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Alabama Public Television Upcoming Specials
 Fri, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.
This week on CAPITOL JOURNAL's WEEK IN REVEW, Don Dailey talks with Alabama Senate pro tem Del Marsh, and Olivia Stacey interviews Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard about the start of the 2012 legislative session next week. Guest journalists will be Sebastian Kitchens of the Montgomery Advertiser and Shedd Johnson with WVAS radio in Montgomery.
 Fri, Feb. 3 at 9 p.m.
Throughout a long golden era, the American movie musical transformed Hollywood into a Mecca for the biggest singing stars and leading songwriters of the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. Hosted by Michael Feinstein, THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK offers a dazzling parade of American popular songs as seen and heard in some of the most beloved films ever made. With stars ranging from Al Jolson to Judy Garland to Frank Sinatra, and sounds from the Gilded Age to New Orleans jazz to Broadway musicals, THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK tells the story of the first 50 years of American popular music. Whether it was from the vaudeville stage or Tin Pan Alley, on the radio or the record player, it all found its way to the silver screen.
 Sat, Feb. 4 at 4 p.m.
From carving to carpentry, enjoy a look at what it takes to work with wood.
 Sat, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m.
Why do archaeologists travel in packs? How can finding just a thin flake from a prehistoric spear point be so exciting? Sorting out the hidden pasts of people who haven't been around for thousands of years can take a lifetime for an archeologist. For every hour or two in the field, archaeologists spend another 10 to 12 hours working in the laboratory toiling over their discoveries, trying to make sense of them. And yet it's also a team sport. We'll follow several teams of professional and amateur archaeologists as they carefully unearth pieces of northern New England's past. We'll see the latest techniques and technologies they're using to detect, excavate and preserve their interesting finds.
 Sun, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m.
Moyers & Company focuses on one-on-one interviews with people not often heard on television.
 Sun, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m.
As the war nears its end, Downton’s aristocrats and servants put their lives back together. Mary and Sir Richard go estate hunting. A mysterious wounded officer makes a shocking revelation.
 Sun, Feb. 5 at 9 p.m.
With glamour, insight, charm, beautiful photography, and fascinating stories, David Suchet (“Poirot”) leads viewers on a blissfully homicide-free excursion aboard the modern-day Orient Express.
 Mon, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.
In Eugene, Oregon, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Kathleen Bailey head to the picturesque King Estate Winery to discuss what to look for in the pursuit of collecting wineglasses and decanters. Highlights include a playful pair of beautifully preserved tin toys: a circa 1938 Marx car and a battery powered dump truck; a circa 1861 Civil War cavalry guidon that may have been used in the Battle of Shiloh; and the “guardian of Venice,” a 1960 jeweled gold moretto valued at $40,000 to $60,000.
 Mon, Feb. 6 at 9 p.m.
Extraordinary people risked their lives to help fugitive slaves escape via the clandestine Underground Railroad. Among them was William Still of Philadelphia, a free black man who accepted delivery of transported crates containing “human cargo.” This documentary reveals some of the dramatic, lesser-known stories behind this humanitarian enterprise, and explores key Canadian connections, including the surprising fate of former slaves who crossed the border to “Freedom’s Land.”
 Mon, Feb. 6 at 10:30 p.m.
CAPITOL JOURNAL provides daily coverage of the Alabama Legislature with a studio inside the Alabama State House. Don Dailey and Olivia Stacey host the half-hour nightly report, examining key issues and interviewing newsmakers. Erica Lembo of APT reports on education-related issues throughout the session. Reporters Karen Brown and Marcus Hyles of WVAS-FM News at Alabama State University follow action in the House and Senate.
Tue, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m.
CAPITOL JOURNAL presents special live coverage of Governor Robert Bentley's State of the State Address. Hosts Don Dailey and Olivia Stacey.
 Tue, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m.
Freedom Riders is the product of extensive research over many years, including interviews with scores of Freedom Riders, and is widely recognized as the definitive work on the Freedom Rider movement.
 Tue, Feb. 7 at 8:30 p.m.
