January/February 2025
A WORD FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, THERESA SPENCER
Happy New Year! I hope the holiday season brought you wonderful memories and time with loved ones. As we step into 2025, I’m excited about what lies ahead for NMPBS and our community. This year promises to be another extraordinary one, filled with engaging and diverse programming that we can’t wait to share with you.
We’re kicking off 2025 with an array of exciting shows, including new seasons of Miss Scarlet and All Creatures Great & Small. Additionally, we have the honor of showcasing Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s special documentary, Great Migrations: A People on the Move. If you missed the premiere, you can still stream An American Vision and explore the rich history of the Santa Fe Opera.
Your support has made all of this possible. It is because of your generosity and dedication that we are able to continue telling stories that connect and inspire our community. Thank you for being part of the NMPBS family. We look forward to sharing another incredible year with you!
Here’s to a bright and exciting 2025!
Thank you so much for your PBS Kids. My daughter would choose that over anything else. — Anne, Albuquerque
Celebrating the Legacy of the Santa Fe Opera
NMPBS and the Santa Fe Opera unveiled An American Vision: The Santa Fe Opera, a one-hour documentary that chronicles the remarkable history of the world-renowned summer festival.
An American Vision traces the opera’s evolution, from its bold founding by John O’Hea Crosby in 1957 to its current status as a global destination for artists and audiences. Through a captivating mix of rare archival footage and contemporary performances, the film follows the opera’s growth. It features interviews with key creative figures, including Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist David Henry Hwang and acclaimed tenor George Shirley.
The film had a free public screening on November 7, followed by its broadcast premiere on November 14 at 7 p.m., on NMPBS Channel 5.1. If you missed the premiere, you can still stream the film on newmexicopbs.org and the PBS App.
Love, Laughter and New Beginnings on MASTERPIECE
Miss Scarlet
Miss Scarlet returns with Eliza’s detective agency thriving, but her personal life in turmoil, as a new detective inspector, Alexander Blake, arrives at Scotland Yard. Tension — and undeniable chemistry — arises between them as they navigate crime scenes across London, growing from rivals to potential partners. As Eliza juggles career success with strained personal relationships, the question remains: Can she truly have it all?
Miss Scarlet premieres Sunday, January 12, at 8 p.m.
All Creatures Great & Small
In Season 5 of All Creatures Great & Small, Tristan returns from the Royal Veterinary Corps with newfound confidence, while newlyweds James and Helen Herriot juggle parenthood and their veterinary duties. Siegfried continues offering his quirky wisdom, Audrey remains the steady anchor of Skeldale House and Mrs. Pumphrey, along with her pampered Pekingese, Tricki, adds a touch of charm to the mix.
All Creatures Great & Small premieres Sunday, January 12, at 9 p.m.
Watch these programs live or stream with the PBS App.
NMPBS Commemorates Black History Month
Embark on the journeys that reshaped the demographic landscape of America in Great Migrations: A People on the Move, a four-part docuseries hosted by renowned historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. This compelling series tells the story of the Great Migration, which saw African Americans leaving the rural South to settle in urban centers in the North and West between the 1910s and 1970s.
Through gripping storytelling and insightful historical analysis, the series delves into the reasons behind these migrations and highlights the ongoing search for economic and social opportunity.
Beyond recounting the past, Great Migrations: A People on the Move examines contemporary migrations of Black Americans as the quest for prosperity continues to take shape today.
Premieres Tuesday, January 28, at 9 p.m. Watch this program live or stream with the PBS App.
Thank you for all you do … it is so important to have PBS on the airwaves. — Blanche, Santa Fe
Discovering Our Shared Heritage
Join us for more thought-provoking journeys into the past to illuminate the roots that connect us all. Finding Your Roots returns for its eleventh season, with more of the ancestral stories of some of today’s most beloved personalities.
With guests from diverse backgrounds, ranging from actors and chefs to writers and historians, we learn how each person’s family history contributes to the rich tapestry of American identity. Host Henry Louis Gates Jr. leads the way, uncovering surprising revelations about the family histories of Joy Behar, Sheryl Lee Ralph, José Andrés, Amy Tan and more.
Each episode digs into the complex intersections of race, religion and ethnicity, revealing how family lineages can confirm or challenge the myths that shape our national identity.
Airs Tuesdays, beginning January 7, at 8 p.m.
Watch this program live or stream with the PBS App.
Survival Instincts
Experience the beauty and tenacity of wildlife with NATURE: Big Cats, Small World. This two-part series follows the lives of three big cats as they navigate the challenges of survival along the Gomoti River in Botswana.
You’ll meet a lion guiding his new cubs away from the threats presented by rival males, a cheetah mother raising her five cubs in the face of lurking dangers and a young male leopard seeking his place in the world as a new father. Each cat must leverage their unique abilities to outwit their rivals and thrive in a crowded territory.
NATURE: Big Cats, Small World delivers a raw, intimate look at the daily struggles and triumphs of these magnificent animals.
Airs Wednesday, January 22, at 8 p.m. Watch this program live or stream with the PBS App.
We watch KNME every day; it is our first TV channel choice. — Diane and William, Albuquerque
Meet the Unknown
NOVA: What Are UFOs? delves into the intriguing mysteries surrounding UFOs, exploring the possibilities with fresh scientific perspectives. Through expert insights from physicists, engineers and cosmologists, the program examines the latest technologies and strategies being used to understand these unexplained sightings. From new ground-based sensors to crowdsourced data, NOVA uncovers the ways scientists are working to separate physical objects — like drones or balloons — and weather phenomena from the truly unexplainable. With a balance of scientific inquiry and curiosity, NOVA raises compelling questions about potential secret technologies developed by world governments and whether interstellar travel from alien civilizations could be possible.
Airs Wednesday, January 22, at 9 p.m. Watch this program live or stream with the PBS App.
Independent Lens: Stories of Art, Community and Resilience
Independent Lens documentaries capture powerful stories and intimate insights while shedding light on critical cultural and societal shifts.
Minted dives into the tumultuous rise and fall of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), uncovering how this digital asset phenomenon has reshaped the art world in both positive and negative ways. Through exclusive interviews with pioneering artists, viewers get a firsthand look at the $40 billion market revolutionizing creative expression. Premieres Monday, January 6, at 10 p.m.
Bike Vessel follows 70-year-old Donnie Seals Sr. and his son, Eric, on a life-changing cycling trip from St. Louis to Chicago. The documentary captures their deep bond, Donnie’s remarkable recovery from three open-heart surgeries through cycling, and the resilience of a Black working-class family in the Midwest. Premieres Monday, February 24, at 10 p.m.
Experience the world through fresh perspectives and compelling narratives on Independent Lens.
Watch these programs live or stream with the PBS App.
Your Questions Answered
Q: I gave directly through a retirement or investment account, but my Ventana stopped.
A: NMPBS is fortunate to receive many contributions from donors through the financial institutions that handle their trust, retirement or other investment accounts. Most of the time, the information is submitted with enough information to find your record or to set up a new record with NMPBS.
On rare occasions, however, NMPBS receives a check from a financial institution missing the information that allows us to match the donation with your record. Unfortunately, we can’t adjust, renew your program guide or acknowledge your gift properly in this case. The best way to avoid this is to be sure the institution you employ knows to provide your information, and if you experience any interruption or don’t receive an acknowledgment, please let us know so that we can remedy the situation. All of us appreciate your support and want you to know that!
We are hooked on PBS — no need to find a 12-step program — it’s a delightful habit. Thank you for all you do for New Mexico. — Sarah, Hobbs
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