On Nature at 6 pm Sunday, Sir David Attenborough shares his memories of the scientists and the breakthroughs that helped shape his own career in “Understanding The Natural World”.

Masterpiece Classic at 7 pm Sunday presents the part four of Downton Abbey, Series III. The Crawley family faces its severest test yet. Meanwhile, new faces try to fit into the tight-knit circle of servants.

Masterpiece Classic at 8 pm Sunday and 8 pm Saturday presents the part five of Downton Abbey, Series III.

DCI Alan Banks receives a disturbing message from his brother just as new recruit DI Helen Morton finds evidence that links Banks to the body of a murder victim on DCI Banks at 9 pm Sunday and 9 pm Thursday.

Independent Lens at 9 pm Monday presents “As Goes Janesville”, a film that traces the impact of the economic crisis on the people of Janesville, Wisconsin amid the 2008 closure of their GM plant and America’s worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Join the stars of landmark miniseries as they comment on the influence of their genre today in Pioneers of Television: Miniseries at 7 pm Tuesday.

Silicon Valley: American Experience at 8 pm Tuesday tells the history of the integrated circuit and how it changed the world.

Meet some of the innovators who’ve helped make Austin the nation’s third largest video game production community on Capital of Innovation “Video Game Entrepreneurs” at 9:30 pm.

On Nature at 7 pm Wednesday, Sir David Attenborough chronicles the profound tranformations our global environment has endured over the years in “Our Fragile Planet”.

NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday follows a team of archaeologists, engineers, woodworkers and horse trainers as they join forces to build and test two highly accurate replicas of Egyptian royal chariots in “Building Pharaoh’s Chariot”.

Life on Fire at 9 pm Wednesday travels to the Tongan archipelago where two little-known animals have learned to cope with these ephemeral lands risen from the ocean depths in “Pioneers of the Deep”.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor talks on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 pm Thursday.

Arts in Context at 7:30 pm Thursday profiles local Austin music-makers Mother Falcon.

David Chang prepares eggs with his chef pals and makes his Ko egg on Mind of a Chef at 8 pm Thursday.

The Daytripper at 8:30 pm Thursday follows Chet to La Grange, TX to paddle the Colorado River, explore Texas Czech culture, eat at a 100-year-old BBQ joint, and enjoy some kolaches from Hruska’s.

Many voters assume their job is done on Election Day, but citizens need to stay engaged to hold elected leaders accountable. What does it take to get your voice heard in the Texas Legislature? Civic Summit explores these issues at 9 pm Thursday.

How do roses impact our mood? Michael Shoup from the Antique Rose Emporium matches drought tough roses with a gardener’s personality on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturday.

Eclectic indie rock dominates the stage with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and tUnE-yArDs on Austin City Limits at 7 pm Saturday.

Masterpiece Classic at 7 pm Sunday presents the part two of Downton Abbey, Series III. The fate of Downton Abbey hinges on a letter from a dead man, while Edith and Sir Anthony face their own fateful moment.

Masterpiece Classic at 8 pm Sunday and 8 pm Saturday presents the part three of Downton Abbey, Series III. Two social revolutions arrive at Downton Abbey: the Irish civil war and the fight for women’s suffrage. Meanwhile, a mysterious conspiracy keeps Anna and Bates apart.

Annie Cabbot investigates the murder of a woman found out on the moor with her throat cut, while Banks is called to a murder of a young girl in the centre of town in DCI Banks at 9 pm Sunday and 9 pm Thursday.

Independent Lens at 9 pm Monday presents “Beauty is Embarrassing,” a film that chronicles the vaulted highs and the crushing lows of commercial artist Wayne White as he struggles to find peace and balance between his work and his art.

Pioneers of Television at 7 pm Tuesday profiles the primetime soap frenzy in the late 1970s with shows like “Dallas,” “Dynasty,” and “Knots Landing.”

Part three of Abolitionists: American Experience at 8 pm Tuesday examines the battle between pro-slavery and free-soil contingents rising to fever pitch with the raid on Harpers Ferry, the 1860 election, and the secession of southern states.

Frontline at 9 pm Tuesday investigates why Wall Street’s leaders have escaped prosecution following their fraudulent practices contributing to America’s financial meltdown in “The Untouchables”.

TV megahit Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal discusses the (not so) universal language of comedy on On Story Presented by the Austin Film Festival at 10 pm Tuesday.

Join Vincent Martinez – one of the most stunningly original artists in Austin – as he lives his self-proclaimed “Jazz Life” on Hardly Sound at 10:30 pm Tuesday. Then marvel at his undeniable hooks and poetic, personal lyrics as he steps into the studio as Emcee Eats.