One of the greatest family bands of all time. With roots based in bluegrass, Celtic, and jazz music, CHERRYHOLMES stormed to the forefront of American bluegrass and roots music. They hit the stage with hard-driving instrumental virtuosity, explosive vocal harmonies, and various styles of original songs written by family band members. Add their fluidity of instrumental movement and dance, and it's a look and sound that can only be described as CHERRYHOLMES!""
 Wed, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.
Are human beings, in an effort to outwit raccoons, actually making them smarter and unwittingly contributing to their evolutionary success? Are the ever more complex obstacles that our fast-paced urban world throws at them actually pushing the development of raccoon brains? In this film, scientists from around the world share their thoughts and work to explore this scientific theory. Attempting to do something that has never been done before, they closely follow a family of urban raccoons as they navigate the complex world of a big city.
 Wed, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.
This is the incredible story of Trishna and Krishna, twin girls born joined at the head. Abandoned shortly after birth at an orphanage in Bangladesh, they had little chance of survival, until they were saved and taken to Australia by an aid worker. After two years battling for life, the twins are ready for a series of delicate operations, which will prepare them for the ultimate challenge: a marathon separation surgery that will allow them to live truly separate lives. Since the beginning, surgeons knew there was no guarantee of survival for either of the girls — but without surgery there was no hope at all. With exclusive access to this extraordinary human and medical drama, NOVA’s cameras have been with Trishna and Krishna and their caregivers at each moment of their journey.
 Wed, Feb. 8 at 9 p.m.
The experts dissect a lion and a tiger. From the outside, the two look very different, but once their skins are removed, even the experts find it hard to tell them apart. Biologist Simon Watt comes face to face with a liger — a cross between a lion and a tiger — proof of the two species’ similarity. One of the most characteristic features of these magnificent animals — something that distinguishes them from the small cats — is their ability to roar. The team delves into the lion’s throat to find the voicebox and makes a discovery that helps explain the way the vocal apparatus works. Richard Dawkins explains the evolutionary arms race between predators and their prey in the struggle to survive. Finally, the experts try to find out why male lions have a distinctive mane.
 Wed, Feb. 8 at 10 p.m.
A propeller from a World War II drone, a wooden club that could be Teddy Roosevelt's, and a letter that Clara Barton could have written concerning a soldier's life.
 Thu, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.
As the Bedford project wraps up, landscape contractor Roger Cook and landscape designer Jenn Nawada Evans install both the new and old plant material, adjusted at the nursery for the change in the color of the house. In the kitchen, tile contractor Mark Ferrante installs the ceramic backsplash tile with a crackle finish that requires sealing three times to prevent seepage and staining through the cracks. In the dining room, interior designer Dee Elms is on hand as wallpaper hanger Mike Bradshaw starts installing the new hand-woven paper from Japan. The front yard design is complete with the arrival of sod, and Roger installs the reproduction boot scraper in the granite step by the front door while general contractor Tom Silva adds the doorknocker. As furniture is delivered, host Kevin O’Connor meets kitchen designer Kathy Marshall and homeowner Becky Titlow to see the finished kitchen and the appliances and fixtures they’ve chosen. Homeowner Joe Titlow shows master carpenter Norm how he’s managed to get a good workshop space in the garage, despite budget constraints. Then, Dee reveals the design choices they’ve made in oldest part of the house — brightening up the parlor and transforming the dining room with color and texture. In the new addition, Dee’s design partner, Andrew Terrat, gives Kevin a grand tour of the new spaces, including the new entry, mudroom, powder room, kitchen and dramatic new family room. The entire crew of THIS OLD HOUSE gathers for a party to wish the Titlows well in their “new” old house. In the second half of the hour, on ASK THIS OLD HOUSE, Kevin works with painter Mauro Henrique to stain a cedar fence. Then, Tom helps a homeowner install window boxes and Roger helps plant them.
 Thu, Feb. 9 at 9 p.m.
