PROGRAM LISTINGS: December 18 - December 24, 2011

Arts, Drama, Culture

MASTERPIECE CLASSIC
Downton Abbey, Part 1 of 4
Sun., Dec. 18, 7:00 pm
Encore
Created by Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), the four-part series Downton Abbey depicts the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in 1912. It features an all-star cast including Hugh Bonneville (Miss Austen Regrets), Dame Maggie Smith (Harry Potter) and Elizabeth McGovern.

In the first episode, Lord Grantham loses his immediate heirs when the Titanic goes down and his daughter Mary loses her fiancé, throwing Downton Abbey and its servants into turmoil. The new heir turns out to be Matthew, a lowly lawyer with novel ideas about country life.

MASTERPIECE CLASSIC
Downton Abbey, Part 2 of 4
Sun., Dec. 18, 8:30 pm
Encore
In the second episode, Mary entertains three suitors, including a Turkish diplomat whose boldness leads to a surprising event. Downstairs, the shocking former life of Carson, the butler, is unmasked and Bates risks his health to remain valet.

LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
Sun., Dec. 18, 10:00 pm
Encore
New York City Ballet's beloved holiday favorite, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, is presented from Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater. Set to Tchaikovsky's glorious score, Balanchine's The Nutcracker features New York City Ballet's entire roster of more than 150 dancers and musicians, as well as two alternating casts of 50 children from the School of American Ballet, the New York City Ballet's official school. In addition to Balanchine's choreography, the seminal work features scenery by Rouben Ter-Arutunian, costumes by Karinska and lighting by Mark Stanley, after the original design by Ronald Bates.

NA MELE: TRADITIONS IN HAWAIIAN SONG
Na Palapalai
Mon., Dec. 19, 7:30 pm
Encore
Hoku Award-winning high energy trio Na Palapalai brings their falsetto style of Hawaiian music to the PBS Hawaii Studios in Manoa in this special encore presentation.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
Forever Young
Mon., Dec. 19, 8:00 pm
New
This episode is a celebration of objects for the young and the young at heart. As the show's lovingly preserved appraisals prove, it's not only toys and teddy bears that capture the spirit of youth. Highlights include original art for a Dr. Seuss lunchbox; a child's shoe autographed by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig; and a colorful embroidered silk picture, sewn by the owner's great-great-great-aunt in 1819, at the age of 15, valued at $60,000 to $80,000.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
Big & Little
Mon., Dec. 19, 9:00 pm
Encore
This episode proves good things come in small - and gigantic - packages. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW looks high and low through its archive of appraisals for unusually teeny treasures and outsize objects, from an heirloom five-carat diamond ring valued at $40,000 to $50,000 to a wall-sized painting by noted American artist John Fery, estimated to be worth $20,000 to $30,000.

AMERICAN MASTERS
Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter
Mon., Dec. 19, 10:00 pm
New
From 1941 to 1978, the husband-and-wife team of Ray and Charles Eames brought unique talents to their partnership. He was an architect by training; she was a painter and sculptor. Together, they are considered America's most important and influential designers, whose work literally helped shape the second half of the 20th century and remains culturally vital and commercially popular today. The Eames are, perhaps, best remembered for their mid-century modern furniture, built from novel materials like molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent metal wire and aluminum - offering consumers beautiful, functional, yet inexpensive products. Revered for their designs and fascinating as individuals, the Eames have risen to iconic status in American culture, but their influence on significant events and movements in American life - from the development of modernism to the rise of the computer age - has been less widely understood.

LONG STORY SHORT WITH LESLIE WILCOX
Nake'u Awai
Tues., Dec. 20, 7:30 pm
Encore
Leslie Wilcox talks story with Nake'u Awai, a Kalihi-based clothing designer renowned for his timeless and unique island wear. Nake'u initially pursued an entertainment career that led him to Broadway and Hollywood. Eventually he returned home, where he found his calling in fashion design. For three decades, Nake'u's creative Hawaiian prints and equally stunning fashion shows have wowed clientele throughout the islands.

This program is available in high-definition and will be rebroadcast on Wed., Dec. 21, at 11:00 pm and Sun. Dec. 25, at 4:00 pm.

LIDIA CELEBRATES AMERICA
Holiday Tables & Traditions
Tues., Dec. 20, 8:00 pm
Sat., Dec. 24, 5:00 pm
New
Celebrity chef, author and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich celebrates culture through food. Join her for an Italian Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes with actors Mo Rocca and Stanley Tucci; a Mexican-American Christmas Day with four generations of the Cortez family in San Antonio, Texas; a Chinese New Year feast and celebration with the Fong-Torres family; and a Jewish-American Passover seder with the Russ family of the famed specialty shop Russ and Daughters and food author Ruth Reichl.

