Posted on January 13th, 2012

Masterpiece at 8 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Saturday presents part two of “Downton Abbey, Series II”. Downtown is turned into a convalescent home with Thomas in charge. Meanwhile, Lavinia and Sir Richard’s secret comes out, Anna tracks down Bates and Branson seizes his chance to strike a blow for Ireland.

Sherlock Holmes stalks again on Masterpiece Mystery! at 9 p.m. Sunday in a thrilling contemporary version of the Victorian-era whodunits. When an unidentified woman, dressed all in pink, turns up murdered in an abandoned building, Sherlock must use the science of deduction to catch the killer on “Sherlock: A Study in Pink”.

Hosted by President and Mrs. Obama in the East Room of the White House, “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music From the Civil Rights Era” at 9 p.m. Monday features popular musicians performing contemporary arrangements of music that galvanized the U.S. civil rights movement of the late 1950s and 1960s. (more…)

Posted on January 6th, 2012

Nature at 7 p.m. Sunday introduces a young team of New Guinean scientists on a grueling expedition to find and film the Birds of Paradise, the holy grail of wildlife filmmakers, on “Birds Of The Gods.”

Masterpiece Series at 8 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Saturday presents part one of “Downton Abbey, Series II”. Two years into World War I, Downton Abbey is in turmoil, as Matthew and other young men go to war – or avoid it. The women also pitch in, and many couples see their romantic dreams dashed.

Martin Luther: The Reluctant Revolutionary at 9 p.m. Monday (part 3 of 3) presents the epic tale of the great Protestant revolutionary whose belief in his faith would overthrow the all-powerful Catholic Church and reshape Medieval Europe.

The third episode of the three-part series “Egypt’s Golden Empire” at 7 p.m. Tuesday looks back at the 67-year reign of Ramesses II, that marked the pinnacle of Egypt’s thriving New Kingdom. But with his death at the age of 93 came the inevitable decline of this once-shining civilization.

Billy The Kid: American Experience at 8 p.m. Tuesday offers a fascinating look at the myth and the man behind it, who, in just a few short years transformed himself from a skinny orphan boy to the most feared man in the West and an enduring western icon.

Nature at 7 p.m. Wednesday presents “Kangaroo Mob,” the story of street smart kangaroos moving into Australia’s capital city as a group of ecologists follow their every move.

Nova “Bombing Hitler’s Dams” at 8 p.m. Wednesday recreates the extreme engineering challenges faced by British engineer Barnes Wallis and the pilots who dealt a mighty blow to the Nazis in 1943 with the aid of six spectacular experiments.

Fresh and seasoned indie rock hits the stage with The Head and the Heart and Gomez on Austin City Limits at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

For three decades, journalist Bill Moyers has asked meaningful questions and explored ideas at the forefront of the public debate. This week, he discusses his career on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Every summer the Austin Lyric Opera organizes “Opera Odyssey,” an opera camp with kids ages 8 to 12. Students produce their own original musical work, design and build sets and costumes, and learn the business of opera. Arts in Context follows their journey at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through the creative process which resulted in the original production “The Quarantine.”

Join Chet Garner as he travels to Canyon Lake, Texas to explore the Natural Bridge Caverns, ride through the Wildlife Ranch, and take a dip in the lake on The Daytripper at 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

Independent Lens at 9 p.m. Thursday presents “Have You Heard From Johannesburg?”, a mini-series that chronicles the unprecedented international movement of citizen activists who fought for three decades to bring down the brutal, racist system of apartheid in South Africa when their governments would not.

Called “the most exciting individual in American theater” by Newsweek magazine, Anna Deavere Smith (The West Wing, Nurse Jackie) turns her theatrical exploration to matters of the human body with “Let Me Down Easy” on Great Performances at 9 p.m. Friday.

Alternative rock superstars Arcade Fire return to the ACL stage for the second time to perform hits and tunes from their Grammy-winning LP “The Suburbs“ on Austin City Limits at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Posted on December 30th, 2011

Masterpiece Classic at 8 p.m. Sunday presents part four of Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes‘ “Downtown Abbey,” a depiction of the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in 1912.

Martin Luther: Driven To Defiance/The Reluctant Revolutionary at 9 p.m. Monday (part one of two) presents the epic tale of the great Protestant revolutionary whose belief in his faith would overthrow the all-powerful Catholic Church and reshape Medieval Europe.

The first episode of the three-part series “Egypt’s Golden Empire” at 7 p.m. Tuesday tracks the hard-fought unification of Egypt under King Ahmose of Thebe and the country’s subsequent rule under an unlikely pharaoh — Hatshepsut, who was a woman. The second episode at 8 p.m. travels back to 1390 B.C., where a gold-laden Egypt was one of the most powerful countries in the world.
(more…)

Posted on December 23rd, 2011

Nature at 7 p.m. Sunday presents “Christmas in Yellowstone,”  an exploration of the great winter world of Yellowstone through images of the spectacular landscape and wildlife.