In Cuba, Professor Gates finds out how the culture, religion, politics and music of this island are inextricably linked to the huge amount of slave labor imported to produce its enormously profitable 19th century sugar industry, and how race and racism have fared since Fidel Castro's Communist revolution in 1959.
Fri, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.
CAPITOL JOURNAL's WEEK IN REVEW examines top news events and issues each week with newsmaker interviews and a panel of guest journalists from around the state. Hosts for the new season of CAPITOL JOURNAL are veteran Alabama radio newsman Don Dailey and Olivia Stacey, who most recently served as anchor for Florida public television station WUFT.
Fri, Feb. 10 at 9 p.m.
Throughout a long golden era, the American movie musical transformed Hollywood into a Mecca for the biggest singing stars and leading songwriters of the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. Hosted by Michael Feinstein, THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK offers a dazzling parade of American popular songs as seen and heard in some of the most beloved films ever made. With stars ranging from Al Jolson to Judy Garland to Frank Sinatra, and sounds from the Gilded Age to New Orleans jazz to Broadway musicals, THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK tells the story of the first 50 years of American popular music. Whether it was from the vaudeville stage or Tin Pan Alley, on the radio or the record player, it all found its way to the silver screen.
 Sat, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m.
Travel from New England to Costa Rica and Jamaica to meet some of the most colorful and melodic migratory birds and the people who are dedicated to SAVING SONGBIRDS. Saving Songbirds, a NHPTV Windows to the Wild special, introduces viewers to researchers who employ creative means to assess the health of bird populations, and grassroots efforts by Vermont school children to help re-forest the mountains of Costa Rica. Also featured are scientists in Cape May, NJ, who track large flocks of migrating songbirds in total darkness, and Costa Rican coffee farmers practicing bird-friendly methods of cultivation and processing. Avid bird watchers Samuel Habib and Andrea LeBlanc show the personal side of why the survival of songbirds is so important to us all.
 Sat, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.
According to Hyacinth, the one thing she cannot stand is snobbery, people trying to pretend they are superior. As she logically concludes, “That only makes it so much harder for those of us who really are.”
Sun, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m.
The Spanish flu strikes Downton, disrupting one match, hastening another and transforming the fortunes of all. Mary, Sybil and Robert each confront a moment of truth. Anna and Bates know a moment of happiness.
 Sun, Feb. 12 at 9 p.m.
Holly Morris discovers an unusual beer hall in Lviv, visits a shaman in the Carpathian Mountains, witnesses the joyful pilgrimage of Hassidic Jews to Uman, encounters a former Cold War missile base in Pervamaisk, observes a bride agency in Kherson, visits the Livadia Palace in Yalta, meets up with Crimean War buffs in Sevastopol, explores the capital of Kiev, and ventures to Chernobyl.
Mon, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Alasdair Nichol head to the Andy Warhol Museum to check out some early works of the Pittsburgh native from his pre-Factory days — eclectic illustrations that garner ample attention from today’s collectors. Highlights include intimate correspondence between Cole Porter and actor Monty Woolley; a finely knotted circa 1920 silk Kashan rug; and one of the best flea market finds of all time: a 17th-century Chinese rhinoceros horn cup, purchased for $1 and valued at $350,000 to $450,000!
 Mon, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.
A Sundance Film Festival selection for 2012, this new documentary based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Wall Street Journal senior writer Douglas A. Blackmon, explores the little-known story of the post-Emancipation era and the labor practices and laws that effectively created a new form of slavery in the South that persisted well into the 20th century. Blackmon examines the concept of “neoslavery,” which sentenced African-Americans to forced labor for violating an array of laws that criminalized their everyday behavior. Award-winning actor Laurence Fishburne (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” Thurgood) narrates.
 Tue, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m.
During one weekend in Chicago in 2008, 37 people were shot, seven of them fatally. FRONTLINE follows a group of older former gang leaders trying to “interrupt” shootings and protect their communities from the violence they once committed. The film follows the inner workings of CeaseFire, an innovative program in Chicago designed to prevent shootings, including weekly meetings where the interrupters report on the simmering disputes and the senseless shootings in their neighborhoods. From director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Stevie), "The Interrupters" is a compelling observational journey into the stubborn, persistent violence that plagues our American cities.
