DC

WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

Free Movies in DC | WETA Movies May 25

Call Northside 777 (1948)

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. 

Watch the trailer!

Watch Call Northside 777 on WETA TV26 & HD Saturday at 9:30pm!

 

 

WETA UK logoCategory:WETA UK

This Week on WETA UK: May 20 – 26

Monday at 8:00pm watch the next episode of season six, Foyle’s War: Broken Souls. Someone murders a psychiatrist, and his colleague, an emigré Jew from Poland who is also Foyle's chess tutor, attempts suicide. But they're not the only ones on Foyle’s mind; a missing telegraph boy becomes a suspect when a German POW is found dead on a local farm.

Tuesday at 11:00pm tune in for Benny Hill, the classic, slap-stick, skit-based, comedy show. This show airs late at night during the week, and Tuesday’s episode is sure to be a laugh!

Wednesday at 8:00pm Inspector Morse begins a new season with The Way Through the Woods. A serial killer is murdered in prison and his deathbed confession disavows one of his previous murder confessions. Morse wants to reopen the case, but was the man lying? Or will he find the true killer?

Thursday beginning at 8:00pm get your mystery fix with Sherlock Holmes at 8:00pm followed by Agatha Christie’s Poirot at 9:00pm.

Friday at 10:00pm the crew begins new adventures and laughs with Coupling season 4. New additions, new relationships, and new jokes all begin this Friday evening.

Saturday from 10:00am – 8:00pm catch up on the previous week’s prime-time (8:00pm-11:00pm) programming. Missed new episodes of your favorite evening shows? Watch them all back-to-back on Saturdays from 10:00am – 8:00pm. Shows include: Yes, Prime Minister, May to December, Fresh Fields, Last of the Summer Wine, New Tricks, Prime Suspect, Sherlock Holmes, BallyKissAngel, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Inspector Morse, Death in Paradise, and Dalziel & Pasco.

Sunday at 8:00pm watch Yes, Minister from the very beginning! Episode one of this classic series will get you hooked in no time. Tune in and don’t miss out!

 

 

WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

Free Movies in DC | WETA Movies May 18 -19

Inspiring tales of "the underdog" and film have always gone together like peanut butter and jelly andeven though those PB&Js might not taste as great as they did when you were 6, underdog films never get old. This Saturday, WETA presents two free movies about people at a disadvantage working hard to make a difference. First, we follow the big win of a small town basketball team in Hoosiers (1986) at 9:30pm. Next, learn about rape cover up of the U.S. military and its survivors in Independent Lens: The Invisible War.

 

Hoosiers (1986)

The small town of Hickory, Indiana loves basketball, so the pressure is on when a new coach arrives to train the high school team. After failing to impress the community with his unusual style of coaching, Norman Dale hires Shooter, the alcoholic father of one of his players, as his assistant. With the addition of a star player, the team begins a winning streak that leads to the State Championship game. But can this band of misfits win against their rivals of South Bend? Find out Saturday at 9:30pm! Watch a preview!

Hoosiers (1986) airs Saturday, May 18th at 9:30pm on WETA TV26 & HD.

 

Independent Lens: The Invisible War

Washington D.C. is often seen as military central for the United States, where training, planning and honors take place on a daily basis. But has a cover up also been developing at our nation’s capital? In the new investigative documentary by Independent Lens, the veil is lifted from one of the biggest scandals within the U.S. military where, according to the Department of Defense, there were an estimated 22,800 violent sex crimes in 2011. The Invisible War presents personal accounts of survivors, like Kori Cioca, who was beaten and raped by her supervisor in the U.S. Coast Guard.  For the few who do report abuse, a flawed judicial system awaits, leading to only 8 percent of military sexual assault cases prosecuted. Watch a preview!

Independent Lens: The Invisible War airs Sunday, May 19th at 1:30am on WETA TV26 & HD.

WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

WETA Around Town Events: May 17 - 19

This weeked in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia area, expereince a one-of-a-kind event at the Kennedy Center and get a hefty dose of fine art in Reston. Read on for more details!

Prepare for the landing of The Intergalactic Nemesis: A Live-Action Graphic Novel at The Kennedy 

Center this weekend! Combining radio show and comic book elements, this unique production follows the story of reporter Molly Sloan, her assistant Timmy Mendez, and a librarian named Ben Wilcott as they face the threat of an invasion of sludge monsters from the planet Zygon. The live performance features three actors, one Foley artist, and one keyboardist who perform all the voices, sound effects and music, while more than 1,000 hand-drawn, comic book images fill a two-story-high screen. This adventure is perfect for families with children ages 8 and up! Watch a preview!