Nature at 7 pm Wednesday presents part one of a three-part miniseries focusing on three fields that Sir David Attenborough feels have been transformed most profoundly: filmmaking, science and the environment, in “Attenborough’s Life Stories.”

NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday reveals the amazing technologies that make drones so powerful in “Rise of the Drones.”

Life on Fire at 9 pm Wednesday watches at the foot of the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua as fields, pastures and towns have grown over the oldest lava flows and nature struggles to conquer ash and lava before the next eruption erases its efforts in “Phoenix Temple.”

Diane Ravitch, one of the country’s leading thinkers about education, discusses the school system on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 pm Thursday.

Arts in Context at 7:30pm Thursday profiles La Junta Heritage Center, the product of the late artist, writer, cowboy sage and visionary A Kelly Pruitt.

Mind of a Chef at 8 pm Thursday features over-the-top indulgence with Joe Beef chefs Federic Morin and David McMillian’s foie gras sandwich, a whiskey tasting mayhem with Chef Sean Brock at Buffalo Trace in Kentucky and the classic dish “Hot Brown” served up three ways.

The Daytripper at 8:30 pm Thursday follows Chet as he heads to Stephenville, TX to visit Dublin Bottling Works, see some barrel racing at Lone Star Arena, and polish it off with chicken fried steak.

Discover the facts and legends behind the wildflowers that captivate us every spring on Wildflowers: Seeds of History at 9 pm Thursday.

Acclaimed author and horticulturist Greg Grant transitions the winter garden to summer on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturday. On tour, see how a new gardener replaced grass with a charming vegetable garden and flowers to attract bee pollinators.

Austin City Limits at 7 pm Saturday showcases alternative rock with punk veteran Bob Mould and young bucks Delta Spirit.

Masterpiece Classic at 6 pm Sunday presents part one of Downton Abbey, Series III. The Great War is over and the long-awaited engagement of Lady Mary and Matthew is on, but all is not tranquil at Downton Abbey as wrenching social changes, romantic intrigues, and personal crises grip the majestic English country estate.

Masterpiece Classic at 8 pm Sunday and 8 pm Saturday presents the part two of Downton Abbey, Series III. The fate of Downton Abbey hinges on a letter from a dead man, while Edith and Sir Anthony face their own fateful moment.

DCI Banks and DS Annie Cabbot are called to investigate an arson attack that caused two narrow boats to go up in flames on DCI Banks at 9 pm Sunday and 9 pm Thursday.

Independent Lens at 9 pm Monday presents “Soul Food Junkies,” a film that puts the culinary tradition of soul food under the microscope to examine both its benefits and consequences.

Pioneers of Television at 7 pm Tuesday profiles the first standup comediennes to appear on television, covers television’s most enduring variety star and features interviews with contemporary actresses in “Funny Ladies.”

Part two of Abolitionists: American Experience at 8 pm Tuesday focuses on the deepening divide between the North and South, touching off a crisis that is about to careen out of control.

Frontline at 9 pm Tuesday takes a probing look at the first four years of Obama’s presidency and examines his key decisions and the experiences that will inform his second term in “Inside Obama’s Presidency.”

Take to the skies with psychedelic rock band Royal Forest as they lead Hardly Sound at 10:30 pm Tuesday on an epic adventure.

Nature at 7 pm Wednesday examines the day-to-day dramas of an extended family of koalas, seen through the eyes of the scientists studying their every move and vocalization on “Cracking The Koala Code.”

In a race against developers in the Rockies, archaeologists uncover a unique site packed with astonishingly preserved bones of mammoths, mastodons and other giant extinct beasts, opening a vivid window on the vanished world of the Ice Age on NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday.

Life on Fire at 9 pm Wednesday explores the fish escaping the Earth’s wrath to give birth to descendants that continue their pioneering journey to the heart of an active volcano in “The Surprise Salmon.”

David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist, discusses his career on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 pm Thursday.

Arts in Context at 7:30 pm Thursday grants viewers an all-access pass to Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the U.S., to give a glimpse at horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from around the world.

Mind of a Chef at 8 pm Thursday explores deceptively simple dishes around the world with David Chang ranging from Chicken Yakitori to high-end sushi.

The Daytripper at 8:30 pm Thursday follows Chet to Bay Area Houston to visit NASA, eat a hoagie and fried shrimp, go birding on Armand Bayou, and visit the Kemah Boardwalk.

Discover how fungi, like mushrooms, slime mold, and lichens, benefit the garden on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturda. On tour, visit a garden geared for wildlife all year long.

