notions of intelligence. 10:00 Supernature: Wild Flyers – Masters of the Sky (Part 2 of 3) Explore the extremes of true flight: power, acceleration, top

speed, maneuverability, and endurance. 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

Thursday 21 EARLY MORNING 12:30 Charlie Rose 1:30 Tavis Smiley 2:00 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Funny Business See Tues. Dec. 19 at 8:00 pm. [R] 3:00 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: The Impression See Tues. Dec. 19 at 9:00 pm. [R] 4:00 Marley’s Ghosts (Season 1, Part 2 of 3) See Sun. Dec. 17 at 10:00 pm. [R] 4:30 Nightly Business Report 5:00 Chicago Tonight [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 Wheaton College Christmas Festival: Love Divine 9:00 Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Rolando Villazon See Fri. Dec. 15 at 9:00 pm. [R] 10:00 Christmas in Norway with the St. Olaf Choir This Christmas special was filmed in Trondheim, Norway’s magnificent Nidaros Dom cathedral, one of the oldest Gothic cathedrals in the world. Featured performers include the renowned voices of the St. Olaf Choir, the premier mixed voice choral ensemble from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, conducted by Anton Armstrong and Jentekor, the girl choir of Nidaros conducted by Anita Brevik. 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight [R]

Friday 22 EARLY MORNING 12:30 Charlie Rose 1:30 Tavis Smiley 2:00 Nature: The Story of Cats - Asia to Africa (Part 1 of 2) See Wed. Dec. 20 at 8:00 pm. [R] 3:00 NOVA: Bird Brain See Wed. Dec. 20 at 9:00 pm. [R] 4:00 Mike Leonard’s “Nothing Special” See Fri. Dec. 15 at 7:30 pm. [R] 4:30 Nightly Business Report 5:00 Chicago Tonight [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman

7:30

Mike Leonard’s “Nothing Special” This year, Mike enlists his family in folly, giving grandchildren free rein of the holiday lighting. More joy in giving is shown through Top Box volunteers, the old-fashioned customer care of Wilmette Sports Shop, and a nostalgic but botched “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” 8:00 Check, Please! Simi’s, Cellar Door Provisions, Mexique Catherine’s guests are Don Heider, who chose Simi’s in West Rogers Park; Chinwe Okorafor, who loves the Logan Square eatery Cellar Door Provisions; and Kristin Nehls, who picked Mexique in the Noble Square/ West Town neighborhood. 8:30 Christmas on the Danube This special travels the majestic Danube River as it passes through stunning European landscape, history, and culture, visiting cities along the Danube that are particularly spectacular at Christmas. 9:00 Christmas at Belmont Join Grammy-winning host Sheryl Crow and almost 700 student musicians, Belmont School of Music faculty, and the Nashville Children’s Choir for a production of traditional carols, classical masterworks, world music, and lighthearted seasonal favorites. 10:00 Eric Idle’s The Entire Universe 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman [R]

Saturday 23 EARLY MORNING 12:00 Charlie Rose 1:00 Tavis Smiley 1:30 Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: The Impression [R] 2:30 Supernature: Wild Flyers – Masters of the Sky (Part 2 of 3) See Wed. Dec. 20 at 10:00 pm. [R] 3:30 Last Tango In Halifax Holiday Special [R] 4:30 Nightly Business Report 5:00 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review with Joel Weisman [R] MORNING 5:30-10:00 WTTW Kids 10:00 Sara’s Weeknight Meals: Beantown 10:30 Ellie’s Real Good Food: Desserts with Benefits 11:00 The Great British Baking Show: Christmas Masterclass AFTERNOON 12:00 Cook’s Country: The Italian-American Kitchen

In the Spotlight 12:30 Cook’s Country: Big Flavors from Little Italy 1:00 A Chef’s Life: Chasing Trout 1:30 Simply Ming: Matthew Peters 2:00 America’s Test Kitchen from Cook’s Illustrated: Summer Pork Supper 2:30 America’s Test Kitchen from Cook’s Illustrated: Korean Feast 3:00 Martha Stewart’s Cooking School: Cooking with Grains 3:30 Martha Bakes: BakeryStyle Cookies 4:00 Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television: Japan Fried Chicken 4:30 Check, Please! Simi’s, Cellar Door Provisions, Mexique See Fri. Dec. 22 at 8:00 pm. [R] 5:00 Rick Steves Special: European Christmas See Sat. Dec. 9 at 4:00 pm. [R] 5:30 Moveable Feast with Fine Cooking EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour Weekend 6:30 Washington Week 7:00 Making a New American Nutcracker [R] 8:00 Father Brown: The Eagle and the Daw Father Brown visits a women’s prison to hear confession from a woman waiting to be hanged for the murder of her husband. Under the seal of the confessional, she tells him that she’s arranged the death of her former lover. 9:00 Death in Paradise (Season 3, Part 5 of 8) DI Goodman and his team are drawn into the world of politics when Saint-Marie’s scandalized Commerce Minister is discovered dead. Out of the blue, Camille’s father turns out to have a link to the victim, and she is forced to confront the fact that her dad could be the murderer. 10:00 Victoria on Masterpiece: Doll 123 (Season 1, Part 1 of 7) [R]

