Explore

In this episode of "Explore," Charlie and his team are on a fact-finding mission to learn about the obstacles and opportunities faced by those with disabilities. Meet the former mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, who survived a near fatal ski accident at the age of 19 leaving him almost completely paralyzed from the shoulders down. Overcoming his physical impairments, Sullivan has dedicated his life to working with the disabled and people struggling with addiction.

Travel down the Colorado River to experience the Grand Canyon's wild splendor, and explore the connections between man and nature. With beautiful photography and deep conversations among Native American leaders, the film is a portal into the soul of the world’s largest living cathedral. "Explore" host Charlie Annenberg Weingarten was joined by Oglala Lakota activist Russell Means, Ojibwe environmentalist Winona LaDuke, Lilian Hill of the Hopi tribe, and others in rafts and canoes. Native Hawaiian Archie Kalepa navigated down most of the river gorge on a standup surfboard.

"Explore" takes you to the Northern reaches of the planet, through live high definition webcams and expeditions deep into the Arctic. On the shores of Hudson Bay, polar bears wait for the ice to harden so they can move out miles from shore to hunt for the seals that feed them over the winter.  Beluga whales gather in large pods, while the Aurora Borealis swirls overhead. Without narration or music, Explore’s “Pearls of the Planet” presents the natural sights and sounds of the Arctic in a way never before presented on broadcast television.

The American Southwest is a complex region where cultures transcend political borders. Join Charlie and the Explore team as they meet people pursuing a life in the United States while struggling to maintain their cultural heritage and longstanding traditions.