May 2012 Program Highlights
All programs highlighted air on Channel 13.1 unless noted.

Tuesday

Hands On Crafts for Kids
“Peru”
Travel around the world on Hands On Crafts for Kids. This season we are visiting a different country each episode and learning about their culture and traditions through crafts. Every project has 5 steps and 5 main ingredients. Our first stop this season is Peru, a country in western South America, bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile; home to the Incan Empire. Folk art in Peru is not just a way to show the culture but a way of life and livelihood for many people. Crafts will include embossed and painted clay beads and a felted bag.
Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 2 pm, begins May 1

Journal
An English-language version of the news as reported by Deutsche Welle, the leading German news broadcaster. Includes German, European, and international news as well as culture and sports and provides public television viewers the unique opportunity to see our world from another perspective. (Replaces Public Eye News and Priscilla's Yoga Stretches until September.)
Monday-Friday at 4 pm, begins April 30

Jesse Owens: American Experience
On April 2, 1936, when the 22-year-old son of a sharecropper entered the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, he was, he later remembered, barely able to control his anger. “I was angry because of the insults that Hitler and the other German leaders had hurled at me and my Negro teammates on the Olympic squad.” The young athlete would channel his raw emotions into some of the most remarkable achievements in the history of athletics, winning four gold medals.
Tuesday, May 1 at 8 pm ET

Frontline
“Money, Power and Wall Street (Part 2)”
The second night of FRONTLINE’s special four-hour series on the global economic crisis opens with Barack Obama taking office in the midst of the worst economic crisis in 80 years. To the surprise of many, he adopts a strategy to help the very Wall Street firms that plunged the American economy into chaos. FRONTLINE goes inside the White House to meet the key figures locked in a fierce debate over the administration’s game plan and follows those who said they had no choice but to rescue Wall Street. Did they choose the right course?
Tuesday, May 1 at 9 pm ET

Wednesday

Taste This!
Say goodbye to the average stovetop and microwave cooking and hello to a new approach to cooking on television for the 21st century. Traveling to gourmet and organic markets throughout the United States, Chef Joseph Ciminera invites culinary experts to enlighten viewers with their knowledge on a wide variety of food topics - whether a wine sommelier gives expert advice on the best wines to drink or a fish monger sharing their knowledge on how to select the freshest "Catch of the Day". This week: mixing food with designs.
Wednesdays at 5:30 pm ET, begins May 2

Nature
“Born Wild: The First Days of Life”
The most important moment of an animal’s life is its birth. The newborn emerges from dark safety to find anxious parents clucking or mewing. The first hours are some of the most dangerous. This film follows the birth and first day of several species, from marmoset to moose to elephant and gorilla. It is a film of miniature drama and huge spectacle, and comes to some surprising conclusions about human beings.
Wednesday, May 2 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/9 at Noon ET

NOVA
“Smartest Machine on Earth”
Investigate the world of artificial intelligence and see a profile of the computer that could be the “Smartest Machine on Earth.” Known as “Watson,” this IBM supercomputer is so advanced it’s pursuing the first-of-its-kind challenge, competing against “Jeopardy!” champions to prove its uncanny ability to mimic the human thought process.
Wednesday, May 2 at 9 pm ET
Repeats 5/3 at Noon ET

America Revealed
“Made in the U.S.A.”
American manufacturing has undergone a massive revolution over the past 20 years, becoming — gloomy perceptions to the contrary — the number-one manufacturing nation on earth. Cross the country with host Yul Kwon to look at traditional and not-so-traditional types of manufacturing. Along the way, meet the men and women who create the world’s best and most iconic products, engineers who are reinventing the American auto industry, steelworkers who brave intense heat to accommodate radical new ideas about recycling and engineers who are re-imagining the microchip.
Wednesday, May 2 at 10 pm ET

Thursday

Ask the Realtors
Area realtors visit the Public TV 13 studios to answer phoned-in questions from viewers during this live broadcast. Guests are: To be announced. Call in your questions during the broadcast at 800-227-9668.
Thursday, May 3 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/4 at Noon ET

Rudy Maxa's World
Building on five successful seasons of travel shows featuring Europe and the Pacific Rim, award-winning travel journalist Rudy Maxa broadens his horizons — and those of his audience — with RUDY MAXA'S WORLD. In this new 13-part series, Rudy offers his sophisticated take on a destination's history, culture, architecture, politics and cuisine, while also turning a journalistic eye to the people and lifestyles of Russia, Estonia, Turkey, India, Argentina, Japan and Thailand. The series follows Rudy along the canals of St. Petersburg, Russia, to the Taj Mahal in India, into the jungles of Thailand's Golden Triangle and inside the tango halls of Buenos Aires. This week, Delhi & Agra, India.
Thursdays at 9:30 pm ET & Saturdays at 10 pm ET, begins May 3

This Old House Hour
“Bedford Project, Part 5”
Host Kevin O’Connor meets with landscape designer Jenn Nawada Evans to see her plan for the rambling site. The first order of business is reclaiming a good percentage of the backyard from invasive vines and brambles that have been encroaching on the lawn for years. In the second half of the hour, Kevin works with an insulation contractor to show the proper way to insulate a wall using fiberglass batts.
Thursday, May 3 at 10 pm ET

Friday

Fit Kids, Healthy Families
This program focuses on the critical threat to children's health posed by childhood obesity. The fast-paced program provides information on how and why childhood obesity has risen to become a major issue. The program also provides valuable information to children and parents on making wise nutritional and exercise choices to help insure a lifetime of healthy habits.
Friday, May 4 at 1 pm ET

Need to Know
This weekly current affairs series covers the issues being considered by candidates and voters — from immigration to education to health care, environment, jobs and economy — from Main Street’s point of view. The program also profiles up-and-coming political leaders and will report regularly from the road, hosting the program from key states whose issues are important to the national election. Essays, many from Jon Meacham and from a diverse group of other journalists and big thinkers, are a weekly feature. A rotation of respected and experienced media professionals will both anchor the program and report from the field.
Friday, May 4 at 8:30 pm ET

Art in the Twenty-First Century
“Balance”
The artists in this episode, Rackstraw Downes, Robert Mangold (pictured) and Sarah Sze, create ordered and precise works that explore the gap between art and existence, challenge the distinction between seeing and knowing and demonstrate that the pursuit of harmony can be a radical proposition.
Friday, May 4 at 9 pm ET

Under Our Skin: A Health Care Nightmare
In the 1970s, a mysterious and deadly illness began infecting children in a small town in Connecticut. Today it's a global epidemic. A gripping tale of microbes, medicine & money, this program exposes the hidden story of Lyme disease. Following the stories of patients fighting for their lives, the film reveals with beauty and terror a natural world out of balance and a human nature all too willing to put profits before patients.
Friday, May 4 at 10 pm ET

