Documentary Archives - Page 30 of 63

Science Channel debuts specials themed around Brood II cicada invasion

May 20, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

As billions of the Brood II cicadas rise from the earth and begin sweeping across the eastern United States over the next several weeks, after last having done so 17 years ago, Science Channel is readying for the invasion with a programming event this Saturday, May 26, featuring two specials — the network premiere of Swarm Chasers, followed by the world premiere of Cicadas and Invaders 2013. Science Channel looks to give viewers everything they need to know about the Brood II cicadas with these programs, with Stuff You Should Know podcast personalities Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, along with […]

Abby Wambach profiled on ESPNU’s SEC “Storied”

May 15, 2013 Ryan Berenz

U.S. soccer star Abby Wambach is profiled on ESPNU’s SEC Storied series Wednesday, May 15, at 8pm ET. Abby Head On chronicles her career on the pitch, including winning a national championship at Florida and winning two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. Women’s National Team. Here’s a video preview, followed by the press release from ESPN: ESPN Films’ SEC “Storied” Documentary Abby Head On to Premiere May 15 Film about Abby Wambach focuses on journey of one of the most prominent figures in U.S. women’s soccer ESPN Films’ SEC “Storied” series continues with Abby Head On, premiering Wednesday, May […]

“American Masters: Mel Brooks — Make A Noise”: Review

May 15, 2013 StayTuned Staff

American Masters: Mel Brooks — Make a Noise Monday, May 20 PBS, 9pm ET (PBS programming varies regionally) Of all the anecdotes Mel Brooks shares in his American Masters special, it’s one that takes place back before he ever walked onto a film set that is perhaps the most telling. During his Borscht Belt days, Brooks entertained the Catskills resort crowds by playing drums. Why did he pick the drums, out of any other instrument? Because drums made the most noise. Throughout his many decades in show business, Brooks has been that lovable ham, with a need to entertain that […]

Discovery premieres first independently produced landmark natural history series, “North America”

May 14, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

“We called [North America] the most extreme continent, and we always talked about it being an extreme continent, and every single month there was something else to remind us of why that was true.” — Huw Cordey, North America series producer “By all measurement, [North America] is the most extreme continent on the planet.” — North America executive producer Keith Scholey In separate conversations with Huw Cordey and Keith Scholey, producers of Discovery Channel’s new seven-part natural history series North America, the word “extreme” came up quite a bit. Over the course of three years producing the series, they and […]

Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro subject of PBS film “Life on Four Strings”

May 10, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

Thirtysomething, fourth-generation Japanese-American Jake Shimabukuro is the subject of the compelling portrait Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings. Jake Shimabukuro is a ukulele virtuoso, and you may have heard of and seen his YouTube video (which was posted anonymously) of him in Central Park playing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on his uke (see video below). The video exploded into a viral hit (currently over 11.7 million views), and Jake Shimabukuro is now an international star and crossover artist, working to transform previous notions of his instrument’s potential. “[The ukulele is] such a young instrument,” Jake Shimabukuro told reporters at […]

NBC Dateline special to examine the Jodi Arias case

May 10, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

Tonight, Friday, May 10, at 9pm ET on NBC’s Dateline, the newsmagazine will air “Obsession: The Jodi Arias Story,” an in-depth look into one of the most-followed murder trials in recent years. The hourlong program will tell the full story of Jodi Arias, the 32-year-old Arizona woman who admitted to killing her former boyfriend, Travis Alexander. The Dateline release says it has new details and interviews surrounding Jodi Arias’s obsession with Travis Alexander, her four-month-long trial that ended with a guilty verdict this week, and the country’s fascination with the torrid relationship that ended in murder. Dateline correspondent Josh Mankiewicz […]

Sony Movie Channel airing Ray Harryhausen tribute marathon May 11

May 8, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

Special effects legend Ray Harryhausen passed away yesterday, May 7, at the age of 92. Famed for a brand of stop-motion model animation known as “Dynamation,” Harryhausen brought to life cinematic creatures of all sorts, from monsters of Greek mythology in films like Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and Clash of the Titans (1981), to prehistoric beasts in movies such as The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953) and The Valley of Gwangi (1969), to everything in between. Along with innovating new filming practices, Ray Harryhausen is credited with creating the physical looks and movements of dinosaurs, aliens and other creatures […]

Animal Planet’s Monster Week 2013 includes a new “Mermaids” special

May 7, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

Animal Planet will again be airing Monster Week, an annual look at legendary and mysterious creatures through a weeklong broadcast of new episodes of popular series, as well as premiere specials. Monster Week 2013 will air May 20-27 on Animal Planet, and will feature 24 premiere hours of new specials, including a follow-up special to last year’s hit Mermaids: The Body Found, called Mermaids: The New Evidence. Mermaids: The New Evidence premieres on Animal Planet May 26 at 10pm ET/PT (following a two-hour airing of Mermaids: The Body Found The Extended Cut at 8pm ET/PT). In Mermaids: The New Evidence, […]

Bravo’s “Newlyweds: The First Year” chronicles Year One in four marriages

May 6, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

With a number of marriages ending in divorce, some may wonder why couples might choose to walk down the aisle. After all, beyond the fairy tale wedding day (if that even happens), day-to-day life is not always something out of a romantic drama. The first year of marriage, in particular, may be the most challenging, as each person truly gets acquainted with the other — idiosyncrasies and all. Bravo’s new docuseries Newlyweds: The First Year goes inside the lives of four recently married couples and spends an entire year with them, following each partnership and capturing everything from their wedding […]

PBS re-airing updated Frontline “Top Secret America” episode to include coverage of Boston bombings

April 26, 2013 Jeff Pfeiffer

On April 30, PBS will be re-airing an episode of its news program Frontline called “Top Secret America — 9/11 to the Boston Bombings.” This episode originally aired in September 2011 (without the Boston reference) and is a look at the question of whether the hundreds of billions of dollars spent since 9/11 on counterterrorism efforts in America have made us safer. This question has come to the forefront again in the wake of the Boston bombings on April 15, with Americans wondering why the nation’s intelligence agencies failed to prevent the devastating attack. Reports indicate that even though the […]