March 2023 Programming Highlights
Check out the latest and greatest programming from Connecticut Public for March, including CPTV, CPTV Spirit, Irish History Month and Women’s History Month.
On CPTV
Midsomer Murders: 25 Years of Mayhem
Friday, March 3 at 8 p.m.
Celebrating 25 years of Midsomer Murders, this landmark documentary explores this most-enduring, beloved British crime drama. Take a closer look at the show, its iconic locations, key cast members, and even go behind-the-scenes of the upcoming season.
CUTLINE | Transforming Corrections
Thursday, March 16 at 8 p.m.
In this hour of CUTLINE, The Accountability Project explores how a group of Connecticut thought leaders and policy makers are trying to transform corrections across the state. CT Public joined the group as they toured prisons in Norway to learn best practices. Hear from incarcerated individuals, policy makers and Norwegians about what’s working and what’s not working.
YNDI Yoga | Season 2
Sundays at 6 a.m.
Engage in an immersive experience of yoga, meditation, and art to improve mental and physical wellbeing. Discover how the five elements – water, air, fire, earth, and space – inspire a diverse practice guided by empowering intentions. Lana Vogestad, E-RYT 500 and visual artist, leads a transformational journey through atmospheric environments and soundscapes to find your yndi or bliss.
Call the Midwife | Season 12
Sundays at 8 p.m. starting March 19
It’s 1968, and the nuns and nurses from Nonnatus House return for more midwifery and family life. The midwives welcome a new nun, Sister Veronica, and tension in Poplar arises following the effects of Enoch Powell’s “Rivers of Blood” speech.
WATCH NEW EPISODES 1 WEEK EARLY WITH PASSPORT
Sanditon | Season 3
Sundays at 9 p.m. starting March 19
The third and final season returns viewers to the seaside resort of Sanditon for the conclusion of Charlotte and Georgiana’s stories. Drama, laughter and romance are all in store for the ensemble of new and returning characters.
Marie Antoinette
Sundays at 10 p.m. starting March 19
Marie Antoinette (Emilia Schüle, Berlin Dance School) is just a teenager when she leaves Austria to marry the Dauphin of France (Louis Cunningham, Bridgerton). When she arrives at Versailles, she must obey the numerous and complex rules of the French court. The princess quickly suffers from not being able to live her life the way she wants, while her mother, the Empress of Austria, (Tony nominee Marthe Keller) keeps pushing her to continue the Bourbon line and thus secure the alliance between the two countries. However, faced with Louis’ avoidant and solitary character, the mission turns out to be more complicated than expected.
American Masters: Tony – A Year in the Life of Anthony Fauci
Tuesday, March 21 at 8 p.m.
American Masters: Tony – A Year in the Life of Dr. Anthony Fauci chronicles Fauci at home, in his office and in the corridors of power as he battles the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the political onslaught that upends his life and calls into question his 50-year career as the United States of America’s leading advocate for public health. From heated discussions about the vaccine with Black residents in downtown Washington, DC, to his explanation for how the NIH-funded lab in Wuhan, China, could not have created a virus that made COVID-19, Dr. Fauci is candid, truthful and passionate. Nothing Fauci had previously faced, including the impassioned activists who challenged him during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, prepared him for the vitriol, political backlash, and the threats against his safety and that of his family. American Masters: Tony – A Year in the Life of Dr. Anthony Fauci will examine the life of the man behind the podium—a scientist, husband, father and public servant who admits on camera how he would have done things differently in hindsight.
Restaurant Road Trip: Bagels, Soul Food and Naps
Thursday, March 23 at 8 p.m.
Are you ready for a restaurant road trip? In this episode, we visit the Bagelry at Olmo located in the heart of Yale University, then we head down the road a bit to some great old school soul food at Sandra’s Next Generation, then it’s off to Branford for the comfort that is Home (the Restaurant).
WATCH MORE RESTAURANT ROAD TRIP
American Experience: The Movement and the Madman
Tuesday, March 28 at 9 p.m.