Saturday

Northern Michigan University Spring 2012 Commencement
Live coverage of Northern Michigan University’s spring commencement ceremonies. Ada Deer, former assistant secretary for Indian affairs with the U.S. Department of the Interior, will be the keynote speaker. Born and raised on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Shawano, Wis., Deer has a number of firsts to her credit. She was the first American Indian woman to graduate from UW-Madison, run for statewide office—Wisconsin’s Secretary of State—and serve as chair of her tribe. She also was the first American Indian, male or female, to graduate from the Columbia University School of Social Work and win a partisan political primary for a federal office. Deer ran for Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District.
Saturday, May 5 at 10:30 am ET on both 13.1 & 13.2HD

Tracks Ahead
This series continues to have unique appeal for train lovers of all ages. Host Spencer Christian presents the best of steam locomotives, railroad folklore, model trains and art. The 13-part series covers the railways and modelers of the past, present and future. Each half-hour episode explores a different aspect of railroading across the globe, including railroad prototypes, models, personalities and collectibles. This week, the circus train.
Saturdays at 3 pm ET, begins May 5

Media Meet
“Library Scholarship”
Florida State University emeritus professor and modern print culture historian Wayne Wiegand shares his unique viewpoint on the role public libraries have played in American life. Also featured are NMU Dean of Academic Information Services Darlene Walch and Peter White Public Library Director Pam Christensen.
Saturday, May 5 at 6:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/6 at 1:30 pm ET

Great Performances at the Met
“Rodelinda”
Handel's opera stars soprano Renee Fleming in the title role, with German countertenor Andreas Scholl as Bertarido and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe as his sister, Eduige. English countertenor Iestyn Davies makes his Met debut as Unulfo. Harry Bicket conducts.
Saturday, May 5 at 7 pm ET on 13.2HD Only

America's Orchestra: Celebrating 125 Years of the Boston Pops
A star-studded celebration of the Boston Pops — past, present, and future — this special anniversary tribute features some of the greatest moments from the Boston Pops’ 125-year history, telling the orchestra’s story — its transformation from summertime entertainment for Bostonians to the national icon and beloved institution of today. Showcasing the extraordinary variety of artists and programming of the leadership eras of Arthur Fiedler (1930-79), John Williams (1980-1993) and Keith Lockhart (1995 to present), the program features interviews with and/or performances by Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Josh Groban, James Taylor, Vanessa Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis and Roberta Flack.
Saturday, May 5 at 8 pm ET

Rudy Maxa's World
Building on five successful seasons of travel shows featuring Europe and the Pacific Rim, award-winning travel journalist Rudy Maxa broadens his horizons — and those of his audience — with RUDY MAXA'S WORLD. In this new 13-part series, Rudy offers his sophisticated take on a destination's history, culture, architecture, politics and cuisine, while also turning a journalistic eye to the people and lifestyles of Russia, Estonia, Turkey, India, Argentina, Japan and Thailand. The series follows Rudy along the canals of St. Petersburg, Russia, to the Taj Mahal in India, into the jungles of Thailand's Golden Triangle and inside the tango halls of Buenos Aires. This week, Delhi & Agra, India.
Saturdays at 10 pm ET, begins May 5 (also Thursdays at 9:30 pm ET)

Austin City Limits
“Miranda Lambert/Jeff Bridges”
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS continues its longstanding tradition of showcasing the best of American music. This week, ACL showcases the best in modern country with Miranda Lambert and Jeff Bridges. The multiple award-winning Lambert performs her greatest hits, followed by actor Bridges in his music television debut.
Saturday, May 5 at 11 pm ET

Sunday

Truth About Money with Ric Edelman
This new series educates and entertains viewers about personal-finance issues, including investing, retirement, financing a college education, mortgages and more. Host Ric Edelman, twice ranked by Barron's magazine as the top independent financial advisor in the United States, engages viewers on both an intellectual and an emotional level, providing them with practical information about saving and investing. Aided by 20 years of research in human psychology and neuroeconomics, Edelman reveals ways to avoid making common mistakes and start making better financial decisions about everything from buying This week cars to handling credit cards and choosing investments. Ric explains mental accounting, explores disability insurance and hosts a one-on-one discussion with CNBC financial host Maria Bartiromo.
Sundays at 10 am ET, begins May 6

Moyers & Company
”Between Two Worlds: Life on the Border”
No writer understands the border culture between Mexico and the United States more intimately than Luis Alberto Urrea. His own life is the stuff of great novels. Son of a Mexican father and Anglo mother, Urrea grew up first in Tijuana and then just across the border in San Diego. Over the years he has produced a series of acclaimed novels, each a rich and revealing account of the people of the borderlands that join and separate our two nations. Three of Urrea's books were among scores of others removed from classrooms earlier this year when the Tucson school district eliminated Mexican-American studies on the accusation it was "divisive." But there's no ban on ideas in Bill's studio, and Urrea talks with Bill Moyers about that episode as he unfolds the modern reality of life on the border.
Sunday, May 6 at 11 am ET

Independent Lens
“Circo”
The Ponce family’s hardscrabble circus has lived and performed on the back roads of Mexico since the 19th century, but can their way of life survive into the 21st? “Circo” (Circus) intimately portrays the Ponce family circus as it struggles to make a living from its artistry, sweat and wit against the backdrop of Mexico’s collapsing rural economy.
Sunday, May 6 at 4 pm ET

Finding Your Roots
“Sanjay Gupta, Margaret Cho and Martha Stewart”
The three guests in this episode are all children of first- or second-generation immigrants and share the peculiar burdens of that heritage. In an episode that crisscrosses the planet, from India to Korea to Poland, catch a glimpse of three distinct yet oddly overlapping experiences of families leaving their homes and becoming American.
Sunday, May 6 at 8 pm ET

Masterpiece Mystery!
“Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia”
The struggle goes on in 21st-century London as the updated team of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson battles the worst that modern criminality has to offer, including a computer-savvy arch-villain who wants to rule the world. Benedict Cumberbatch returns as the world’s foremost consulting detective, with Martin Freeman as the stalwart, if edgy, Dr. John Watson and Andrew Scott as the unassuming mastermind of evil, Jim Moriarty.
Sundays at 9 pm, May 6, 13 & 20
Repeats 5/7 at 1 pm ET

America in Primetime
“Man of the House”
This episode showcases the evolution of the man of the house from the king of his castle in classic family sitcoms to a more intricate, conflicted figure in modern shows. Interviews include Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner (“The Cosby Show”); David Chase (“The Sopranos”); Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”); Ron Howard (“The Andy Griffith Show”); Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke (“The Dick Van Dyke Show”); and Phil Rosenthal and Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), among others.
Sunday, May 6 at 10:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/7 at Noon ET

Monday

Designing Healthy Communities
“Searching for Shangri-La”
On the last Episode, Dr. Jackson searches past and present America for healthy, sustainable communities of all sizes and shapes that can serve as models for the rest of our nation. His journey takes him to Roseto, PA, Prairie Crossing, IL New York City, Charleston, SC and the forgotten 1960's urban renewal project of Lafayette Park in Detroit, Michigan, the brainchild of 4 men, including visionary architect, Mies van der Rohe. Also included are walkability expert, Dan Burden, and the 1960s, humorous but insightful, candid camera- style studies of people in public spaces by William Holly White, described by Fred Kent of Project for Public Spaces.
Monday, May 7 at 10 pm ET

