Saturday, tune in to WETA and uncover the truth with Henry Hathaway’s 1948 classic film, Call Northside 777. Based on a true story, this film stars the always likeable Jimmy Stewart as skeptical reporter P.J. McNeal. A woman places an ad in the newspaper with a large reward looking for the truth about the closed murder of a police officer. McNeal investigates the 11 year old crime, and as he delves deeper and deeper into the case, he finds loose ends, a potentially innocent convict, and a system unwilling to admit error. Driven to exonerate a man who has been behind bars for over a decade, McNeal will stop at nothing.
We all feel desperate from time to time, it’s a versatile feeling that spans the globe as it spans our weekend schedule. This weekend on WETA, we share four movies with characters desperate for something: fame, success, life, and respect. The three documentaries run late into Sunday morning so if you haven’t done it yet, set your DVR to record from Saturday 9:30pm – Sunday 3:30am.
Baby Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) was a vaudeville star, but as an adult, she was overshadowed by her movie star sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford). One night in the 1930s, Blanche was permanently crippled in an accident blamed on Jane. Now in 1962, Jane and Blanche live together in their decaying Los Angeles mansion as Jane plots their showbiz comeback. Blanche desperately tries to get away from Jane but can she succeed to escape her tormenting sister who handicapped her as a young woman and continues to do so in their older age? Watch the trailer.
Watch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) on WETA TV26 and HD this Saturday at 9:30pm. Also airs Sunday at 11:30am.
When a new opera gets produced, lots of artists and craftspeople from various authorities share a dramatic and musical vision. Skill and cooperation on a grand scale are the only key to success. San Francisco Opera’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter, composed by Stewart Wallace with a libretto by novelist Amy Tan, brought together singers, designers and musicians from three continents. Many were learned in the Western operatic tradition, but for others, it was a first introduction to American opera. This documentary focuses on the excitement and challenges of collaboration. Watch the trailer.
Watch Journey of the Bonesetter’s Daughter on WETA TV26 and HD this Sunday at 12:00am. Be sure to set your DVR!
Marcos Hernandez came to the United States from Mexico, after a deadly border crossing through the Sonora Desert in southern Arizona. He is searching for his father, Francisco, also an undocumented border crosser, who disappeared in the Sonora Desert while entering the U.S. Marcos sends money from his home in Chicago to his mother in Mexico City every month so she can buy medicine for his brother, Gustavo, who needs a kidney transplant. The Undocumented is Marcos’s story—as well as the story of countless other migrants. Follow Marcos’s search with the efforts of humanitarians and Border Patrol agents who are fighting to prevent migrant deaths, the medical investigators and Mexican Consulate workers who are trying to identify dead border crossers, and Mexican families who are struggling to accept the loss of a loved one. Watch the trailer.
Watch Independent Lens: The Undocumented on WETA TV26 and HD this Sunday at 1:00am.
More than three decades ago, Vietnamese refugees began to settle in Versailles, a then-isolated community in eastern New Orleans. Although by the early 2000s the community had accomplished material successes, it remained divided between older immigrants and American-born youth. A Village Called Versailles is the story of this little-known community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. When the storm devastated New Orleans in August 2005, Versailles residents rebuilt their neighborhood faster than most other damaged neighborhoods in the city, only to find themselves threatened by a new toxic landfill slated to open just two miles away. Forced out of Vietnam by the war 30 years ago, many residents felt their homes were being taken away from them once again. Watch the story of this community fighting to regain their safety and happiness in New Orleans. Watch the trailer.
Watch Independent Lens: A Village Called Versailles on WETA TV26 and HD this Sunday at 2:30am.
Read this article for highlights in this week's WETA UK schedule! WETA UK is the Washington, DC area's 24-hour a day, 7-days a week all British public broadcast channel. In this blog post, find more information on new episodes, new series, and reminders of WETA UK favorites.
Mondayat 8:00pm, Foyle’s War begins the new two part mystery Eagle Day with a bang, as a German bomb raid destroys a Hastings house. When man is found dead in the rubble with a knife in his chest, Foyle is called in to investigate the peculiar circumstances.