 Wed, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.
The Himalayan mountain system is the planet’s highest and home to the world’s tallest peaks. NATURE explores the diversity of wildlife and habitats of this mountain chain starring the mysterious snow leopard.
 Wed, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m.
Extreme Cave Diving follows the charismatic Dr. Kenny Broad as he dives into blue holes-underwater caves that formed during the last ice age when sea level was nearly 400 feet below what it is today. They are Earth's least explored and perhaps most dangerous frontiers. With an interdisciplinary team of climatologists, paleontologists and anthropologists, Broad investigates the hidden history of Earth's climate as revealed by finds in this spectacularly beautiful alternate universe.""
 Wed, Feb. 15 at 9 p.m.
Everest climber and thrill seeker Pete Athans returns to the Himalayas with Dr. Mark Aldenderfer in search of the caves and mummies of a lost civilization. There they risk their own safety to reveal astonishing evidence of a previously unknown 1,500-year-old death ritual high in the Himalayan caves.
Wed, Feb. 15 at 10 p.m.
Can the Japanese characters carved into this cane unlock the mystery of a family's past in a World War II relocation camp? Can HISTORY DETECTIVES trace this unusual wooden telescope to its Revolution era ancestor? And is this drawing of huge, eight pound gold nuggets genuine or another example of Gold Rush hype?
Thu, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
The first half hour of the series continues This Old House. The second half hour, Ask This Old House, features host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook as they address home maintenance and repair questions. Also featured are in-studio demonstrations and new product reviews, "house call" visits, and guest specialists, including master carpenter Norm Abram.
Fri, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m.
CAPITOL JOURNAL's WEEK IN REVEW examines top news events and issues each week with newsmaker interviews and a panel of guest journalists from around the state. Hosts for the new season of CAPITOL JOURNAL are veteran Alabama radio newsman Don Dailey and Olivia Stacey, who most recently served as anchor for Florida public television station WUFT.
Fri, Feb. 17 at 9 p.m.
Throughout a long golden era, the American movie musical transformed Hollywood into a Mecca for the biggest singing stars and leading songwriters of the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. Hosted by Michael Feinstein, THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK offers a dazzling parade of American popular songs as seen and heard in some of the most beloved films ever made. With stars ranging from Al Jolson to Judy Garland to Frank Sinatra, and sounds from the Gilded Age to New Orleans jazz to Broadway musicals, THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK tells the story of the first 50 years of American popular music. Whether it was from the vaudeville stage or Tin Pan Alley, on the radio or the record player, it all found its way to the silver screen.
 Sat, Feb. 18 at 5 p.m.
The Continental Divide Trail provides a 3,100-mile scenic backdrop — from the mountain lakes and grizzly bears of Glacier National Park to the crimson sunsets and lava flows of El Malpais National Monument. In WALKING THE GREAT DIVIDE, award-winning filmmaker Mark Flagler embarks on a six-month journey to traverse the primitive backcountry trail that stretches from Mexico to Canada. The film captures Flagler's trials and triumphs as he braves high-altitude trekking, intense desert heat, cross-country navigation and deep canyons in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. On the trail, Flagler also meets fellow endurance hikers, takes in spectacular scenery and discovers hidden jewels, and highlights some of the issues that have surrounded the "King of Trails" since its inception.
 Sat, Feb. 18 at 10:30 p.m.
Bluegrass is the order of the night with Steve Martin and Sarah Jarosz. Comedian Martin picks up his banjo and the Steep Canyon Rangers for new tunes in the old tradition. Young Texan Jarosz rewrites the bluegrass rules with her original songs and style.
Sun, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
Moyers & Company focuses on one-on-one interviews with people not often heard on television.
Sun, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m.
In the finale, the family gathers at Downton Abbey for Christmas.
