FEATURED PROGRAMS on Blue Ridge PBS
Be sure to check our schedule for additional air times!
The American Revolution
Tuesdays & Wednesdays, April 20 – May 5 @ 9pm
This is a six-part, 12-hour documentary directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt examines how America’s founding turned the world upside-down. Thirteen British colonies on the Atlantic Coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired centuries of democratic movements around the globe. An expansive look at the virtues and contradictions of the war and the birth of the United States of America, the film follows dozens of figures from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Antiques Roadshow
Mondays @ 8pm
Part adventure, part history lesson, part treasure hunt.
April 6 – Castle Farms, Hour 2
See Michigan marvels unveiled during ROADSHOW’s stop at Castle Farms in Charlevoix, including a WWII-painted A-2 flight jacket, a John Bailey dwarf clock, ca. 1800, and a 1973 Charles Schulz-signed drawing & book. Which find is worth $75K?
April 13 – Castle Farms, Hour 3
ROADSHOW found treasures in a castle during a stop in Charlevoix, MI, including Tiffany Studios lily sconces, ca. 1905, a 1904 Philadelphia quilt and a Chinese & Japanese decorative art collection. One family heirloom is a whopping $75K!
April 20 – 250 Years of Americana
ROADSHOW discoveries reflecting 250 years of American art, artifacts, crafts and collectibles including a flag quilt, ca. 1880, a Tiffany Studios turtle back glass shade, ca. 1915 and an 1884 Edison light bulb. One reaches $300K.
April 27 – Grants Farm, Hour 1
Meet us in St. Louis as ROADSHOW discovers treasures including an Andrew Clemens sand bottle, ca. 1885, a 1933 Goudey baseball card set 239/240 and a Joan Miró pencil on paper, ca. 1965. One memorable find is valued at $110K–$130K.
Call the Midwife
Sundays @ 8pm
It's 1971, and a new era dawns with the Women’s Liberation movement in the UK. As the year unfolds, the team faces serious cases, including a premature birth, slavery, carbon monoxide poisoning, male breast cancer, child abuse, and lupus.
April 5 – Episode 3
Rosalind faces a troubling domestic issue as Joyce befriends a single mother with placenta previa.
April 12 – Episode 4
Sister Catherine is distressed when a newborn baby is taken from the maternity home.
April 19 – Episode 5
When tragedy strikes a Poplar family, Dr. Turner's treatment comes under scrutiny.
April 26 – Episode 6
Dr. Turner receives shocking news that will affect the future of the maternity house.
The Count of Monte Cristo on Masterpiece
Sundays @ 10pm
On the eve of his wedding, Edmond Dantès is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned. After escaping and discovering a hidden treasure, he reinvents himself as the Count of Monte Cristo in this captivating tale of revenge, betrayal, and redemption.
April 5 – The Treasure
After escaping prison, Edmond faces devastating news and turns toward revenge.
April 12 – The Red Room
Five years later, Edmond returns as the Count to confront his betrayers, unsettling Mercedes.
April 19 – The Ball
As Edmond uncovers more dark secrets, Mercedes grows suspicious of his true identity.
April 26 – Providence
In Paris high society, Edmond manipulates his enemies while hiding his identity from Mercedes.
Finding Your Roots - NEW EPISODES!
Tuesdays @ 8pm
The acclaimed series explores the mysteries, surprises and revelations hidden in the family trees of popular figures.
April 7 – Song of the South
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family secrets of actor Danielle Deadwyler and musician Rhiannon Giddens—two artists who are both deeply tied to their Southern heritage. Using genealogical detective work, Gates uncovers stories that his guests’ ancestors went to great lengths to conceal—meeting heroes and villains--and celebrating the virtue of accepting one’s relatives whoever they may be.
April 14 – Rags to Riches
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of actor Kate Burton and media mogul Barry Diller, meeting ancestors who made huge sacrifices to escape poverty.
The Forsytes on Masterpiece
Sundays @ 9pm
Desire, ambition, and betrayal simmer at the heart of The Forsytes, a wealthy family whose generations are torn between tradition and duty against happiness and the pursuit of love in this epic Victorian-era drama.
April 5 – Episode 3
Jo faces James’s sabotage as Soames promises a Parisian future to Irene.
April 12 – Episode 4
Jo recommits to family as Soames and Irene’s Parisian adventure ends abruptly.
April 19 – Episode 5
Disaster strikes at Forsyte & Co as Soames ends Irene’s Paris dreams. Can Jo save the day?
April 26 – SEASON FINALE!
Soames commissions a country house as Jo decides his future. Meanwhile, Ann reveals a dark secret.
Great Performances: Now Hear This – NEW SEASON!
