Independent Lens: Park Avenue—Money, Power & the American Dream
America’s current economic situation is like a Monopoly game that’s been rigged from the outset, argues this provocative film. Contrasting two different stretches of New York’s Park Avenue—one in the posh apex of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the other a short drive away in the impoverished South Bronx—the writer/director of the Oscar-nominated Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room questions whether corporate control of Washington has made the American Dream unattainable for the great majority of the nation’s population. Monday, Nov. 12, at 10 p.m., PBS; check local listings
Wild Hawaii
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Latest Videos FromThe Week
Monk seals, albatross, and shore-dwelling blacktip reef sharks are among the exotic creatures that call the Hawaiian Islands home. This celebration of Hawaii’s diverse wildlife also features stunning scenes of short-finned pilot whales that hunt 2,000 feet below the water’s surface and of red-tailed tropic birds that nest in large groups. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 9 p.m., Animal Planet
Baggage Battles
Three teams of experts bid on unclaimed luggage and cargo in this reality competition series. As Season 2 begins, they head to Brooklyn for a U.S. Customs auction, then to Boston to vie for historical artifacts—some of which may not be genuine. Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Travel Channel
Crossfire Hurricane
A trove of thrilling performance footage, much of it previously unseen, distinguishes this otherwise superficial account of the Rolling Stones’ 50-year career. The film is strongest in its portrayal of the band’s formative years, and features interviews with all four current Stones, including Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Thursday, Nov. 15, at 9 p.m., HBO
The Dust Bowl
Survivors offer compelling accounts of the dust storms that ravaged the 1930s Great Plains in this two-night documentary from director Ken Burns (The Civil War). Burns also uses dramatic newsreel footage to help show how unwise land policies and farming practices unleashed the nation’s greatest man-made disaster, and how federal aid helped families persevere. Sunday–Monday, Nov. 18–19, at 8 p.m., PBS; check local listings
Other highlights
Iconoclasts
Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and hip-hop trailblazer Chuck D of Public Enemy meet on the basketball court and in a record store to trade views on African-American history. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m., Sundance Channel
Doomsday Preppers
A new season begins for the docuseries that follows survivalists as they ready themselves for various apocalyptic scenarios. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 9 p.m., National Geographic Channel
Dangerous Grounds
In this new series, coffee merchant and adventurer Todd Carmichael travels to exotic locations seeking rare strains of coffee beans. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 9 p.m., Travel Channel