Mon, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
Against the formidable backdrop of Pittsburgh’s former Homestead Steel Works, appraiser Peter Shemonsky shows host Mark L. Walberg strikingly delicate examples of centuries-old jewelry fashioned out of steel and iron. Highlights include a 6.5 carat yellow mine cut diamond ring kept for years in a sock drawer; a North American Indian club and pipe the owner believes belonged to Sitting Bull; and three Charles Darwin first editions, including an 1830s collection of The Voyage of the Beagle, an 1859 On the Origin of Species, and an 1871 The Descent of Man, insured at $284,000
 Mon, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m.
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. It follows Clinton across his two terms as he confronted some of the key forces that would shape the future, including partisan political warfare and domestic and international terrorism, and struggled, with uneven success, to define the role of American power in a post-Cold War world. Most memorably, it explores how Clinton’s conflicted character made history, even as it enraged his enemies and confounded his friends. The program features unprecedented access to scores of Clinton insiders, including White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers, White House Counsel Bernard Nussbaum, White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and Deputy Chief of Staff Harold Ickes, as well as interviews with foreign leaders, members of the Republican opposition, childhood friends, staffers from Clinton’s years as governor of Arkansas, biographers and journalists.
 Mon, Feb. 20 at 9 p.m.
The only weekly national TV series focused entirely on the latest in integrative health and natural approaches to total well-being.
Every half-hour episode features:
A lead story and a second story on Integrative health and wellness
A nutrition fitness tip focusing on the importance of healthy eating and nutritional supplementation
A Healing Moment™ featuring Olivia Newton-John’s music and David Fortney's nature footage.
Healing Quest’s mission is to provide accessible, well-researched information on the new choices available to help achieve optimum well-being.
Tue, Feb. 21 at 9 p.m.
Fearlessly revolutionizing the way acoustic music is presented, this band is synonymous with cutting-edge excellence. One of the most highly awarded ensembles ever, Mountain Heart members have either won or been nominated for multiple Grammys, ACM, CMA and IBMA Awards and played the Grand Ole Opry’s revered stage more than 100 times. Mountain Heart deftly combines elements of rock, jamband, country, blues, jazz and bluegrass into a fresh, accessible and unmistakably unique sound.
 Tue, Feb. 21 at 9 p.m.
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’ conviction, and new questions are being asked about the quality of expert testimony in this and many other similar cases. In this joint report with ProPublica and NPR, FRONTLINE correspondent A.C. Thompson unearths more than 20 child death cases in which people were jailed on medical evidence — involving abuse, assault and “shaken baby syndrome” — that was later found unreliable or flat-out wrong.
 Wed, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
Over the millennia, plants have developed remarkable ways of dispersing their seeds.
Wed, Feb. 22 at 9 p.m.
A woodcarving may have been part of the Andrew Jackson figurehead affixed to the USS Constitution.
Thu, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.
The first half hour of the series continues This Old House. The second half hour, Ask This Old House, features host Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook as they address home maintenance and repair questions. Also featured are in-studio demonstrations, new product reviews, "house call" visits, and guest specialists, including master carpenter Norm Abram.
 Thu, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m.
Fondly described as “Talladega Nights meets Catcher in the Rye,” “Racing Dreams” chronicles a year in the life of three tweens who dream of becoming NASCAR drivers. Though they aren’t old enough for driving licenses, Brandon, Josh and Annabeth race extreme go-karts at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour in the World Karting Association’s national series, the “Little League” of professional racing. The film, by Marshall Curry (Oscar®-nominated “Street Fight,” POV 2005; “If a Tree Falls,” POV 2011), is a humorous and heartbreaking portrait of racing, young love and family struggle. Winner of Best Documentary Feature Award, 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.
Fri, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m.
CAPITOL JOURNAL's WEEK IN REVEW examines top news events and issues each week with newsmaker interviews and a panel of guest journalists from around the state. Hosts for the new season of CAPITOL JOURNAL are veteran Alabama radio newsman Don Dailey and Olivia Stacey, who most recently served as anchor for Florida public television station WUFT.
 Fri, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m.