Tuesday at 8:00pm, join us for the WETA UK Premiere of Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, a drama about the adventures of a housewife-turned-investigator. In season 3, Hetty's strong sense of justice, kind disposition and skill at blending into her surroundings bring her into contact with people from all walks of life. No measure is too extreme when she’s on a case- from to posing as an Australian to prevent a crisis or working in the hospital after she’s had an operation.
Wednesdayat 8:00pm, take on the Inspector Morse case, Deadly Slumber. In part one of the two part mystery, Chief Inspector Morse and Sgt. investigate the apparent suicide of a business man who ran a medical clinic with his wife.
Thursday at 9:00pm, Agatha Christie’s Poirot ponders, How Does Your Garden Grow? Poirot becomes the center of attention at the Chelsea Flower Show, when a new rose on display is named after him. But after Miss Barrowby gives him a packet of seeds and dies the very same evening, Poirot investigates the shocking poisoning. Could the culprit really be the young Russian nurse?
Friday at 8:00pm, in the new British comedy, Ladies of Letters, starring Patricia Routledge and Prunella Scales, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Follow the friendship between two elderly ladies, who share a sometimes rocky relationship through letters and e-mail.
Saturday beginning at 8:00pm, continue watching the WETA UK Event: The Complete Vera with episodes 3 and 4. Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope is an experienced and brilliant murder investigator in North East England. Kind-hearted but an inherent loner, Vera freely admits she can become obsessed with work. Driven by her own demons, the detective faces the world with sarcastic wit, guile, and courage.
Sunday at 11:00pm, have you seen Red Dwarf? This sitcom follows the last human being alive, stranded in space with his friends on the ship, the Red Dwarf. Watch two back-to-back episodes every Sunday from 11:00pm – 12:00pm!
The mini-series I, Claudius, is based on a novel written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius. The classic story of the physically weak being intellectually underestimated was immensely popular when it first aired in 1977 and is still loved almost 35 years later.
This Sunday, travel back in time to Rome through the eyes of Claudius and become a historical investigator of deadly plots and scandal in one of the greatest Empires of all time. When Emperor Caligula abuses his power as ruler of Rome, Claudius is named the new leader. A stuttering and sickly man, he immediately encounters challenges and power struggles. Does Claudius shy away from his new position or does he become the Emperor Rome needs? Follow the span of Claudius’ life and the history of the Roman Empire with this enthralling marathon of the award-winning series I, Claudius this Sunday.
Watch the I, Claudius Marathon over two weekends beginningthis Sunday, March 10th from 10:00am to 6:00pm concluding Sunday, March 17th from 12:00pm - 6:00pm
Born in 1926, Jerry Lewis is one of America’s most iconic slapstick comedians. He rose to fame with partner Dean Martin with the Martin and Lewis comedy act, which first appeared on television in 1948. In the 1950s, he embarked on a solo career and starred in films such asThe Ladies Man, The Nutty Professor, and It’s Only Money. More recently, Lewis has performed on Broadway and been awarded for his humanitarian acts, always known as being a key member of the comedic community.
This Saturday, comedian Jerry Lewis takes to the stage of the Showroom at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, as he tells stories of his eight-decade career in a tribute to his 87th birthday. The performance will feature narrative and musical acts by Lewis, as well as footage from his career, both classics and never before seen. At the end of the evening, Lewis will take questions from fans in the audience. Join us for this monumental presentation with Jerry Lewis, this Saturday at 6:30pm.
This week on WETA UK we bring back two crime drama favorites Foyle’s War and DCI Banks, begin new seasons of Rosemary & Thyme and BallyKissAngel, and begin new two-part cases of Inspector Morse and Waking the Dead! Read on for more information and click here to watch video previews of these shows!
Monday at 8:00pm welcome Foyle’s War back to the WETA UK schedule! Beginning with the first episode of season 1: As World War II rages around the world, a police inspector fights his own war on the home-front in investigating murder, robbery, and espionage on the south coast of England.