Sunday 24 Christmas Eve EARLY MORNING 12:00 Antiques Roadshow: Richmond (Part 2 of 3) See Mon. Dec. 18 at 8:00 pm. [R] 1:00 Frontline See Tues. Dec. 19 at 10:00 pm. [R] 2:00 Eric Idle’s The Entire Universe See Fri. Dec. 22 at 10:00 pm. [R] 3:00 Rick Steves Special: European Christmas [R] 4:00 Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Rolando Villazon [R] MORNING 5:00-11:00 WTTW Kids

11:00 Pati’s Mexican Table 11:30 My Greek Table with Diane Kochilas: Life of Pie AFTERNOON 12:00 Check, Please! Simi’s, Cellar Door Provisions, Mexique [R] 12:30 Lidia’s Kitchen: The Roast Today’s menu includes red onions stuffed with rice; a roast pork shoulder with roast vegetable sauce; and a brown sugar, bourbon, and warm baked pineapple served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 1:00 Making a New American Nutcracker [R] 2:00 Christmas in Christ Chapel at Gustavus More than 300 students, faculty, and staff bring this program to life each year through the use of music, dance, spoken word, and the visual arts. The theme for the concert is “Ubuntu, Jesu: From the Cradle of Humankind to the Ends of the Earth.” 3:00 Christmas at Concordia: Gather Us In, O Child of Peace Under the artistic leadership of world-renowned composer and conductor Rene Claussen, 400 student musicians perform music including traditional favorites such as “Silent Night” and “I Saw Three Ships” to an original composition by Rene Claussen. 4:00 St. Thomas Christmas: So Bright the Star Recorded before a live audience at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis, this program celebrates the Advent and Christmas season by drawing from a songbook of familiar traditional carols and innovative contemporary selections. 5:00 Festival of Carols with Sylvia McNair Grammy-winning soprano Sylvia McNair joins the 150-voice Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and the Chamber Orchestra at The Palladium at The Center for The Performing Arts for the 25th anniversary of this holiday favorite, which includes familiar carol classics such as “Joy to the World,” “The First Noel,” and “O Holy Night.” EVENING 6:00 Wheaton College Christmas Festival: Love Divine See Thurs. Dec. 21 at 8:00 pm. [R] 7:00 Last Tango In Halifax Holiday Special (Part 2 of 2) Caroline tells Gillian the truth about why she took the new headmistress position. Gillian’s mounting guilt over Eddie’s death drives her to make a life-changing decision. 8:00 Victoria on Masterpiece: Brocket Hall (Season 1, Part 2 of 7) Facing rioters and suitors, Victoria grows

into her royal role. As she ponders marriage, her friendship with Lord Melbourne grows more complex. 9:00 Victoria on Masterpiece: The Clockwork Prince (Season 1, Part 3 of 7) Albert pays a visit against the queen’s wishes and meets royal disdain. Where could it possibly lead? Meanwhile, the mystery of Miss Skerrett’s past deepens. 10:00 Christmas at Belmont See Fri. Dec. 22 at 9:00 pm. [R] 11:00 Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Rolando Villazon [R]

Monday 25 Christmas Day EARLY MORNING 12:00 Christmas in Norway with the St. Olaf Choir See Thurs. Dec. 21 at 10:00 pm. [R] 1:00 Death in Paradise (Season 3, Part 5 of 8) See Sat. Dec. 23 at 9:00 pm. [R] 2:00 Father Brown: The Eagle and the Daw See Sat. Dec. 23 at 8:00 pm. [R] 3:00 Festival of Carols with Sylvia McNair See Sun. Dec. 24 at 5:00 pm. [R] 4:00 Wheaton College Christmas Festival: Love Divine [R] 5:00 Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Rolando Villazon [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Antiques Roadshow: Naughty or Nice Highlights from this special holiday compendium of favorites from previous seasons includes an 1863 Temperance lithograph illustrating the evils of imbibing spirits, and a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the film Some Like It Hot valued at $150,000 to $250,000. 8:00 Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2017 9:30 In Their Own Words: Queen Elizabeth II Follow Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkable life, from her youth to her uncle’s abdication, her father’s coronation as King George VI, her experience during World War II, her sudden ascension to the throne, and her eventful reign of more than 60 years. 10:30 Independent Lens: Meet the Patels Ravi Patel is almost 30 and still single, and his tradition-minded Hindu family is not happy. After he breaks up with his white girlfriend, he enters the semi-arranged marriage system in America.

Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2017 This new holiday special opens with Poplar under a thick blanket of snow, as the midwives face the challenge of the coldest winter in the United Kingdom in 300 years. That winter – commonly referred to as the Big Freeze of 1963 – saw temperatures plunge to record lows; the whole country was brought to a standstill due to the severe weather. Battling snow, ice, power shortages and frozen pipes, the midwives strive to provide the best possible care for their patients. Valerie helps a young couple who experience a traumatic birth and Sister Julienne tries to reunite a family.

Monday, December 25, 8:00 pm

Tuesday 26 EARLY MORNING 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 Last Tango In Halifax Holiday Special (Part 2 of 2) See Sun. Dec. 24 at 7:00 pm. [R] 1:30 Charlie Rose 2:30 Tavis Smiley 3:00 Death in Paradise (Season 3, Part 5 of 8) [R] 4:00 Christmas on the Danube See Fri. Dec. 22 at 8:30 pm. [R] 4:30 Nightly Business Report 5:00 In Their Own Words: Queen Elizabeth II See Mon. Dec. 25 at 9:30 pm. [R] MORNING-AFTERNOON 6:00-6:00 WTTW Kids EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Secret Life of Babies The first three years are the most important of a human’s entire life - it’s when we learn to walk, talk, and socialize. But as an adult, baby behavior is both mystifying and 2017

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Joseph Smith: American Prophet

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Your Health: A Sacred Matter

11-3 Focus on Europe Antiques Roadshow Nature Chicago Tonight

11-2 David Letterman: The Mark Twain Prize (5:30)

11-3 Chaplains

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Masterpiece Mystery: Miss Marple Forever Painless With Miranda Esmonde-White Chicago Tonight Doctor Blake Mysteries

11-2 Real Rail Adventures: Swiss Winter Magic

11-3 ADD and Loving It?!

11-1 PBS NewsHour

11-2 Articulate with Jim …

Frontline

Ask This Old House

Africa’s Great Civilizations

11-2 Motorweek

11-3 Africa’s Great …

11-2 Finding Your Roots

Africa’s Great Civilizations

Mike Leonard

Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler

Frontline

11-2 Motorweek

Ask This Old House

The Week in Review

11-1 PBS NewsHour

11-3 Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler

Supernature - Wild Flyers

Doctor Blake Mysteries

11-3 NOVA

Baby Makes 3

Independent Lens

11-2 Articulate with Jim …

European Christmas … Masterpiece Mystery: Greenshaw’s Folly

11-2 Christmas on …

11-3 Independent Lens Chicago Tonight

Chicago Tonight

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Americ ReFramed

Mind of a Chef

Check, Please!

11-2 Around the Corner

11-3 Doc World

Wisconsin Foodie

Chicago Tonight

11-1 PBS NewsHour

NOVA

11-2 Rick Steves Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine

Chicago Tonight

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Rick Steves

This is Bob Hope: American Masters

11-3 Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine

Antiques Roadshow

11-2 Pioneers of Television

Charlie Rose

Pioneers of Television

Stories from the Stage

Miss Fisher Mysteries

Adventists

Washington Week

Check, Please!

Quietest Place on Earth

To be announced

NOVA

PBS NewsHour

Secrets of the Manor House

Finding Your Roots

PBS NewsHour

Wildest Islands

Doc World

Globe Trekker

Charlie Rose

PBS NewsHour

BBC Newsnight

Focus on Europe

European Christmas … Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

PBS NewsHour

Forsyte Saga

A Chef’s Life: Holiday Special

PBS NewsHour

Masterpiece Mystery: Dead Man’s Folly The Great British Baking Show: Christmas …

Frontline

Nature

American Mosque

Making a New American Nutcracker

Finding Your Roots

Local USA

Nature

The Jewish Journey: America

My Wild Affair

America ReFramed

Richard Pryor: Icon

PBS NewsHour

BBC Newsnight

PBS NewsHour

Forsyte Saga

PBS NewsHour

Focus on Europe

Cat’s Attic: Yusef Cat Stevens

PBS NewsHour

Masterpiece Mystery: Poirot

Africa’s Great Civilizations

Washington Week

Miss Fisher Mysteries

The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer

11-3 Chaplains

11-1 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer (5:00)