Tuesday

Under the Radar Michigan
The Under the Radar Michigan series airs in an additional time slot beginning this week. Join host Tom Daldin, a proud resident of Michigan his whole life, for a series that uncovers people, places, and things that make Michigan a great place to live. This week, Tom visits Detroit, Lansing & Battle Creek. The series can also be seen Fridays at 5 pm.
Tuesdays at 1:30 pm ET, begins May 8

Clinton: American Experience
“Part 1 - The Comeback Kid”
From draft dodging to the Dayton Accords, from Monica Lewinsky to a balanced budget, the presidency of William Jefferson Clinton veered between sordid scandal and grand achievement. In CLINTON, the latest installment in the critically acclaimed and successful series of presidential biographies, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE explores the fascinating story of an American president who rose from a broken childhood in Arkansas to become one of the most successful politicians in modern American history and one of the most complex and conflicted characters to ever stride across the public stage. It recounts a career full of accomplishment and rife with scandal, a marriage that would make history and create controversy and a presidency that would define the crucial and transformative period between the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11.
Tuesday, May 8 at 8 pm ET

Frontline
“Murdoch's Scandal”
Over half a century Rupert Murdoch's business audacity and political shrewdness built one of the world's most powerful media empires. Now his dynasty is under threat -- not from outside competition but from shocking accounts of bribery, blackmail and invasion of privacy. The scandal has prompted criminal investigations on both sides of the Atlantic. It has also cracked open the insular world of the Murdoch family, its news executives, and the political elite who court their favor. Today, the 80-year-old owner of the Wall Street Journal and FOX News Channel is in the fight of his life. In a joint production with the CBC, FRONTLINE correspondent Lowell Bergman tells the story of the battle over the future of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch's reputation and his family's fortunes.
Tuesday, May 8 at 10 pm ET

Wednesday

Nature
“The White Lions”
This is the story of two remarkable and extremely rare white lion cubs on their journey to adulthood. Both are female, sisters born as white as snow in May 2009 in South Africa’s Kruger Park. Growing up on the savanna, they must overcome not only the same survival challenges that all young lion cubs must face, they must also overcome the threats their high visibility brings.
Wednesday, May 9 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/16 at Noon ET

NOVA
“Deadliest Tornadoes”
In April 2011, the worst tornado outbreak in decades left a trail of destruction across the U.S., killing more than 360 people. Why was there such an extreme outbreak? How do such outbreaks form? With modern warning systems, why did so many die? Is our weather getting more extreme — and if so, how bad will it get? In this NOVA special, get a look at the science behind the last year’s outbreak, meeting those affected and the scientists striving to understand the forces behind the outbreak. Could their work improve tornado prediction in the future? Learn how we all can protect ourselves and our communities in the future.
Wednesday, May 9 at 9 pm ET
Repeats 5/10 at Noon ET

NOVA
“Hunt for the Supertwister”
A powerful tornado is a terrifying phenomenon that continues to defy decades of scientific efforts to predict it. During one of the worst tornado seasons on record, a NOVA camera team chased across the Midwest, capturing hair-raising footage of highly destructive twisters in action. But this is much more than just another “extreme weather” show, focusing on the efforts of two scientists at the University of Oklahoma to develop radically different approaches to forecasting twisters. With jaw-dropping 3-D graphics generated by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, “Hunt for the Supertwister” features spectacular footage of terrifying twisters and gives viewers a front-row seat to the risky and thrilling art of storm chasing.
Wednesday, May 9 at 10 pm ET

Thursday

Ask the Doctors
“The Brain and Stroke”
Area physicians visit the Public TV 13 studios to answer phoned-in questions from viewers during this live broadcast. This week’s guests are: To be announced. Call in your questions during the broadcast at 800-227-9668.
Thursday, May 10 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/11 at Noon ET

This Old House Hour
“Bedford Project, Part 6”
Host Kevin O’Connor arrives to find the new family addition framed up and sheathed using something fairly new — a coated OSB product that has the properties of a house wrap built in. Building science expert Joe Lstiburek explains why he thinks the sheathing board, when properly installed with taped seams, beats traditional methods of keeping air and water out of a building. In the second half of the hour, landscape contractor Roger Cook helps a homeowner remove several overgrown shrubs in front of her house and then plants many new perennials.
Thursday, May 10 at 10 pm ET

Independent Lens
“Summer Pasture”
“Summer Pasture” is the story of a young nomadic couple living with their infant daughter in the high grasslands of eastern Tibet. The film offers a rare window into a highly insular community seldom seen by outsiders. In the collective imagination of Tibet, nomads have traditionally occupied a dual role — romanticized as embodying the purest form of Tibetan identity and mocked as being backwards, uncivilized and inferior.
Thursday, May 10 at 10 pm ET on 13.2HD Only

Friday

Teaching Channel
Teaching Channel invites you to attend visionary K-12 classrooms around the United States. This new series presents observational, documentary and character-driven stories, harnessing the best narrative qualities of compelling television. It is real life unfolding – mostly, but not always, inside the classroom – in front of the camera. Programs focus predominantly on English Language Arts (and the use of English in other curriculum subjects), math, science and social studies at grades 3 through 8.
Fridays at 1 pm ET, begins May 11

Need to Know
This weekly current affairs series covers the issues being considered by candidates and voters — from immigration to education to health care, environment, jobs and economy — from Main Street’s point of view. The program also profiles up-and-coming political leaders and will report regularly from the road, hosting the program from key states whose issues are important to the national election. Essays, many from Jon Meacham and from a diverse group of other journalists and big thinkers, are a weekly feature. A rotation of respected and experienced media professionals will both anchor the program and report from the field.
Friday, May 11 at 8:30 pm ET

Craft in America
“Threads”
This occasional series promotes and advances original handcrafted work and inspires people of all ages to pursue their own creativity. Audiences explore issues of identity, history, philosophy, ancestry, cultural exchange, repression and freedom. In a new episode, explore woven textiles and story quilts by artists Faith Ringgold of Harlem, Randall Darwall of Cape Cod, Consuelo Jimenez Underwood in California and Terese Agnew in Wisconsin.
Friday, May 11 at 9 pm ET

Front Row Center
“Train”
The Grammy Award-winning California rock band celebrates their fifth album, Save Me, San Francisco with highlights including "Hey, Soul Sister," "If It's Love," and "Marry Me," as well as past hits "Drops of Jupiter" and "Calling All Angels."
Friday, May 11 at 10 pm ET

One Voice
Through the personal stories of student song directors, this music documentary tells the story of the Kamehameha Schools Song Contest. Every year in Hawai’i, 2,000 high school students compete in the contest, in which young leaders direct their peers in singing Hawaiian music in four-part harmony. Follow the elected student song directors to see how the tradition creates an indelible experience that builds class unity, instills cultural pride and builds character. Meeting their families, or ’ohana, and learn about their hopes and dreams for the future. Experience Hawaiian culture as it has survived, flourished and grown through the universal power of music and song.
Friday, May 11 at 10 pm ET on 13.2HD Only