Tuesday at 9:00pm is the WETA UK premiere of Rumpole of the Bailey. Horace Rumpole is a messy, old London barrister with one glass eye who defends in criminal cases. He is likes wine, poetry, and fair dealing, and is not looked on as a success by his wife, Hilda. Rumpole refuses to handle most suits and will only defend, not prosecute. Each of his trials has a victory and a defeat and his acquitted clients are often angrier than those who are found guilty. Also airs Wednesdays at 4:00pm.
Wednesday at 8:00pm go on a new adventure with Inspector Morse in Infernal Serpent part 1. The inspector and Sgt. Lewis ask questions about a major environmentalist who was killed just minutes before he delivered a controversial lecture. Also airs Thursday at 3:00pm & Saturday at 5:00pm. Part 2 airs next Wednesday, March 6.
Thursday at 10:00pm season 5 of Waking the Dead continues with the new case Black Run part 1. Boyd’s Darkest Hour. Ex-cop Eddie Vine summons Boyd to prison, where he is serving life for murdering his partner and best friend, Tom Pallisser. Boyd accepts the invitation expecting a confession. Instead he gets forgiveness and learns that Vine is terminally ill. Boyd is tormented by the possibility that he got it wrong, and forced to look into his past and examine his conscience. Part 2 airs next Thursday, March 7.
Friday at 8:30pm kick off a new season of Rosemary & Thyme with season 3, episode 1. The two women, lecturer Rosemary Boxer and former policewoman Laura Thyme, combine their shared passion for horticulture with a talent for investigation resulting in a happy marriage of two of public television's favorite genres — gardening and mystery. Also airs Monday at 5:00pm
Saturday at 8:00pm we begin a new WETA UK Event: DCI Banks. We start this series with the first episode and continue through season 1 with two back-to-back episodes every Saturday. Tenacious and stubborn Chief Inspector Alan Banks and the feisty and headstrong Detective Sergeant Annie Cabbot combine drama, crime, and thrill in this series. Also airs Sunday at 12:00pm.
Sunday at 7:00pm season 5 of BallyKissAngel begins! In the fifth season we discover just how long, when Paul Dooley, a shady figure from Brian Quigley's shady past, returns to the village with a business arrangement that brings him into direct conflict with his old rival. Despite the best efforts of his wife, Oonagh, and his two children, Dooley is destined to cross swords with his former nemesis. But any wheeling and dealing is likely to be carefully scrutinized by the very rigorous Frankie Sullivan. Also airs Wednesday at 6:00pm & Saturday at 3:00pm.
Sometimes, you just have to go with what feels right. This week’s WETA Saturday Night Movies on WETA TV26 & WETA HD celebrate people who knew they were right, even when everyone else was telling them they were wrong. We begin at 9:30pm with Top Hat, where Jerry Travers peruses a woman who isn’t interested because she thinks he’s someone else. But Jerry doesn’t give up that easily! Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 is at 11:00pm, which takes a look at activists during the civil rights era who knew they were working for good, even when the media tried to misrepresent them.
What would you do if your best friend’s spouse fell in love with you? Run away! Or in this case, dance in the opposite direction. Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers) makes her distaste of Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) known after he wakes her one night with loud tap dancing from the room above her. In a case of mistaken identity, she believes him to be her friend’s husband and is put off even more by his romantic advances. After she travels to Italy, only to be perused by Jerry, the confusion escalates with a marriage proposal. Can these two figure out who they really are and become the perfect pair? If you missed it in January, find out this Saturday at 9:30pm.
Watch Top Hat on WETA TV26 & WETA HD Saturday at 9:30pm! Also airs Sunday at 11:30am.
After 16mm footage of the civil rights movement was discovered in the cellar of a Swedish broadcasting company, filmmaker Goran Hugo Olsson decided to create a documentary about the Black Power movement from 1967 to 1975. Featuring interviews with prominent African American artists, activists, musicians and scholars, as well as input from today's scholars and historians, this film shows a different perspective of the revolution commonly portrayed as a violent protest by United States media of the time. Join us as we continue to celebrate Black History Month through the eyes of Swedish filmmakers, this Saturday at 11:00pm.
