PLUS (MT)

12:00 am 

Wild!  "Tigers Fighting Back"  Across Asia, the fight to save tigers is being waged on many fronts. Leading the charge are three men whose mission is to understand tigers using science. The challenge these biological detectives face is enormous: over the last century tiger numbers have plummeted by 95%. D

1:00 am 

Changing Seas  "After The Spill"  Last year's catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may no longer make headline news, but the story is far from over. Oceanographers continue to study the long term effects this disaster might have on marine ecosysteMs.. D

1:30 am 

Changing Seas  "Sinking The Vandenberg"  In the turquoise blue waters of the Florida Keys, a new attraction is drawing scuba divers from around the world: The USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg. Laid to rest in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Vandenberg is the world's second largest intentionally sunk shipwreck. In her last mission as an artificial reef, this massive ship is already attracting a variety of fish and other marine life. D

2:00 am 

Alone in the Wilderness, Part 2   Dick Proenneke's simple, yet profound account of his 30-year adventure in the Alaska wilderness continues in this sequel to ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS. He documents his daily life with his 16mm wind-up Bolex camera, capturing his own craftsmanship, Alaskan wildlife and scenery and even a visit from his brother.G

3:00 am 

Outdoor Idaho  "Writers at Harriman"  Thirty-five teens from throughout Idaho gather at Harriman State Park in eastern Idaho for the six-day Writers at Harriman camp experience. In the tranquil setting surrounded by wildlife the students attend class with expert teachers and write.G

3:30 am 

Dialogue  "Colum McCann"  Marcia Franklin talks with Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin. The book, which has been called the "first great 9/11 novel," won the 2009 National Book Award for fiction, and was Amazon.com's 2009 Book of the Year. The interview is part of Dialogue's ongoing "Conversations from the Sun Valley Writers' Conference" and was taped at the 2011 conference.G

4:00 am 

Sesame Street  "Humpty Dumpty's Big Break"  Telly is very worried about Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall, but Humpty explains that he is there to watch a football game. Just as the game is about to start, one of All the King's Horses comes limping in and says he can't play. It's Humpty's dream to play football, so he offers to replace him, but Telly is very worried that Humpty will break. D

5:00 am 

Martha Speaks  "Martha Acts Up/Ronald Is In"  Martha Acts Up - Mrs. Boxwood offers Martha a part in Alice in Wonderland, and Martha is thrilled at her new chance to become a star of the stage. But when Martha finds out what she's cast as, she's horrified. Vocabulary: (E) character(s), motivat(e)(ation), portray(s), psychology, instinct(ual) (I) part, actors, play, line(s), show. D

5:30 am 

Super Why!  "The Nutcracker"  Princess Pea doesn't know what to do about her friend Sleeping Beauty who is very, very grumpy! Super Why and his friends dance their way into the story of The Nutcracker, accompanied by Tchaikovsky's memorable music, to find out why the Mouse King is so cranky and give an innovative twist to the holiday classic. But will the super readers be able to restore magic to The Land of Sweets? Educational Objectives: To learn a cheer-up strategy, sing the alphabet, identify the letters F, L, and Y, practice the magic of spelling, and use the power to read to change the story. D

6:00 am 

Sid The Science Kid  "Sid Wings It!"  In his backyard, Sid shows off his homemade cardboard wings. He's wearing them because he wants to fly, just like the bird he has been watching all morning. When his flight plans don't work out, he heads to school to investigate. D

6:30 am 

WordWorld  "Bugs to the Rescue/Sheep's First Bike Ride"  Bugs to the Rescue - Ant builds Bear a hot-air balloon for her birthday, but Dog accidentally floats away in it! Ant elicits the help of his insect WordFriends Bug, Bee and Fly to rescue Dog and save the day. Sheep's First Bike Ride - Bear and Sheep both learn to build the word "bike," and Sheep learns how to ride one for the first time in her life. In both cases, it just takes some perseverance. D

7:00 am 

Sesame Street  "Humpty Dumpty's Big Break"  Telly is very worried about Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall, but Humpty explains that he is there to watch a football game. Just as the game is about to start, one of All the King's Horses comes limping in and says he can't play. It's Humpty's dream to play football, so he offers to replace him, but Telly is very worried that Humpty will break. D