GREAT PERFORMANCES returns to Carnegie Hall's famed stage for another opening night gala concert, featuring the acclaimed San Francisco Symphony under the baton of its legendary conductor and musical director, Michael Tilson Thomas. With August 25, 2008, marking Leonard Bernstein's 90th birthday, Thomas leads the orchestra in an all-Bernstein program celebrating the composer's remarkable contributions to American music. Featuring the Fancy Free suite, scenes from A Quiet Place, Meditation" from Mass, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and songs from On the Town and Wonderful Town, the orchestra is joined by soprano Dawn Upshaw, baritone Thomas Hampson, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Broadway's Christine Ebersole for an evening of unforgettable classics. In HD where available. "
 Sat, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m.
This program highlights several programs to help injured wildlife by Alabamians who feel special compassion for animals. Included are visits to the Wildlife Center at Oak Mountain State Park, the Southeastern Raptor Center at Auburn University, and a project to save endangered sea turtles along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
 Sun, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m.
Mariusz Kwiecien brings his youthful and sensual interpretation of Mozart’s timeless antihero to the Met for the first time. Under the direction of Tony Award-winning director Michael Grandage and with Fabio Luisi conducting, the production also stars Marina Rebeka, Barbara Frittoli, Ramon Vargas and Luca Pisaroni.
 Sun, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.
A teenage girl and her grandfather lose everything to a maniacal moneylender and flee his relentless pursuit. The saga of Little Nell, Grandfather and their tormentor, Daniel Quilp, is one of Charles Dickens' most heartrending tales. Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius") stars as Grandfather, with Sophie Vavasseur ("Northanger Abbey") as Nell and Toby Jones (Frost/Nixon) as Quilp. The Dickensian cast also includes Gina McKee ("The Forsyte Saga") as the brains behind Quilp's shady law firm."
Sun, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m.
Bradley Cooper travels the path of the Incas, heading from Cuzco to Ollyantaytambo, site of their last great battle. Next he treks to glacial Ausangate Mountain where he takes part in the exuberant celebration of the Qollyur'riti Festival. In the Amazon, Eils Nevitt travels from Manaus by boat to Anavilhanas Island. Along the way she fishes for the deadly black piranha, hunts for spiders and tastes a coconut maggot. Back in Manaus, Eils attends an initiation ritual with the Satare Maue tribe. She sails the Amazon to test her jungle survival skills and glimpses a new species of dwarf monkey.
Mon, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
In Pittsburgh, host Mark L. Walberg joins appraiser Arlie Sulka at the Carnegie Museum of Art to explore the striking, vibrantly colored vases, bottles and jars made by glass master Maurice Marinot. Highlights include a collection of correspondence between members of the Kennedy family and JFK’s former personal secretary; a circa 1928 Art Deco jade sapphire ring; and a 1946 oil painting by Rockwell Kent, along with an inherited letter from the artist, valued at $150,000 to $250,000.
 Mon, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m.
A music special in the East Room of the White House, hosted by President and Mrs. Obama. The evening will be an all-star celebration of the musical form that sprang from the Mississippi Delta to the Westside of Chicago, with deep roots in Africa and slavery and influences on modern American music from Soul to Rock and Roll. Leading popular artists’ performances will trace that migratory root and pay homage to the great figures of the Blues genre and the songs they made famous — from John Lee Hooker to Muddy Waters.
 Mon, Feb. 27 at 9 p.m.
“Minnie the Moocher,” with its popular refrain “Hi de hi de hi de ho,” was Cab Calloway’s signature song, and Harlem’s famous Cotton Club was his home stage. A singer, dancer and band leader, he was an exceptional figure in the history of jazz: a consummate musician, he charmed audiences around the world with boundless energy, bravado and elegant showmanship. His back glide dance step is the precursor to Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, and his scatting lyrics find their legacy in today’s hip-hop and rap. An ambassador for his race, Calloway was one of the first black musicians to tour the segregationist South, as early as 1932. At the top of his game in the jazz and swing eras of the 30s and 40s, he toured as Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess, forever putting his personal stamp on “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” His career flagged until he was rediscovered in 1980’s The Blues Brothers and even on SESAME STREET, becoming a new cult hero of sorts.
