PBS Primetime Program Highlights - March 29-April 4

Week of March 29-April 4, 2020
On-air Picks of the Week

• *NEW* Season 9 of CALL THE MIDWIFE premiering Sunday, March 29, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET.
   
• *NEW* GARTH BROOKS: THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GERSHWIN PRIZE FOR POPULAR SONG premiering Sunday, March 29, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET, hosted by Jay Leno and featuring Trisha Yearwood, Keith Urban, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Stapleton, Keb’ Mo’, Lee Brice and more.
   
• *NEW* Discover the lasting impact of China’s draconian one-child policy in INDEPENDENT LENS “One Child Nation” premiering Monday, March 30, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET.
   
• *NEW* Learn how some of today’s hottest chefs were inspired by the first lady of cooking in DISHING WITH JULIA CHILD premiering Friday, April 3, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET with “The Whole Fish Story” and “The Good Loaf.”

New and Notable Video

Full-length programs:

• INSIDE THE VATICAN . Premieres Tuesday, April 28, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET.

Embeddable Clips

• GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET “Turandot”. Premieres Friday, March 20, 9:00-11:30 p.m. ET.

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SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020

8:00-9:00 PM:
*NEW* CALL THE MIDWIFE Season 9 “Episode One” (CMID) (#901) (TV-14)
A baby is abandoned in a dustbin. The team battle an unexpected diphtheria outbreak.

#MidwifePBS

9:00-10:30 PM:
*NEW* GARTH BROOKS: THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GERSHWIN PRIZE FOR POPULAR SONG (GBRO) (TV-PG)
Country icon Garth Brooks receives the 2020 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

#PBSGershwin

10:30 PM-12:30 AM:
THE CHAPERONE ON MASTERPIECE (MAST) (#4953) (TV-14) (R)

@masterpiecepbs | #TheChaperonePBS
 

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MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2020

8:00-9:00 PM:
*NEW* ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Desert Botanical Garden Hour 2” (ANRO) (#2411) (TV-G)
Discover an oasis of Roadshow treasures at the Desert Botanical Garden, plus a $50,000-$75,000 find.

@RoadshowPBS | #antiquesroadshow

9:00-10:00 PM:
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Spokane Hour 1” (ANRO) (#2001) (TV-G) (R)

@RoadshowPBS | #antiquesroadshow

10:00-11:30 PM:
*NEW* INDEPENDENT LENS “One Child Nation” (INLE) (#2112) (TV-PG)
Explore the untold history and rippling impact of China’s former one-child policy.

@IndependentLens | #IndieLensPBS
 

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TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020

8:00-9:00 PM:
SECRETS OF THE DEAD “Ben Franklin’s Bones” (SEDE) (#1401) (TV-14) (R)

@SecretsPBS | #SecretsDeadPBS

9:00-10:00 PM:
THE POLIO CRUSADE: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (AMEX) (#2102) (TV-PG) (R)

@AmExperiencePBS | #AmericanExperience

10:00-11:00 PM:
*NEW* FRONTLINE “Plastic Wars” (FRON) (#3814) (EXEMPT)
Did the plastic industry use recycling to sell more plastic?

@frontlinePBS | #FrontlinePBS
 

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020

8:00-9:00 PM:
*NEW* NATURE “Cuba’s Wild Revolution” (NAAT) (#3713) (TV-G)
Get a glimpse of Cuba’s spectacular wildlife and landscapes, left virtually untouched for 50 years.

@PBSNature | #NaturePBS

9:00-10:00 PM:
*NEW* NOVA “Cuba’s Cancer Hope” (NOVA) (#4705) (TV-G)
When the U.S. trade embargo left Cuba isolated from medical resources, Cuban doctors were forced to get creative.

@novapbs | #NOVAPBS

10:00-11:00 PM:
*NEW* EARTH’S SACRED WONDERS “Closer to the Divine” (ESAW) (#102) (TV-G)
Learn how a Muslim in Mali, a Shinto in Japan and an Episcopalian in New York City worship.