Fridays @ 9pm
Join Scott Yoo, renowned violinist and conductor of the Mexico City Philharmonic, on a voyage of music discovery. Season seven explores new stories of gifted young artists, virtuosos, unique collaborations, and Yoo's experiences as a composer.
April 10 – Brahms: Free But Not Alone
Journey through Germany with to discover the composer's private world.
April 17 – Everyone Loves Joplin
Discover the king of ragtime, Scott Joplin, with Scott Yoo as he uncovers his lasting impact.
April 24 – The Call of Istanbul
Explore the layered sounds of Istanbul where empires met from classical music to modern jazz.
Life Unearthed with Ariel Waldman
Thursdays @ 7pm
This visually striking science-driven docu-series reveals Earth’s ecosystems through radical shifts in scale—from microscopic wildlife to the planet’s most iconic animals—and even the possibilities of life beyond Earth. Hosted by explorer Ariel Waldman, the series invites viewers to look closely and think expansively. With episodes spanning environments near and far, from the sweeping American Prairies to the alien terrains of Antarctica, the series illuminates how every ecosystem is part of something bigger.
- April 2 – Antarctica: Life at the Edge
- April 9 – Antarctica: Life Under the Ice
- April 16 – Antarctica: Life on the Rocks
- April 23 – Prairies: Life on the Plains
- April 30 – Prairies: Life in Water
Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution
Tuesdays, April 7 & 14 @ 9pm
In this two-part series, Lucy Worsley investigates one of history’s most explosive break-ups: the 18th century split between Britain and its 13 North American colonies. With access to expert insights and original evidence, Lucy explores the motivations behind the Americans’ will for independence; uncovers how the American Revolution affected Britain with sabotage, espionage, and political unrest reshaping the empire and asks whether this explosive break-up could have been avoided?
Martha Graham Dance Company: We Are Our Time
Friday, April 3 @ 9pm
As the Graham Company nears its landmark 100th anniversary, WE ARE OUR TIME offers a rare behind-the-scenes portrait of the company, exploring Graham’s legacy through the dancers who embody her work today.
In part two, Athletes of God, traveling across Europe, the dancers reflect on both the exhilaration and the physical and emotional toll of life on the road.
NOVA – NEW EPISODES!
Wednesdays @ 9pm
Explore the science behind the headlines in PBS's premiere science series.
April 15 – Athens: Birth of Democracy
Archaeologists investigate the dramatic origins of democracy in ancient Greece 2,500 years ago.
April 22 – Rain Bombs
An invisible, unpredictable atmospheric force is wreaking havoc across the globe, sinking superyachts and bringing down planes. Follow scientists as they race to understand these catastrophic weather events, exploring how they form, what causes their devastating impacts, and how we might someday learn to predict them.
April 29 – Return to the Moon
A half-century after American astronauts walked on the Moon, NASA and its international partners are taking the dream of Apollo a giant step further. In the coming years, the Artemis missions – named after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology – aim to bring astronauts back to the Moon and establish a lunar space station for scientific and commercial exploration. Follow the four members of the Artemis II crew as they embark on a perilous 10-day journey to orbit the Moon, venturing beyond Earth orbit for the first time since Apollo and farther into the Solar System than any humans have gone before.
NOVA: Your Brain
Wednesdays @ 9pm
How does your brain create your reality? Are you in control, or is your brain controlling you? Discover the surprising answers based on the latest research in this eye-opening journey into the human brain with neuroscientist Heather Berlin. Your brain – for centuries a black box – is slowly giving up its secrets to modern neuroscience, shedding light on big questions that go to the very heart of who you are.
April 1 – Your Brain: Perception Deception
Neuroscientists discover the tricks and shortcuts the brain takes to help us survive.
April 8 – Who’s in Control?
Dive into the subconscious to see what’s really driving the decisions you make.
Our New World
Wednesdays @ 10pm
What world will we live in tomorrow as climate change reshapes the Earth? Our planet has many surprises in store. This film reveals Nature's astonishing adaptation abilities and how we humans can become a supporting force.
April 1 – The Pulse of Change
Four people across continents face environmental change and seek coexistence with wildlife.
April 8 – A Wild Renaissance
Five ecosystems transformed by climate change give birth to new, sometimes even richer worlds.
Shared Planet
Wednesday, April 29 @ 10pm
With stunning cinematography, this unique global series reveals the untold stories of people and wildlife thriving together. Celebrating the benefits of making room for nature, this series offers a vision of a hopeful future.
Wilding
Wednesday, April 22 @ 10pm
Follow the story of a young couple that bets on nature for the future of their four-hundred-year-old estate. The young couple battles entrenched tradition and dares to place the fate of their farm in the hands of nature.