Yanira D. Kivi 
A Texas beekeeper is about to generate a national buzz.
Charlie Bee Companya reality TV show starring New Braunfels beekeeper and bee-killing specialist Charlie Agar, is set to air nationwide on PBS stations.
The eight one-hour episodes of Charlie Bee Company follow Agar as he goes about his business along the Austin-San Antonio corridor.
“People are just beginning to understand how important bees are to the ecosystem, and I’m thrilled to share my love for all things bees and beekeeping,” Agar said in a press release. “We had an absolute pleasure doing this show.”
Austin-based Iniosante Studios developed the series. The genesis of the show was a meeting in 2017 between Agar and wildlife documentary filmmaker Ashley Scott Davison, executive producer at Iniosante.
“The first time we followed Charlie on one of his bee kidnappings, I got stung over 20 times,” Davison recalled. “I was literally pulling darts out of my leg. I knew we had a show that people would be glued to.
Davison and his crew followed Agar for over a year. Along with Hagar’s exploits, the show includes interviews with university researchers, behind-the-scenes looks at commercial beekeeping operations, and the rescue of a hive of bees during a hurricane on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
“What we love about the show is that it’s educational and has a message about protecting pollinators, but it’s also downright fun and entertaining,” says David Lauderman, director of the programming at KLRU.
To watch a preview of the series, visit the Vimeo website.