 

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THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020

8:00-9:00 PM:
THE THIS OLD HOUSE HOUR “Cape Ann Between a Rock and Hardwood; Custom Screen Door, Paint Trim” (NTOH) (#1818) (TV-G) (R)

#AskTOH | #WhatIsIt

9:00-10:00 PM:
EARTH’S SACRED WONDERS “Close to the Divine” (ESAW) (#102) (TV-G) (R)


10:00-11:00 PM:
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Desert Botanical Garden Hour 2” (ANRO) (#2411) (TV-G) (R)

@RoadshowPBS | #antiquesroadshow
 

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FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020

8:00-8:30 PM:
*NEW* WASHINGTON WEEK (WWIR) (#5941) (EXEMPT)
Join Robert Costa and noted journalists for a discussion of the big stories from DC.

@washingtonweek | #WashingtonWeek

8:30-9:00 PM:
*NEW* FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER (FLMH) (#340) (EXEMPT)
Join Hoover for a public affairs talk show that delivers a civil and engaging contest of ideas.


9:00-10:00 PM:
*NEW* SOMEWHERE SOUTH “Porridge for the Soul” (SOBS) (#102) (TV-PG)
Join Vivian as she honors African American contributions to Southern food.

#SomewhereSouth

10:00-10:30 PM:
*NEW* DISHING WITH JULIA CHILD “The Whole Fish Story” (DIWJ) (#101) (TV-G)
Jose Andres and Eric Ripert are amazed by Julia Child’s treatment of fish and wealth of information.


10:30-11:00 PM:
*NEW* DISHING WITH JULIA CHILD “The Good Loaf” (DIWJ) (#102) (TV-G)
Four celebrity chefs follow some of Julia Child’s classic breadmaking recipes.

 

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SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020

11:00 PM-12:00 AM:
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS “Patty Griffin/The Revivalists” (AUCL) (#4505) (TV-PG) (R)

@acltv | #acltv

PBS KIDS’ NEWEST SERIES, “XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM” AVAILABLE ON DVD THIS MARCH

PBS KIDS’ NEWEST SERIES, “XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM” AVAILABLE ON DVD THIS MARCH Arlington, VA – February 26, 2020 – This March, PBS Distribution will release “Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: Meet Xavier” for the first time on DVD. Kids will follow the adventures of Xavier, his sister Yadina, and their friend Brad as they solve problems that come their way with the help of a “secret museum.” The museum is a portal that sends the friends back in time to meet real-life heroes when they were kids, who help them solve their problems. “Meet Xavier” is the series’ first DVD. “Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum” debuted on PBS KIDS in November, 2019. The series is based on the children’s book series Ordinary People Change the World by New York Times bestselling author, Brad Meltzer and illustrator, Christopher Eliopoulos. The series is designed to teach kids about influential historical figures and living heroes and some of the key experiences that shaped their lives, while emphasizing important social emotional concepts and positive character traits such as courage, resilience, and commitment to setting and accomplishing goals. Every purchase helps supports public television for all. Families can find full episodes of PBS KIDS series for free on their local PBS station, the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and live stream and PBS KIDS digital platforms, including pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app. XAVIER AND THE SECRET MUSEUM: MEET XAVIER In “Meet Xavier,” Xavier, Yadina and Brad meet Marie Curie in the episode, I Am Marie Curie. She shows Brad that he should always follow his dreams. In the episode, I Am George Washington Carver, Xavier learns how important plant life is and why we need to take care of the earth. And in I Am Charles Dickens, the writer shows Yadina that she doesn’t need new toys because her imagination can be just as fun! Streaming Date: March 17, 2020 Episodes: 3 SRP: $9.99 Format: DVD, Digital Genre: Kids About PBS KIDS PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers children ages 2-8 the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital media and community-based programs. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support the entire ecosystem in which children learn, including their teachers, parents and community. Provided by stations, the free PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and live stream is available to more than 95% of U.S. TV households. Kidscreen- and Webby Award-winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including digital games and streaming video. PBS KIDS offers mobile apps to help support young children’s learning, including the PBS KIDS Video app, which is available on a variety of mobile devices and on platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung TV and Chromecast. PBS KIDS also offers parent and teacher resources to support children’s learning anytime and anywhere. For more information on PBS KIDS content and initiatives supporting school readiness and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. About PBS DISTRIBUTION PBS Distribution, jointly owned by PBS and WGBH, is a leading distributor of public media content around the world. Distribution platforms include: direct-to-consumer subscription video-on-demand (DTC-SVOD) channels– PBS MASTERPIECE, PBS KIDS, and PBS LIVING – all on Amazon Prime Video Channels, with PBS LIVING also available on the Apple TV app, transactional video-on-demand (TVOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) licensing, and physical products on DVD and Blu-ray. Other divisions of the company include: theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight and international licensing. PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators over 4,000 programming hours of the highest quality factual, scripted and children’s programming, including films from producer Ken Burns, hit dramas from MASTERPIECE, entertaining and educational children’s series and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and many independent producers. For over 20 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations and producers. Follow PBS Distribution on Facebook and Twitter.

