PROGRAM LISTINGS: January 1 - 7, 2012
Arts, Drama, Culture
GREAT PERFORMANCES
From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2012
Sun., Jan. 1, 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm
New
Legendary star of stage and screen Julie Andrews returns as host of the festive annual New Year's celebration with the Vienna Philharmonic, under the direction of guest conductor Mariss Jansons, at Vienna's Musikverein. The venerable concert is the largest worldwide event in classical music, reaching more than a billion people annually through radio and television in 72 countries. The telecast has been a GREAT PERFORMANCES tradition on PBS since 1985. As is customary with the broadcast, the camera will use several opulent locations in the Musikverein hall itself, and venture outside the hall to visit a picturesque range of Vienna landmarks.
MASTERPIECE CLASSIC
Downton Abbey, Part 4 of 4
Sun., Jan. 1, 8:30 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 this episode, the heir crisis at Downton Abbey takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, rumors fly about Mary's virtue. Her sister Sybil takes a risk in her secret political life. Anna unearths Bates' mysterious past and O'Brien and Thomas plot their exit strategy.
NA MELE: TRADITIONS IN HAWAIIAN SONG
Hawaiian Airlines Presents: Na Mele at Halekulani's House Without A Key
Mon., Jan. 2, 7:30 pm
Encore
NA MELE goes on location to document a traditional, cherished Hawaiian experience. The Halekulani has a special place in the hearts of Hawaii's people and everyone who has spent time there. PBS Hawaii captures a late afternoon at the hotel's House Without a Key with hula dancers Kanoe Miller and Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, and the musical trio Pa'ahana (Pakala Fernandes, Kaipo Kukahiko and Douglas Po'oloa Tolentino).
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
Tulsa, OK, Part 1 of 3
Mon., Jan. 2, 8:00 pm
New
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is turning "sweet sixteen" with a jaw-dropping season premiere from Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the Sooner State, host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Nicholas Lowry head to the Pawnee Bill Ranch to look at some show-stopping Wild West posters. Highlights include a poignant signed note from Mother Teresa to a wood-carver who sent her a walking cane during her final years; a custom model 1894 Winchester rifle that may have been used in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show; and a collection of late 17th/early 18th-century Chinese rhinoceros horn carved libation cups - grabbing the number one spot in the list of all-time highest value ROADSHOW appraisals at $1 to $1.5 million!
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
Tampa, FL, Part 1 of 3
Mon., Jan. 2, 9:00 pm
Encore
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW host Mark L. Walberg joins appraiser David Rago in Tampa's Ybor City, a historic district once known as the "cigar capital of the world," to learn why there's nothing more satisfying than a good cigar collectible. At the Tampa Convention Center, ROADSHOW appraisers discover some smokin' finds, including an autographed scrapbook documenting Joe DiMaggio's 1941 hitting streak; a marriage license issued to Davy Crockett for a wedding that never took place; and a painting by acclaimed 19th-century marine artist James E. Buttersworth, which narrowly escaped serious damage during Hurricane Charley, valued from $250,000 to $500,000
LONG STORY SHORT WITH LESLIE WILCOX
Ryan Higa
Tues., Jan. 3, 7:30 pm
New
Leslie Wilcox talks story with Ryan Higa, also known as "Nigahiga" on YouTube. His self-produced online comedy videos led to the Hilo native's inadvertent, meteoric rise to national fame. Ryan reveals how he first started using video cameras, his thoughts on the entertainment business and a deal that tested his integrity.
This program is available in high-definition and will be rebroadcast on Sun. Jan. 8, at 4:00 pm.
EGYPT'S GOLDEN EMPIRE
The Warrior Pharaohs
Tues., Jan. 3, 8:00 pm
Encore
This three-part special tells the story of the Egyptian empire from its beginning in 1560 BC to its collapse in 1080 BC. Interviews with scholars and dramatic re-creations bring the story to life.
By 1570 BC, Egypt had been divided among foreign rulers. But Ahmose, one of the last Egyptian princes, rose to defeat the Hyksos and the Nubians. The New Kingdom was born, uniting Egypt once again. After Ahmose died, Hatshepsut became the first female pharaoh. Striving for legitimacy, she embarked on an ambitious building program and opened new trade routes. Her son and successor, Thutmosis III, campaigned extensively in the Near East and brought much of the ancient world under Egyptian rule. The concept of "empire" was born.
