What's Airing on KCET in September 2013?
Read on to find out what shows are premiering on KCET this September as well as what specials are scheudled for air.
"In From the Cold -- A Portrait of Richard Burton" -- Sunday, September 1, 9PM
Few great actors have been so unfairly represented in the public image as Richard Burton. Drunk, a wastrel, uncontrollable, unprofessional, besotted with glamour and wealth -- these are just a few of the epithets describing the popular star of stage and screen. "In From the Cold -- A Portrait of Richard Burton," a documentary made at his widow Sally Hay's request, is a celebration of an extraordinary man whose public image may have been seen as much different.
The program is "double-pumped," with another broadcast at about 11:05 p.m.
"Explore" -- Tuesdays at 10PM, premiering September 3
Explore.org is a philanthropic media organization and a multimedia division of the Annenberg Foundation. Created by filmmaker and philanthropist Charles Annenberg Weingarten to champion the selfless acts of others, inspire lifelong learning and help people fall in love with the world again, explore.org is home to more than 300 original films and a massive library of world-class photography from all over the globe. As an advertising-free philanthropic media organization, explore.org prides itself on purity and regularly provides grants to organizations focused on improving the human condition and the planet.
"Shooting in the Wild" -- Tuesday, September 3, 10:30PM
Wildlife and nature films are a hugely popular entertainment genre: networks such as Animal Planet and Discovery are stars in the cable television universe, viewers flock to IMAX theaters to see jaw-dropping footage from the wild, and the venerable BBC still scores triumphs with series such as Planet Earth. As cinematic technology brings ever-more-breathtaking images to the screen, and as our direct contact with nature diminishes, an ever-expanding audience craves the indirect experience of wild nature that these films provide. But this success has a dark side, as veteran producer and film educator Chris Palmer reveals in the documentary "Shooting in the Wild." Based on his authoritative and engrossing book of the same name, "Shooting in the Wild" presents an insider's look at the business of wildlife filmmaking, uncovering a more pervasive and troubling trend toward sensationalism, extreme risk-taking, and even abuse in wildlife films. Illustrated with film clips from the early days of the genre to the present, this program also profiles a new breed of skilled, ethical filmmakers whose work enlightens as well as entertains, and who represent the future that Palmer envisions for the industry he loves. The host of the program is Alexandra Cousteau, who is herself a filmmaker and National Geographic "Emerging Explorer," and the granddaughter of Jacques Cousteau, the underwater film pioneer.
"18 Voices Sing Kol Nidre" -- Wednesday, September 4, 10PM
During the month in which both Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur grace the calendar, this program explores the Kol Nidre, the most sacred prayer in Judaism that begins its holiest day of Yom Kippur. The Kol Nidre's words have caused centuries of persecution, but its poignant melody has enthralled generations of Jews and non-Jews and saved the prayer from itself. The program tells the Kol Nidre story impressionistically through the tales, the anecdotes, of those who have been touched by it, be they top experts on the chant or just those who have been changed by chanting it.
"William & Mary" -- Thursdays at 8:45PM, premiering September 5
In this second season of this series, premiering on KCET, the excitement is mounting, as William and Mary's wedding draws ever closer. William's got a few surprises up his sleeve -- organizing a plane, with a banner, from the aerodrome, and a brass band to play them out at the church. What's more, they're almost ready to move into the new house.
Produced By George Martin -- Thursday, September 5 at 9:35PM
This hour special is a profile of Sir George Martin, Britain's most celebrated record producer. While Martin is perhaps best known for his work with The Beatles, he has enjoyed a long and varied career in a variety of musical genres, including the classical world. This intriguing look at Martin's life at home and at work, features numerous classic clips of the artists he has worked with and new interviews featuring Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Michael Palin, Jeff Beck, Rolf Harris, Cilla Black, Millicent Martin and Bernard Cribbins.
"The Sunshine Boys" -- Saturday, September 7 at 9PM
After a long separation, two former vaudeville partners (Walter Matthau, George Burns) reunite to renew their friendship and their feud. Richard Benjamin co-stars.
"Scott & Bailey" -- Sundays at 9PM, premiering September 8
Detective Constable Rachel Bailey is 30, down-to-earth, noisy, argumentative and single. She's a hardworking, committed detective. She had been in a relationship with a barrister, Nick, until he left her for the wife she didn't know he had. Meanwhile, Detective Constable Janet Scott is 40, a diplomat and a thinker, as well as being a wife and mother to two teenage girls. She had very strong reasons for wanting to be a detective - her friend was murdered when they were children and the crime has never been solved. They both work for Manchester Metropolitan Police's prestigious Murder Investigation Team and, despite the obvious differences between them, the fact that they are often thrown together in difficult situations means they have developed a robust friendship.