Friday through Sunday
Cost: $18
The Kennedy Center - 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566
 
 
How long has it been since you’ve set aside some time to appreciate art? From May 17-19, stop by Reston Town Center and experience the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival. The outdoor festival, now in its 22nd year, offers attendees the opportunity to admire and purchase original work from over 200 artists across a wide range of mediums. Enjoy live performances and entertainment, and be sure to visit the Family Art Park, which offers something for children, teens, and adults alike. Held by the Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE), a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting visual arts, the festival begins this Friday with its Opening Night Party from 6pm-9pm. 
 
Friday, 5pm-8pm
Saturday, 10am-6pm
Sunday, 10am-4pm
Cost: Free (attendees who $10 will receive a $10 gift certificate redeemable at participating local restaurants)
Reston Town Center – 12001 Market Street, Reston, VA 20190
WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

Free Movies in DC | WETA Movies May 11 - 12

This weekend on WETA, watch three movies right from your Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia home! Watch a blind love unravel into danger and fear with Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Suspicion. Then discover the struggle between love and infatuation in Independent Lens' Seeking Asian Female. And if you're still awake at midnight, watch POV's In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee as a Korean born woman delves into her past to find the person whose name she bears.

Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine deliver exuberant performances in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller, Suspicion.  This film tells the story of Lina McLaidlaw, a wealthy young woman, who falls in love with Johnnie Aysgarth.  Swept off her feet by Johnnie’s charm, Lina disregard’s the disapproval of her father, General McLaidlaw, and soon runs away to get married.  Unaware of troubles that are just around the corner, Lina finds out that her new husband has no money, no job and has a gambling problem. Johnnie insists that this will all change, but as Lina soon finds out, not everyone can keep promises. Following a series of bizarre events, a mysterious murder, and bit of paranoia, Lina becomes convinced that Johnnie might be plotting to kill her and make haste with her inheritance.  Watch the trailer!
 
Tune in to WETA TV26 & HD Saturday at 9:30pm for Alfred Hitchcock’s, Suspicion.
 
 
For those of you who believe opposites attract, you’ll want to check out this documentary from Independent Lens.  Seeking Asian Female follows the lives of two people who fall in love and decide to get married after meeting on the internet.  Steven, a white American man from San Francisco, has always had a fascination with Chinese women.  After divorcing twice, the struggle for Steven to find the Asian woman of his dreams seems to be merely impossible until he meets Sandy.  Sandy, a determined 30 year old woman from China, immediately falls in love with Steven and flies out to San Francisco to marry him.  But marriage isn’t all fun and games as the cross-cultured couple soon find out.  Communicating through a translator, overcoming Steven’s obsession with Chinese women and adapting to life in a foreign country are just a few issues the couple must face in order to make their relationship work.  But are Steven and Sandy willing to take these drastic measures for true love?  Tune in to find out! Watch the trailer!
 
Independent Lens: Seeking Asian Female airs this Saturday at 11:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
 
 
In this unusual documentary, POV reveals the story of a Korean orphan who has her identity switched before she is taken in by an American family.  After coming to the United States in 1966 at eight years old, she was told to keep her false identity a secret and never reveal it to anyone.  Now, after more than 40 years, it is time to find the real Cha Jung Hee.  In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee, filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem sets out in hopes of helping this mistaken orphan find Cha Jung Hee.  But in a big territory like Korea, finding the woman whose life she has lived will not be an easy task. Watch the trailer!
 
Check out POV: In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee this Sunday at 12:00am on WETA TV26 & HD.
 
 
 
WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

New PBS Nature Episodes in May | Private Life of Deer & Great Zebra Exodus

Whether in our own backyard or across the plains of Africa, four-legged creatures have learned to co-exist with humans or migrate to safer pastures. In the new episodes of PBS’ Nature this month, we will explore The Private Life of Deer on Wednesday the 8th and The Great Zebra Exodus on Wednesday the 15th.

 

The Private Life of Deer

The Washington, D.C. area is home to many Whitetailed deer, which enjoy eating our gardens, hopping into oncoming traffic, and slipping into the woods of our local parks. In the past century, the deer population has increased from less than a million to almost 30 million as of today. In an effort to document this ever increasing species, footage was acquired in unique ways throughout the country. In one segment, residents of Cayuga Heights, NY were given video equipment to document populations in their area, while in another segment; small cameras were strapped to the backs to wild deer. The footage acquired provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our furry neighbors. Watch the trailer!

Nature: The Private Life of Deer airs Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 9 at 2:00pm.

