River
Rivers are the wondrous sculptors of the elaborate landscapes found on planet earth. They wear away mighty mountains, scour rock faces, carve deep valleys, create fertile plains, and then decorate them with their meanderings.
‘For eons, running water obeyed only its own laws. To be truly alive, a river must be wild: wilful and unhindered. Yearning for the ocean, its only purpose is to descend.'
In many places, rivers are seen as a source of great hope and something to be worshipped. In others they are where people are healed and blessed, where sins are washed away and the dead purified.
Rivers are the arteries of the planet. Wherever they travel life, forms can emerge, survive and flourish, including human life. The will of rivers determined our early destiny. They were the transport routes that enabled and nourished the spread of human beings, and that created the boundaries between regions and countries. Just as rivers shaped the landscape, they have also shaped human existence.
‘Today, the world's greatest cities all have a river at their heart.'
Rivers are fundamental to human existence but are indifferent to human plans and dreams. In flood, they can wreak havoc, and in drought, they can disappear. And so, extraordinary means have been devised to control them and harness their force.
‘Today, there is scarcely a river unspanned, undammed or undiverted.'
The cost is high in some cases. The greatest dams provide power and prosperity, slake the thirst of millions and allow deserts to bloom all year, but when trapped and static, the water stagnates, and its sediment falls to the dam floor where it is inaccessible to those who depend on the fertility it would otherwise have delivered.
‘For all their might though, rivers are fragile: easily harmed and not so easily mended. Time and again, upstream need and upstream greed have led to downstream disaster.'
The use of poisons and plastics, and the sheer size of the human population, means that many rivers are living precariously or even fighting for survival. With humanity sharing its fate with rivers, the wash-up will determine the destinies of future generations.
‘We must ask ourselves: Are we being good ancestors?'
All is not lost – yet. Rivers are irrepressible, and given the chance, possess miraculous powers of recovery. Also, the cycle of renewal continues. Upon vanishing into oceans, the heat from the sun draws rivers up into the atmosphere, ready to fall back to earth reincarnated.
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
Crime Nation
Redefining the true crime genre, each thrilling two-hour episode delves deep into a riveting true crime sensation that has captured the attention of the nation. Each episode reveals new details about these stories through expert analysis, exclusive reporting and never-before-seen interviews. Also dives into the world of social media by talking to crime enthusiasts, social media sleuths, podcasters and digital detectives who in some instances have used their network to help solve cases.
Tracker
Tracker features lone-wolf survivalist Colter Shaw, who roams the country as a "reward seeker," using his expert tracking skills to help private citizens and law enforcement to solve all manner of mysteries while contending with his own fractured family.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and comedy to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the #1 show in late-night. Featuring bandleader Jon Batiste with his band Stay Human, the Emmy Award-nominated show broadcasts from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. He talks with an eclectic mix of guests about what is new and relevant in the worlds of politics, entertainment, business, music, technology, and more. Stephen Colbert took over as host, executive producer, and writer of The Late Show on Sept. 8, 2015.
Colbert is best known for his work as a television host, writer, actor, and producer, and lest known for his charity work teaching English as a second language on Tunisian date farms. Before joining the CBS family -- and being officially adopted by network president Les Moonves -- Colbert helmed The Colbert Report, which aired nearly 1,500 episodes and required Stephen to wear nearly 1,500 different neckties. The program received two Peabody Awards, two Grammy Awards, and several unwelcome shoulder massages. It won two Emmys for Outstanding Variety Series in 2013 and 2014, both of which appear to have been lost in the move. Colbert is pronounced koʊlˈbɛər, according to Wikipedia. His understudy is William Cavanaugh, who will be hosting The Late Show approximately one-third of the time. Good luck, Bill!
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Emmy Award and Grammy Award winner Jimmy Fallon brought NBC's "The Tonight Show" back to its New York origins when he launched The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon from Rockefeller Center. Fallon puts his own stamp on the storied NBC late-night franchise with his unique comedic wit, on-point pop culture awareness, welcoming style and impeccable taste in music with the award-winning house band, The Roots.