Masterpiece Classic at 8 p.m. Sunday presents part two  and three of Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes‘ “Downtown Abbey”, a depiction of the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in 1912.

Jerusalem: Center of the World at 9 p.m. Monday draws on religious texts, the science of archaeology and oral traditions to determine why this small city has occupied the minds of so many for so long.

The Botany of Desire at 7 p.m Tuesday brings Michael Pollan’s best-selling book of the same name to television, showing how human desires are an essential, intricate part of natural history. The program explores the natural history of four plants and the corresponding human desires that link their destinies to our own.

Frontline at 9 p.m. Tuesday profiles Thomas Lynch, a poet and undertaker whose family has cared for the dead in a small town in central Michigan for three generations. In “The Undertaking,” a critically acclaimed book, Lynch offered unique and profound insight into what he called the “dismal trade.” In an intimate and revealing film, Lynch helps makes sense of the ways Americans cope with death, grief and life.

Independent Lens at 10 p.m. Tuesday presents “Lioness,” an intimate look at war through the eyes of the first women in U.S. history sent into direct ground combat, despite a policy that bans them from doing so.

Nature at 7 p.m. Wednesday takes an exclusive look into the worlds of Arctic bears such as polar bears and grizzlies.

In collaboration with National Geographic, Nova at 8 p.m. Wednesday follows the exploits of acclaimed photojournalist James Balog and a scientific team as they deploy time-lapse cameras in risky, remote locations in the Arctic, Alaska, and the Alps.

Nova at 9 p.m. investigates the collapse of an immense, 200 meter-thick ice shelf into the ocean off the Antarctic Peninsula in 2002, shocking scientists and raising the alarming possibility that we may be heading toward an ice-free Antarctica — last seen a million years ago.

Austin City Limits at 10 p.m. Wednesday and 10:30 p.m. Friday presents a classic Tom Waits performance from 1979.

Emmy-winning actress Holland Taylor discusses her long and varied career on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 p.m. Thursday.

World-renowned classical guitarist Jorge Caballero performs the classic work Pictures At An Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky on Arts In Context at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Independent Lens at 9 p.m. Thursday presents “These Amazing Shadows,” a program that looks at the work of the National Film Preservation Board and the cinematic treasures it strives to save, from Hollywood blockbusters to avant-garde gems, and from the earliest days of film to today.

On PBS Arts From San Francisco: The Little Mermaid at 8 p.m. Friday, John Neumeier — the American-born chief choreographer for Hamburg Ballet — blends dance, dramatic storytelling and spectacle into this interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fable.

In this special Central Texas Gardener conversation at noon and 4 p.m. Saturday, get the CTG team’s perspective on drought, hard freezes, what we learned this year, and the changes we’ll make in 2012.

The New York Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve concert kicks off with Bernstein’s Overture to Candide and promises to delight with more Bernstein and two Gershwin masterpieces on “Live From Lincoln Center: Bernstein and Gershwin” at 7 p.m. Saturday.

American Masters at 9 p.m. Saturday chronicles the rise of a new breed of musicians in the 1960s Los Angeles whose raw emotions and simple instrumentation bridged the gap between singers and the songs they wrote in “Troubadors: Carole King/James Taylor & The Rise.”

Modern rock giants Coldplay ring in the new year with a very special episode of Austin City Limits at 11 p.m. Saturday highlighting their hits and songs from their newest LP, “Mylo Xyloto.”

Posted on December 19th, 2011

On December 23rd, KLRU features an evening of holiday songs from two of the best choirs in the world.

8:00 PM Christmas With The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
David Archuleta jand Michael York join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for a Christmas concert in Salt Lake City. Archuleta sings holiday songs and York reads the story of Christmas from Luke. The Tabernacle Choir and Archuleta are joined by the Orchestra at Temple Square and 107 dancers.

9:00 PM Christmas at St. Olaf
This new production of one of the nation’s most highly acclaimed annual musical celebration marks the 100th anniversary of the annual Christmas Festival from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Featuring St. Olaf’s renowned choirs and orchestra, the program’s rich blending of compositions will highlight selections from previous Christmas Festivals, including excerpts from R.V. Williams Hodie. Additionally, this centennial performance will debut newly commissioned works by American composers Andre J. Thomas and David N. Childs.

Posted on December 19th, 2011

KLRU is celebrating Christmas Eve with back-to-back holiday episodes of My Family from  9 pm to midnight.