Saturday

Knit and Crochet Now!
This entertaining series features the top designers and experts in the field. In each episode, host Brett Bara, editor of Crochet Today magazine, introduces a rotating cast of talented and experienced needle artists, each of whom demonstrates popular techniques for creating lace, purses, patterns, felting and many other items. Field pieces also highlight the latest industry news, the best knitting and crochet blogs, and interviews with those on the cutting-edge of color and apparel design.
Saturdays at 10 am ET, begins May 12

Media Meet
“Marquette Regional History Center”
The history of an historical society, a look at its operations, activities, and features and functions of its new headquarters. (Repeat from February)
Saturday, May 12 at 6:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/13 at 1:30 pm ET

Will Rogers' Romance with Betty and America
Featuring period music and costumes, this one-woman show provides a heart-warming glimpse into the storybook marriage of humorist Will Rogers and his beloved wife, Betty. Starring award-winning Broadway, film and television actor-writer Lynette Bennett, the show covers the pair's first meeting, their eight-year courtship, their life in New York, the birth of their children, their move to California and Will's untimely death in a plane crash, a few days shy of their 27th wedding anniversary.
Saturday, May 12 at 8 pm ET

Austin City Limits
“The Decemberists/Gillian Welch & David Rawlings”
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS continues its longstanding tradition of showcasing the best of American music. This week, The Decemberists and Gillian Welch showcase the best in contemporary songwriting. The Decemberists highlight songs from their release The King Is Dead. Welch and her partner David Rawlings perform cuts from The Harrow & the Harvest.
Saturday, May 12 at 11 pm ET

Sunday

Moyers & Company
Bill Moyers returns with a weekly hour of compelling and vital conversation about life and the state of American democracy, featuring some of the best thinkers of our time. A range of scholars, artists, activists, scientists, philosophers and newsmakers bring context, insight and meaning to important topics. The series occasionally includes Moyers' own timely and penetrating essays on society and government. In a multimedia marketplace saturated with shallow sound bites and partisan name-calling, MOYERS & COMPANY digs deeper.
Sunday, May 13 at 11 am ET

Michigan Business Outlook
Governor Rick Snyder and a panel of distinguished business and education leaders address broadcast media during the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference and Expo. The Governor speaks during the opening session immediately following a panel comprised of some of Michigan’s top business strategists, who will lay out their plans for the reinvention of the state’s economy and how broadcast media can help in this effort. Panelists include the following: Gerard Anderson, President/CEO, DTE Energy; Mary Sue Coleman, President, University of Michigan; Doug Rothwell, President/CEO, Business Leaders for Michigan.
Sunday, May 13 at 4 pm ET

Finding Your Roots
“John Legend, Wanda Sykes and Margarett Cooper”
Most African Americans struggle to trace their ancestors beyond Emancipation; slavery erased names and family ties with brutal efficiency. But what about the descendants of the handful of free black people who evaded bondage during that terrible time? Musician John Legend and comedian Wanda Sykes (pictured) discover the extraordinary stories of the free black ancestors they never knew about, while Professor Gates himself and his 98-year-old friend Margarett Cooper delve into the mysteries shrouding the free people of color in their family trees.
Sunday, May 13 at 8 pm ET

Masterpiece Mystery!
“Sherlock: The Hounds of Baskerville”
Sherlock and Watson pursue the trail of the Baskerville experiments — top-secret government research on genetically engineered gigantic animals for military use. Or so it is rumored. Whatever the truth, something big is up on the moors.
Sunday, May 13 at 9 pm ET
Repeats 5/14 at 1 pm ET

America in Primetime
“The Misfit”
Celebrate the unique characters who defied comic stereotypes and societal expectations to reflect America’s diverse personalities. Interviews include Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”); Diablo Cody (“The United States of Tara”); Greg Daniels and Rainn Wilson (pictured) (“The Office”); Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Seinfeld”); Paul Feig and Judd Apatow (“Freaks and Geeks”); Mitchell Hurwitz (“Arrested Development”); Mike Judge (“Beavis and Butthead”); and Garry Shandling (“The Larry Sanders Show”), among others.
Sunday, May 13 at 10:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/14 at Noon ET

Monday

Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs A to Z
While riding the Dinosaur Train with Buddy and Mom, Tiny gets the idea to gather all the dinosaurs in the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song for a picnic at Troodon Town. The Conductor agrees, and as the Train starts picking up dinosaurs, Tiny, Buddy, Shiny and Don help keep track of how many of the different species have come on board. They learn about classification and organize the dinosaurs by their species, features, and size. When all 26 dinosaurs finally come on board, the Train has more extra cars than it ever has -- and they need an additional engine to help pull it! Once they arrive at Troodon Town for the picnic, Tiny leads the 26 different "A to Z" dinosaurs in a fun, rousing, and historic singing of the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song!"
Monday & Friday, May 14 & 18 at 9 am: Saturday & Sunday, May 19 & 20 at 8 am
Repeats 5/18 at 9 am ET

Johnny Carson: American Masters
Explore the life and career of “The Tonight Show” host — seen by more people than anyone else in U.S. history — through unprecedented access to Carson’s personal and professional archives, including all existing episodes of “The Tonight Show” from 1962-1992. Interviews with family, colleagues and performers who appeared, or began, on “The Tonight Show” illuminate his story: David Letterman, Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, Conan O’Brien, Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin, Joan Rivers, Mel Brooks, Angie Dickinson, David Steinberg, Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, Doc Severinsen and others. Kevin Spacey narrates.
Monday, May 14 at 9 pm ET

Tuesday

P. Allen Smith's Garden to Table
Lifestyle expert and garden designer P. Allen Smith (host of the long-running P. Allen Smith's Garden Home) offers exciting ways to combine the gardening and dining experience. Inspired by his latest book, the series features growing tips, seasonal recipes and decorating ideas designed to help viewers incorporate the garden-to-table concept into their lifestyle. Whether prepared by Allen or a guest chef, all of the featured recipes contain fresh-from-the-garden produce. This week, herbs and roses.
Tuesdays at 4:30 pm ET, begins May 15

Clinton: American Experience
“Part 2 - The Survivor”
Shattered by the 1994 Republican victory, President Clinton must confront partisan political warfare and government shutdowns. Clinton wins the 1996 election in a landslide, pulling off one of the greatest turnarounds in political history. But events have been set in motion that will soon divide the country and nearly destroy Clinton's presidency.
Tuesday, May 15 at 8 pm ET

Frontline
“The Meth Epidemic”
What started as a fad among West Coast motorcycle gangs in the 1970s--methamphetamine--quickly spread across the United States over the last decade. These days, meth remains as potent and widespread as ever. Despite calls to regulate its key ingredient, pseudoephedrine, which is found in over-the-counter cold remedies, "super smurfs" still manage to stockpile enough of the drug to fuel thousands of small meth labs nationwide. FRONTLINE, in association with The Oregonian, investigates the ongoing meth problem in America: the devastating impact on individuals, families, and communities, and the state-by-state battles to make pseudoephedrine a prescription drug, a strategy that's led to significant improvement in Oregon.
Tuesday, May 15 at 10 pm ET