Watch Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 on WETA TV26 & WETA HD Saturday at 11:00pm.
On WETA UK this week, we premiere new shows as well as start some WETA UK favorites from the first season so you can experience them in entirety! Dramas, mysteries, comedies, modern, and classic, all make up the WETA UK schedule this week. Read on for our highlights in this week's WETA UK line-up.
Monday at 7:30pm begin the all new series Fresh Fields. Hester and William Fields are a typical couple: happily married, middle-aged, and middle-class. When their daughter Emma leaves home to live with her boyfriend Peter, the empty nesters become increasingly bored. William runs a small accountancy firm in the city and Hester ends up taking on a wide-range of activities in hopes to add some variety in her life. She attends classes and events while running around after her elderly mother and gossiping with next-door neighbor Sonia. Stars: Julia McKenzie, Anton Rodgers. Also airs Tuesday February 5 at 9:00am, Friday February 8 at 1:00pm & 7:30pm, Saturday February 9 at 11:00am.
Monday at 9:00pm catch the first episode of Vera II: Ghost Position. Based on the best-selling Inspector Stanhope books by renowned writer Ann Cleeves, the new season finds DCI Stanhope and her team facing a series of daunting challenges. From delving into the unsettling private life of an old colleague, attempting to break through the code of secrecy in the army, to coping with the emotional impact on a family torn apart by addiction, each enthralling story is enhanced by captivating performances of this troubled yet brilliant detective in action. Combined with beautifully shot landscapes and atmospheric production, each episode creates a haunting backdrop for Vera's inner turmoil as she discovers hidden truths about her own past, which threaten to change her life forever. Also airs Tuesday February 5 at 3:00pm.
Tuesday at 7:30pm join us for the premiere of May to December. Alec Callendar is a small-town solicitor, with big-time dreams. Semple, Callendar and Henty handles routine work in a typically suburban legal practice, but privately Alec wishes he were more like his hero, Perry Mason. One day, into his life walks an Angell – Zoe Angell, who has come to consult him about a divorce. On the face of it, the professional widower and the young PE teacher from a family of greengrocers should have nothing in common. But a mutual love of old musicals and a whimsical sense of humor spark a romance which surprises not just Alec and Zoe, but also the entire office staff, his two grown-up children and the rest of their families and friends. Stars: Anton Rodgers, Frances White. Also airs Wednesday February 6 at 10:00am, Friday February 8 at 12:30pm, 2:30pm & 5:00pm, Saturday February 9 at 6:30am & 10:30am, Sunday February 10 at 7:00am.
Wednesday at 10:30am & 7:30pm watch the first episode ofYes, Prime Minister. This comedy series is the sequel to the hit British comedy Yes, Minister. True to the law that says people rise to the level of their incompetence, James Hacker MP, Minister for Administrative Affairs, has ascended to the highest political office in the land. Fortunately for the country, however, his scheming adversary Sir Humphrey Appleby - now Cabinet Secretary - is more than willing to help him steer the unsteady ship of state through the perilous waters of government. Stars: Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne. This program airs new episodes Sundays at 8:00pm.
Thursday at 9:00pm tune in for Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Peril at End House. Poirot and Hastings are holidaying in Cornwall when they meet the beautiful Nick Buckley who has three near fatal accidents within a very short space of time. Intrigued, Poirot talks to Nick's friends who are loath to believe her stories of murder attempts. Also airs Saturday February 8 at 4:30pm.
Friday from 3:30 - 5:00pm watch the first three episodes of My Family season 3. This British comedy is about a family just trying to stay afloat in a crazy world. Dad, Ben is a dentist struggling to understand his wife Susan the terrible cook, daughter Janey the selfish shopping addict, youngest son Michael the brain, and eldest son Nick the lazy goof. Although loving and caring parents, Ben and Susan have a little trouble showing their children these true intentions since the kids are always up to something. Watch this series Mondays – Thursdays at 7:00pm.