EGYPT'S GOLDEN EMPIRE
Pharaohs of the Sun
Tues., Jan. 3, 9:00 pm
Encore
By 1400 BC, the Egyptian empire stretched from Northern Syria to the Sudan in Africa. Led by Amenhotep III, it was a golden age of wealth, power and prosperity. Remarkable diplomacy was used to keep the empire's rivals at bay, while the provinces of Egypt reveled in their protection. Art, technology and new ideas flourished, and Egyptian rulers were seen as gods. After the death of Amenhotep III, his son Akhenaten initiated drastic changes. Consumed by a monotheist belief, he ordered a new capital built in the desert, married the beauty Nefertiti and embarked on a campaign of religious repression. When he died, the new capital was abandoned. The death of his son-in-law, the boy-king Tutankhamen, marked the end of the Ahmose dynasty.
LEAHEY & LEAHEY
Wed., Jan. 4, 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 Sun., Jan. 8, at 3:30 pm.
INDEPENDENT LENS
Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai
Thurs., Jan. 5, 10:00 pm
New
This film follows Nobel Peace prize laureate Wangari Maathai, who died in 2011, in her quest to reclaim her land and her culture through the disarmingly simple act of planting trees. This direct action has fostered community solidarity, environmental literacy and political resolve that helped to bring down Kenya's 24-year dictatorship.
GLOBE TREKKER
Micronesia
Thurs., Jan. 5, 11:00 pm
Encore
Micronesia is a chain of more than 2,000 islands, and host Megan McCormick starts on Guam, site of a U.S. military base. Next it's off to Pohnpei, Micronesia's capital island, where she hikes through lush vegetation to the Kepirohi waterfall. Megan also explores the archaeological ruins of Nan Madol, dives among sunken Japanese warships at Chuuk and kayaks on Jellyfish Lake in Palau. She ends her travels on Yap, where she observes a colony of hump-backed turtles and swims with the manta rays.
GREAT PERFORMANCES
Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil Celebrate Gershwin
Fri. Jan. 6, 9:00 pm
New
GREAT PERFORMANCES re-teams with the LA Philharmonic and its dynamic music director, Gustavo Dudamel, for a third opening night gala concert showcasing the bravura conducting style and interpretive gifts that have made Dudamel an international sensation. The concert's all-Gershwin repertoire will include An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue and a solo performance of "Someone to Watch Over Me," spotlighting the virtuoso jazz piano of special guest Herbie Hancock.
TRAVIS SMILEY REPORTS
Dudamel: Conducting a Life
Fri., Jan. 6, 10:00 pm
Encore
Tavis Smiley gives viewers an extraordinary look into the life and artistry of the LA Philharmonic's charismatic conductor. At 30, Dudamel is not only the youngest conductor of any major orchestra in the world, but is also being hailed by critics as the most exciting. Dudamel is instrumental in inspiring the launch of the LA Phil's Youth Orchestra initiative, which provides Los Angeles school children with music education. A student of an internationally acclaimed music program in his native Venezuela, Dudamel is committed to expanding music education in America. Tavis profiles some of the remarkable kids whose lives are being transformed by Dudamel's commitment to free music education for all.
Gershwin at One Symphony Place
Fri., Jan. 6, 11:00 pm
Encore
The Nashville Symphony Orchestra and its music director, Giancarlo Guerrero, offer an evening of Gershwin at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The program includes the Cuban Overture, Concerto For Piano in F Major, An American in Paris and Rhapsody in Blue. Guerrero is joined by guest pianist Kevin Cole, who is considered one of the world's most accomplished interpreters of the Gershwin repertoire.
KIMCHI CHRONICLES
The Chicken Chronicles
Sat., Jan. 7, 5:30 pm
Encore
Beginning in Andong, the spiritual capital of Korea, Marja participates in the area's festive masked dance ritual and learns about jjimtak, the dish that is Andong's specialty. Marja and her adopted cousin April sample several varieties of the spicy stir-fry made with chicken, noodles and vegetables. Next Marja visits Chuncheon for dakgalbi, their famous chicken dish flavored with gochujang, the red pepper paste that informs nearly every Korean dish. Back at home in New York, Jean-Georges woos Marja with his version of sweet and sticky fried wings and barbequed chicken, and Marja makes her version of samgyetang, a fortifying broth featuring an entire chicken stuffed with sticky rice and lots of garlic and ginger.
GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET
Il Trovatore
Sat., Jan. 7, 7:00 pm
New
James Levine conducts David McVicar's stirring production of Verdi's intense drama, starring four extraordinary singers - Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick, Marcelo Álvarez, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky - in what might be the composer's most melodically rich score.