“Ding Dong Merrily”
When Janey comes home for Christmas, she’s pregnant and Susan wants to know who the father is. However, Janey refuses to tell her, but does tell Ben, who then lies to Susan about the father. Meanwhile, Nick starts a Christmas tree business and then invites round Mr Bradley (Trevor Peacock), an “old person”, for Christmas Day. When Susan cooks the turkey with chocolate and raisins, everyone decides they are vegetarians.

“Glad Tidings We Bring”
Janey gets engaged to Ches Rochester (Danny Webb), a nightclub owner who is old enough to be her father, whom she has only known 10 days, but a psychic told her she would meet the love of her life at a wedding. They marry two weeks later at his house and Susan is worried about Ben giving the “father of the bride” speech. Meanwhile, Michael’s girlfriend Molly (Verity Dearsley) is into long-term plans. At the wedding, Grace and Ches’s father (Freddie Davies) dance together, while Michael and Hubert sell the wedding presents on eBay. But, shortly after marrying, Janey goes off with a waiter calls Lars (Mathew Bose) and asks for a divorce. Meanwhile, Nick is sending videos to Ben and Susan claiming to be destitute in the Far East and asks for money. Guest starring Edna Doré.

“…And I’ll Cry If I Want To”
Susan is organising a third birthday for Kenzo, partly to make up for the fact she got forgot Janey’s third birthday, and wants Janey to bring the father. She wants to hire an expensive clown, but Ben secretly asks Roger to do it instead. However, on the day, Christmas Eve, Roger gets drunk so Ben has to do it instead. Meanwhile, Welsh musician Alfie Butts (Rhodri Meilir), a friend of Nick’s, turns up and Susan insists he stay. Ben finds a £1200 ring which he thinks is for him from Susan, but is actually from Grace to her toyboy (John Burgess), so he goes out and buys Susan a £1200 first edition of Mrs Dalloway. Also, Michael gets a Christmas job as a postman and Abi becomes a beautician.

“Living The Dream”
Ben and Susan join a pyramid selling scheme on Roger’s advice even though he didn’t receive any of his money through the scheme. Upon asking Michael’s advice, he says don’t touch it but Ben and Susan know better, don’t they? Meanwhile, Roger buys himself some special treats and Ben finds himself getting extremely jealous as he cannot shift any of his stock. When Roger buys himself a convertible, Ben finds himself questioning Roger’s profits or rather, from whence they came. Also the family is suffering from the effects of a broken boiler, occasional power cuts and Ben’s dreams of having a champagne breakfast for the first time in his life.

Posted on December 16th, 2011

Masterpiece Classic at 8 p.m. Sunday presents part one of Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes‘ “Downtown Abbey,” a depiction of the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in 1912.

American Masters at 9 p.m. Monday presents Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect & The Painter, the story of America’s most important and influential designers whose work helped shape the second half of the 20th century and remains culturally vital and commercially popular today. (more…)

Posted on December 14th, 2011

We’re approaching the end of our December drive which can only mean one thing: Viewer’s Choice weekend! We’ve picked your favorites to air during the final Saturday and Sunday of the pledge drive and we’ll need your support to meet our goal of $240,000. With 6 days left in the drive, you’ve helped raise over $174,000 – thanks to everyone who has contributed so far this drive and thanks in advance to anyone who donates today!

We’re excited to announce that our Viewer’s Choice weekend line up is jam packed with great specials that highlight the music, entertainment, and informative programming KLRU does year-round!

Saturday, December 17
Julia Child Memories: Bon Appetit at 10am
Great Performances: Andrea Bocelli: One Night in Central Park at 12:30pm and 8pm
Great Performances: Jackie Evancho: Dream With Me In Concert at 3pm
Victor Borge: Comedy in Music! at 4:30pm
60s Rock, Pop & Soul at 6pm
3 Steps to Incredible Health with Dr. Joel Fuhrman at 10:30pm
Paul Simon: Live at Webster Hall at 10:35pm on KLRU-Q

Sunday, December 18
Financial Fitness After 50! With Paul Merriman at 1pm
3 Steps to Incredible Health with Dr. Joel Fuhrman at 2:30pm
Great Performances: Andrea Bocelli & David Foster: My Christmas at 4:30pm
Great Performances: Jackie Evancho: Dream With Me In Concert at 6:30pm
Masterpiece Theater: Downton Abbey (Season 1, Episode 1)
Aretha Franklin: Soul Rewind at 10pm

We hope you’ll tune in to KLRU for Viewer’s Choice Weekend – and call in or go online to make a gift of support. This will be the last week that many of the incredible thank you gifts will be available – including Andrea Bocelli tickets, Straight No Chaser tickets, seats on the KLRU Drink Up bus, and tickets to the KLRU Appraisal Fair – so be sure you make your gift soon!