MASTERPIECE: "BEECHAM HOUSE” PREMIERES ON THE PBS MASTERPIECE PRIME VIDEO CHANNEL THIS MARCH ALONG WITH FOUR WALTER PRESENTS PROGRAMS “SECRET ENEMIES,” “THOU SHALT NOT KILL,” “BEFORE WE DIE,” “HOME GROUND

Programs Filled with Corruption, Kidnapping, Murder, Love, Exotic Landscapes and Mystery MASTERPIECE: "BEECHAM HOUSE” PREMIERES ON THE PBS MASTERPIECE PRIME VIDEO CHANNEL THIS MARCH ALONG WITH FOUR WALTER PRESENTS PROGRAMS “SECRET ENEMIES,” “THOU SHALT NOT KILL,” “BEFORE WE DIE,” “HOME GROUND Programs Filled with Corruption, Kidnapping, Murder, Love, Exotic Landscapes and Mystery Arlington, VA – February 24, 2020 – This March, PBS Distribution premieres the new MASTERPIECE program “Beecham House,” featuring Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey), a beautifully shot drama taking place in India at the brink of the British Empire, in addition to four new series from Walter Presents on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel. These include “Secret Enemies,” a Swedish spy-thriller about a possibly corrupt Prime Minister whose country is being spied on by the Kremlin, “Thou Shalt Not Kill,” the Italian drama/thriller about a moody detective who faces dark crimes in Italy while struggling to unravel her own family’s mystery, “Before We Die,” that follows Swedish police detective Hanna who enlists her son to help her uncover the dirty cop in her police force and, “Home Ground,” where football team Varg has survived their first season, but more changes threaten their second.   The subscription rate for PBS MASTERPIECE is $5.99/month with an Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscription. Every purchase helps supports public television for all.   Information about each of the programs is listed below. Beecham House From award-winning filmmaker Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice), Beecham House is a six-part drama, taking place in 19th century India at the start of the British Empire, that explores the life of the mysterious John Beecham, a former East India Company employee who buys an imposing mansion in Delhi. Starring Tom Bateman (Vanity Fair, Jekyll and Hyde) as John, Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey) as his mother Henrietta Beecham and Leo Suter (Sanditon) as his brother Daniel, Beecham House follows the twists and turns, and complex relationships of John and those that surrounded and live in the mansion with him. Premiere Date: March 1, 2020 Episodes: 6 Genre: British Drama Language: English The ensemble cast includes Gregory Fitoussi (Mr. Selfridge, Spiral), Adil Ray (Citizen Khan, Ackley Bridge), Pallavi Sharda (Lion), Dakota Blue Richards (Endeavour), Bessie Carter (Howards End), Viveik Kalra (Blinded By The Light) and Marc Warren (Safe, Hustle). Walter Presents: Secret Enemies, Season 1 The Finnish Prime Minister’s chauffeur is found murdered and a briefcase containing classified documents goes missing. Detective Arto Ratamo from the Finnish Security Intelligence Service and Elina Linden, the young head of the National Bureau of Investigation must join forces to find out who is behind the chauffeur’s murder and who is trying to uncover information on Finland.They discover that a Russian oligarch has been spying on the Finnish government and Ratamo suspects the Prime Minister may be involved. Premiere Date: March 6, 2020 Episodes: 8 Genre: Spy/Thriller Language: Finish with English Subtitles A power battle with the Kremlin pushes both countries to the brink of war and Ratamo and Linden need to expose the oligarch’s plans before Russia invades Finland. Secret Enemies is a fast-paced thriller that include themes echoing the current state of world affairs. Walter Presents: Thou Shalt Not Kill, Season 3 After the huge success of the first two seasons, Thou Shalt Not Kill returns to see moody detective Valeria face even darker crimes across Turin, Italy while she struggles to solve her own family’s mystery. When the lifeless body of Susanna Bianco is found, the suspicions immediately fall on her husband, who has previously been accused of violence against his wife. But is it all as clear-cut as it seems? Only Valeria’s intuition can help the police force find the answers and in doing so, Valeria is forced to confront her own demons and question everything she thought she knew about fear and love. Premiere Date: March 13, 2020 Episodes: 12 Genre: Drama/Thriller Language: Italian with English Subtitles Above all, Valeria must face the most pressing and distressing mystery of all: her father’s death. Only her mother, Lucia, holds the key to the truth, however Lucia has disappeared, highly likely she has been kidnapped. With pressures from her work and as her family life build, will Valeria be able to keep her head above water before it all comes crashing down?  