Rabbit to Robot

Following Antiques Roadshow, at 9pm History Detectives has a flight theme.  The detectives investigate stories involving the first trans-Atlantic flight (10 years before Lindbergh), the plane crash that left Howard Hughes scarred for life, and a hot-air baloon from 1862.

At 10pm, we start re-running the series Make Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America.  The first episode examines “Nerds, Jerks ,and Odballs”, with the likes of Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, Andy Kaufman, Woody, Allen, Cheech and Chong… and so many more.

On Prime, Nova and Nature both tell interesting stories about primates.  At 7pm, Nova goes the Congo to visit a little-studied group of apes called bonobos, which  closely resemble humans:

Deep in the Congo lives a little-studied group of apes called the bonobos. Like chimpanzees, bonobos are among humans’ closest relatives. But unlike chimps, known for their violent behavior, bonobos are far more peaceful, even matriarchal. They embrace their neighbors and resolve conflict in an usual way — by having sex. Much like humans, bonobos have sex not just to procreate, but also for pleasure. The discovery of these more gentle ape traits have fascinated scientists and led them to question our origins and the roots of human nature as a whole. But in 1997, just as research on these elusive apes was getting off the ground, civil war broke out in the Congo. Bonobo researchers were forced to evacuate immediately, leaving behind the astonishing apes they were studying. Now, years later, NOVA returns to the Congo with veteran bonobo researchers who are worried that war and the bush meat industry may have decimated the bonobo population. What they find gives them hope for the future of the species. The program tells the intimate, emotional story of these amazing apes, detailing their survival, and the experiences of the scientists who have followed them so closely for so long.

And, on Nature:

In a wildlife story with Shakespearian overtones, life becomes very dangerous for twin baboons in Zimbabwe when their father is defeated as alpha male of the troop by the dominant ruler of a neighboring troop, throwing the social order into turmoil and unleashing potentially deadly intrigue.

And, at 9pm on Prime, we shift gears with The Power of Harmony, a documentary about a gay men’s chorus that formed in the heart of the Bible-belt.

At 7:30pm this evening, catch the award-winning documentary produced right here at wttw, Out & Proud Chicago.  Visit the website for clips, and here is a description:

The return of WTTW’s award-winning documentary spanning the fascinating history of Chicago’s vast and diverse LGBT community. Narrated by actress and Chicago native Jane Lynch. OUT & PROUD IN CHICAGO recently won a Peter Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism by the Society of Professional Journalists for Best Public Affairs Programming. It also finished 3rd in an international competition, The Hugo Television Awards sponsored by the Chicago International Film Festival. Tune in for this special rebroadcast!

As usual, Tuesday night delivers. After Nova at 8pm, Frontline encores “Inside the Meltdown”:

Frontline  investigates the causes of the worst economic crisis in 70 years and how the government responded. The film chronicles the inside stories of the Bear Stearns deal, Lehman Brothers collapse, the propping up of insurance giant AIG and the $700 billion bailout. “Inside the Meltdown” examines what Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke didn’t see, couldn’t stop and haven’t been able to fix.

Then at 10pm, another powerful documentary airs on Independent Lens.  In “Stranded: The Andes Plane Crash Survivors”, the story of this remarkable event (also chronicled by a book and then movie called “Alive”) is told by the people who experienced it.  The men survived for 72 days after their plane crashed in the Andean Cordillera in October 1972. 

The film is a moving tale of survival and humanity.  Very honest.  Catch it if you can.

Do you like funny?  We are currently airing the hour long program Monty Python’s Personal Best on Prime, Tuesdays at 9pm

The show repeats Wednesdays at 9am and Saturdays at 3pm.

Here’s a website for the PBS airings of Monty Python.

Tonight at 8pm, Secrets of the Dead reveals “the darker side of Michelangelo”, and at 9pm we air part 2 of WWII Behind Closed Doors.  A very revealing night.

On wttwPrime, you can see Globe Trekker at 9pm.