Wednesday

Nature
“Cracking the Koala Code”
Follow individual koalas from a small social group on an Australian island to learn just how a koala manages to survive and thrive on a diet poisonous to almost all other herbivorous mammals. From the miracle of marsupial birth to tender moments of discovery between mother and newborn joey, encounters with threatening forest creatures, battles between rival males and the complex chorus of bellows and grunts that have become so important to science — join leading scientists as they unravel just what a forest needs to support a healthy population of koalas by listening to these marsupials themselves and cracking the koala code.
Wednesday, May 16 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/23 at Noon ET

NOVA
“The Great Inca Rebellion”
In an impoverished suburb of Lima, Peru, Peruvian archaeologist Guillermo Cock excavates an ancient cemetery crammed with mummies. In a truly startling find, he discovers corpses that differ from all the rest. They have been hastily buried and disfigured by multiple, appalling wounds and fractures. Forensic experts help to determine that these remains are victims of a battle that pitted club-wielding Inca warriors against Spanish cavalry. The forensic evidence may be a decisive clue that helps explain a long-standing mystery about the Spanish conquest of Peru. How, in 1532, did a tiny band of Spanish soldiers crush the mighty Inca Empire, then the most powerful civilization in the Americas?
Wednesday, May 16 at 9 pm ET
Repeats 5/17 at Noon ET

Bones of Turkana
Follow famed paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey and his wife, Meave, daughter Louise and their colleagues as they work in the arid northern regions of Kenya’s Turkana Basin to unravel the mysteries of human evolution. While one of he Leakeys’ goals is to demonstrate the complexity and truth of human evolution, they also seek to show how the qualities that we proudly call human were all born in Africa. The story that emerges in the film is exciting, emotional, contemplative, occasionally funny and, in the end, transforming. This is Africa at its most beautiful and harshest.
Wednesday, May 16 at 10 pm ET

Thursday

Burt Wolf: Travels & Traditions
host Burt Wolf visits some of the world's most interesting countries, including Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Bermuda, the United States, Switzerland and France. Wolf, an internationally syndicated television journalist and prolific public television host, uncovers each city or region's unique history, culture, customs, foods, festivals, art, architecture, tourist attractions and local character. His relaxed, personable and irreverent style makes the episodes both informative and entertaining. This week, crusiing Holland and Belgium.
Thursdays at 4:30 pm ET, begins May 17

Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness
This special, produced by the Fred Friendly Seminars, connects the dots between personal dilemmas facing individuals and families who are living with mental illness, medical practices that can be obstacles to treatment, laws that may have unintended consequences and public policies that all too often fall short in responding with programs that could make a positive difference. The panel discusion, moderated by Frank Sesno, zeros in on wrenching and confounding situations that are playing out every day in homes and hospital ERs, on city streets and school campuses, in courtrooms and in jails, as Americans struggle with the challenges of severe mental illness. The distinguished panel includes U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and the Noble Prize-winning neurologist Dr. Eric Kandel, along with attorneys, doctors, legislators and other experts in the field.
Thursday, May 17 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/18 at Noon ET

This Old House Hour
“Bedford Project, Part 7”
General contractor Tom Silva tops off the existing cellulose insulation in the walls of the oldest part of the house. Meanwhile, landscape contractor Roger Cook takes homeowner Becky Titlow to see a display of “garden to table” raised beds at Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley, Massachusetts. In the second half of the hour, Roger helps a homeowner repair a crack in an asphalt walkway.
Thursday, May 17 at 10 pm ET

Friday

Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs A to Z
While riding the Dinosaur Train with Buddy and Mom, Tiny gets the idea to gather all the dinosaurs in the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song for a picnic at Troodon Town. The Conductor agrees, and as the Train starts picking up dinosaurs, Tiny, Buddy, Shiny and Don help keep track of how many of the different species have come on board. They learn about classification and organize the dinosaurs by their species, features, and size. When all 26 dinosaurs finally come on board, the Train has more extra cars than it ever has -- and they need an additional engine to help pull it! Once they arrive at Troodon Town for the picnic, Tiny leads the 26 different "A to Z" dinosaurs in a fun, rousing, and historic singing of the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song!"
Friday, May 18 at 9 am ET

Need to Know
This weekly current affairs series covers the issues being considered by candidates and voters — from immigration to education to health care, environment, jobs and economy — from Main Street’s point of view. The program also profiles up-and-coming political leaders and will report regularly from the road, hosting the program from key states whose issues are important to the national election. Essays, many from Jon Meacham and from a diverse group of other journalists and big thinkers, are a weekly feature. A rotation of respected and experienced media professionals will both anchor the program and report from the field.
Friday, May 18 at 8:30 pm ET

Great Performances at the Met
“The Enchanted Island”
This extraordinary new work combines the world’s best singers, the glorious music of the Baroque masters, and a story drawn from Shakespeare. In “The Enchanted Island,” the lovers from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream are shipwrecked on the other-worldly island of The Tempest. Inspired by the musical pastiches and masques of the 18th century, the work showcases arias and ensembles by Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau and others, and a new libretto by Jeremy Sams. Eminent conductor William Christie leads an all-star cast featuring David Daniels, Joyce DiDonato, Danielle de Niese, Luca Pisaroni, Lisette Oropesa and Anthony Roth Costanzo, with special guest star Plácido Domingo.
Friday, May 18 at 9 pm ET

Saturday

Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs A to Z
While riding the Dinosaur Train with Buddy and Mom, Tiny gets the idea to gather all the dinosaurs in the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song for a picnic at Troodon Town. The Conductor agrees, and as the Train starts picking up dinosaurs, Tiny, Buddy, Shiny and Don help keep track of how many of the different species have come on board. They learn about classification and organize the dinosaurs by their species, features, and size. When all 26 dinosaurs finally come on board, the Train has more extra cars than it ever has -- and they need an additional engine to help pull it! Once they arrive at Troodon Town for the picnic, Tiny leads the 26 different "A to Z" dinosaurs in a fun, rousing, and historic singing of the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song!"
Saturday, May 19 at 8 am ET
Repeats 5/20 at 8 am ET

Media Meet
“Domestic Violence Awareness”
Survey of current issues surrounding domestic violence including frequency data, enforcement, counseling, services and contributing factors – with emphasis on the Upper Peninsula. (Repeat from October)
Saturday, May 19 at 6:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/20 at 1:30 pm ET

Independent Lens
“Precious Knowledge”
Tucson High School’s Mexican American Studies Program has become a national model of educational success, with 100 percent of enrolled students graduating from high school and 85 percent going on to college. “Precious Knowledge” filmmakers spent an entire year in the classroom filming this innovative social-justice curriculum, documenting the transformative impact on students who become engaged, informed and active in their communities. Arizona lawmakers recently passed a bill giving unilateral power to the state superintendent to abolish ethnic studies classes. This documentary provides an insider’s perspective as student leaders fight to save their classes, mobilizing rapidly with texts, Facebook, optimism and a megaphone. Lawmakers and politicians mount a public relations campaign to discredit the passionate students, claiming that Paulo Freire’s textbook The Pedagogy of the Oppressed teaches victimization and sedition.
Saturday, May 19 at 8 pm ET

