Highlights Archive

Violent Femme’s 40th Anniversary with the Milwaukee Symphony • WXXI-TV

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of their self-titled debut album, the folk punk group Violent Femmes invited the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra to be their “back-up band” in this electrifying concert which mixes classical and rock.

Violent Femme’s 40th Anniversary with the Milwaukee Symphony airs Friday, December 13 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Violent Femmes formed in 1981 playing on the streets of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their first album, “Violent Femmes,” amplified teenage angst and alienation with such songs as “Kiss Off,” “Add It Up,” and “Gone Daddy Gone,” written by lead vocalist and guitarist Gordon Gano before he’d even gotten his driver’s license. Today, that debut release stands as a pillar of an American underground movement, and this concert pays homage to the band’s lasting influence.

Photo: Gordon Gano/Credit: Janelle Rominski/Milwaukee PBS

Christmas Carole • WXXI-TV

There’s a new Scrooge in town in this fresh twist on the Charles Dickens classic.

Christmas Carole airs Sunday, December 16 at 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. on WXXI-TV

BAFTA award-winner Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey, Doctor Foster, Maryland) stars as the eponymous Carole, with a supporting cast that includes Mark Benton (Shakespeare & Hathaway) and comedian Jo Brand (The Great British Bake-Off: An Extra Slice) as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Carole McKay is an entrepreneur and outspoken businesswoman whose online business selling all things festive has earned her a fortune, as well as the nickname “Christmas Carole.” But her success hasn’t made her a better human being. In fact, it’s made her worse. The truth is that Carole is a monumentally mean person. Positively Scrooge-like. And, just like Ebenezer, she doesn’t love Christmas at all. But this Christmas Eve, Carole’s past, present and future are about to collide in this heart-warming and hilarious tale, which is full of seasonal cheer for all the family.

Christmas Carole encores Sunday, December 15 at 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Photo: Suranne Jones as Carole/Credit: Provided by APT

Lucy Worsley’s Holmes vs. Doyle • WXXI-WORLD

A new three-part series featuring the popular British historian and lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan who seeks to answer why author Arthur Conan Doyle came to despise the character that made him rich and famous.

Lucy Worsley’s Holmes vs. Doyle airs Saturday, January 4 at 8 a.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

Throughout the series, Worsley explores the parallel lives of Doyle and Holmes in the historical context of their times. From the dying years of Victorian England, through the imperial crisis of the Boer war, the optimism of the early Edwardian years, to the trauma of the First World War, Arthur and Sherlock lived through them all.

Featured in over 60 original stories and countless film and television adaptations, Sherlock Holmes has intrigued and excited fans with his intellect and powers of deduction for more than a century. Over the course of three episodes, Worsley investigates the curious relationship between detective and author.

In Episode 1, “Doctor and Detective,” Lucy unearths Holmes’ origins in Doyle’s early life as a medical student in Edinburgh. She unpacks the early stories, revealing the dark underbelly of late Victorian Britain, from drug use to true crime. She explores how Doyle infused his stories with cutting-edge technological developments and traces the author’s growing disenchantment with his detective, heading to Switzerland to visit the site of one of the most famous deaths in literature.

In Episode 2, “Fact and Fiction,” Lucy explores Doyle’s desire to distance himself from Sherlock after the detective’s apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls. From the delights of the ski slopes to the horrors of the Boer War, she reveals how far Doyle went to make himself the hero of his own story. He even took on the role of detective himself in one of the most important legal cases of the 20th century.

In the finale, “Shadows and Sleuths,” Lucy investigates the return of Sherlock. Doyle began the Edwardian age delighting in all it had to offer, but as the First World War approached, the darkness of the later stories mirrored the reality of Doyle’s life. After losing his eldest son, he became an evangelist for spiritualism, and his star declined after a public spat with a famous magician. Sherlock Holmes, in contrast, found a life beyond his author on stage and screen.

American Masters – Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around • WXXI-TV

Prolific singer Brenda Lee’s iconic 1958 Christmas classic song “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is a staple during the holiday season and has garnered international recognition and quintuple-platinum sales over the decades.

