April Television Highlights
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Fred Vigeant
This month, WITF hosts a virtual spelling bee featuring 35 talented students from across Central Pennsylvania competing for the title of regional champion. The winner will advance to compete in the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee later in the spring. Like last year, WITF’s Central PA Spelling Bee will be conducted virtually with spellers competing from the safety of their own homes. Find out who wins Sunday, April 3 at 6pm. The program repeats twice the first week in April and will be available to watch on-demand through the PBS Video app.
Early this month, we’ll spend four hours getting to know Benjamin Franklin thanks to the latest effort from Ken Burns. Benjamin Franklin explores the revolutionary life of one of the 18th Century’s most consequential figures, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States. Catch the two-part documentary Monday, April 4 and Tuesday, April 5 at 8pm. You’ll have a second chance to catch the programs Sunday, April 6 and Sunday, April 17 at 6pm or through the PBS Video app.
The Vicar of Dibley is back. It snuck back into the British Comedy Block the last week of March, taking the place of Upstart Crow Saturdays at 8:30pm. You’ll see a few more episodes scheduled compared to our most recent fun of the series two years ago. BBS has offered additional episodes that were not available last time. Fans of Upstart Crow will be happy to know we’ll return to the series later in the year, but we’ve run through all 21 episodes that currently exist.
The sun-soaked, whodunnit Death in Paradise returns for its 11th season of weekly murder mysteries. You may have gotten used to seeing the latest season over the summer, but I’m happy to share this series earlier as it becomes available in the United States. DI Neville Parker has more crimes to solve on Saint Marie, while also dealing with the emotional complications of working at close quarters with DS Florence Cassell. Catch the sun and mystery Saturdays at 9pm beginning April 9.
For Holocaust Remembrance Month, WITF presents They Survived Together. The documentary shares the true story of the Neiger family’s incredible and daring escape from certain death in the Nazi occupied Ghetto of Kraków. You can watch this touching story Monday, April 11 at 9pm on WITF.
The WITF mailbag has gotten a bit heavier lately with inquiries about A Place to Call Home and Doc Martin. Regretfully, there is no new news to share. We are currently unable to acquire either series for broadcast. I’m continuing my attempts to make it possible, but at this time both series are unavailable.
Don’t forget to check out programs we have in the schedule around Earth Day. We’ll be broadcasting several programs from our friends at Maryland Public Television including their annual Chesapeake Bay Summit discussion on April 24. We have another installment of our Family Night series of programs focusing on weather and climate premiering on Earth Day, Friday, April 22 at 7pm.
Thank you for watching WITF and for your on-going support of the great programs you enjoy. Stay well and stay tuned!
Fred Vigeant
Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your back. Each weekday morning, host Tim Lambert will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.