11-3 Africa’s Great …

Frontline

Africa’s Great Civilizations

To be announced

The Week in Review

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Pioneers of Television

Beyond a Year in Space

11-1 To be announced

Age Reversed with Miranda Esmonde-White

To be announced

Secrets of Underground London

Pavlo Live in Kastoria

Wildest Islands

Doc World

Globe Trekker

To be anounced

PBS NewsHour

Stories from the Stage

Focus on Europe

9:30 pm

Class of ’27: America ReFramed

Nature

The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer

11-3 Beyond a Year in Space NOVA

Baby Makes 3

Chicago Tonight

To be anounced

Local USA

Finding Your Roots

Penguins: Spy in the Huddle

Brit Floyd: The World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Show Live

America ReFramed

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Prime Suspect: Tennison

Pavlo Live in Kastoria

Hamilton’s America

11-3 Mindfulness Goes Mainstream

Chicago Tonight Check, Please!

Wisconsin Foodie

11-1 PBS NewsHour

11-2 Around the Corner

Rick Steves NOVA 11-2 Rick Steves 11-3 Brainfit: 50 Ways to Grow Your Brain with Dr. Daniel Amen & Tana Amen, RN

Victoria Returns

11-1 Celtic Women: Homecoming - Ireland (5:00)

BBC Newsnight PBS NewsHour

David Letterman: The Mark Twain Prize

Charlie Rose

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Asia Insight

Overheard

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Jay’s Chicago

Focus on Europe

Jay’s Chicago

To be anounced

Global 3000

Jay’s Chicago

To be anounced

To the Contrary

Asia Insight

Overheard

Scully/The World

Jay’s Chicago

Chicago Tonight

Focus on Europe

Global 3000

To the Contrary

Scully/The World

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The Week in Review

Asia Insight

Overheard

Lidia Celebrates America: Homegrown Heroes

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Chicago Tonight

Is Your Brain Male or Female?

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Supernature: Wild Flyers

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Frontline

Nightly Business …

Crisis of Faith

America’s Ballroom Challenge

To be announced

Mindfulness Goes Mainstream

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nightly Business …

The Week in Review

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Stateless

America’s Ballroom Challenge

Navajo Math Circles

Bill Murray: The Mark Twain Prize

Nightly Business …

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’60s Pop, Rock and Soul

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See page 6 for highlights and to learn more about how to watch WTTW 11 (11–1), WTTW Prime (11–2), and WTTW Create/WTTW WORLD (11–3). 8:30 pm

An Evening with the HistoryMakers: Chicago Stories

Jay Leno: The Mark Twain Prize

Global 3000

Great Performances: Hit Man - David Foster and Friends

11-1 The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer (4:30)

Stateless

Washington Week

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week

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11-3 The Vietnam War: The Weight of Memory

11-2 Motorweek

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Antiques Roadshow Nature Chicago Tonight A Year in Space

11-2 Pioneers of Television

11-3 Three Faiths, One God

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Check, Please!

11-2 Around the Corner

Making a New American Nutcracker

St. Thomas Christmas: So Bright the Star Nature Antiques Roadshow NOVA

11-2 Death in Paradise

11-3 Three Faiths, One God

11-1 PBS NewsHour

11-2 Rick Steves

Check, Please!

11-2 Around the Corner

Washington Week

Global 3000

11-3 Monks of Vina

11-2 Downton Abbey Marathon

11-1 To be announced

11-3 Focus on Europe

11-2 Downton Abbey Marathon

11-1 PBS NewsHour Wknd.

Nature

Victoria on Masterpiece

This is Bob Hope: American Masters

Young Hyacinth

Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler

Frontline

11-2 Motorweek

Ask This Old House

Food of Chicago: A Delicious History

11-3 Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler

Supernature - Wild Flyers

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Doctor Blake Mysteries

11-2 Articulate with Jim …

11-3 NOVA

Navy Pier: A Century of Reinvention

Independent Lens

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Baby Makes 3

Young Hyacinth

11-2 Vicious

Vicious

Antiques Roadshow

11-1 PBS NewsHour

11-3 Jewish Film Showcase

America ReFramed

11-3 Doc World

Mind of a Chef

Secret Life of Babies

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Wisconsin Foodie

Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine

11-3 Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine

Rick Steves

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special

Tolkien & Lewis: Myth, Imagination & the …

11-1 Wheaton College Christmas Festival

Pioneers of Television

Global 3000

11-2 Finding Your Roots

11-3 Focus on Europe

Washington Week

11-1 PBS NewsHour Wknd.