Jazz and pop cross on Austin City Limits at 7 pm Saturday with Norah Jones and Kat Edmonson.

It may be more famous now than any time in its 1,300-year history as the setting of “Downton Abbey,” but England’s Highclere Castle has its own stories to tell on Secrets of Highclere Castle at 7 pm Sunday

Masterpiece Classic at 8 pm Sunday and 8 pm Saturday presents the long-awaited premiere of Downton Abbey, Series III. The Great War is over and the long-awaited engagement of Lady Mary and Matthew is on, but all is not tranquil at Downton Abbey as wrenching social changes, romantic intrigues, and personal crises grip the majestic English country estate.

POV at 9 pm Monday presents “Reportero”, a film that follows a veteran reporter and his colleagues at Zeta, a Tijuana-based independent newsweekly, as they stubbornly ply their trade in one of the deadliest places in the world for members of the media.

Something Ventured at 10 pm Monday tells the story of the creation of an industry that went on to become the single greatest engine of innovation and economic growth in the 20th century.

History Detectives at 7 pm Tuesday tells four stories of our nation’s beginnings, ranging from analyzing the simple bill of sale for a 17-year old “negro girl” to figuring out what role a handwritten score played in making “The Star Spangled Banner” our national anthem.

Part one of Abolitionists: American Experience at 8 pm Tuesday explores the shared beliefs about slavery that brought together prolific figures like Fredrick Douglass, Angelina Grimke, William Lloyd Garrison, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Frontline at 9 pm Tuesday examines the legacy of Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of Washington, D.C. public schools who attempted to fix a broken school system during her tumultuous three-year tenure.

Nature at 7 pm Wednesday explores Cuba’s varied landscape, which in the heart of the Caribbean and its longstanding place at the center of Cold War politics have all combined to preserve some of the richest and most unusual natural environments of the hemisphere, in “Cuba: The Accidental Eden”.

NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday attempts to decode recent scientific analysis stating that modern humans had interbred with Neanderthals in “Decoding Neanderthals.”

Life on Fire at 9 pm Wednesday explores the career of volcanologists, whose job it is to use their tools and knowledge to try to protect those who live beneath the Earth’s fire, in “Volcano Doctors.”

Jack White performs tracks from his debut solo album Blunderbuss on Austin City Limits at 10 pm Wednesday and Friday.

Author David Maraniss discusses his career and newest book on Overheard with Evan Smith 7 pm Thursday.

Arts in Context at 7:30 pm Thursday highlights contemporary and performance art from Austin’s Fusebox Festival 2012.

On Mind of a Chef at 8 pm Thursday, David Chang hangs out with one of his best friends, Rene Redzepi – who happens to be the world’s top chef.

Chet heads to Bay Area Houston to visit NASA on The Daytripper at 8:30 pm Thursday.

Barnes Collection at 9 pm Friday uses the relocation and renaissance of the Barnes Foundation as a vehicle for telling the story of the quirky, quarrelsome, question mark of a man, Dr. Albert C. Barnes and his astounding art collection.

Find out how to grow your own fruit trees and berries on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturday.

Famed Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela performs a unique fusion of flamenco, jazz and rock on Austin City Limits at 7 pm Saturday.

Downton Abbey Revisited at 6 pm Sunday and 8:30 pm Monday savors great moments from the series’ first two seasons, along with cast interviews, rare behind-the-scenes footage and a sneak peek at what’s in store for the Crawleys as they enter the Roaring Twenties.

In the season finale of Downton Abbey, Series II at 8 pm Sunday, the family gathers at Downton Abbey for Christmas.

The New York Philharmonic rings in 2013 with one singularly sensational night celebrating the life and work of Marvin Hamlisch on Live From Lincoln Center at 7 pm and 9 pm Monday.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Presents: The Joy of Song with Katherine Jenkins at 10:30 pm Monday features the talents of the 360-member Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Welsh classical and crossover artist Katherine Jenkins, a 2012 finalist on Dancing With the Stars.

Great Performances at 7 pm Tuesday continues the tradition of ringing in the New Year with special host Julie Andrews and the Vienna Philharmonic at the opulent Musikverein in “From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2013”.

Great Performances at 8:30 pm Tuesday presents “Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy” and focuses in on this central question: what exactly is it that is so “Jewish” about Broadway?

Nature at 7 pm Wednesday traces a charismatic tiger cub’s path across India in “Broken Tail: A Tiger’s Last Journey”.

NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday profiles the 2010 eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano and attempts to understand the future consequences of much larger volcanoes dwelling within the country.