8:00 am 

Curious George  "Ski Monkey/George The Grocer"  Ski Monkey - When a blizzard covers the country house with a foot of snow, George can't wait to get outside to play. But he soon learns that such deep snow isn't easy for a monkey to play in, until he learns how much fun it can be to ski, snowshoe and sled. George the Grocer - George really wants the toy oven he sees in the window at the toy store, but first, he has to find a job to earn money to buy it. D

8:30 am 

Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That!  "Secret Super Digger/Pucker Up and Blow"  Secret Super Digger - Sally is trying to grow a flower for her mom, but it just won't grow. Time to see Finola! At Finola's Farm, she introduces Cat, Sally and Nick to her secret super digger - Diggery the earthworm. Diggery shows them how plant roots need water air and compost, which Diggery helps to make. D

9:00 am 

Super Why!  "Jack and the Beanstalk"  Baby Joy, Whyatt's little sister, is having a GIANT-sized tantrum, and nothing will calm her down! The Super Readers use their literacy powers to venture up Jack's Beanstalk and meet a real giant, who's acting like a big baby. Whyatt learns about the soothing power of music from his big brother Jack, and the Super Readers save the day.G

9:30 am 

Dinosaur Train  "Shiny and Snakes/Tiny Loves Flowers"  Shiny gets over her fear of snakes when Tiny challenges the Nature Trackers to meet the ultimate snake: the Sanajeh, a huge Cretaceous snake from what is now India. Dad takes the kids on the Dinosaur Train to find Sana Sanajeh, who may be huge, but turns out to be quite friendly. Once Shiny and Sana become friends, Shiny returns home with the knowledge that snakes aren't scary - they're just another part of nature! Tiny is horrified when her favorite buttercups all wilt, so Mom takes her and the family to the Big Pond, where she remembers seeing a whole lot of buttercups in bloom. D

10:00 am 

The Electric Company  "Out to Launch"  When Francine calls Hector a liar on a neighborhood billboard, The Electric Company has to work together to help clear Hector's name. D

10:30 am 

Wild Kratts  "Raptor Roundup"  Martin and Chris challenge themselves to ID as many hawks, eagles, owls, falcons and vultures as they can. But the evil endangered species chef, Gaston Gourmand has his own plan for the raptors and has been capturing them all in his quest to find the tastiest bird wing. Will the Wild Kratts team succeed in rescuing the raptors before they become Gourmand's next gourmet delicacy? They'll have to use everything they know about classification and birds of prey - to round up the raptors and return them to where they belong - living free and in the wild!. D

11:00 am 

WordWorld  "Bugs to the Rescue/Sheep's First Bike Ride"  Bugs to the Rescue - Ant builds Bear a hot-air balloon for her birthday, but Dog accidentally floats away in it! Ant elicits the help of his insect WordFriends Bug, Bee and Fly to rescue Dog and save the day. Sheep's First Bike Ride - Bear and Sheep both learn to build the word "bike," and Sheep learns how to ride one for the first time in her life. In both cases, it just takes some perseverance. D

11:30 am 

WordGirl  "Oh, Holiday Cheese/Change Day"  Oh, Holiday Cheese - The Botsfords kick off the holiday festivities with a cheese party. With lots of cheese and sing-a-longs, the party is a huge success until Dr. Two Brains shows up with his cheese-swiping ray. Can WordGirl save the party and get Dr. Two Brains into the holiday spirit? Vocabulary Words: Curmudgeon, Festivity. D

12:00 pm 

Outdoor Idaho  "Writers at Harriman"  Thirty-five teens from throughout Idaho gather at Harriman State Park in eastern Idaho for the six-day Writers at Harriman camp experience. In the tranquil setting surrounded by wildlife the students attend class with expert teachers and write.G

12:30 pm 

Mexico -- One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless  "Todos Santos Magic"  Maybe it's the water, maybe it's the desert, but there's definitely magic in the charming Baja town called Todos Santos. It all starts at Art & Beer, a funky roadside bar on the outskirts of town that serves generous cocktails and outstanding appetizers. Then Rick checks into the Hotel California before meeting up with his local buddy, Sergio Jaurequi, for a history lesson about the town's disappearing and reappearing water supply. D

