VERMONT PUBLIC TELEVISION PROGRAM

HIGHLIGHTS FOR

JAN. 31 TO FEB. 6

Jan. 31: Sunday at 4 p.m., a favorite series of VPT viewers returns. “Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work” is a threeparter that takes an intimate look behind the scenes at Queen Elizabeth’s life. Part one follows the elaborate preparations for a U.S. visit.

At 6 p.m. on “Lark Rise to Candleford,” a handsome stranger catches the eye of several residents.

At 8 p.m., “Nature” explores the thick forests, vast wetlands and deep chasms of the Balkans, a wild and unspoiled landscape where wild animals still reign.

At 9 and 10 p.m., “Masterpiece Classic” airs parts 2 and 3 of the new production of Jane Austen’s “Emma,” concluding the funny, romantic story.

Feb. 1: Monday at 7:30 p.m. on Vermont Public Television’s “Profile,” Fran Stoddard interviews best-selling Canadian author Louise Penny, who began writing mysteries after an impressive journalism career with the CBC. She lives in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. “Profile” programs repeat Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m.

At 9 p.m., “The Donner Party: American Experience” tells the harrowing tale of the ill-fated group who set out for California in 1846, only to meet with disaster in the Sierra Nevada mountains the following winter. The program will repeat on VPT’s World channel Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 2: Tuesday at 8 p.m. on “Nova,” archaeologists probe areas of Machu Picchu that haven’t been touched since the time of the Incas. The program will repeat on VPT’s World channel Feb. 4 at 9 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.

At 9 p.m., the premiere of season three of Vermont Public Television’s “Emerging Science” features the work of two of Vermont’s leading astronomical physicists. John O’Meara of St. Michael’s College uses infrared technology to view galaxy formations 12 billion light years away. Joanna Rankin of the University of Vermont uses radio astronomy to explore one type of celestial body -- the pulsar. The program also features interviews with former astronauts Alan Bean and Gerald Carr at the 2009 Stellafane telescope makers convention in Springfield, Vt.

At 10 p.m., “Frontline: Digital Nation” teams up with Douglas Rushkoff, one of the leading thinkers of the digital age, to explore how the Internet and digital media have transformed work, learning and social interaction. The program will repeat on VPT’s World channel Feb. 3 at 8:30 p.m.

Feb. 3: Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., VPT repeats an episode of “Making Sense New England,” a series that explores how individuals and businesses in the region are coping in the economic downturn. The program profiles a “frugal zealot” in Maine, a job club in Burlington, Vt., and neighbors in a New Hampshire manufactured home community taking action to save their homes.

At 8 p.m., “Timewatch: Young Victoria” tells of Queen Victoria’s uneasy path to the throne in the 1830s. Britain was on the brink of revolution, while intrigue and deception hampered the young princess’ ascent to power.

Feb. 4: Thursday at 7:30 p.m. on “Gourmet’s Adventures With Ruth,” Ruth Reichl and actor Tom Skerrit learn about seafood in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest from expert Jon Rowley. The programs also air Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. on VPT’s main channel and Sundays at 8 p.m. on VPT’s Create channel.

At 8 p.m. on the first “Report From Montpelier” of the year, guests including Vermont legislators visit the VPT studio for a live call-in program in which viewers can ask questions on the issues of the day. Mark Johnson hosts. The program will also be webcast on www.vpt.org.

Feb. 5: Friday at 9 p.m. on “Bill Moyers Journal,” the veteran journalist conducts interviews and news analysis of stories across an array of beats. There are just three months left of the program, as Moyers will retire at the end of April.

At 10 p.m. “Independent Lens” presents “Herskovits at the Heart of Blackness.” The film examines the legacy of Melville Herskovits, a controversial Jewish anthropologist whose writings in the 1940s and 50s challenged widely held assumptions about race and culture.

Feb. 6: Saturday at 7 p.m. on “As Time Goes By,” wedding day nerves appear to get the best of Lionel, while Jean does her best to stay composed.

At 10 p.m. on “Austin City Limits,” singer, composer and bass prodigy Esperanza Spalding offers a mix of jazz, soul and Brazilian pop. Torch singer Madeleine Peyroux performs songs from her release “Bare Bones.”

At 11 p.m. on “Soundstage,” Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller present a versatile set. At midnight on “Sierra Center Stage,” the Ford Brothers perform.