Life On Fire at 9 pm Wednesday tries to discern which volcano could wake up next and what the consequences of a major eruption are likely to be in “Icelandic Volcanoes: Who Is Next?”

Performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson discusses her career on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 pm Thursday.

Trouble Puppet Theater takes Arts In Context on a journey into the art of puppetry as the company produces one of their unique plays led by creative director and master puppeteer Connor Hopkins at 7:30 pm Thursday.

Mind of a Chef at 8 pm Thursday finds some deliciously “rotten” tastings in David Chang’s kitchen: katsuibushi in Japan, XO sauce, rotten bananas with Chef Christina Tosi, and kimchi.

The Daytripper at 8:30 pm Thursday follows Chet as he travels to Dripping Springs, TX to eat at a Belgium bakery, swim in Hamilton Pool, climb Reimer’s Ranch, and polish the day off at Salt Lick.

Mr. Cao Goes To Washington at 9 pm Thuesday profiles Congressman Joseph Cao, a Vietnamese American Republican elected by surprise in an African American Democratic district in New Orleans.

Great Performances at 9 pm Friday follows Paul Simon on his return to South Africa to reunite and perform with several of the musicians involved in making his renowned album Graceland, capturing Simon’s unique homecoming journey as he reflects on the landmark events as well as looks to the future.

Find out what’s going on with your troubled trees, what to do, and how to help them on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturday. On tour, visit a makeover that turned hillside trauma into outdoor living spaces.

Jack Whites performs tracks from his debut solo album Blunderbuss on Austin City Limits at 7 pm Saturday.

Starting at 6 pm Sunday, KLRU presents parts 4, 5, 6 of Downton Abbey, Series II back-to-back. The sereis depicts the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them.

Actress Jane Seymour and baritone Nathan Gunn join the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in a magnificent Christmas special featuring some of the season’s best-loved songs on Christmas With The Mormon Tabernacle Choir at 8 pm Monday. Followed by Christmas at the Belmont at 9 pm and Christmas at St. Olaf at 10 pm.

Breakfast Special 2: Revenge of the Omelets at 7 pm Tuesday visits breakfast spots from Norwalk, Connecticut to Hilo, Hawaii and samples some classic as well as some unusual dishes, talking to enthusiastic cooks, servers and eaters all along the way.

Nature at 7 pm Wednesday explores the thick forests, vast wetlands, and deep chasms that make up a wild, inaccessible place belonging more to myth than reality in “Wild Balkans”.

NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday attempts to answer the question: How did medieval builders reach such spectacular heights? Nova’s team of scientists reveals the hidden formulas, drawn from the pages of the Bible itself, that drove medieval builders ever upward on “Building The Great Cathedrals“.

NOVA at 9 pm Wednesday presents Quest for Solomon’s Mines, an investigation of the illuminated legend King Solomon that reveals the source of the great wealth that powered the first mighty Biblical kingdoms.

Actor Bob Balaban discusses his career on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 pm Thursday.

Every year, some of Austin’s influential artists, architects and entrepreneurs travel south to Presidio County to honor the late artist, writer, cowboy sage and visionary, A. Kelly Pruitt. Arts In Context at 7:30 pm Thursday chronicles the event.

Learn all about Spain’s influence on David Chang’s career on The Mind of a Chef at 8 pm Thursday.

Chet races to the Texas Motor Speedway, explores Denton’s historic square and independent music culture on The Daytripper at 8:30 pm Thursday.

American Masters at 9 pm Friday presents “Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance”, the story of the first quintessentially American dance company whose founders pioneered a new dance philosophy by daringly combining modern and traditional techniques, art with social statement, and integrating pop and rock music scores.

The CTG team swaps perspectives, discoveries, and flops from 2012 and makes their resolutions for a new gardening year on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturday.

Austin City Limits at 7 pm Saturday presents the evolution of electric guitar music with Sonic Youth and the Black Keys.

Starting at 8 pm Saturday, the last three parts of Downton Abbey, Series II depict the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in the early 20^th century.

The entire first series of Masterpiece Downton Abbey airs noon to 6 pm Sunday. Then starting at 6 pm Sunday, the first three parts of Downton Abbey, Series II depict the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in the early 2oth century.

Live From Lincoln Center at 9 pm Monday presents a program of favorite arias and ensembles, including selections by Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Massenet, Mascagni, Handel and Wagner, from The Richard Tucker Opera Gala.

First Freedom: The Fight For Religious Liberty at 7 pm Tuesday profiles the generation of colonial Americans who raised the ideal of religious freedom to the level of a fundamental human right.

Iranian Americans at 8:30 pm Tuesday explores the history and lives of the Iranian American community in the United States.