1:00 pm 

Katie Brown Workshop  "Best of Gifts"  In these "best-of" segments taken from previous seasons, host Katie Brown demonstrates her favorite homemade gifts to give and receive. In the Kitchen: designer breadsticks, matzo ball soup, Katie's truffles. Projects: putting together a welcome basket for a neighbor and personalizing planters with photos. D

1:30 pm 

Paint This with Jerry Yarnell  "Autumn's Delight, Part 1"  (18 x 24 Acrylic) In this opening segment, Jerry shows his viewers how to under-paint the background of the forest with the large hake brush using a gradation of colors and values. Then he shows how to under-paint the reflections in the water using the hake brush. He finishes the program with under-painting the middle ground and rocky area. D

2:00 pm 

Essential Pepin  "Economical Offal"  Pork Liver Pate; Roast Sausage With Potatoes; Braised Sweetbreads In Mirepoix; Braised Tongue With Lentils. D

2:30 pm 

Burt Wolf: Travels & Traditions  "Trieste, Italy"  Uncover the history of this port town, a city on an inlet of the gulf of Venice at the head of the Adriatic Sea. Find out what makes the perfect coffee break and sample plenty of good things to eat for Italian food lovers. D

3:00 pm 

Dialogue  "Colum McCann"  Marcia Franklin talks with Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin. The book, which has been called the "first great 9/11 novel," won the 2009 National Book Award for fiction, and was Amazon.com's 2009 Book of the Year. The interview is part of Dialogue's ongoing "Conversations from the Sun Valley Writers' Conference" and was taped at the 2011 conference.G

3:30 pm 

MotorWeek  "Range Rover Evoque"  Road Test: 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Road Test: 2012 BMW Z4. Goss' Garage: Batteries. D

4:00 pm 

America's Test Kitchen from Cook's Illustrated  "Classic Asian Appetizers"  Test cook Bridget Lancaster uncovers the secrets to super-light and crispy tempura at home. Then, tasting expert Jack Bishop invites host Christopher Kimball to taste mirin, a Japanese sweet cooking wine. Gadget guru Lisa McManus reveals the best mortar and pestle set, and finally, test cook Becky Hays translates Thai pork lettuce wraps into an easy home recipe. D

4:30 pm 

Ebert Presents at the Movies   NULL

5:00 pm 

Globe Trekker  "Globe Trekker Special: World War II In Europe"  Trekkers visit sites that played major roles in World War II. From France's Forest of Compiegne to the Island of Crete, where veterans and locals recount the first major airborne invasion by the Germans, this episode is a haunting journey of discovery. Other locations include Nuremberg, Vienna, Dunkirk, Italy's Anzio, Normandy beaches, Dresden, Berlin and Auschwitz.G

6:00 pm 

Song of the Mountains   Jackie Kincaid & Steppin Out; Mark Newton & the Stringtones. D

7:00 pm 

Austin City Limits  "Patty Griffin & Friends"  Singer/songwriter Patty Griffin and her musical cronies sing original and classic gospel numbers. Griffin is joined onstage by Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Mike Farris.G

8:00 pm 

PBS Arts from Seattle: American Masters Pearl Jam Twenty   Director and music journalist Cameron Crowe creates a definitive portrait of the seminal band carved from more than 1,200 hours of seldom-seen footage. The film chronicles the years leading up to the band's formation, the chaos that came with mega-stardom, their step back from center stage and the creation of a work culture that would sustain them. It is part concert film, and part insider viewpoint, including interviews with original band members.G

10:00 pm 

National Christmas Tree Lighting 2011   The National Christmas Tree on the White House lawn is ready to take its place in the 89-year tradition. Filmed on December 1, this is the complete event with its all-star lineup of performers, capped by the annual presidential address.G

11:00 pm 

Christmas with the King Family   Thirty-nine members of the musical King family take the stage, including Grammy-nominated big band greats, the Fabulous King Sisters, guitar virtuoso Alvino Rey, 1960s sweetheart Tina Cole and the King Cousins. The legendary entertainers serve up a big dose of seasonal cheer made up of classic musical moments from their dazzling Christmas specials.G