Christmas at St. Olaf: Rejoice, Give Thanks and Sing
Tues., Dec. 20, 9:00 pm
Fri., Dec. 23, 10:00 pm
Sat., Dec. 24, 9:00 pm
New
This new production of one of the nation's most highly acclaimed annual musical celebration marks the 100th anniversary of the annual Christmas Festival from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Featuring St. Olaf's renowned choirs and orchestra, the program's rich blending of compositions will highlight selections from previous Christmas Festivals, including excerpts from R.V. Williams Hodie. Additionally, this centennial performance will debut newly commissioned works by American composers André J. Thomas and David N. Childs.

L.A. Holiday Celebration 2010
Tues., Dec. 20, 10:00 pm
Sat., Dec. 24, 10:00 pm
Encore
This program features highlights from the Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration that took place in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center on Christmas Eve 2009. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has sponsored an admission-free holiday-themed show as a gift to the people of the county every December 24 since 1960. Attendance has become a seasonal tradition for many Angelenos. The 1,000-1,500 performers participating in the show each year represent a wide variety of cultures and holiday traditions. Performers include Tia Carrere, Little Willie G, Kim Eung Hwa Korean Dance Academy, Philippine Chamber Singers of Los Angeles and Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Discover Beethoven's Fifth
Tues., Dec. 20, 11:00 pm
Encore
Artistic Director George Marriner Maull and The Discovery Orchestra take viewers on a musical journey to explore the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's masterpiece. Using directed listening, playful banter and audience participation, Maestro Maull and the musicians of The Discovery Orchestra help viewers to recognize, appreciate and understand the compositional elements of Beethoven's iconic 5th Symphony.

LEAHEY & LEAHEY
Wed., Dec. 21, 7:30 pm
New
Jim and Kanoa Leahey, Hawaii's father and son sports reporting duo, prove that the liveliest discussions happen with family and friends at the kitchen table. Join them as they talk story with special guests about "sports and other living things."

This program is available in high-definition and will be rebroadcast on Wed., Dec. 21, at 11:30 pm and on Sun., Dec. 25, at 3:30 pm.

PBS HAWAII PRESENTS
Filmmakers' Forum
Thurs., Dec. 22, 9:00 pm
Encore
Donalyn Dela Cruz hosts a round table discussion with a group of Hawaii filmmakers, each of whom will present a short film produced for and funded by Pacific Islanders in Communications. The films are: Dorothy Mane's A Legacy, which examines domestic violence in the Samoan community; Vincent Lucero's Holomua, a provocative drama about development versus Hawaiian land rights; Sharene and Daniel Boulos' Ipo Lei Manu, a watercolor-style animated depiction of the song by Queen Kapiolani; Lopaka Kapanui's Dreams of a Pagan Tattooed Savage, a surreal exploration of Hawaiian self-identity; and Leah Kihara's I scream, floats & Sunday, a poetic film of self-realization.

INDEPENDENT LENS
The Woodmans
Thurs., Dec. 22, 10:00 pm
New
This film is a fascinating and unflinching portrait of the late photographer Francesca Woodman, told through the young artist's provocative work and remarkably candid interviews with her parents, who have continued their own artistic careers while watching Francesca's professional reputation eclipse their own. With unrestricted access to all of Francesca's photographs, private diaries, and experimental videos, the program traces the story of an unforgettable family broken and then healed by their art.

European Christmas Markets
Thurs., Dec. 22, 11:30 pm
Fri., Dec. 23, 11:00 pm
Encore
Join us in our discovery of Europe's Christmas markets, where the town center, market square, or just the sides of narrow, cobblestone streets come alive in the dark of winter with festively decorated wooden stalls offering hot wine, regional food, Christmas decorations, sweet confections, toys, regional crafts and local entertainment.

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring David Archuleta
Fri., Dec. 23, 9:00 pm
Sat., Dec. 24, 8:00 pm
New
Award-winning pop sensation David Archuleta and Grammy Award nominee Michael York join the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir in an energetic Christmas celebration of magnificent proportion. Recorded before audiences totaling 80,000 people, this spectacular event combines elegant dancing, masterful musical performances and storytelling. Complete with Yuletide favorites such as "Silent Night" and "Joy to the World," the memorable performance also includes unique music such as "Los Pastores a Belén," sung by David Archuleta in Spanish, together with moving organ, choir and orchestra performances.

