Season 1 was sent in the TV Highlights newsletter today instead of Season 2! I apologize for the mistake!
Stream both Seasons now with KPBS Passport!
AMERICA OUTDOORS WITH BARATUNDE THURSTON, a six-part travel and adventure series, is hosted by New York Times bestselling author ("How to Be Black"), podcaster ("How to Citizen with Baratunde"), and outdoor enthusiast Baratunde Thurston. The series follows him on an adventure-filled journey to explore the diverse array of regions across the U.S. and how those landscapes shape the way Americans work, play and interact with the outdoors.
From wilderness pilots flying “below the rim” in Idaho, to coal miners turned beekeepers in Appalachia, to Black surfers catching waves in Los Angeles, Baratunde introduces viewers to a vivid cast of characters whose outdoor lives are shaped by where they live.
As a warming climate changes where outdoor enthusiasts can go and Americans debate how wild spaces can be made more accessible to all, the series reveals a deeper understanding of our passionate and complicated relationship with the natural world.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1: “Death Valley: Life Blooms” - Baratunde explores the hottest place on Earth and finds it is remarkably full of life. Meet an ultra-marathoner who runs in the brutal heat of summer, the mayor of a town of one, and an elder of the Timbisha Shoshone tribe.
Episode 2: “Idaho: Tied to the Land” - Baratunde ventures into the wilds of Idaho to explore its evolving outdoor culture. He finds ranchers and backcountry pilots sharing the wilderness with newly resettled refugees and sees how climate change is impacting an age-old salmon fishery.
Episode 3: “LA: Its A Vibe” - Baratunde explores his adopted hometown of Los Angeles to learn how Angelinos connect with the outdoors in their sprawling city. Meet kayakers saving a polluted river and Black surfers claiming their place on the waves.
Episode 4: “Appalachia: A Different Way” - Baratunde meets the people of Appalachia who are driving a revolution in how we see and interact with nature. Meet a record-breaking hiker, former coal miners raising bees, and activists working to make the outdoors accessible to everyone.
Episode 5: “Tidewater: Homecoming” - Baratunde treks along the coast of North Carolina and discovers surprising ways in which history has shaped these environments. He explores a daunting swamp, soars above the dunes on a Wright Brothers glider and tracks wild horses on the beach.
Episode 6: “Minnesota: A Better World” - Baratunde ventures to Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region, one of the last places where you can hike or paddle into the remote wilderness. He meets with passionate birders and harvesters of wild rice and hears from them why wilderness means so much.
Filmmaker Quote:
“This show was so much more than I expected,” Baratunde Thurston said. “I got a chance to reconnect with the beautifully diverse people of this country on the common ground we all share. From Indigenous nations who were here before we became a nation, to multi-generation ranchers and watermen, to newly arrived refugees, this isn’t just a show about the outdoors. It’s a show about America. Oh, and the cinematography is just epic. Best selfies of my life for sure.”
Watch On Your Schedule: AMERICA OUTDOORS WITH BARATUNDE THURSTON is available to stream with KPBS Passport!
Credits: Produced by Twin Cities PBS in partnership with Part2 Pictures for PBS. Michael Rosenfeld is executive producer for Twin Cities PBS. David Shadrack Smith and Melissa Wood are executive producers for Part2 Pictures. Bill Gardner is executive in charge for PBS. Series producer is Matt Hill and Melissa Wood is showrunner.