 

The Great Zebra Exodus

Traveling with family can be complicated, especially when it seems like everyone’s moving in a different direction. But can you imagine voyaging with 20,000 of your closest kin? Follow the story of one zebra family, a stallion, his three mares and their offspring, traveling with the herd in Southern Africa’s biggest animal migration. Taking place every year across the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, this trek to grass and water tests the social bonds that hold zebra families together. Watch the trailer!

Nature: The Great Zebra Exodus airs Wednesday, May 15 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 16 at 2:00pm.

WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

Free Movies in DC | WETA Movies May 4 - 5

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.
 
WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

WETA Around Town Events: May 3 - 5

This weekend, get in touch with different cultures visually, musically, and locally. Travel to Maryland's Eastern shore for a home and garden tour, visit over 40 embassies for free, and enjoy Grammy award winning indigenous Mexican music by Lila Downs. 

 

If April showers bring May flowers, then it’s time to enjoy the beautiful outdoors with a daytrip! Established in 1666, the Lower Eastern Shore area has played a key role in Maryland history, and is currently home to properties from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage is hosting a tour of eight historic and modern homes in Somerset and Worcester Counties on Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Highlights of the day include visits to “Beverly” in Pocomoke City and Watkins Point Farm outside of Crisfield. All proceeds from the tour will go back into the communities through The Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council
 
Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Cost: $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the tour.
Lunch ($15) will be offered at the Teackle Mansion in Princess Anne with advance reservations.
Located at historical sites of Somerset and Worcester Counties.
 
 
Have you ever wanted to travel the world but you just don’t have the time or the money?  Well we have the solution to that problem!  In honor of international culture in Washington DC, Passport DC will host the Around the World Embassy Tour.  This onetime event allows visitors the chance to see over 40 embassies representing six continents throughout the world.  Patrons will also have the opportunity to see nine new embassies this year such as Barbados, Chile, Malaysia, Nicaragua and several others.  Participants will be treated to a variety of cultural and festive activities such as food tasting, dancing, musical performances and artwork while exploring these remarkable buildings.  So come on out for an experience that will truly broaden your cultural horizon.  
 
Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Cost: Admission is free
 
What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with fantastic music? This Sunday, the Hylton Performing Arts Center welcomes Lila Downs to the stage for a performance of indigenous Mexican music and her original compositions that infuse soul, jazz, blues, and African sounds.  Considered a “dazzling” and “stunning” artist, Downs has combined her passion for music and ancient culture to create powerful, edgy music with international flair as she explores topics of immigration, transformation, and social and political justice.  Downs has won numerous awards, such as the 2013 Grammy award for “Best Regional Mexican Album,” and has performed at major festivals and venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall!  A free pre-performance discussion for ticket holders will be held 45 minutes prior to the performance.  Be sure to grab your tickets for this sensational performance!     
 
Sunday, 7pm
Cost: $28 and up
Hylton Performing Arts Center - 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA 20110 
 
 
WETA UK logoCategory:WETA UK

This Week on WETA UK | April 22 – 28

Begin new seasons and new series on WETA UK this week! Introducing Lead Balloon to the Washington, DC area, WETA UK is full of surprises this week. Read on for more highlights and trailers, plus, don’t forget to mark your calendars!

Monday at 8:00pm tune in for the Foyle’s War season 2 kick-off! In the first part of the mystery titled, Fifty Ships, an American multi-millionaire, Foyle’s old love interest, and a mysterious Dutch refugee, are all implicated when a dead body is discovered on a beach. Sam looks for a new residence after her home is destroyed in a bombing raid. Foyle investigates a looting case when coins disappear from Sam’s ruined home.

Tuesday at 9:00pm get ready for season 2 of Rumpole of the Bailey. In this first episode of season 2, Rumpole and the Man of God, Rumpole defends a vicar who is charged with theft, but trouble arises when the distressed clergyman refuses to take the stand in his own defense. George Frobisher, the next Circuit Judge, joins the Rumpoles for dinner and introduces his new girlfriend who Rumpole remembers seeing in court.

Tuesday at 10:00pm start season 6 of MI-5 a.k.a Spooks. The award-winning, edge-of-your-seat spy drama is back with another white-knuckle ride through the perilous world of deadly terrorists, international cover-ups and treacherous double-agents.