Christmas at Belmont 2011
Sat., Dec. 24, 7:00 pm
New
In this program, recorded at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tennessee, nearly 700 student musicians join host Laura Bell Bundy, the Belmont School of Music faculty and the Nashville Children's Choir, to present this annual production of traditional carols, classical masterworks, world music and light-hearted seasonal favorites. The program will feature the University Symphony Orchestra, Belmont Chorale, Percussion Ensemble, Musical Theatre, Jazz Ensemble and Bluegrass Ensemble.

Public Affairs

HIKI NŌ The Nation's First Statewide Student News Network
Thurs., Dec. 22, 7:30 pm
New
Students from Kalaheo High School (Windward Oahu) host this episode of HIKI NŌ. Student journalists from Maui High School profile a teacher who participates in the aggressive sport of roller derby. Also in this episode, Kealakehe High School students feature a sanctuary for exotic animals on Hawaii Island.

This week's other featured schools are: H.P. Baldwin High and Maui Waena Intermediate (Maui); and Halau Lokahi, Iolani, Kainalu Elementary and Maryknoll (Oahu).

This HIKI NŌ newscast encores Saturday, Dec. 24 at 12:30 pm and Sunday, Dec. 25 at 3:00 pm. You may also view this newscast and past episodes on our website, www.pbshawaii.org/hikino

INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII
2011: The Year in Review
Thurs., Dec. 22, 8:00 pm
New
On the next INSIGHTS, Dan Boylan and guests will discuss 2011's major news and political events. Throughout the year, Hawaii continued to wrestle with a struggling economy, while Governor Neil Abercrombie and Mayor Peter Carlisle each rode through their first year in office. In 2011, Honolulu also played host to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the state legislature passed the civil union bill and the Board of Education became an appointed cabinet under the governor's office.

Scheduled guests include: Chad Blair, Reporter for Honolulu Civil Beat; Richard Borreca, Political Columnist, Honolulu Star-Advertiser; and Wayne Yoshioka, Political Reporter, Hawaii Public Radio.

We want to hear from you! Your questions and comments are welcome via phone, email, Twitter or live blogging. You may also email your questions ahead of time to insights@pbshawaii.org

WASHINGTON WEEK
Fri., Dec. 23, 7:30 pm
New
For 40 years, WASHINGTON WEEK has delivered the most interesting conversation of the week. The program, hosted by Gwen Ifill, is the longest-running public affairs program on PBS and features a group of journalists participating in roundtable discussion of major news events.

NEED TO KNOW
Fri., Dec. 23, 8:00 pm
New
NEED TO KNOW is a cross-media news and public affairs magazine that culls stories from the best of the week's online reporting, culminating in a one-hour on-air broadcast every Friday night on PBS. The program features documentary-style reports, short features, studio-based interviews and covers five primary news beats: the economy, the environment and energy, health, national security and culture.

THE MCLAUGHLIN GROUP
Fri., Dec. 23, 8:30 pm
New
THE MCLAUGHLIN GROUP is an unscripted forum featuring some of the greatest political analysts in the nation.

Science and Nature

NATURE
Christmas in Yellowstone
Wed., Dec. 21, 8:00 pm
Encore
As snow falls and Christmas lights glow in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a holiday season of a different sort settles in just beyond the town, in the great winter world of Yellowstone. Breathtaking landscapes frame intimate scenes of wolves and coyotes, elk and bison, bears and otters as they make their way through their most challenging season of the year. NATURE journeys in the footsteps of the men who first explored the park, and travels with their modern-day counterpart on his own journey of discovery. From the unique crystals of individual snowflakes to the grand sweep of Yellowstone's Hayden Valley, this is a Christmas like no other.

NOVA
What Darwin Never Knew
Wed., Dec. 21, 9:00 pm
Encore
More than 150 years after of the publication of Darwin's On the Origin of Species, NOVA reveals answers to the riddles that Darwin couldn't explain. Stunning breakthroughs in a new science - nicknamed "evo devo" - are linking the enigma of origins to another of nature's great mysteries: the development of an embryo. To explore this exciting new idea, NOVA takes viewers on a journey from the Galapagos Islands to the Arctic, from the Cambrian explosion of animal forms half a billion years ago to the research labs of today. Here, scientists are finally beginning to crack nature's biggest secrets at the genetic level. And the results are confirming Darwin's insights, while exposing clues to life's breathtaking diversity in ways he could scarcely have imagined.