Explore how two brilliantly orchestrated antiwar protests in the fall of 1969 — the largest the country had ever seen — pressured President Nixon to cancel what he called his “madman” plans for a massive escalation of the U.S. war in Vietnam, including a threat to use nuclear weapons. At the time, protestors had no idea how influential they would be and how many lives they may have saved. Told through remarkable archival footage and firsthand accounts from movement leaders, Nixon administration officials, historians and others, the film reveals how the leaders of the antiwar movement mobilized disparate groups from coast to coast to create two massive protests that changed history.
On CPTV Spirit
Astronomy Night
Tuesday, March 14 at 8 p.m.
Watch three episodes of NOVA, devoted to the stars. Featuring Ultimate Space Telescope, New Eye on the Universe, and Star Chasers of Senegal.
WATCH NOW:
- NOVA: Ultimate Space Telescope
- NOVA: New Eye on the Universe
- NOVA: Star Chasers of Senegal
The Connecticut River: Journey Through Time
Sunday, March 19 at 8 p.m.
Carving its way 410 miles through the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire to the estuary of Long Island Sound, the Connecticut River shaped not only landscapes, but also human lives. This film tells the stories of the people who drew their livelihoods, dreams, and hopes from the river. From their struggles, as much as from the river’s waters, the shape of New England history was formed.
A River Speaks
Sunday, March 19 at 9 p.m.
A River Speaks tells the story of Connecticut’s Mill River, which begins in a swamp in Cheshire and meanders south until it reaches New Haven Harbor and the Long Island Sound. The Mill is only 13 miles long, but a tour along its banks from top to bottom connects the past to the present and the countryside to the city. The documentary explores the complexity of humanity’s relationship with rivers, and with the whole of nature. Rivers are amazing sources of water for drinking and farming, for fishing, and for water sports and recreation. People write songs and poems about them. But people also abuse them. Rivers are used as dumping grounds for human and industrial waste. Road salt, lawn fertilizer, and pesticides pollute them, severely impacting rivers and their ecosystems, and, ultimately, diminishing people’s quality of life.
Neanderthal Night
Tuesday, March 21 at 8 p.m.
Watch Neanderthal Parts One and Two, followed by Secrets of the Dead: Lady Sapiens, and learn about our ancient ancestors.
WATCH NOW WITH PASSPORT:
Equal Protection
Wednesday, March 22 at 10 p.m.
Equal Protection: The Supreme Court’s Battle with Affirmative Action is an examination of Affirmative Action today as it faces a critical challenge to its existence. Interviews with scholars and key participants in the debate explore Affirmative Action’s judicial history, its future, and the controversy that surrounds it.
Nature: Dogs in the Wild Marathon
Sunday, March 26 at 8 p.m.
Travel the globe and uncover the secrets of the most successful carnivores on the planet: wild dogs. From recognizable foxes and wolves to the lesser-known ones like the Japanese raccoon dog, canids have conquered every continent except Antarctica.
Irish History Month
This March, Connecticut Public puts the spotlight on Irish history, nature and culture.
Exploring Ireland with Michael
Monday, March 6 at 9:30 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
Journey along with internationally acclaimed and Emmy™ nominated Irish singer Michael Londra, host of the travel series “Ireland with Michael” airing nationally on Public Television for a behind-the-scenes look into the making of this popular travel program, which uncovers the hidden treasures and majestic beauty of Ireland.
Exploring Ireland with Michael includes highlights from Seasons 1-3 of the program series, “Ireland with Michael” and showcases breathtaking video footage of the Emerald Isle, fascinating travel destinations, exciting cultural experiences, and key musical performances from popular Irish artists and rising Celtic stars, many of whom are familiar to the Public Television family – including yours truly, Michael Londra!
Family Travel with Colleen Kelly
Monday, March 13 at 10 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
Family Travel with Colleen Kelly features destinations that cater to families, including two looks at Ireland in back-to-back episodes Family Travel on the Emerald Isle – Ireland and Exploring the Wild Atlantic Way – A Girls Getaway in Ireland.
WATCH NOW WITH PASSPORT:
- Family Travel on the Emerald Isle – Ireland
- Exploring the Wild Atlantic Way – A Girls Getaway in Ireland
Celtic Dreams: Daniel Hope’s Hidden Irish History
Friday, March 17 at 10:30 p.m. on CPTV
Behind the wheel of a Morris Traveler, internationally acclaimed violinist Daniel Hope explores Ireland, music, and his roots. Through encounters with Irish musicians and his personal heritage, Hope discovers close ties between the country’s music and its history.
