Top Picks: A look back at Watergate, an examination of Wonder Woman, and more
Slow and low
One of the most aptly named bands of all time, Minneapolis’s Low, has a beautiful, moody new album, The Invisible Way. And true to form, it almost whispers. In some passages, intakes of breath are nearly as loud as the quietly brushed drums. The band’s 10th album was produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, who pared things down to an intimate level, allowing lead singers Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker to shine amid the production’s dusky tones.
Watergate anniversary
It’s been four decades since the Watergate scandal forced President Nixon to resign. All the President’s Men Revisited, coproduced by Robert Redford, takes a two-hour journey down memory lane with key players, including Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward (the original Washington Post reporters who helped break the scandal), as well as Nixon lawyer John Dean and Nixon’s former deputy assistant, Alex Butterfield. Airs on Discovery April 21 at 8 p.m.
Voice-over fun
PeanutGalleryFilms.com, part Google experiment, part “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” lets you dictate title cards to silent films. The website plays a short, black-and-white movie scene and asks you to speak for the characters. Google’s voice-recognition software translates your words into text and lays it right on the screen. You can share your masterpieces through e-mail, Facebook, or Google+. Requires a microphone and Google’s Chrome browser.
Golden lasso
Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines, tells the story and influence of this World War II-era comic book character. With her golden lasso and protective bracelets, this superpowered Amazon created by a pop psychologist went through many reinventions that reflected changing societal attitudes toward women. The show includes commentary from Gloria Steinem and actresses who played heroines on TV: Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) and Lindsay Wagner (Bionic Woman). Airs on PBS on April 15.
Digging up history
The world marveled as a team of British archaeologists recently located and dug up the remains of the supposedly villainous Richard III. Come along on an amazing tour of history that takes the viewer through the process of locating and identifying the 500-year-old bones buried under a parking lot in Leicester, England. The King’s Skeleton: Richard III Revealed airs on the Smithsonian Channel on April 21 at 9 p.m.
Urban green thumb
So you’re a city dweller with a patch of green and you want to make it grow. Urban Gardening for Dummies is chock full of good advice for folks who want the country life in the midst of a concrete jungle. There are “10 Tips” lists for everything from managing your sustainable, rooftop oasis to kid-friendly ways to garden in the city and tools for urban gardeners.
