This fall, Public Broadcasting Service programming will run the gamut from life to death - literally.
Among PBS's upcoming shows is "The Secret of Life" and "Death: The Trip of a Lifetime."And perhaps PBS's most high-profile program is one it saved from death - NBC's "I'll Fly Away," which will come to public broadcasting with a new, wrap-up movie and reruns of all the episodes previously produced.
Here's a look at what to expect from PBS in 1993-94:
NEW SERIES
- "The Secret of Life" is an eight-hour series from geneticist and author David Suzuki about the latest discoveries about genes and DNA. (September, Ch. 7; October, Ch. 11.)
- "Death: The Trip of a Lifetime" is a four-hour series described as "an exploration of the many paths we take toward our ultimate destination." (October, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "The Great Depression," a seven-hour series, documents the period between the two world wars. From the makers of "Eyes On the Prize." (Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "I'll Fly Away" will include rebroadcasts of the outstanding series that ran 1991-93 on NBC, and will kick off with an all-new made-for-PBS movie that wraps the series up. (Weekly beginning in October, Ch. 7.)
- "Julia Child - Cooking with Master Chefs" is a new series that features American master chefs in their home kitchens. (October, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "The Nature of Sex," from the folks who bring us "Nature," is a six-hour series about how courtship, mating, birth and parenting occur among wildlife. (November, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "The Stuff of Dreams" is a three-part series about how science and technology can enhance lives. (October, Ch. 7.)
RETURNING SERIES
- "The American Experience" examines Amelia Earhart, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Pancho Villa and the great hurricane of 1938. (Returns in October, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "American Playhouse" presentations will include "The Quarrel" and "Hallelujah." (Dates to be announced, Ch. 7.)
- "Barney and Friends" returns this fall with a new batch of episodes and a new dinosaur character. (Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "Frontline" will include a look at the corporate culture at General Motors, a profile of Lee Harvey Oswald and a report on the Rocky Flats nuclear facility in Colorado. (Returns in October, Ch. 7.)
- "Great Performances" will include tributes to Leonard Bernstein and George Balanchine. (September, Ch. 7.)
- "Masterpiece Theatre," with new host Russell Baker, will present "Jeeves and Wooster, III," "Where Angels Fear to Tread" and "Sharpe." (Beginning in October, Ch. 7.)
- "Mystery" will present "The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries." (Beginning in October, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "Nature" returns with "In the Company of Wolves with Timothy Dalton." (October, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "Sesame Street" returns for its 25th season with an expanded neighborhood, new Muppet characters - including more female characters - and a new emphasis on issues that affect families. (November, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "NOVA" will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a "Great Moments from NOVA" special. (Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- Other kids shows returning with new episodes include "Ghostwriter," "Lamb Chop's Play-Along," "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," "Newton's Apple," "Reading Rainbow," "Shining Time Station," "Square One TV" and "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?"
- Other adult series returning with new episodes include "Adam Smith," "Firing Line," "The Frugal Gourmet," "Hometime," "In Performance at the White House," "Live from Lincoln Center," "The MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour," "Mark Russell Comedy Specials," "The New Yankee Workshop," "Talking with David Frost," "This Old House," "To the Contrary," "The Victory Garden," "Wall $treet Week," and "Washington Week in Review."
SPECIALS
- "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess" is a production of the musical, starring Willard White and Cynthia Haymon, from "American Playhouse" and "Great Performances." (October, Ch. 7 and Ch. 11.)
- "The Look" is a look at what drives the fashion industry. (October, Ch. 7.)
- "Billy Joel: River of Dreams" features Joel both performing and talking about his music. (October, Ch. 7.)
- "The 21st Century Jet" is a report on the production of the next generation of the jumbo jet, the Boeing 777. (October, Ch. 7.)
- "The Absolute Monarch" is a documentary about the Sultan of Brunei. (November, Ch. 7.)
- "JFK: In His Own Words" is HBO's documentary that uses file footage and tape of President Kennedy's own words. (November, Ch. 7.)
- "The Kennedy Years: In Words and Music" is a combination of photojournalist Jacques Lowes's photos, President Kennedy's words and musical selctions. (November, Ch. 7.)
LOCALLY
In October, KUED-Ch. 7 will air an hourlong block of British comedies weeknights at 10 p.m. And they'll follow that with the local debut of "Charlie Rose," the PBS talk/interview show, which will at at 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday.
Ch. 7 also plans to air its documentary "The Atomic Stampede," a look at the uranium boom in southeastern Utah in the 1950s.
And KUED, in concert with KULC-Ch. 9 and KUER-FM, is launching a three-year education outreach project under the banner "Your Education First." Through a series of specials (many produced for PBS), how-to pamphlets and promotions, its aim is to involve parents in their children's education.
KBYU, meanwhile, has picked up a number of programs fit for "Utah's Family Station."
Ch. 11 has acquired the rights to all 90 episodes of "All Creatures Great and Small" - which is based on veterinarian James Herriot's books. They begin airing Sundays at 8 p.m. on Oct. 3.
KBYU is also adding the news magazine "International Dispatch" on Thursdays at 10:30 p.m.; "Taggart," a mystery series about a Scottish sleuth, on Fridays at 9 p.m. as of Oct. 8; and "Comand Performances," a series of live performances from Europe.
Ch. 11 has also added titles like "The Quiet Man," "Silk Stockings" and "Anchors Aweigh" to its Wednesday Night Movie Classics, and "Mary Poppins," "Dumbo" and "Alice in Wonderland" to its Sunday Family Movie.
In addition to the rest of the PBS children's programming, KBYU will air "Gerbert" - a series that teaches tolerance and self-esteem - weeknights at 7 beginning Oct. 7. "Gerbert" will also alternate weekday mornings at 7 with "Whirligig," a new puppet series.
"You Can Choose" is yet another children's show, this one featuring a cast of animals dealing with real-life choices kids face. It will air weekdays at 4:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 20.