Official Best of Fest
This series spotlights the best undistributed international and domestic short films gathered from the world's top film festivals. OFFICIAL BEST OF FEST relies on the wisdom of film festival audiences, juries and programmers, award-winning filmmakers and industry experts to identify the highest quality films from Sundance, Cannes, Toronto and others. Each episode features several shorts — ranging in length from two to 15 minutes — grouped by common theme, including "Friendship," "Love," "Inspiration" and "Comedy." This week, friendship is the theme.
Saturdays at 10:30 pm ET, begins May 19

Austin City Limits
“Avett Brothers/Heartless Bastards”
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS continues its longstanding tradition of showcasing the best of American music. This week, rising roots rock kings the Avett Brothers perform songs from their latest album, I and Love and You. Ohio-to-Austin transplants Heartless Bastards follow with their classic rock ‘n’ roll.
Saturday, May 19 at 11 pm ET

Sunday

Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs A to Z
While riding the Dinosaur Train with Buddy and Mom, Tiny gets the idea to gather all the dinosaurs in the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song for a picnic at Troodon Town. The Conductor agrees, and as the Train starts picking up dinosaurs, Tiny, Buddy, Shiny and Don help keep track of how many of the different species have come on board. They learn about classification and organize the dinosaurs by their species, features, and size. When all 26 dinosaurs finally come on board, the Train has more extra cars than it ever has -- and they need an additional engine to help pull it! Once they arrive at Troodon Town for the picnic, Tiny leads the 26 different "A to Z" dinosaurs in a fun, rousing, and historic singing of the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song!"
Sunday, May 20 at 8 am ET

Moyers & Company
Bill Moyers returns with a weekly hour of compelling and vital conversation about life and the state of American democracy, featuring some of the best thinkers of our time. A range of scholars, artists, activists, scientists, philosophers and newsmakers bring context, insight and meaning to important topics. The series occasionally includes Moyers' own timely and penetrating essays on society and government. In a multimedia marketplace saturated with shallow sound bites and partisan name-calling, MOYERS & COMPANY digs deeper.
Sunday, May 20 at 11 am ET

Different is the New Normal: Living a Life with Tourette's
Track the trials and triumphs of Ariel Small, a 17-year-old living with uncontrollable physical and vocal tics caused by Tourette Syndrome. Narrated by actor Michael J. Fox, this film reveals an acutely personal first-hand account of Tourette's through Ariel's eyes. With Ariel's permission, his mother documents their emotional journey to overcome the obstacles of Tourette’s in order to raise awareness about the neurobiological disorder, dispel the misperceptions and social stigma associated it, and help others living with the condition. Along the way, Ariel meets James Durbin, the American Idol finalist whose own battle with bullying and intolerance inspired the film's title.
Sunday, May 20 at 4 pm ET

Finding Your Roots
“Michelle Rodriguez, Adrian Grenier and Linda Chavez”
Michelle Rodriguez (pictured), Adrian Grenier and Linda Chavez all share Latin-American roots, yet each views identity differently. What does it mean to be Latino? The answer lies in the tangled histories of European, Native American and African peoples. Crisscrossing Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean and the Southwest, Dr. Gates reveals stories of ancestral Conquistadors, Indian rebels and “Crypto-Jews” (Spanish Jews who converted to Catholicism to survive the Inquisition, but continued to practice their religion in secret). See how the American experience has been shaped by people who were in the New World long before the Mayflower.
Sunday, May 20 at 8 pm ET

Masterpiece Mystery!
“Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall”
In what may be the climatic case of his career, Sherlock faces Moriarty’s diabolical plot to “get Sherlock,” which begins innocently enough when the criminal mastermind breaks into the Crown Jewels. As the scheme unfolds, Moriarty poses the “final problem,” and a tabloid reporter reveals the “shocking truth” about the great detective.
Sunday, May 20 at 9 pm ET
Repeats 5/21 at 1 pm ET

America in Primetime
“The Crusader”
Delve into the increasingly gray area between right and wrong as television heroes confront internal demons while seeking their own forms of justice. Interviews include Alan Alda (“M*A*S*H”); Steven Bochco and David Milch (“NYPD Blue”); Chris Carter and Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”); Bob Cochran and Joel Surnow (“24”); Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”); Shawn Ryan and Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”); and David Shore and Hugh Laurie (“House”), among others. Pictured: Michael K. Williams of “The Wire.”
Sunday, May 20 at 10:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/21 at Noon ET

Monday

Burt Bacharach & Hal David: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song In Performance at the White House
Enjoy a star-studded tribute to the songwriting team who penned such classic tunes as “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “What the World Needs Now Is Love” and “Walk on By” and “Alfie.” Composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David’s extraordinary collaboration has produced numerous hits and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, with songs featured in the Austin Powers films and on an episode of “Glee.”
Monday, May 21 at 9 pm ET

Andre Rieu Presents: Live in Maastricht
Andre Rieu is back in his hometown of Maastricht in the Netherlands for his traditional summer evening concert at the famous Vrijthof Square. Special guests include 13-year-old trumpet player Melissa Venemas, 100-member children's choir from the Maastricht School of Music and the Mastreechter Staar male voice choir. Another sparkling evening of music with Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra.
Monday, May 21 at 10 pm ET

Tuesday

Civilization: The West and the Rest with Niall Ferguson
For the past five centuries, Western civilizations have prevailed around the world. More people have been influenced by Western food, clothing, medicine, government and religion worldwide than by any other civilization. How did that happen? Examine the rise of the West’s economic ascendancy based on Niall Ferguson’s six principles of prosperity: competition, science, modern medicine, democracy, consumerism and work ethic. The programs are adapted from Ferguson’s book, Civilization: The West and the Rest. Part 1 of 2.
Tuesdays, May 22 & 29 at 8 pm

Frontline
“Cell Tower Deaths”
The demand for better and faster cell phone service comes with a hidden cost. This joint investigation by FRONTLINE and ProPublica has found that the independent contractors who are building and servicing America’s cellular infrastructure are 10 times more likely than an average construction worker to die on the job. Complex layers of subcontracting insulate the carriers against liability, despite the fact that they set the aggressive schedule that can force subcontractors to cut corners in order to meet deadlines. Also this hour: FRONTLINE profiles the case of six-month-old Isis Vas, whose death was deemed “a clear-cut and classic” case of child abuse, sending a man named Ernie Lopez to prison for 60 years. But a Texas judge has moved to overturn Lopez’s conviction, and new questions are being asked about the quality of expert testimony in this and many other similar cases.
Tuesday, May 22 at 10 pm ET