Frontline at 9:30 pm Tuesday presents the epic story of the rise of Christianity.

Nature at 7 pm Wednesday documents the breathtaking landscapes framing intimate scenes of wolves and coyotes, elk and bison, bears and otters as they make their way through their most challenging season of the year in “Christmas in Yellowstone”.

NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday follows an international team of archeologists, architects and engineers to find out if they can reverse the destructive forces of man and nature to save one of the great wonders of the ancient world in “Riddles Of The Sphinx”.

NOVA at 9 pm Wednesday travels to one of Egypt’s most impressive temples, built some 3,500 years ago for the celebrated female pharaoh Hatshepsut, in search of answers to a tantalizing archeological mystery in “Building Pharaoh’s Ship” at 9 pm Wednesday.

Actor/Comedian David Cross talks about his career on Overheard with Evan Smith at 7 pm Thursday.

Arts In Context at 7:30 pm Thursday profiles Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the U.S. specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action, and just plain fantastic movies from around the world, in “All My Friends Are Vampires”.

The Mind of a Chef at 8 pm Thursday explores Chef David Chang’s past: dishes from childhood, summer eating, his time in Japan and golf.

The Daytripper at 8:30 pm Thursday follows Chet to Stephenville, TX as he visits Dublin Bottling Works, sees some barrel racing at Lone Star Arena, and polishes it off with chicken fried steak in the “cowboy capital of the world”.

Emmy and golden Globe-winning actress Jane Seymour and Grammy Award-winning baritone Nathan Gunn join the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in a magnificent Christmas special featuring some of the season’s best-loved songs on Christmas With The Mormon Tabernacle Choir at 9 pm Thursday.

Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at 10 pm Thursday features performances and readings by James Taylor, Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Ledisi, The Fray, Phillip Phillips and Rico Rodriguez.

Great Performances at 9 pm Friday presents The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour”, a film arguably ahead of its time with a mostly improvised and loosely plotted script based around a surreal dreamlike coach trip to an unknown destination.

Austin City Limits presents a classic performance from Tom Waits’ 1979 appearance at 7 pm Saturday.

Replace lawn or cover the ground under trees with water-wise plants on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturday. On tour, a gardener created sculptural art in a healing garden to soothe cancer traumas.

Starting at 8 pm Saturday, the first three parts of Downton Abbey, Series II depict the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in the early 20th century.

Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 at 6 pm Sunday recaps the 25th birthday concert of the legendary musical with a company of over 300 actors and musicians at the O2 Arena in London.

Downton Abbey Revisited at 10 pm Sunday savors great moments from the series’ first two seasons, along with cast interviews, rare behind-the-scenes footage and a sneak peek at what’s in store for the Crawleys as they enter the Roaring Twenties.

Seeking to answer the question of what happened in the engine and boiler rooms after the collision, Saving The Titanic at 7 pm Tuesday tells the story of the disaster from below deck, with the action taking place between the time the crew embark the Titanic at Southampton and the eventual sinking of the ship.

Generations after the ship’s sink, stories of the Titanic are still unfolding as host Len Goodman meets the modern-day descendants to learn how, 100 years after it sank, the Titanic’s legacy lives on Titanic with Len Goodman at 8 pm Tuesday.

Nature at 7 pm Wednesday explores the most feline, the most intelligent, the most dangerous, and, until recently, one of the least understood predators on land in “Revealing The Leopard”.

NOVA at 8 pm Wednesday follows a new generation of researchers finding important clues in the landscape surrounding Stonehenge, one of the densest concentrations of prehistoric structures in the world, in “Secrets of Stonehenge”.

Arts in Context at 7:30 pm Thursday profiles local Austin music-makers Mother Falcon.

What does it take for a family to survive and thrive in Texas? Fighting Chance at 8 pm Thursday follows the lives of five families and shows the tough choices they must make — sacrifices that most Texans could not imagine. Civic Summit at 8:30 pm Thursday features Austin community members and leaders in conversation to discuss What it Takes for Texas Families to get by. Hear how different cities address issues and provide solutions for their communities. Learn also about tools and resources available to help families get ahead.

Great Performances at 9 pm Friday presents “Magical Mystery Tour Revisited”, a documentary chronicling the behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film and provides context for “the summer of love” era that set the scene for its production.

Designer Diana Kirby illustrates how new gardeners turned old yards into gardens on Central Texas Gardener at noon Saturday. On tour, a couple renovates a neglected yard.

Starting at 6 pm Saturday, Season One of Downton Abbey depicts the lives of the noble Crawley family and the staff who serve them, set at their Edwardian country house in 1912.