"Miranda" -- Sundays at 10:30PM, premiering September 8
Miranda (Miranda Hart) is 6 feet 1 inch tall, pear-shaped and men tend to call her "sir." Since attending boarding school, she has never really fitted in with old girls Tilly (Sally Phillips) and Fanny (Katy Wix) and finds social situations awkward, especially around men. She is a constant disappointment to her mother Penny (Patricia Hodge), who is desperate for her to get a proper job and a husband. Although Miranda owns, and lives above, a joke shop, she lacks any real capacity for business, so it is managed by her childhood friend Stevie Sutton (Sarah Hadland). Her ill-starred combination of striving and pratfall rings all too true Miranda moments are the stuff of life, just funnier.
"Journeys in Africa" -- Tuesdays at 10:30PM, premiering September 10
"Journeys in Africa" is an innovative travel series focusing on the African continent. It will highlight Africa's unique culture, history, architecture and wildlife. Bill Ball explores both small villages and giant metropolises to explain the diverse culture, the fascinating traditions and the wonderful people that make up Africa.
"New Beginnings: Highlights of the Jewish High Holy Days" -- September 11 at 10:30PM
"New Beginnings" outlines the ancient origin, evolution, symbols and traditions that have become The High Holy Days. This program illustrates with prayer, song, art, literature, custom, and ritual the splendor of The Days of Awe; unfolds the rich tapestry of the strong moral and ethical fiber that is woven into the Ten Days of Repentance; and traces the cultural ethnic threads that flow unbroken into the modern practice of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
"Amy Winehouse at Her Best: When Amy Came to Dingle" -- September 12 at 9:35PM
On December 3, 2006 a young, relatively unknown singer named Amy Winehouse appeared in the fifth season of Other Voices, a music series filmed every winter in the small Irish fishing village of Dingle in County Kerry. "Amy Winehouse at Her Best: When Amy Came to Dingle" tells the story of that once-in-a-lifetime show. It integrates live performance with an intimate interview along with excerpts from performances of musicians who influenced her. Recorded before her meteoric rise to fame peaked, this program is about the music and the spirit, not the madness that ultimately claimed her life five years later on July 23, 2011.
"Life After War: California's Veterans" -- September 12 at 10:30PM
Life After War: California's Veterans takes viewers from Los Angeles' Skid Row, where many women veterans struggle with military sexual trauma and homelessness in their transition to civilian life, to the halls of City College in San Francisco, where an innovative program helps veterans succeed when they go back to school.
"Cruz Reynoso: Sowing the Seeds of Justice" -- September 15 at 4:30PM
This documentary in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month paints a portrait of a man touched by injustice as a child who dedicated his life to fighting discrimination and inequality as a lawyer, judge and teacher. The compelling biography, told through a combination of archival footage and interviews, charts Cruz Reynoso's humble origins, his appointment to the California Supreme Court (the first Latino justice to serve in the state's highest court) and more recently, his leadership on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
"KCET Presents: Sotomayor & Longoria" -- September 22 at 4PM
In this KCETLink special being rebroadcast in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor talks to actress/activist Eva Longoria about Sotomayor's new book, "My Beloved World." Justice Sotomayor, the first Hispanic person -- and third woman -- to sit on the United States Supreme Court, speaks of her humble beginnings in the Bronx housing projects, her struggles to learn English and to overcome financial hardships, as well as her courageous choices and inspiring successes.
"Lindsey Buckingham -- Songs from the Small Machine" -- September 26 at 9:35PM
Filmed at an exclusive show at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills in April 2011, "Songs from the Small Machine" captures famed rocker Lindsey Buckingham showcasing tracks from his album "Seeds We Sow," as well as classic songs from his solo career and Fleetwood Mac. His distinctive guitar picking style and instantly recognizable voice combine with his dynamic on-stage presence to deliver a show that brings the audience to their feet and leaves them calling for more. Following a solo acoustic performance, Lindsey is then joined by his band - including Neale Haywood on guitar, Walfredo Reyas on drums and Brett Tuggle on bass and keyboards - to rock their way through the rest of the set.
"Vamos Al Baile ('Let's Go to the Dance')" -- September 29 at 4:30PM
In this third program commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month, a stellar lineup of Mexican-American musicians take the stage in front of a live audience. Enjoy performances by award winning artists Little Joe y La Familia, Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution, and Joel Guzman with Sarah Fox plus special guests. Interspersed with interviews. "Vamos al Baile ('Let's go to the Dance')" captures the different styles of Mexican-American music and the family atmosphere of the dance halls in which they are performed.