Walter Presents: Before We Die, Season 2 After police detective Hanna Svensson and her partner Bjorn get mobster Davor of the Mimica crime family off the streets, they must continue to keep Hanna’s son Christian, who was an undercover informant that infiltrated the family, as safe from the Mimicas as humanly possible. But Hannah has been tasked with a new secret role: to find the rat amongst the police. She can’t resist using her son once again to infiltrate a circle of corrupt cops, meaning Christian must create a brand-new identity and become an informant yet again. Premiere Date: March 20, 2020 Episodes: 8 Genre: Crime/Drama Language: Swedish with English Subtitles But after his trauma from the Mimica family, he is not in the right headspace and gets much closer to the Circle than anyone wanted. Although, he is not the only one with a personal connection to this group of dark underground criminals creating an impossible web of misplaced loyalties… Walter Presents: Home Ground, Season 2 Helena Mikkelsen and the Varg football team survived their first season in the Norwegian top flight league. On the cusp of a new season, the club teeters on the edge of bankruptcy. While Helena builds the team from the ground up, troubles tear them apart from the inside. But Varg’s potential saving grace, a new club owner, takes on a sour note as it pits Helena’s ambitions for the team against Espen’s will to preserve the spirit of the club in a battle only one of them will survive.  Premiere Date: March 27, 2020 Episodes: 8 Genre: Drama/Crime-Thriller Language: Norwegian with English Subtitles As the season progresses, the men of Varg rebel against the women who have taken charge of their lives. Espen fights back against Helena and the new club owner Petra, while he comes to terms with his own sexuality. Adrian is locked in a complex triangle of who he should give his loyalty to, his coach Helena or his love interest Camilla, Helena’s daughter. And Michael facing a future without football, tries to win back custody of his children by taking his wife to court. Home Ground’s first season was a show about a woman claiming her place in a man’s world, the second season follows the men in a woman’s world. About PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel MASTERPIECE has been setting the standard for exceptional British drama in the US for 50 years and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel continues this legacy and has expanded to include award-winning TV series from around the world – all carefully curated for ‘viewers like you’. About MASTERPIECE Winner of 83 Primetime Emmys and 16 Peabody Awards, MASTERPIECE has been essential Sunday night viewing for millions of fans since 1971. Rebecca Eaton is the Executive Producer-at-Large. Susanne Simpson is the Executive Producer of the series. Funding for MASTERPIECE is provided by Viking with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust. Presented on PBS by WGBH Boston, MASTERPIECE is known for recent hits such as Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Victoria, and beloved classics such as Upstairs Downtstairs, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga and Poldark.  About WALTER PRESENTS Walter Presents launched in January 2016 in the U.K. as a video-on-demand service and is a joint venture between Channel 4 and Global Series Network, founded by Jason Thorp, Walter Iuzzolino and Jo McGrath. Dedicated to showcasing award-winning foreign language drama, the service is named after its curator, Walter Iuzzolino, a passionate drama fan. In March 2017, Walter Presents launched as an SVOD platform in the U.S., with the New York Times hailing it as a “chic TV boutique with a foreign accent.” In November 2017, Walter Presents launched in Australia through pay TV service Foxtel, and in Italy in September 2018, it launched its first roll-out in mainland Europe on Discovery’s Nove, Giallo and Dplay channels. In October 2018, Walter Presents partnered with PBS Distribution to launch over 300 hours of quality foreign language dram on the MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel. Walter’s Choice is a selection of the Walter Presents programming that is made available for air on PBS stations.  Follow Walter Presents on Facebook and Twitter About PBS DISTRIBUTION  PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats including direct-to-consumer subscription video-on-demand (DTC-SVOD), transactional video-on-demand (TVOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) licensing, and physical products on DVD and Blu-ray. In addition, the company operates three streaming channels – PBS MASTERPIECE, PBS KIDS, and PBS LIVING – all on Amazon Prime Video Channels, with PBS LIVING also available on the Apple TV App. Other divisions of the company include: theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight and international licensing businesses. PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators the highest quality factual, scripted and children’s programming, including films from producer Ken Burns, hit dramas from MASTERPIECE, entertaining and educational children’s series and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and many independent producers. For over 20 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system stations and producers.  Follow PBS Distribution on Facebook and Twitter. Follow PBS LIVING on Facebook and Twitter.