Wednesday

Nature
“Salmon: Running the Gauntlet”
Investigate the parallel stories of collapsing Pacific salmon populations and how biologists and engineers have become instruments in audacious experiments to replicate every stage of the fish’s life cycle in NATURE “Salmon: Running the Gauntlet.” Each desperate effort to save salmon has involved replacing their natural cycle of reproduction and death with a radically manipulated life history. Our once great runs of salmon are now conceived in laboratories, raised in tanks, driven in trucks and farmed in pens. NATURE goes beyond the ongoing debate over how to save an endangered species to expose a wildly creative, hopelessly complex and stunningly expensive approach to managing salmon.
Wednesday, May 23 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/30 at Noon ET

NOVA
“Killer Subs in Pearl Harbor”
NOVA joins an exclusive dive beneath the waters of Pearl Harbor to trace new clues to the historic sinking of the USS Arizona. In the dramatic 1941 sinking of the storied battleship, 1,177 crew members perished — the greatest loss of life in United States naval history. For decades, it has been thought that the Arizona was brought down by fire from Japanese aircraft. But the discovery of a Japanese “midget sub” far from the scene of the battle raises new questions about the Arizona’s final hours.
Wednesday, May 23 at 9 pm ET
Repeats 5/24 at Noon ET

NOVA
“Missing in MiG Alley”
In 1950, Russian and American fighters clashed over Korea in the fastest dogfights ever seen. This was the world’s first jet war, pitting the two most advanced planes of their day, the American F-86 Sabre and the Soviet MiG-15, in furious air battles that pushed their pilots’ skills to the limit. The epicenter of the air campaign was MiG Alley, a strip of airspace between the Korean-Chinese border. Flying higher and faster than ever before, American and British pilots had little idea of the hidden dangers that awaited them if they were shot down. Thirty-one Sabre pilots are believed to have survived crash landings, and the evidence suggests that a few of the pilots were captured and secretly imprisoned in Russia. In “MiG Alley,” NOVA follows the poignant and sometimes harrowing efforts of family members to trace what happened to pilots who went missing more than a half-century ago.
Wednesday, May 23 at 10 pm ET

Thursday

Ask the Doctors
“General Health”
Area physicians visit the Public TV 13 studios to answer phoned-in questions from viewers during this live broadcast. This week’s guests are: To be announced. Call in your questions during the broadcast at 800-227-9668.
Thursday, May 24 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/25 at Noon ET

This Old House Hour
“Bedford Project, Part 8”
General contractor Tom Silva finishes up the last of the structural work by replacing an undersized and partially rotted old post in the kitchen. Meanwhile, window restoration specialist Alison Hardy reinstalls the restored historic window sashes in the dining room, adding spring-action hardware and weather stripping to make them more efficient. In the second half of the hour, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey travels to Georgia to fix a kitchen sink drain.
Thursday, May 24 at 10 pm ET

Friday

Need to Know
This weekly current affairs series covers the issues being considered by candidates and voters — from immigration to education to health care, environment, jobs and economy — from Main Street’s point of view. The program also profiles up-and-coming political leaders and will report regularly from the road, hosting the program from key states whose issues are important to the national election. Essays, many from Jon Meacham and from a diverse group of other journalists and big thinkers, are a weekly feature. A rotation of respected and experienced media professionals will both anchor the program and report from the field.
Friday, May 25 at 8:30 pm ET

Goat Rodeo Live: Yo Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile
Marvel at the artistry of four string virtuosos: renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, bluegrass fiddler Stuart Duncan, bassist Edgar Meyer and mandolin wizard Chris Thile. While each artist is a prominent figure in his own musical sphere, all four have come together for their first concert to create what critics are now hailing “a most remarkable and organic cross-genre project in which the fire and drive of the bluegrass world meet the clarity and class of the classical music world.” The concert was recorded at Boston’s House of Blues.
Friday, May 25 at 9 pm ET

Front Row Center
“Moby”
This multi-talented and eclectic performer showcases his wide range as a musician and songwriter in this one-of-a-kind performance. With assistance from gospel belter Inyang Bassey and torch singer Kelli Scarr, Moby uses this hour of television to survey his nearly 20-year career. Highlights include "South Side," "Porcelain," "Natural Blues, " and "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad."
Friday, May 25 at 10 pm ET

Saturday

Media Meet
“Lake Eutrophication”
Natural or artificial substances, such as nitrates and sewage, can have harmful effects when added to lakes and aquatic systems. A case in point is Ishpeming's oxygen starved Lake Bancroft. Retired Wisconsin DNR researcher, now private consultant, Douglas Knauer discusses the problem and lake restoration projects.
Saturday, May 26 at 6:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/27 at 1:30 pm ET

National Geographic Bee 2012
The annual National Geographic Bee returns for the 24th consecutive year with host and moderator Alex Trebek. The contest features questions on topics spanning meteorology, international affairs, culture and social history. The Top 10 students will compete for the Bee crown and the top prize of a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Second and third prizes are college scholarships of $15,000 and $10,000.
Saturday, May 26 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/28 at 2:30 pm ET

Austin City Limits
“Mumford and Sons/Flogging Molly”
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS continues its longstanding tradition of showcasing the best of American music. This week, Contemporary folk rock takes the stage with Mumford & Sons and Flogging Molly. Mumford & Sons perform cuts from their hit album Sigh No More, as well as new tunes. Flogging Molly hit highlights from their career.
Saturday, May 26 at 11 pm ET

Sunday

Moyers & Company
Bill Moyers returns with a weekly hour of compelling and vital conversation about life and the state of American democracy, featuring some of the best thinkers of our time. A range of scholars, artists, activists, scientists, philosophers and newsmakers bring context, insight and meaning to important topics. The series occasionally includes Moyers' own timely and penetrating essays on society and government. In a multimedia marketplace saturated with shallow sound bites and partisan name-calling, MOYERS & COMPANY digs deeper.
Sunday, May 27 at 11 am ET

Independent Lens
“Left by the Ship”
JR, Charlene, Margarita and Robert are half American; they are among the many children born to U.S. servicemen who were stationed on military bases in the Philippines until 1992. Like most Filipino Amerasians, they were left behind by their biological fathers and largely forgotten. Over the course of two years, they delve into the psychological and social consequences of the U.S. military presence and its legacy.
Sunday, May 27 at 4 pm ET

National Memorial Day Concert
On the eve of Memorial Day, a star-studded line-up will grace the stage for this American tradition, honoring the service and sacrifice of all our men and women in uniform, their families at home and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The program is co-hosted for the seventh year by Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna (CRIMINAL MINDS) and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise (CSI:NEW YORK), two acclaimed actors who have dedicated themselves to veteran’s causes and supporting our troops in active service. They will be joined by an all-star line-up including: the rock band Daughtry; singer and songwriter Natalie Cole; country music superstar Trace Adkins; actress Ellen Burstyn; actor and Vietnam veteran Dennis Franz; and world renowned tenor Russell Watson; in performance with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.
Sunday, May 27 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 5/28 at Midnight & 1 pm ET