Mon, Feb. 27 at 9 p.m.
The Big Benefits of Family Meals, Purple Juice from the Amazon & Eating More
 Tue, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
THE AMISH answers many questions Americans have about this insistently insular religious community, whose intense faith and adherence to 500-year-old traditions have by turns captivated and repelled, awed and irritated, inspired and confused for more than a century. With unprecedented access, built on patience and hard-won trust, the film is the first to penetrate deeply and explore this attention-averse group. In doing so, THE AMISH paints an intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life. It questions why and how the Amish, an insistently closed and communal culture, have thrived within one of the most open, individualistic societies on earth; explores how, despite their ingrained submissiveness, the Amish have successfully asserted themselves in resisting the encroachments of modern society and government; asks what Americans’ attraction to the Amish says about deep American values; and looks at what the future holds for a community whose existence is so rooted in the past.
 Tue, Feb. 28 at 9 p.m.
FRONTLINE continues its investigation of nuclear safety with an unprecedented account of the crisis inside the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex after a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011. With exclusive eyewitness testimony from key figures in the drama — including the Japanese prime minister and senior executives at the power company Tepco — FRONTLINE tells the story of the workers struggling frantically to reconnect power inside the plant’s pitch-dark and highly radioactive reactor buildings; the nuclear experts and officials in the prime minister’s office fighting to get information as the crisis spiraled out of control; and the plant manager who disobeyed his executives’ orders when he thought it would save the lives of his workers. The story profiles the Japanese soldiers and firefighters drafted to cool the reactors, who were wounded when the reactor housings exploded; and the families, living near the nuclear plant, who unknowingly fled in the same direction as the radioactive plume, exposing themselves to dangerously high radiation levels.
Tue, Feb. 28 at 9 p.m.
A consummate writer’s writer, Darrell Scott has crafted a long and broad career, garnering awards and accolades for his performances as well as writing hits for a broad spectrum of artists from Garth Brooks and Brad Paisley to the Dixie Chicks and Keb Mo. Currently touring with Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and his Band of Joy, Scott crafts songs that are a fine-tuned balance of the cerebral and the emotional, artfully rendered and soulfully delivered.
 Wed, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m.
Echo, the elephant matriarch, was the subject of many NATURE films and the leader of a carefully studied herd of elephants in Africa. Last year, she died of natural causes. This film is a look back at this remarkable animal through extraordinary footage and interviews with the researchers that cared for and studied this amazing herd.
 Wed, Feb. 29 at 8 p.m.
In its worst crisis since World War II, Japan faces disaster on an epic scale: a rising death toll in the tens of thousands, massive destruction of homes and businesses, shortages of water and power, and the specter of nuclear meltdown at three reactors. The facts and figures are astonishing. The March 11th earthquake was the world's fourth largest earthquake since record keeping began in 1900 and the worst ever to shake Japan. The seismic shock wave released over 4,000 times the energy of the largest nuclear test ever conducted; it shifted the earth's axis by six inches and shortened the day by a few millionths of a second. The tsunami slammed Japan's coast with 30 feet-high waves that traveled six miles inland, obliterating entire towns in a matter of minutes. JAPAN'S KILLER QUAKE combines authoritative on-the-spot reporting, personal stories of tragedy and survival, compelling eyewitness videos, explanatory graphics and exclusive helicopter footage for a unique look at the science behind the catastrophe.
Wed, Feb. 29 at 9 p.m.
A camera may have been used by the first female White House photographer to shoot President Truman.
 Wed, Feb. 29 at 9 p.m.
Ten months after the end of World War II, off the coast of Hawaii, America destroyed one of Japan's most advanced weapons systems. It was an attempt to keep an advanced, top-secret submarine out of the hands of the Russians. Secrets of the Dead reveals the startling story of Japan's successful creation of a technological masterpiece-an aircraft carrier submarine.
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