CALL THE MIDWIFE Returns to PBS on Sunday, March 29

CALL THE MIDWIFE premieres on Sunday, March 29 at 8:00PM ET on PBS (check local listings). It’s time to return to Nonnatus House for its ninth season of laughter, tears and inspiring stories…

This season the medics and midwives of Nonnatus House will encounter new challenges as the population shifts, rules change and old diseases return. Meanwhile, their own experiences are fueled by love, loss and doubt.

 

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 1 airs Sunday, March 29 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

Dr. Turner and Nurse Crane must deal with an alarming outbreak of diphtheria. Fred finds an abandoned baby in a dustbin, and the team must help locate its mother.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 2 airs Sunday, April 5 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

Fred and Sister Monica Joan catch a woman stealing the team’s milk. When they learn she’s pregnant, they bring her into the care of the maternity home. Romance blooms between Miss Higgins and Sergeant Woolf.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 3 airs Sunday, April 12 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

Lucille is seconded to St. Cuthbert’s and delivers a baby in an elevator. Nurse Crane goes to a school to give vaccines to new students. Violet, Trixie, Sister Frances and Valerie put on a charity fashion show for the community.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 4 airs Sunday, April 19 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

Sister Julienne volunteers Nonnatus House to take part in an obstetrics training initiative for four young doctors. Their arrival causes a lot of excitement among the midwives. Fred makes a discovery while on his CDC rounds.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 5 airs Sunday, April 26 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

Sister Frances is at a loss when a diabetic and recovering cancer patient’s wife refuses to accept further help. Nurse Crane becomes frustrated when an anxious first-time father insists on being present for his child’s birth.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 6 airs Sunday, May 3 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

Disappointed by the Poplar Horticultural Show’s cancelation, Fred attempts to reinstate it. The Turners receive an alarming phone call about their daughter. Valerie’s pregnant cousin hopes her baby will be born on a day well before her due date.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 7 airs Sunday, May 10 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

The team celebrate the arrival of the maternity home’s long-awaited incubator. Kevin’s newest patient has a troubled home life and needs his emotional as well as medical support. Nurse Crane struggles with the cubs in Sgt. Woolf’s absence.

CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 9) Episode 8 airs Sunday, May 17 from 8:00-9:00PM on PBS (check local listings)

When the council sends a letter announcing plans to cut Nonnatus House’s funding, Sister Julienne takes matters into her own hands. Nurse Crane cares for an unmarried expectant mother. Petra must move up her wedding after becoming pregnant.