Mike Leonard

Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler

Frontline

11-2 Motorweek

Ask This Old House

The Week in Review

11-1 PBS NewsHour

11-3 Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler

Supernature - Wild Flyers

Doctor Blake Mysteries

Baby Makes 3

11-2 Articulate with Jim …

11-3 NOVA

Mike Leonard

Masterpiece Mystery: Miss Marple

Marley’s Ghosts

Independent Lens

11-2 Vicious

11-3 Independent Lens Chicago Tonight

Chicago Tonight

11-1 PBS NewsHour

America ReFramed

11-3 Doc World

Mind of a Chef

Chicago Tonight

11-1 PBS NewsHour

Wisconsin Foodie

Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine

11-3 Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine

Rick Steves

Last Tango in Halifax Holiday Special

Buddha

7:30 pm

11-1 Making a New American Nutcracker

Pioneers of Television

Global 3000

Mr. Stink

7:00 pm

11-2 Finding Your Roots

Washington Week

6:30 pm

11-3 Focus on Europe

11-1 PBS NewsHour Wknd.

Father Brown (8:24)

Stories from the Stage

8:30 pm

Charlie Rose

Christmas on the …

Stories from the Stage

Charlie Rose

Focus on Europe

America ReFramed

Death in Paradise

PBS NewsHour

BBC Newsnight

11-2 is WTTW Prime

POV Marathon

Scully/The World

Focus on Europe

Global 3000

To the Contrary

Asia Insight

Overheard

Victoria on Masterpiece

Christmas at Belmont

Faith in the Big House

Nightly Business …

Over Hawai’i

Scully/The World

Hidden … (10:25)

Focus on Europe

Global 3000

Asia Insight

Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer

Victoria on Masterpiece

Nightly Business …

Downton Abbey Marathon

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Supernature: Wild Flyers

Nightly Business …

Tales From the Royal Bedchamber

To the Contrary

Independent Lens

Our American Family

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Victoria on Masterpiece

Nightly Business …

The Week in Review

Eric Idle’s The Entire Universe

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Christmas in Norway

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Supernature: Wild Flyers

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Frontline

Nightly Business …

Chicago Tonight

Independent Lens

Fire in the Forest

11-3 is WTTW Create and WORLD

Billy Joel: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize

Focus on Europe

American Mosque Check, Please!

America’s Ballroom Challenge

Marley’s Ghosts

Mystery Science Theater 3000

In Their Own Words: Queen Elizabeth II

This is Bob Hope: American Masters

PBS NewsHour

Death in Paradise

NOVA

PBS NewsHour

Victoria on Masterpiece

10:30 pm

Making a New American Nutcracker

10:00 pm

Secrets of Spanish Florida: A Secrets of the Dead Special

PBS NewsHour

Wildest Islands

Doc World

Christmas at Concordia, Gather Us In …

Victoria on Masterpiece

America ReFramed

Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration

Death in Paradise

PBS NewsHour

BBC Newsnight

Christmas at Belmont

PBS NewsHour

Wheaton College Christmas Festival

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

PBS NewsHour

Death in Paradise (9:09)

NOVA

PBS NewsHour

Finding Your Roots

PBS NewsHour

Wildest Islands

Antiques Roadshow

Doc World

Globe Trekker

America ReFramed

11-1 is WTTW Channel 11

The Sultan and the Saint

9:30 pm

Robin Williams Remembered

Death in Paradise

9:00 pm

Live From Lincoln Center: New York Philharmonic New Year’s Eve

Father Brown

Blueprint: The Story of Adventist Education

Washington Week

Monks of Vina

Jewel in the Crown

Hidden Chicago (9:10)

Father Brown

Nature

Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer

Victoria on Masterpiece

The Sultan and the Saint

Local USA

Nature

Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2017

Finding Your Roots

Wheaton College Christmas Festival

Victoria on Masterpiece

American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr …

Pioneers of Television

Father Brown

Adventists 2

Washington Week

Check, Please!

Let There Be Light

Miss Fisher Mysteries

Wheaton College Christmas Festival

Frontline

Nature

Faith in the Big House

Victoria on Masterpiece

Finding Your Roots

Local USA

Beyond A Year in Space

Antiques Roadshow

Finding Your Roots

My Wild Affair

Victoria on Masterpiece

Pioneers of Television

Father Brown

8:00 pm

DECEMBER

2017

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