Well, here we are. Another year come and gone. The strains of “Auld Lang Syne” have melted away, the New Year hangovers are a distant memory, and the deepest days of winter have settled in. Typically, January is a time of reflection for me as I consider the lessons of the past year and how those experiences might shape the new one. But 2024 was difficult for so many reasons and on so many fronts—globally, nationally, and locally. Frankly, I’m ready to jump right into 2025 without looking back. My intention for this year? To tune out the negativity and instead look for and truly appreciate all that is good and beautiful in our world, whenever and wherever I can find it—during a walk in my neighborhood, spending time with my family, and even when I sit down to watch TV
Every day, I talk to WTIU members who tell me that PBS is the only network they tune to because it is the only one that provides programs that lift us up instead of wearing us down. WTIU members appreciate programs that inspire us, like Making Black America; programs that leave us in awe, like Leonardo da Vinci; and shows that just make us feel good, like All Creatures Great & Small—all programs that they can watch anytime with the PBS Passport member benefit. Read on to join me in finding the good vibes that PBS Passport delivers all year long!
Feel-Good Dramas on MASTERPIECE
After a particularly long week or an especially distressing news cycle, I often find a healthy dose of escapism to be the most restorative antidote. And to keep that healthy dose truly healthy, I look no further than a good binge of one of my favorite PBS dramas. While other folks might open a bottle of Chardonnay or indulge in a video gaming spree, I am happy to escape to pretty much any drama offered by MASTERPIECE. This month is well-timed to give Passport viewers the opportunity to dodge the January doldrums by watching every episode of fresh new seasons of Miss Scarlet and All Creatures Great & Small. With Passport, there’s no need to wait for Sunday evening to see what happens next!
Also with Passport, viewers can take a deep dive into past MASTERPIECE favorites as well. I suggest checking out The Durrells in Corfu which Paste Magazine describes as a “show that is a soothing alternative to the sound and fury of so many current dramas;” Sherlock, all four seasons of which have just been made available with Passport and which the Wall Street Journal calls “one of the most dazzling confections on TV”; and the period piece Home Fires, set in rural England in the days just before WWII, which the Washington Post says is “spoonful after spoonful of splendid jam.” Just click the WATCH NOW link to choose from literally dozens of MASTERPIECE classics to lose yourself in!
Rick Steves’ Europe and Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope
Speaking of escapes, one of the best things about PBS Passport is its power to transport us to worlds apart from our own, and in so doing, provide us with a respite from the demands of daily life. Like “real” travel, this virtual experience helps fulfill the human need to leave home, to explore and find beauty in other places and other cultures. Even when the travel experience occurs only vicariously, it provides us with a relaxing break while also offering a reset button that, when activated, makes us more appreciative of the parts of our worlds that are familiar and routine. As Rick Steves says in his special Why We Travel, we gain understanding and perspective when we discover places and people beyond our own comfort zones. So even when we can’t travel physically, tuning into programs like Rick Steves’ Europe Now and Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope makes our lives more meaningful. See the world with PBS’s favorite travel guides any time you want, from anywhere you are. The only Passport you will need is the PBS one!
WATCH JOSEPH ROSENDO'S TRAVELSCOPE NOW
America Outdoors
In a world that often feels fractured and divided, the spirit of both the individual and the community is crucial to bridging the gaps that keep us apart. In his popular PBS series, bestselling author Baratunde Thurston takes us outdoors and into America to explore our society in engagingly unique ways. Showcasing beautiful places and remarkable people from across the country in America Outdoors, Baratunde digs deep to build connections—connections to nature, to individuals, and to communities. I recently watched the episode entitled Death Valley: Life Blooms, which opens on our host seated in a meditative state on a desert plain in the hottest place on Earth, contemplating these connections and how they work to make us feel alive. He goes on to interview the sole inhabitant of a ghost town; a Black ultramarathon runner; an elder of the Timbisha Shoshone tribe, and others who could be considered loners or outsiders, but who, in following their passions, are building vital connections to the past, the future, and the present. Come together with Baratunde and as he journeys across America when you tune in with your WTIU PBS Passport!
Anything from Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
While the story of Black people in America is filled with heartache, tragedy, and trauma, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. weaves those hard truths into a fabric that simultaneously illuminates the strength, optimism, and faith that has defined the African American experience and serves as an inspiration for us all. The aforementioned series Making Black America, which examines the vast social communities created for and by Black people, not only for the sake of survival, but also to create safe spaces for the expression of joy and pleasure beyond “the reach of the ‘White gaze’” is just one of many remarkable series brought to PBS viewers by the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, historian, and Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
With PBS Passport, you can join Dr. Gates in exploring the connections that bind us and our shared histories in over a dozen programs, including Finding Your Roots, where celebrity guests discover their own family histories, often with unexpected twists and emotional reckonings; The Black Church, which explores the 400-year-old story of the Black men and women who built their own places of worship in America; and the highly anticipated Great Migrations: a People on the Move, which documents the impact of Black migration on American culture and society. Visit the PBS website now for a sneak peek of Great Migrations and more inspiring stories from America’s most beloved professor!
J Schwanke’s Life in Bloom
Few things bring simple pleasure to life like the presence of beautiful blossoms in your home or yard. Indeed, research suggests that the brain releases dopamine when we spend time around flowers, whether cultivating them, arranging them, or simply enjoying their colors and fragrances. A study by Rutgers University revealed that the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction, and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what we might expect. In other words, flowers make us happy! Find inspiration to cultivate your own green thumb with J Schwanke’s Life in Bloom or, if a patch of yard space dedicated to flowers isn’t an option for you, pick up a few bunches of stems at the grocery store or farmers’ market and create your own unique arrangements. Both options can be equally rewarding—especially with tips from J Schwanke! In every episode, J and his guests embrace the positive attributes that flowers evoke, reminding viewers to take time to enjoy the beauty in all the things that make us happy. For an added bonus, visit J's website for more ideas and inspiration, including this fun mocktail recipe made with rose petals!
Dynamic Planet and Hope in the Water
While I’m looking to focus on positivity here, there’s no denying the disturbing fact that 2024 was the hottest year on record, as confirmed by NASA and other scientific agencies just this past week. Throughout the year, news broadcasts reported almost daily on climate disasters from record-setting flooding and tornadoes to heatwaves and hurricanes. And 2025 is not looking much better as the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles rage on. Today more than ever before, it is vital that we seek an understanding of our changing planet. The good news is that PBS provides content that promotes this understanding in a variety of ways, including programming available only with Passport.
Teams of scientists and local experts are fighting to safeguard their communities and wildlife throughout the world, giving hope to the premise that science, nature, and tradition can work together to prepare us for a fast-changing future. In Dynamic Planet, join conservationist Dr. M. Sanjayan as he visits our planet's most vulnerable ecosystems to meet the truly inspiring people working to save them. Similarly, Hope in the Water explores the groundbreaking work of fishers, aqua farmers, and scientists who are attempting what was once thought impossible: harvesting aquatic species to feed our growing planet while saving our oceans. Watch both of these series as they share stories that deepen our understanding of these habitats and introduce new potential solutions to combat the effects of the climate crisis.