The U.P. Recalls The War
In this 2007 WNMU-TV production, people living in the Upper Peninsula recall World War II, sharing images and stories from the battlefields of Europe, and the home towns we know and love. They take us from the Battle of the Bulge, to Italy with the 10th Mountain Division, to the glider factory in Kingsford, and to the mines of the U.P. iron range. This is the story of people who fought for freedom in the greatest war the world has ever known, both abroad and at home.
Sunday, May 27 at 9:30 pm ET
Repeats 5/28 at Noon ET

The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord & Conflict
This film is the definitive documentary about the history of the American flag. It features Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactments and new facts and insights about American flag history, revealed by the world’s leading experts on historic flags, Dr. Whitney Smith and Howard Michael Madaus, American culture expert Dr. Wayne Fields and filmmakers Norman Lear and Harold Ramis. Leading flag collectors Ben Zaricor, Kit Hinrichs and Louise Veninga display the stunning flags of their extraordinary collections that, up until now, have never been shown in public. Based on the book of the same title, this program is essential viewing for anyone interested in the rich heritage of the American flag.
Sunday, May 27 at 10:30 pm ET

Monday

The U.P. Recalls The War
In this 2007 WNMU-TV production, people living in the Upper Peninsula recall World War II, sharing images and stories from the battlefields of Europe, and the home towns we know and love. They take us from the Battle of the Bulge, to Italy with the 10th Mountain Division, to the glider factory in Kingsford, and to the mines of the U.P. iron range. This is the story of people who fought for freedom in the greatest war the world has ever known, both abroad and at home.
Monday, May 28 at Noon ET

National Memorial Day Concert
On the eve of Memorial Day, a star-studded line-up will grace the stage for this American tradition, honoring the service and sacrifice of all our men and women in uniform, their families at home and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The program is co-hosted for the seventh year by Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna (CRIMINAL MINDS) and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise (CSI:NEW YORK), two acclaimed actors who have dedicated themselves to veteran’s causes and supporting our troops in active service. They will be joined by an all-star line-up including: the rock band Daughtry; singer and songwriter Natalie Cole; country music superstar Trace Adkins; actress Ellen Burstyn; actor and Vietnam veteran Dennis Franz; and world renowned tenor Russell Watson; in performance with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.
Monday, May 28 at 1 pm ET

National Geographic Bee 2012
The annual National Geographic Bee returns for the 24th consecutive year with host and moderator Alex Trebek. The contest features questions on topics spanning meteorology, international affairs, culture and social history. The Top 10 students will compete for the Bee crown and the top prize of a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Second and third prizes are college scholarships of $15,000 and $10,000.
Monday, May 28 at 2:30 pm ET

Independent Lens
“Hell and Back Again”
What does it mean to lead men in war? What does it mean to come home — injured physically and psychologically — and build a life anew? In “Hell and Back Again,” two overlapping narratives are intercut — the life of a Marine at war on the front and the life of the same Marine in recovery at home — creating both a dreamlike quality and a strikingly realistic depiction of how Marines experience this war.
Monday, May 28 at 10 pm ET

Tuesday

Civilization: The West and the Rest with Niall Ferguson
For the past five centuries, Western civilizations have prevailed around the world. More people have been influenced by Western food, clothing, medicine, government and religion worldwide than by any other civilization. How did that happen? Examine the rise of the West’s economic ascendancy based on Niall Ferguson’s six principles of prosperity: competition, science, modern medicine, democracy, consumerism and work ethic. The programs are adapted from Ferguson’s book, Civilization: The West and the Rest. Part 2 of 2.
Tuesday, May 29 at 8 pm ET

Frontline
“Al Qaeda in Yemen”
Since the death of Osama bin Laden, Yemen has become the hottest front in the war against Al Qaeda. Now, with headlines about a terrorist plot to bomb a U.S.-bound airliner, award-winning reporter and FRONTLINE correspondent Ghaith Abdul-Ahad travels into the heart of Yemen's radical heartland. His first-hand report shows how members of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have taken advantage of turmoil in the country to impose their rule on areas of south Yemen. As the US expands its drone war to prevent terrorists from establishing a new safe haven, FRONTLINE shows how AQAP is taking control of towns and cities in an attempt to establish its own state. Also in this hour, the story of Al Qaeda operative Fahd al Quso -- killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen early this month — as told by former FBI agent Ali Soufan who first interrogated him before 9/11.
Tuesday, May 29 at 10 pm ET

Wednesday

Nature
“Black Mamba”
The black mamba is one of Africa’s most dangerous and feared snakes, known for being aggressive when disturbed. Rearing up with its head four feet above the ground, it strikes with deadly precision, delivering venom that is packed with three different kinds of toxins 10 times more deadly than needed to kill an adult human. Without treatment, the mortality rate is 100 percent. Until now, little has been known about the black mamba’s natural behavior in the wild because, in Africa, most people kill a black mamba on sight and feel lucky to have done so. But in the tiny country of Swaziland in southern Africa, a team of herpetologists has an entirely different “take” on these creatures and hopes their six-week study will change public perception of what they feel is the world’s most misunderstood snake.
Wednesday, May 30 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 6/6 at 12 pm ET

NOVA
“Venom: Nature's Killer”
Venom scientists are in a race against time. Inside the bodies of many creatures, evolution has produced extremely toxic cocktails, all designed for one reason: to kill. It took millions of years to perfect these ultimate brews of proteins and peptides, and we have only just begun to discover their potential. Now, the race is on to collect and study them before the animals that produce them disappear. But how does venom do its deadly work? NOVA reveals how venom causes the body to shut down, arteries to bleed uncontrollably and limbs to go black and die. But nature’s most destructive and extreme poisons could contain the building blocks for a new generation of advanced drugs that could treat heart attack, stroke, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
Wednesday, May 30 at 9 pm ET
Repeats 5/31 at Noon ET

Shelter Me
This family-friendly film celebrates the human-animal bond with positive, uplifting stories about shelter pets and their new homes. Every year, more than 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized in America's shelters. Shelter Me focuses on the success stories to bring more people into the shelters to give these incredible animals a second chance. This program shows how shelter pets are helping our returning War Veterans cope with debilitating injuries; how shelter pets are teaching inmates new life lessons and follows a shelter pet being rescued from the streets and his journey through the shelters to his new home. Shelter Me is a show about redemption, hope, helping others and making a difference.
Wednesday, May 30 at 10 pm ET

Thursday

Ask the DNR
“Water Sports, Camping and Recreation”
Personnel from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources visit the Public TV 13 studios to answer phoned-in questions from viewers on this live broadcast. Guests: To be announced. Call in your questions during the broadcast at 800-227-9668.
Thursday, May 31 at 8 pm ET
Repeats 6/1 at Noon ET

This Old House Hour
“Bedford Project, Part 9”
General contractor Tom Silva installs new red cedar clapboards on the oldest part of the house using a story pole to match the coursing of a later addition. Then, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey arrives to help remove some existing plumbing that’s in the way of the new kitchen. In the second half of the hour Tom helps two homeowners build a railing for their porch.
Thursday, May 31 at 10 pm ET

The complete schedule for Public TV 13, Channel 13.1 is available on one page at this link.