Posted on December 9th, 2011

Everyone’s favorite “Hitman” David Foster joins GP superstar Andrea Bocelli for a new Christmas concert of holiday classics as they share the stage to present an elegant collection of seasonal favorites on Great Performances at 6 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The heart-warming new Celtic Thunder Show features holiday standards such as “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,” “Let It Snow,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Silent Night” as well as a few specially-written originals on Celtic Thunder Christmas at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Buddy Holly: Listen To Me at 9:30 p.m. Sunday presents an intimate, fun, and unforgettable celebration of Buddy Holly’s music and legacy at the Music Box in Los Angeles.

Great Performances at 7 p.m. Monday presents “Jackie Evancho: Dream With Me In Concert”, the solo concert debut of the 10-year-old girl with the extraordinary soprano voice.

Financial Fitness After 50! with Paul Merriman at 8:30 p.m. Monday is a straight-forward, easy-to-follow program that teaches five life-changing choices to help boomers grow and manage their money in retirement.

Eat & Cook Healthy! with Dr. John LaPuma at 10 p.m. Monday is a program that teaches viewers to experience food they can’t wait to make, and grab the energy and good health to reclaim their lives.

My Music: 60’s Pop, Rock & Soul at 7 p.m. Tuesday and 8 p.m. Friday includes pop sounds from Frat Rock to Surf Pop, the British Beats to the Breakthrough Bands, Motown, Soul and Pop classics — with many artists and groups appearing for the first time on the “My Music” stage.

Folk legend John Sebastian reflects and remembers the very best of The Folk Years in John Sebastian Presents: Folk Rewind at 9 p.m. Tuesday, which remembers archival folk (traditional, pop and folk rock)era classics from the vault which culminates into a crescendo of excitement with a new live reunion of folk singers.

Back by popular demand, a cappella phenomenon Straight No Chaser presents Songs of the Decade: Holiday at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Singer/songwriter Patty Griffin and her musical friends sing original and classic gospel numbers on Austin City Limits at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan In Session at 7 p.m. Thursday presents the legendary live jam session by two of the greatest musicians ever to have played the blues on electric guitar.

“An American Family: Anniversary Edition” at 8:30 p.m. Thursday is a compilation of the original 12-hour public television series that made TV history.

3 Steps To Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, MD at 10 p.m. Friday is a sixty-minute pledge program that directly addresses the crisis of obesity and chronic disease plaguing America.

Posted on December 2nd, 2011

PBS Arts From New York at 6 p.m. Sunday presents superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli as he takes on one of the biggest stages of his career for a concert in New York City’s famed Central Park with the New York Philharmonic.

Created by Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes, Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey”at 8:30 p.m. Sunday depicts the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in 1912.

My Music: 60s Pop, Rock & Soul at 8:30 p.m. Monday includes pop sounds from Frat Rock to Surf Pop, the British Beats to the Breakthrough Bands, Motown, Soul and Pop classics — with many artists and groups appearing for the first time on the “My Music” stage.

Victor Borge: Comedy in Music! At 10:30 p.m. Monday features Borge’s recently re-discovered funniest and most memorable skits – a truly unparalleled collection not to be missed.

3 Steps To Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, MD at 7 p.m. Tuesday is a sixty-minute pledge program that directly addresses the crisis of obesity and chronic disease plaguing America.

Paul Simon: Live at Webster Hall at 9 p.m. Tuesday features the culmination of a sold out two-month US tour as Paul Simon and his eight-piece band filled the stage at the historic New York City club in June 2011.

Directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, documentary film series Prohibition at 7 p.m. Wednesday tells the story of the rise, rule, and fall of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the era it encompassed.

Aretha Franklin Presents: Soul Rewind at 9 p.m. Wednesday presents a comprehensive collection of rare performances by legendary R&B performers of the classic 1960s-70s soul era, offers an abundance of long-lost archival material that has been recovered from film vaults across the United States, England, Germany and France.

Internationally renowned for alluring stage productions and songs of heartwarming inspiration, Celtic Woman: Believe at 7 p.m. Thursday and 9 p.m. Friday reveals a new chapter of musical enchantment by the group of expert singers.

Independent Lens at 9 p.m. Thursday presents “Troop 1500”, the story of a unique Girl Scout troop unites daughters with mothers who have been convicted of serious crimes.

Buddy Holly: Listen To Me at 10 p.m. Thursday presents an intimate, fun, and unforgettable celebration of Buddy Holly’s music and legacy at the Music Box in Los Angeles.

Great Performances at 8 p.m. Friday presents “Jackie Evancho: Dream With Me In Concert”, the solo concert debut of the 10-year-old girl with the extraordinary soprano voice.

In Younger Next Year: The New Science of Aging at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Author Dr. Henry Lodge focusess on the philosophy, science and advice espoused in the Younger Next Year books, as well as new research on the brain.

Folk legend John Sebastian reflects and remembers the very best of The Folk Years at 7 p.m. Saturday with archival footage and new performances by folk legends.