Saturday beginning at 8:00pm continue the drama of Masterpiece Classic: Little Dorrit with parts 2 and 3 of the five part series. This Masterpiece Classic drama is based on the book by Charles Dickens. Amy Dorrit has lived in Marshalsea Prison her entire life, but nothing can ruin her love for her father William Dorrit, the prison’s longest serving inmate. After his father’s mysterious death, Arthur Clennam explores this mystery which intertwines with the Dorrits. Clennam's exhaustive search for answers involves murder, fortunes gained and lost, the upper society and lower, and most surprising of all, a gentle romance. Stars: Claire Foy, Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Emma Pierson. Also airs Sunday February 10 from 12:00pm – 3:00pm.
Sunday at 5:00pm catch the first episode of Born and Bred season 1. You can begin this series from the very beginning! Arthur Gilder has lived in the beautiful village of Ormston all his life and now he’s ready to hand over the reins of his doctor’s practice to his son,Tom. Tom moves his wife Deborah and four children from the hustle and bustle of Manchester to rural Ormston to take on the responsibility of his father’s practice. As the village’s long-serving and highly respected doctor, Arthur knows all the inhabitants of this tight-knit community and it’s not long before Tom is in the thick of things too. There’s the Reverend Brewer, not your average man of the cloth; Phyllis, the bold and brassy pub landlady; the slightly dippy Jean, who is infatuated with Eddie, the village mechanic; and Wilf, the stationmaster with a nose for trouble! Both father and son want the practice to succeed but this is the 1950s and Arthur clings to his old-fashioned, tried and tested ways, whereas Tom is determined that the hospital should adapt or die. To complicate matters further, Tom has to deal with his old flame Linda, who seems very pleased to see him despite the fact that she is about to marry Tom’s best friend, Len. Also airs Monday February 11 at 6:00am, Tuesday February 12 at 6:00pm, & Sunday February 17 at 9:00am.
Sunday at 8:30pm the hit comedy series Miranda begins from the very first episode! Miranda is a unique woman standing 6’1” tall, owning and living in a joke shop. Trying to fit in with her old boarding school friends is just one of her struggles along with her exceptionally awkward behavior around men which doesn’t help as her mother constantly pushes her to find a husband. Naturally, a woman who can find humor in these uncomfortable situations encounters hilarious run-ins with her childhood friend and co-worker Stevie. Also airs Tuesday February 19 at 9:30am.
Blanche was permanently crippled in an accident blamed on Jane. Now in 1962, Jane and Blanche live together in their decaying Los Angeles mansion as Jane plots their showbiz comeback. Blanche desperately tries to get away from Jane but can she succeed to escape her tormenting sister who handicapped her as a young woman and continues to do so in their older age? 
an undocumented border crosser, who disappeared in the Sonora Desert while entering the U.S. Marcos sends money from his home in Chicago to his mother in Mexico City every month so she can buy medicine for his brother, Gustavo, who needs a kidney transplant. The Undocumented is Marcos’s story—as well as the story of countless other migrants. Follow Marcos’s search with the efforts of humanitarians and Border Patrol agents who are fighting to prevent migrant deaths, the medical investigators and Mexican Consulate workers who are trying to identify dead border crossers, and Mexican families who are struggling to accept the loss of a loved one. 
American-born youth. A Village Called Versailles is the story of this little-known community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. When the storm devastated New Orleans in August 2005, Versailles residents rebuilt their neighborhood faster than most other damaged neighborhoods in the city, only to find themselves threatened by a new toxic landfill slated to open just two miles away. Forced out of Vietnam by the war 30 years ago, many residents felt their homes were being taken away from them once again. Watch the story of this community fighting to regain their safety and happiness in New Orleans. 
first episode and continue through season 1 with two back-to-back episodes every Saturday. Tenacious and stubborn Chief Inspector Alan Banks and the feisty and headstrong Detective Sergeant Annie Cabbot combine drama, crime, and thrill in this series. Also airs Sunday at 12:00pm.
