Television

Independent Lens: A Thousand Pines • WXXI-TV

A crew of 12 Mexican tree planters travel the United States re-growing America’s forests.

Independent Lens: A Thousand Pines premieres Monday, April 1 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Over the course of a grueling eight months, a crew of Oaxacan guest workers plant trees throughout the United States. This intimate portrait shows how hard it is to balance the physical demands of reforestation and extreme isolation while staying connected to the family back home.

Caption: Planter at work during the “golden hour”
Credit: Noam Osband

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip • WXXI-TV

Olympic runners Linford Christie and Katharine Merry team up with Road Trip regulars in a race to make the most money from antiques.

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip airs Saturday, March 30 at 5 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

On their trip through Oxfordshire, Linford pins his hopes on a tiny brooch, despite it costing a three-figure sum. Katharine, meanwhile, buys an item from the 1920s on the hunch that it will appeal at auction.

About Antiques Road Trip: Hit the road in a gorgeous classic car for a tour through Great Britain with two antiques experts as they search the local stores for treasures, competing with each other to see who can turn an initial £200 budget into a small fortune. Their adventures take them off the beaten path and allow them to indulge their passion for the past, learning about the little-known stories behind some of the greatest events in British history.

Caption: (L-R) Christina Trevanion, Katharine Merry, David Harper, and Linford Christie

NOVA “Why Bridges Collapse” • WXXI-TV

Can new engineering techniques help prevent deadly bridge collapses?

NOVA “Why Bridges Collapse” airs Wednesday, May 8 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

In 2018, Italy’s Morandi Bridge collapsed, tragically killing 43 people. For 50 years, the iconic bridge had withstood the elements—and stress from ever-increasing traffic. What went wrong that fateful day? And how can new engineering technology protect bridge infrastructure to prevent such tragic failures in the future? Through eyewitness testimony, expert interviews, and dramatic archival footage, NOVA investigates the Morandi disaster and other deadly bridge collapses.

Photo provided by NOVA

American Masters: Roberta Flack • WXXI-TV

Follow music icon Roberta Flack from a piano lounge through her rise to stardom.

American Masters: Roberta Flack airs Thursday, March 28 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

From “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” to “Killing Me Softly,” Flack’s virtuosity was inseparable from her commitment to civil rights. Detailing her story in her own words, the film features exclusive access to Flack’s archives and interviews with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Peabo Bryson and more.

American Masters: Roberta Flack provides an intimate look into Flack’s artistry, life and triumphs over racism and sexism within and outside of the recording industry. Flack’s story is illuminated through interviews with Reverend Jesse Jackson (political activist and minister), Clint Eastwood (actor, director and producer), Yoko Ono (multimedia artist, singer-songwriter, activist), Angela Davis (political activist), Eugene McDaniels (singer-songwriter), Joel Dorn (producer), Peabo Bryson (singer-songwriter), Valerie Simpson (songwriter, producer and performer), Les McCann (musician), Sean Lennon (musician), Jason King (music scholar, musician and author), Ann Powers (music critic, author) and more. In addition to Flack’s timeless music, the film also features an original score from award-winning musician Martin Perna of Antibalas (Fela!: The Musical).

Photo: Roberta Flack
Credit: Provided by PBS

American Experience: The Sun Queen • WXXI-WORLD

Unsung scientist Mária Telkes dedicated her career to harnessing the power of the sun.

American Experience: The Sun Queen airs Saturday, October 19 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

For nearly 50 years, chemical engineer and inventor Mária Telkes applied her prodigious intellect to harnessing the power of the sun. She designed and built the world’s first successfully solar-heated modern residence and identified a promising new chemical that, for the first time, could store solar heat like a battery. And yet, along the way, she was undercut and thwarted by her boss and colleagues — all men — at MIT. Despite these obstacles, Telkes persevered and, upon her death in 1995, held more than 20 patents.

She is now recognized as a visionary pioneer in the field of sustainable energy. An unexpected and largely forgotten heroine, Telkes was remarkable in her vision and tenacity — a scientist and a woman in every way ahead of her time. Her research and innovations from the 1930s through the ‘70s continue to shape how we power our lives today. Produced and directed by Amanda Pollak, produced and written by Gene Tempest, and executive produced by Cameo George.

CREATE Showcase: Opa! • WXXI-CREATE

Chef Maria Loi serves up the secrets to authentic Mediterranean cuisine and Greek history.

CREATE Showcase: Opa! airs Saturday, March 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, March 24 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on WXXI-CREATE.

Chef Maria Loi is an internationally renowned entrepreneur, author, television personality and philanthropist working to change the world – one healthy bite at a time. Known as the Julia Child of Greece, she is the founder and face of a lifestyle brand that nurtures a healthy body and soul, melds the inspiration of ancient Greece with a modern approach to the Mediterranean diet, cooks up a heaping dose of happiness, humor and joy and helps people boost their immunity and improve their health, wellness and longevity.

Secrets of The Museum • WXXI-TV

Go behind-the-scenes at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, the world-famous home of art, design and performance, where only a fraction of the 2 million item collection is on public display.

Secrets of a The Museum, Season 1, Eps. 4 -6 of 6 airs Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Ep. 4: An original Star Wars costume with a missing head; renovating two of the largest galleries in the V&A museum; a rare David Bowie photo and an original road sign enter the collection.

Ep. 5: Cataloguing the costumes; Frankenstein’s monster must be brought back to life; photos of the real Alice in Wonderland; repairing Shakespeare’s First Folio.

Ep. 6: Transporting a unique car; a rare medieval jewel undergoes a deep clean; a mosaic piece has experimental surgery.

Photo Credit: APT

Exploring Ireland with Michael • WXXI-TV

The hidden treasures and majestic beauty of the Emerald Isle.

Exploring Ireland with Michael airs Sunday, June 1 at 3 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Combining glorious video footage from the Emerald Isle, fascinating travel destinations, exciting cultural experiences, and performances from popular Irish artists and rising stars, EXPLORING IRELAND WITH MICHAEL uncovers the hidden treasures and majestic beauty of this breathtaking country.