Wednesday at 8:00pm Inspector Morse takes on The Day of the Devil. In this mystery, a serial rapist and Satanist named John Barrie escapes from a mental hospital and demands that his therapist be turned over to him. A master of disguise, Barrie sets up an elaborate and deadly battle of wits with Morse. Part 2 airs next Wednesday at 8:00pm

Thursday at 7:30pm say hello to Keeping Up Appearances season 2! When it comes to snobbery, Hyacinth Bucket is in a class of her own. Award-winning actress Patricia Routledge plays the comic monster in a role which viewers have taken to their hearts. In season 2, Daddy goes missing again, Hyacinth drags Richard off for a weekend of golf at an executive golf club, in spite of the fact that he doesn't like the game, and, determined that the neighbors should see the van delivering her classy new three-piece suite, Hyacinth has parking cones placed outside the house, along with a special notice warning of an immediate delivery.

Friday beginning at 6:00pm begin all new seasons on WETA UK. First at 6:00pm, watch Waiting for God from the very first episode. Then at 8:30pm watch Rosemary & Thyme take on Memory of Water in the first episode of season 2. At 9:30pm get your full dose of laughs with Outnumbered season 4 episode 1, and kick off season 3 of Men Behaving Badly at 10:30. We’re not done just yet! At 11:30pm tune in for the British classic Allo, Allo as we begin season 4.

Saturday beginning at 8:00pm conclude season two of the WETA UK Event: The Complete Vera. Stay tuned to the Programmer’s Choice blog because we have a brand new WETA UK Event next Saturday!

Sunday at 9:00pm we’re proud to announce the WETA UK premiere of Lead Balloon! Written by and starring Jack Dee, one of the UK’s most successful stand-up comedians, you’re invited to enter the world of Rick Spleen… Rick Spleen is a disillusioned stand-up comedian and writer whose career has not gone the way he had planned. Worse still, he’s stuck with a lousy stage name that he chose 20 years ago. Rick combines a mass of neuroses and petty grievances with a terrible propensity for lying which is not a recipe for success. Along for the ride is his quick-talking American co-writer Marty, his unflappable partner Mel, and his incompetent daughter Sam. Join us this Sunday and every week for this brand new, modern British comedy, Lead Balloon!

WETA TV26 logoCategory:TV26

WETA Around Town Events: April 19 - 21

Spring has sprung and we're in the mood to celebrate! Check out our weekend event highlights in DC, Maryland, and Virginia for April 19 - 21 below, you're sure to find something you'll like.

Celebrate The King of Latin Jazz

Tito Puente (April 20, 1923 – June 1, 2000) was a prestigious Latin jazz and salsa composer and a remarkable musician.  Known as “The King of Latin Jazz” and “The King of the Timbales,” Tito Puente made an extensive impact in the music world for 50 years.  This Saturday, the Anacostia Community Museum hosts Metro Mambo: Tito Puente: The Definitive Celebration!  Hosted by Jim Byers from 89.3 FM’s Latin Flavor, this celebration of the legendary Tito Puente includes un-released recordings, personal insights, and rare memorabilia from former Puente band members and Puente’s biographer, archivist, and best friend of over 40 years, Joe Conzo.  Get excited, there will be a dance party featuring one of the region’s top bands!       
Saturday, 2pm
Cost:  Free
 
 
 
Now that the sun is finally shinning and the flowers are beginning to bloom, why not spend the weekend outdoors? This weekend, the City of Alexandria will host the 20th Annual Alexandria Earth Day and Arbor Day. The event will consist of a variety of activities such as the Arbor Day tree planting, visual and performing arts events from Alexandria City Public School students, the Annual Earth Day Tree Sale, and music from Woven Green, an eco-friendly band. Also included will be the display of a new hybrid DASH bus, a hybrid trolley and other vehicles to educate families of the importance of going green. So get on your bike, jump on the bus, or walk to Alexandria’s Annual Earth Day Celebration. 
Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Free
 
 
 
“To be, or not to be: that is the question” and we have an answer! This Sunday, you need to “be” at William Shakespeare’s Birthday Open House hosted by the Folger Shakespeare Library. This free celebration will feature fun activities for the whole family, like a Shakespeare portrait contest, fortune telling, Elizabethan crafts, stories from 16th Century England, a scavenger hunt, and poetry contests. Sunday is also the only day the Reading Rooms are open to the public so take a tour inside and then head out on a docent-lead walk through the Elizabethan Garden. This event is rain or shine, be sure to get there in for the cake-cutting ceremony on the lawn at 3:30pm. 
Sunday, 12 to 4pm
Cost: Free
Folger Shakespeare Library 201 East Capitol Street, SE Washington, DC 20003
 
Read the full article to watch our WETA Around Town film discussions from this week, share your impressions of the movies in the comments below! Reviewed: Trance & 42
 
 

Pages