WXXI TV

Becoming Frida Kahlo • WXXI-TV

This final episode focuses on Frida Kahlo’s later life, including her affair with Leon Trotsky, her trip to Paris on the eve of World War II and her return to Mexico where she divorces then remarries Diego Rivera before her death.

Becoming Frida Kahlo airs Tuesday, July 2 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

See the major personal and political events of her life, including her stormy and devoted relationship with artist Diego Rivera, whom she married not once but twice. Watch On-Demand Here

This film is presented as part of Move to Include™ , a national initiative in partnership with WXXI and The Golisano Foundation that uses the power of public media to promote inclusion. Click here to learn more.

Great Performances at the Met: Carmen • WXXI-TV

Acclaimed English director Carrie Cracknell makes her Met debut in this resetting of the classic story to the modern day.

Great Performances at the Met: Carmen airs Sunday, July 14 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Carrie Cracknell makes her Met debut, resetting the classic story to the modern day that moves the focus to issues that could not be more relevant today: gendered violence, abusive labor structures, and the desire to break through societal boundaries. Young mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina leads a quartet of stars in the complex and volatile title role, alongside tenor Piotr Beczała as Carmen’s troubled lover Don José, soprano Angel Blue as the loyal Micaëla, and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as the swaggering Escamillo. Daniele Rustioni conducts Bizet’s score.

Photo: Aigul Akhmetshina as Carmen
Photo courtesy of The Met Opera

Fantastic New York: Boldt Castle • WXXI-TV

100 years ago, a real-life fairytale played out at this island-mansion.

Fantastic New York: Boldt Castle airs Saturday, June 8 at 4 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

But is the beloved story that is so cherished by locals and visitors alike, telling the whole truth? We had to know, and when we found out, we had to share it with you.

All New Rock, Pop and Doo Wop • WXXI-TV

Enjoy this full-length performances from various artists of the 1950s and 1960s.

All New Rock, Pop and Doo Wop airs Friday, June 7 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Johnny Maestro, The Duprees, Jay Black, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Ronnie Spector, Frankie Valli, Jerry Butler and more perform in this “My Music Presents” special.

Provided by PBS

America’s Home Cooking: Easy Recipes for Thrifty Cooking • WXXI-TV

Guest cooks present recipes that are easy on the cook and the pocketbook.

America’s Home Cooking: Easy Recipes for Thrifty Cooking airs Saturday, June 1 at 10 a.m. on WXXI-TV.

Host Chris Fennimore welcomes guest cooks who present recipes that are easy on the cook and the pocketbook. Used by thrifty gourmets for years, the recipes incorporate simple ingredients to make nourishing family meals. The cooking segments include: “Legumes – Beans and Greens,” “Crockpot Magic – Onion/Cranberry Brisket,” and “Classic Casseroles – Baked Macaroni.”

Photo: Chris Fennimore • Provided by APT

Simon & Garfunkel: The Concert in Central Park • WXXI-TV

Join the iconic duo and the 500,000 fans who came out for this once-in-a-lifetime concert.

Simon & Garfunkel: The Concert in Central Park airs Sunday, June 2 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Join the iconic duo and the more than 500,000 fans who came out for this once-in-a- lifetime 1981 benefit concert for the world’s most famous urban park. The unforgettable performance features the pair’s greatest hits, from “Mrs. Robinson” to “The Sound of Silence” to “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” as well as selections from their solo catalogs, newly arranged with an expanded 11-piece band.

Photo: Garfunkel and Simon
Provided by PBS

The Porter • Thursdays at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Inspired by real events and set in the 1920s, follow an ensemble of characters who hustle, dream, cross borders and pursue their ambitions in the fight for liberation – on and off the railways that crossed North America.

The Porter airing Thursdays, February 6-March 27 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

This eight-episode series is a stirring, fast-paced exploration of Black empowerment and self-determination, offering a dramatic and compelling look at the lives of train porters, their families, and a community striving for success and equality. From Montreal to Chicago, and every stop in between, THE PORTER is the story of a movement that gave birth to the first Black union in the world. Winning a record-setting 12 Canadian Screen Awards, the series stars Aml Ameen (Sense8; The Maze Runner), Ronnie Rowe (Star Trek: Discovery), Alfre Woodard (St. Elsewhere; Luke Cage; 12 Years A Slave; Black Panther), and Mouna Traoré (The Umbrella Academy).

Episode Descriptions:

Episode One • February 6 : Train porters and best friends Junior Massey and Zelenskiy Garrett are galvanized to take different—and dangerous—actions after a tragedy occurs on the job.

Episode Two • February 13 : Junior finds himself in debt to notorious Chicago gangster Miss Queenie; Zeke takes a risk to advance his cause; Lucy’s new relationship impacts her career; Marlene makes an unlikely friend.

Episode Three • February 20 : Junior starts a gambling sideline backed by Queenie; Zeke’s pursuit of union integration costs the community; Lucy finds her Stardust dream at risk; Marlene campaigns for an essential medical clinic.

Episode Four • February 27: Junior gets a chilling glimpse at Queenie’s capacity for violence. Zeke and Marlene’s road-trip reignites an old spark. Lucy’s big debut as a featured performer makes her contemplate a different path.

Episode Five • March 6: Queenie tries to keep Junior close. Fay offers Marlene some help for her clinic. Zeke’s proximity to Edwards leads to a devastating truth. Lucy may have found her ticket to the big time.

Episode Six • March 13: Junior takes a risky new angle on Queenie’s numbers game. Marlene’s split focus leads to a mother’s worst nightmare. Zeke seizes an opportunity to show the power of unity. Lucy bets on herself.

Episode Seven • March 20 : Dinger blackmails Junior. A brothel raid puts Marlene and her clinic in jeopardy. Zeke leverages an unlikely ally to put integration to a vote. Lucy’s new shot at stardom could cost her everything.

Episode Eight • March 27: Junior tries to eliminate his greatest threats; Marlene’s efforts to reconcile with Fay could be too late; Lucy faces the consequences of her betrayal; Zeke makes a final plea for union integration.

Photo: Ronnie Rowe, Jr. as Zeke and Ami Ameen as Junior with additional cast. • Credit: Shauna Towney

For the Love of Friends • WXXI-TV

Explores the remarkable life and work of activist Brent Nicholson Earle.

For the Love of Friends encores Sunday, June 23 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Set against the lead-up to a stage play based on the same story, For the Love of Friends is a documentary that blends performance rehearsal clips with interview and archival footage to highlight the remarkable life and work of activist Brent Nicholson Earle. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, Brent refused to watch his friends suffer due to government inaction and public ignorance about the disease.

His audacious response in 1986, was to embark on a 10,000-mile run around the perimeter of the United States to draw attention to the toll AIDS had taken on his community; to comfort patients, raise funds for local organizations and honor the friends he had lost. He performed this remarkable feat amid public backlash, a homophobic media blackout, his own health challenges, and an inconvenient lack of prior long-distance training. After enduring blisters, exhaustion, ignorance, and fear, he returns home to a life of activism. Though the run finishes, Brent’s fight never stops.

Photo: Brent Nicholson Earle • Photo provided by APT