PBS Arts from The Blue Ridge Mountains: Give Me The Banjo
Sat., Jan. 7, 9:30 pm
Encore
Narrated by Steve Martin, a banjoist himself, the film explores the roots of American music - the minstrel show, ragtime and early jazz, blues, old-time, folk, bluegrass and country. It is a story of a quintessential American musical instrument from its African slavery roots to the 21st century, featuring performances and commentary from contemporary folk musicians such as Pete Seeger, Earl Scruggs, Taj Mahal, Béla Fleck and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, as well as from leading music historians, instrument builders and collectors. Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Rosanne Cash hosts the presentation.
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS
Esperanza Spalding/Madeleine Peyroux
Sat., Jan 7, 11:00 pm
Encore
Singer/composer/bass prodigy Esperanza Spalding debuts on ACL with a mix of jazz, soul and Brazilian pop. Contemporary torch singer Madeleine Peyroux follows in support of her album Bare Bones.
Public Affairs
NHK WORLD SPECIAL
Fallout: The Last Days of Iitate Village
Mon., Jan. 2, 11:00 pm
New
The residents of Iitate Village in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan led a quiet agricultural life surrounded by mountains until the tsunami and earthquake on March 11, 2011 resulted in a life-altering accident at the nuclear power plant 40 kilometers away. With their village located inside the government-designated planned evacuation area, the residents were forced to abandon their homes and livelihood or stay and face the threat of ultimate destruction. This program records the struggles Iitate villagers faced as their village's very existence was threatened.
FRONTLINE
Opium Brides
Tues., Jan. 3, 10:00 pm
New
Unexpected victims have been caught in the crossfire of attempts to eradicate Afghanistan's flourishing drug trade: young farm girls. Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world's illicit opium. Opium farmers have long borrowed money from drug gangs, some with links to the Taliban, to subsidize their crops. Now, as the Afghan government destroys their livelihood in an eradication program, the farmers find themselves in a horrifying situation: repay their debts or give their daughters to drug-traffickers, often to be used for sex. Award-winning Afghan journalist Najibullah Quraishi reports on the harrowing story of families torn apart and the collateral damage of the counter-narcotics effort in Afghanistan.
NHK WORLD SPECIAL
Doctors Facing the Tsunami
Tues., Jan. 3, 11:00 pm
New
The Japanese Red Cross Hospital was the only hospital in Ishinomaki to survive the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan. Ever since, hospital staff has battled to save the lives of the city's 200,000 residents. As a result of the tsunami damage, initial life-saving procedures failed. Doctors were unprepared to practice "disaster medicine" and to deal with the unusual symptoms of the survivors. With vivid footage from the hospitals during the 200 hours following the disaster, the program portrays the reality of the deterioration in medical services.
NHK WORLD SPECIAL
Can You See Our Lights?: First Festival After the Tsunami
Wed., Jan. 4, 11:00 pm
New
Japanese summer festivals serve as memorial services for the souls of the departed. Although some of the places devastated by the March 2011 tsunami/earthquake disaster were unable to hold their colorful and passionate centuries-old festivals, the people of Rikuzen-Takada, Soma, Minami-Soma and other cities decided to proceed as usual. The program includes interviews with festival committee members busily repairing damaged floats and drums and encouraging the participation of dispersed former residents. They explain what they hope to accomplish by continuing the tradition.
HIKI NŌ: The Nation's First Statewide Student News Network
Thurs., Jan. 5, 7:30 pm
New
Students from Iao Intermediate School are hosting the next new HIKI NŌ. In this episode, Waianae Intermediate correspondents tell the story of a girl who is struggling with the one part of her life she can't control. Meanwhile, a transfer student at Waipahu High School shows how discovering his passion helped him come out of his shell. This week's other featured schools: Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Hawaii Island); Ke Kula Niihau O Kekaha (Kauai); Kaimuki Middle, Kamehameha Schools - Kapalama, Kawananakoa Middle, Mililani Middle and St. Andrew's Priory (Oahu).
This HIKI NŌ newscast encores Saturday, Jan. 7 at 12:30 pm and Sunday, Jan. 8 at 3:00 pm. You may also view this newscast and past episodes on our website, www.pbshawaii.org/hikino
INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII
Community Schools for Adults
Thurs., Jan. 5, 8:00 pm
New
A $5 million cut to adult education is threatening the existence of the 11 community schools statewide. In addition to the language and recreational classes they offer, the schools are the only licensed examiners for the GED diploma in Hawaii. For the next legislative session, Governor Neil Abercrombie is requesting $2.5 million in supplemental funding for adult education – about half of what the schools currently receive. A federal funding match hinges on the approval of this supplemental funding.