American Masters – Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around airs Monday, December 16 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

But she is also known for hits spanning the rock, pop, country, and rockabilly music genres. Discover the story behind Lee’s iconic songs and explore how her early life in poverty and childhood stardom shaped her artistry and rise to be one of the biggest female music acts in history in the new documentary.

Featuring archival footage and stills, performance clips, and interviews with Lee herself, Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around details how the “I’m Sorry” singer helped pull her family out of poverty in rural Georgia with her knockout vocal talents, ultimately becoming one of the leading female headlining acts in music. The star-studded film also features interviews with country artists Keith Urban, Tanya Tucker, and Trisha Yearwood, as well as singer-songwriter Pat Benatar, music producer Neil Giraldo, and beloved radio personality Shotgun Tom Kelly, cohost of SiriusXM’s 60s Gold radio show.

Mexico Made with Love • WXXI-TV

On this episode, we take you inside the workshops and studios of the country’s most remarkable artisans.

Mexico Made with Love airs Monday, December 2 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

It celebrates Mexico’s rich cultural landscape and reveals the thread that weaves together the country’s vibrant tapestry of the arts, tradition, and creativity.

All Creatures Great and Small: Tricki & Friends • WXXI-TV

Celebrate the animals we love by revisiting moments from the series where they always come first.

All Creatures Great and Small: Tricki & Friends airs Sunday, February 23 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Meet Tricki – the biggest scene stealer and smallest cast member – and the many other creatures that illustrate the bond between humans and animals.

LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH • The Little Theatre

Back by popular demand, LUTHER screens three more days at The Little Theatre.

Screening Friday, November 29 at 6:45 p.m., Saturday, November 30 at 3:45 p.m. and Sunday, December 1 at 3:45 p.m.

The documentary, from director Dawn Porter, chronicles the story of a vocal virtuoso, Luther Vandross. Using a wealth of rarely seen archives, Luther tells his own story with assistance from his closest friends and musical collaborators including Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson and Roberta Flack.

The film relives the many stunning moments of Luther’s musical career, while exploring his personal life, health struggles, and a lifelong battle to earn the respect his music deserved.

Order tickets here.

About the series

One Take Documentary Series

The Little’s One Take Documentary Series is a monthly film series, presenting a unique mix of documentaries — ranging from film festival favorites to unheralded gems — followed by panel discussions and filmmaker Q&As. Read more

Black Cinema Series

The Little Theatre’s Black Cinema Series, presented in partnership with the Rochester Association of Black Journalists (RABJ), screens both scripted and non-fiction films about the Black experience. With an emphasis on contemporary independent films, the series highlights Black perspectives and filmmakers, with screenings and panel discussions with community experts and filmmakers. Support provided in part by Excellus. More details about the Black Cinema Series Browse all films in this series

Great Performances “Henry Mancini 100 at the Hollywood Bowl • WXXI-TV

Celebrate the centennial birthday of composer Henry Mancini with Michael Bublé, Cynthia Erivo, saxophonist Dave Koz, Monica Mancini and host Jeff Goldblum featuring Mancini’s signature songs and clips from his beloved movies and TV shows.

Great Performances “Henry Mancini 100 at the Hollywood Bowl airs Saturday, December 7 at 4 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra raises the curtain on the Bowl’s 2024 season with a 100th birthday celebration for the iconic composer, Henry Mancini. Hosted by Jeff Goldblum, the starry concert features performances by stage and “Wicked” film star Cynthia Erivo, Grammy Award winner Michael Bublé and Grammy nominees Dave Koz and Monica Mancini, Henry Mancini’s daughter. The program also goes behind the scenes of the recording of the 100^th anniversary album featuring John Williams, Arturo Sandoval, Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil, Stevie Wonder, Lizzo, James Galway and the last televised appearance of the late Quincy Jones. The album includes “Baby Elephant Walk – Encore,” now nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Capella. “Supplementing the concert are interviews with stars from Mancini-scored movies, archival footage and still photos. The 20-time Grammy Award-winning composer of songs and scores ranging from “Moon River” and “The Pink Panther” appeared regularly on the Bowl’s stage, conducting 29 times. A four-time Academy Award winner, Mancini scored over 125 movie and television themes including such classics as “Breakfast at Tiffanys,” “The Pink Panther,” “Days of Wine and Roses,” “Victor Victoria,” “Charade” and “Two for the Road.”