Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People, 10pm, UNC-TV
The new PBS documentary, Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People, is a fascinating look at the region from a mostly natural standpoint. It does spend ample time on the people of Appalchia, but the big star here is the mountain region itself.
Told in four hour-long segments and narrated by Sissy Spacek, tonight's first installment starts appropriately at the beginning. The very beginning: the actual forming of the mountains a half-billion years ago.
The series features interviews with scientists, authors, and historians, including Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist E.O. Wilson and novelist Barbara Kingsolver.
Part one airs tonight and subsequent installments air for the next three Thursday nights at 10pm. It can be seen locally on UNC-TV (channel 4).
Brooke Cain isn't always proud of the number of hours she logs in front of the TV, but her loss of brain cells can be your gain. From reality shows to sitcoms to the more serious stuff, Brooke keeps her DVR smoking so that she can help keep you in the know. Brooke also tweets for Happiness is a Warm TV (you can follow 