Dan Boylan moderates a discussion with scheduled guests Bebi Davis, 2005 Milken National Educator and former community school student; Rose Galera, small business owner and former community school student; Gordon Lum, Vice Principal, Waipahu Community School for Adults; and Calvin Shimomura, Principal, Moanalua/Aiea Community School for Adults.
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 [email protected]
PBS HAWAII PRESENTS
Filmmakers' Forum II
Thurs., Jan. 5, 9:00 pm
Encore
Donalyn DelaCruz hosts this installment of Filmmakers' Forum, a show that brings together independent Hawaii filmmakers to present their short films and discuss their creative processes. Leah Kihara shares her post-apocalyptic play Kava Kultcha, in which a Polynesian resistance group defies the tyrannical Global Enforcement Agency by practicing their tradition of kava drinking. Lurline MacGregor presents He Hawai'i Mau (I Am Hawaiian Forever), the filmmaker's life journey towards awareness of her Hawaiian identity, shown through old family movies and photos. Robert Pennybacker screens his The Red Hibiscus - a film noir, set in Chinatown, about the search for Hawaii's pre-Statehood innocence. Stuart Yamane shows Roots in Water, a documentary about the Sumida Watercress Farm in front of Pearlridge Shopping Center, and the double life of its co-owner/farmer - David Sumida, a.k.a. Beano Shots the punk rock guitarist.
This program was produced by PBS Hawaii in collaboration with Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), one of five minority consortia funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. PIC funded Kava Kultcha, He Hawai'i Mau, and The Red Hibiscus. Roots in Water was funded by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), another minority consortia supported by the CPB.
WASHINGTON WEEK
Fri., Jan. 6, 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., Jan. 6, 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., Jan. 6, 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
Birds of the Gods
Wed., Jan. 4, 8:00 pm
Encore
Living in the depths of the New Guinean rainforest are birds of unimaginable color and beauty. When Europeans first saw the plumes of these fabulous creatures in the 16th century, they believed they must be from heaven and called them birds of paradise. The people of New Guinea make even greater claims. They say the birds possess supernatural powers and magic. But finding these birds in New Guinea is one of the toughest assignments, and witnessing their extraordinary mating displays is even tougher. David Attenborough introduces a young team of New Guinean scientists on a grueling expedition to find and film these birds of paradise.
NOVA
Deadliest Volcanoes
Wed., Jan. 4, 9:00 pm
New
Millions of people around the world live in the shadow of active volcanoes. Under constant threat of massive volcanic eruptions, their homes and their lives are daily at risk from these sleeping giants. From Japan's Mount Fuji to the "Sleeping Giant" submerged beneath Naples to the Yellowstone "supervolcano" in the United States, NOVA travels with scientists from around the world who are at work on these sites, attempting to discover how likely these volcanoes are to erupt, when eruptions might happen and how deadly they could prove to be.
NOVA
Deadliest Earthquakes
Wed., Jan. 4, 10:00 pm
Encore
In 2010, epic earthquakes all over the planet delivered one of the worst annual death tolls ever recorded. The deadliest strike was in Haiti, where a quake just southwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince, killed more than 200,000, reducing homes, hospitals, schools and the presidential palace to rubble. In exclusive coverage, a NOVA camera crew follows a team of U.S. geologists as they first enter Haiti in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. It is a race against time as they hunt for crucial evidence that will help them determine exactly what happened deep underground and what the risks are of a new killer quake.
Barely a month after the Haiti quake, Chile was struck by a quake 100 times more powerful, unleashing a tsunami that put the entire Pacific on high alert. In a coastal town devastated by the rushing wave, NOVA follows a team of geologists as they battle aftershocks to measure the intensity of the earthquake. Could their work, and the work of geologists at earthquake hot-spots around the U.S., lead to a breakthrough in predicting quakes before they happen? NOVA investigates intriguing new leads in its gripping investigation of a deadly scientific conundrum.
History
MARTIN LUTHER
Driven to Defiance
Mon., Jan. 2, 10:00 pm
Encore
Martin Luther was born into a world dominated by the Catholic Church. After entering the monastery, Luther became increasingly doubtful that the Church could actually offer him salvation. His views crystallize further when he travels to Rome and finds the capital of Catholicism swamped in corruption. Wracked by despair, Luther finds release in the pages of the Bible, discovering that his own individual faith will guarantee his salvation. In his famous 95 Theses, he attacks the practice of selling Indulgences, putting himself on an irreversible path to conflict with the most powerful institution of the day.