Hidden Ireland
Monday, March 20 at 9 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
Join Peter Greenberg and get set to discover a side of Ireland you never knew existed. Two countries on one small, Emerald Isle. A brave new– and old– world. A journey of music, traditions, and fresh perspectives. These are some of the surprises hiding in plain sight in Hidden Ireland.
The Burren: Heart of Stone
Monday, March 20 at 10 p.m. on CPTV
In the countryside of County Clare, Ireland, is the Burren, a mysterious place unlike anywhere else, with deep caves, a stony landscape, and ancient dolmens, ring forts, and castles. The two-part documentary series The Burren: Heart of Stone, narrated by award-winning Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, unveils the secrets hidden in the stones of this dramatic wind-swept countryside.
Treason Island: The Blennerhassetts and Aaron Burr
Friday, March 31 at 11 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
Treason Island is the story of Anglo-Irish immigrants Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett and their involvement with America’s fallen founder, Aaron Burr. Blennerhassett, who fled Ireland due to social scandal and his involvement with the Irish revolution, settled on the edge of civilization in the Ohio River Valley in 1798.
The island on which he attempted to create his paradise sits near Marietta, Ohio, which was at that time the gateway to the Northwest Territory, and now carries his name.
Women’s History Month
From dramas to docs, we highlight the immense impact women have had on history, society and culture.
Independent Lens – A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem
Tuesday, March 21 at 11 p.m. on CPTV
A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem sheds light on the continued fight to end the gender pay gap prevalent throughout the National Football League, chronicling the journeys of cheerleaders from the Raiders and the Bills, each of whom put their careers on the line to take legal action and fight for fair pay.
Olympia
Wednesday, March 22 at 9 p.m.
on CPTV Spirit
Academy Award-winning actress and theater icon Olympia Dukakis is well known and beloved to viewers across America for her performances on stage and in classic films like Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias. But what did it take for her to achieve this success?
In crafting his revealing bio-documentary Olympia, Greek American filmmaker Harry Mavromichalis had unprecedented access to Olympia, her family, and the story of her life. From rebelling against her overbearing Greek mother to starting her own theatre company, Mavromichalis reveals both the public and private aspects of a woman who faced obstacle after obstacle as she learned how to be comfortable in her own skin and live life with blazing courage.
Featuring interviews with Laura Linney, Whoopi Goldberg, Diane Ladd, Lainie Kazan and Armistead Maupin, Olympia seamlessly blends past and present culminating on the steps of the Dukakis’ humble ancestral home in Lesbos, Greece where we see Olympia’s life come full circle.
Schille
Monday, March 27 at 9 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
A father and daughter work together to curate a career-spanning retrospective for Columbus-based artist Alice Schille, a largely forgotten yet world-renowned artist at the turn of the 20th century.
Isabel & Roy
Monday, March 27 at 9:30 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
Prior to his Pop-art fame in New York, Roy Lichtenstein struggled to find work and raised a family in Cleveland. His wife Isabel helped support him as he developed his signature style. But, before he could establish his career, she had to give up hers.
Ruth Stone’s Vast Library of the Female Mind
Monday, March 27 at 10 p.m. CPTV
Ruth Stone’s Vast Library of the Female Mind is an award-winning documentary about the poetry and life of Ruth Stone, who forged her art out of loss and inspired countless others to create from her hilltop home in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Using an intimate approach, the film combines archival footage of Ruth at different times of her life, capturing her reciting poetry and talking about her writing process. The film also intertwines lively and heartfelt observations from her family, and people who knew her well.
Independent Lens: Hidden Letters
Tuesday, March 28 at 10 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
The bonds of sisterhood, and the parallels of struggles among generations of women in China, are drawn together by the once-secret written language of Nüshu, the only script designed and used exclusively by women.
Independent Lens: Storming Caesar’s Palace
Wednesday, March 29 at 10 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
The bonds of sisterhood, and the parallels of struggles among generations of women in China, are drawn together by the once-secret written language of Nüshu, the only script designed and used exclusively by women.
Joni Mitchell: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song
Friday, March 31 at 10:30 p.m. on CPTV Spirit
Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell receives the 2023 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at an all-star tribute in Washington, D.C.