TV & Movies

What to Watch on Tuesday: Acclaimed ‘Philly DA’ documentary series continues

The Independent Lens documentary series “Philly D.A.” examines the emotional, high stakes work that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and an ensemble of idealistic outsiders from different walks of life take on as they attempt a fundamental overhaul of an entrenched criminal justice system.
The Independent Lens documentary series “Philly D.A.” examines the emotional, high stakes work that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and an ensemble of idealistic outsiders from different walks of life take on as they attempt a fundamental overhaul of an entrenched criminal justice system. PBS

Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer (8 p.m., PBS NC) - This new series, set in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, explores the lessons learned from previous global pandemics — including smallpox, cholera, the Spanish flu and others — and reveals how scientists, doctors, self-experimenters and activists launched a public health revolution, saving millions of lives, fundamentally changing how we think about illness and ultimately paving the way for modern medicine. New episodes air each week through June 1.

The Philly DA (9 p.m., PBS NC) - In episode 5 of this Independent Lens documentary series, we meet Joseph Chamberlain who was convicted of homicide as a teen and is fighting for redemption. In the early 90’s, Chamberlain was caught in a stream of other juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole by Philadelphia courts. As the D.A.’s office revisits Chamberlain’s case, they work to implement juvenile sentencing reform, much to the opposition of law enforcement and residents who believe the current spike in murder is due to DA Larry Krasner’s new policies.

America’s Book of Secrets: The Secret Space Program (9 p.m., History) - On Dec. 20, 2019, the Space Force was established, but in 2002, a man named Gary McKinnon claimed he had discovered evidence that a secret military space program already existed after hacking top-secret Pentagon and NASA computers.

Murder In the Heartland (10 p.m., Investigation Discovery) - Baseball-loving wife and mother Diane Fortenberr is found unconscious on the floor of her burglarized home in Osakis, Minn., and the entire resort town of aids law enforcement.

Some programming descriptions are provided by networks.

Brooke Cain
The News & Observer
Brooke Cain is a North Carolina native who has worked at The News & Observer and McClatchy for more than 30 years as a researcher, reporter and media writer. She is the National Service Journalism Editor for McClatchy. 
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