Discover how Australia came to be the nation it is today in AUSTRALIA IN COLOUR. Combining National and unknown personal archives, the four-part documentary series injects new life into the country's past using a state-of-the-art colorization process. Narrated by actor Hugo Weaving (Lord of the Rings; The Matrix), AUSTRALIA IN COLOUR reflects on the nation's character, attitudes, politics, and the struggle to value its rich Indigenous and multicultural past.
AUSTRALIA IN COLOUR airs Mondays at 9 p.m. beginning December 20 on WSBE Rhode Island PBS.
Episode 1: Outpost of Empire - December 20 at 9 p.m.
Chart the story of Australia’s past from 1897 to 1929 as agriculture transformed the land, and discover how explorer Douglas Mawson, swimmer Annette Kellerman, and the men fighting under Britain in World War I became the nation’s first heroes
Episode 2: Shifting Allegiances - December 27 at 9 p.m.
During the Great Depression, sport and comedy offered Australia some relief from hunger and hopelessness – at least until war broke out. In Shifting Allegiances, unravel the history between Australia and America, and learn why the country turned towards the U.S. for protection after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Episode 3: Populate or Perish - January 3 at 9 p.m.
After World War II, the Australian government adopted the slogan “populate or perish” as immigration changed the nation. Although Australia experienced an influx of labor and diversification of their economy, Populate or Perish covers the racism and discrimination Indigenous people faced in the country.
Episode 4: The Decade of Protest - January 10 at 9 p.m.
In the final episode of AUSTRALIA IN COLOUR, watch as awareness grows about discrimination and the extent of everyday racism against Indigenous people in the country, and see how gender inequality in the workforce and elsewhere becomes an issue in the 1960s.
WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; Comcast 819HD and Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; DirecTV 36, Dish Network 36. Live stream the full schedule within the broadcast viewing area at watch.ripbs.org/livestream.