Inspector Stanhope books by renowned writer Ann Cleeves, the new season finds DCI Stanhope and her team facing a series of daunting challenges. From delving into the unsettling private life of an old colleague, attempting to break through the code of secrecy in the army, to coping with the emotional impact on a family torn apart by addiction, each enthralling story is enhanced by captivating performances of this troubled yet brilliant detective in action. Combined with beautifully shot landscapes and atmospheric production, each episode creates a haunting backdrop for Vera's inner turmoil as she discovers hidden truths about her own past, which threaten to change her life forever. Also airs Tuesday February 5 at 3:00pm.
town solicitor, with big-time dreams. Semple, Callendar and Henty handles routine work in a typically suburban legal practice, but privately Alec wishes he were more like his hero, Perry Mason. One day, into his life walks an Angell – Zoe Angell, who has come to consult him about a divorce. On the face of it, the professional widower and the young PE teacher from a family of greengrocers should have nothing in common. But a mutual love of old musicals and a whimsical sense of humor spark a romance which surprises not just Alec and Zoe, but also the entire office staff, his two grown-up children and the rest of their families and friends. Stars: Anton Rodgers, Frances White. Also airs Wednesday February 6 at 10:00am, Friday February 8 at 12:30pm, 2:30pm & 5:00pm, Saturday February 9 at 6:30am & 10:30am, Sunday February 10 at 7:00am.
series is the sequel to the hit British comedy Yes, Minister. True to the law that says people rise to the level of their incompetence, James Hacker MP, Minister for Administrative Affairs, has ascended to the highest political office in the land. Fortunately for the country, however, his scheming adversary Sir Humphrey Appleby - now Cabinet Secretary - is more than willing to help him steer the unsteady ship of state through the perilous waters of government. Stars: Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne. This program airs new episodes Sundays at 8:00pm.
comedy is about a family just trying to stay afloat in a crazy world. Dad, Ben is a dentist struggling to understand his wife Susan the terrible cook, daughter Janey the selfish shopping addict, youngest son Michael the brain, and eldest son Nick the lazy goof. Although loving and caring parents, Ben and Susan have a little trouble showing their children these true intentions since the kids are always up to something. Watch this series Mondays – Thursdays at 7:00pm.
parts 2 and 3 of the five part series. This Masterpiece Classic drama is based on the book by Charles Dickens. Amy Dorrit has lived in Marshalsea Prison her entire life, but nothing can ruin her love for her father William Dorrit, the prison’s longest serving inmate. After his father’s mysterious death, Arthur Clennam explores this mystery which intertwines with the Dorrits. Clennam's exhaustive search for answers involves murder, fortunes gained and lost, the upper society and lower, and most surprising of all, a gentle romance. Stars: Claire Foy, Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Emma Pierson. Also airs Sunday February 10 from 12:00pm – 3:00pm.
from the very beginning! Arthur Gilder has lived in the beautiful village of Ormston all his life and now he’s ready to hand over the reins of his doctor’s practice to his son,Tom. Tom moves his wife Deborah and four children from the hustle and bustle of Manchester to rural Ormston to take on the responsibility of his father’s practice. As the village’s long-serving and highly respected doctor, Arthur knows all the inhabitants of this tight-knit community and it’s not long before Tom is in the thick of things too. There’s the Reverend Brewer, not your average man of the cloth; Phyllis, the bold and brassy pub landlady; the slightly dippy Jean, who is infatuated with Eddie, the village mechanic; and Wilf, the stationmaster with a nose for trouble! Both father and son want the practice to succeed but this is the 1950s and Arthur clings to his old-fashioned, tried and tested ways, whereas Tom is determined that the hospital should adapt or die. To complicate matters further, Tom has to deal with his old flame Linda, who seems very pleased to see him despite the fact that she is about to marry Tom’s best friend, Len. Also airs Monday February 11 at 6:00am, Tuesday February 12 at 6:00pm, & Sunday February 17 at 9:00am.
a unique woman standing 6’1” tall, owning and living in a joke shop. Trying to fit in with her old boarding school friends is just one of her struggles along with her exceptionally awkward behavior around men which doesn’t help as her mother constantly pushes her to find a husband. Naturally, a woman who can find humor in these uncomfortable situations encounters hilarious run-ins with her childhood friend and co-worker Stevie. Also airs Tuesday February 19 at 9:30am.