There’s lots to celebrate this month! From the fiftieth anniversary of Austin City Limits to the restoration of a sacred river in Northern California, April is filled to the brim with inspiring stories, electrifying musical performances, and captivating dramas.
We’ve collected the best new programs that are coming to Passport in April, along with two programs you shouldn’t miss before they leave at the end of the month. All can be streamed with PBS KVIE Passport, a member benefit offering access to an on-demand library of your favorite PBS shows on the PBS app.
1. Independent Lens: We Want the Funk
Available to stream 4/8
With roots in African, soul, and early jazz music, funk music quickly grew into public consciousness and branched into other musical genres like new wave and hip-hop. Take a voyage through this fascinating musical history and discover how it shaped the work of artists like James Brown, George Clinton, Labelle, and Fela Kuti.
2. Austin City Limits Celebrates 50 Years
Available to stream 4/14
Austin City Limits is turning fifty! Celebrate the series’ half-century of existence with this star-studded anniversary concert, as artists like Chris Stapleton, Gary Clark Jr., Lyle Lovett, Billy Strings, Rufus Wainwright, Indigo Girls, and The Mavericks return to the ACL stage. Plus, get a glimpse into the inner workings of the show with behind-the-scenes interviews and rarely-seen archival footage!
3. Changing Planet: River Restoration, Season 4
Available to stream 4/23
In the fourth installment of this 7-year project, conservation scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan travels to Northern California to observe another changing ecosystem. Along the banks of the Klamath, a river sacred to the Yurok tribe, he witnesses the largest river restoration project in U.S. history – and discovers its positive ripple effects on the surrounding ecosystem, from Chinook salmon to California condors.
4. Pati Jinich Explores Panamericana, Season 1
Episodes available to stream starting 4/29
Stretching from Alaska to Argentina, the Pan-American Highway connects not only cities and countries but also cultures and traditions. In the first season of this cross-cultural journey, host Pati Jinich travels from the top of Alaska through Alberta – sampling delicious food, discovering stunning natural landscapes, and embarking on unforgettable cultural adventures.
New programs from Walter Presents
5. Panda, Season 1
Available to stream 4/4
Ex-cop Victor “Panda” Pandaloni isn’t looking for trouble; all he wants to do is raise his adopted son, run a beach shack, and embrace his new life of peace, relaxation, and pacifism. But when trouble comes looking for him, Panda must face it on his own terms… without weapons or violence! In French with English subtitles.
6. The English Neighborhood, Season 1
Available to stream 4/11
It’s 1941 Spain, and Lucía feels lucky to have found work as a secretary for an English mining company. However, when she meets an attractive, enigmatic man with a dark past, she is swiftly dragged into a nest of spies. In Spanish with English subtitles.
7. A Dangerous Friendship, Season 1
Available to stream 4/18
Lonely and trapped in a loveless marriage to King Louis XIII, Queen Anne befriends the bold, brilliant, and scandalous Duchess Marie de Rohan. In a world of complex courtly politics, Anne and Marie’s friendship will become their greatest strength – and most dangerous weakness. In French with English subtitles.
8. The Mountain Detective, Season 3
Available to stream 4/25
Former policeman Alex Hugo confronts a slew of new cases in the Hautes-Alpes, from the deadly sabotage of a wingsuit to a killer who has been hiding for decades. In French with English subtitles.
Don’t miss these programs before they leave!
9. The Kennedy Package
Leaving 4/30
What if Robert F. Kennedy hadn’t been assassinated during his 1968 presidential campaign? What was John F. Kennedy really like, beyond his mythical public persona? And why did Jackie Kennedy Onassis have a complicated relationship with her sister, Lee Radziwill? Take a deep dive into the Kennedy family in this intimate, fascinating series of portraits.
10. The Indian Doctor, Seasons 1 – 3
Leaving 4/30
Leaving cosmopolitan London to practice medicine in a sleepy Welsh coal mining town, Dr. Prem Sharma quickly finds himself embroiled in the lives of its villagers. However, his wife Kamini is determined to leave the town as soon as possible.