FEATURED PROGRAMS on Blue Ridge PBS

Be sure to check our schedule for additional air times!

AI: Unpacking the Black Box

Wednesdays, June 11-25 @ 7:30pm
A groundbreaking series that explores the future of humanity in the age of emerging Artificial Intelligence. Hosted by technical futurist John McElligott, this show features interviews with experts from around the globe, discussing how AI will impact everything from jobs and education to faith and the pursuit of AI-driven immortality. Each episode utilizes AI to create visuals that illustrate the themes, progressively showcasing the advancements of Artificial Intelligence throughout the series.

American Masters – NEW EPISODES!

Fridays @ 9pm
Explore the lives and creative journeys of America’s most enduring artistic and cultural giants.

June 20 – Janis Ian: Breaking Silence
Discover the life of singer-songwriter Janis Ian and how she rose as a folk icon and gay rights advocate. She broke ground with “Society’s Child” (1966), a bold take on interracial love, and “At Seventeen” (1975), a searing anthem about bullying.

June 27 – Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny
Hannah Arendt's story, like so many, is the story of America, and the promise of American democracy. Forced to give up her successful academic career in Germany and flee Nazi Europe, Arendt made a home in New York City, after emigrating through Ellis Island in the spring of 1941. She worked as a housekeeper, an editor, a columnist, and an adjunct professor, all while writing her first major work, The Origins of Totalitarianism. Today, her story and voice continue to shine a light on how to act as a private individual and public citizen in dark times. This film reveals the complex, controversial, flawed, and irrefutably courageous woman whose intelligence and fearless truth-telling led her to breathtaking insights into the human condition, and introduces Hannah Arendt's life and work to a diverse and contemporary audience.

Atlantic Crossing on Masterpiece

Sundays @ 10pm
A princess steals the heart of the president of the United States in an epic drama based on the World War II relationship of Franklin Roosevelt and Norwegian Crown Princess Martha. Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex and the City) stars as Roosevelt, opposite Swedish star Sofia Helin (The Bridge) as the beautiful Martha, who flees the Nazis with her three young children and lives under Roosevelt’s protection. The eight-part series co-stars Tobias Santelmann as Crown Prince Olav and Harriet Sansom Harris as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

June 15 – A year after visiting the U.S., the Norwegian prince and crown princess must flee a Nazi invasion.

June 22 – Martha and her children take refuge in Sweden, but a Nazi threat still looms.

June 29 – President Roosevelt extends a special invitation to Martha and her children.

Caregiving

Tuesday, June 24 @ 9pm
Caregiving will explore caregiving across themes such as seniors, veterans, cancer, youth, mental health and more. It will demonstrate the resourcefulness of the human spirit, as well as creative solutions and successful programs, both large and small, that exist throughout the United States.

Grantchester, Season 10, on Masterpiece - NEW SEASON!

Sundays @ 9pm
Alphy has found a home in Grantchester and a best friend in Geordie, but love eludes him until a new case sparks an unexpected romance. Meanwhile, Geordie wrestles with expectations for his son, and Cathy takes steps to advance her career.

June 15 – Episode 1
Easter celebrations in Grantchester take a somber turn with a suspicious death.

June 22 – Episode 2
A death at the university plunges Geordie and Alphy into a world of academic adversaries, while Alphy faces a complication in his romantic life.

June 29 – Episode 3
Alphy’s romantic dinner is interrupted by an unannounced visit from a familiar face.

The Life of a Musician

Saturdays @ 9pm
One-on-one conversations and performances with some of the best musicians in the country.

June 7 – Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Brandon Lee Adams sits down with bluegrass stars Darin & Brooke Aldridge for a heartfelt episode filled with stunning harmonies, soulful stories, and original songs.

June 14 – Billy Litz
At the Church of the Perpetual Boogie, host Brandon Lee Adams shares an honest, soulful session with Billy Litz—singer, songwriter, trumpet player, and frontman of Hustle Souls. T

June 21 – Brianna Harris
With stunning guitar work and soul-stirring originals like “Clyde” and “Sarah,” Brianna blends Appalachian roots with poetic storytelling. Host Brandon Lee Adams joins her for an intimate session that feels both timeless and deeply personal.

June 28 – Matt Crowder
Filmed at The Woods on Cabell Street in Danville, VA, this episode features singer-songwriter Matt Crowder. With honesty and humor, Matt shares songs full of grit, soul, and hard-earned truth—like the poignant “Old Truck That Runs” and the rousing “Don’t Call Me Outlaw.”

OUTBACK

Thursdays, June 12-26 @ 9pm
Journey with the people and animals of Australia’s Kimberley region in North West Australia: a vast, rugged and remote wilderness, bursting with character.

Patience - NEW SERIES!

Sundays @ 8pm
Witness Patience’s powerful deduction skills as she helps the York Police solve crimes. Patience’s autism and extraordinary ability to make connections that others overlook impress Detective Metcalf, who believes she could be an asset to her team.

June 15 – Paper Mountain Girl, Part 1
Detective Bea Metcalf is intrigued when Patience connects a suicide to other cases.

June 22 – Paper Mountain Girl, Part 2
Bea learns more about Patience’s difficult past and together they uncover a trail.

June 29 – The Missing Link
A body in a museum exhibit leads the team into the shadowy world of fossil smuggling.

COMING IN JULY!

A Capitol Fourth 2025

Friday, July 4 @ 8pm, Encore broadcast @ 9:30pm
A Capitol Fourth celebrates our nation’s 249th birthday with a live broadcast from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol - honoring our freedoms and independence, and those who defend them. The all-star event features patriotic and musical performances across genres, including pop, country, R&B, classical, and Broadway, with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of premier pops conductor Jack Everly. The 45th anniversary A Capitol Fourth, the National Independence Day Celebration, will be capped off by the greatest display of fireworks for America’s biggest birthday party.

Atlantic Crossing on Masterpiece

July 6 – Fires Spread
Martha is pressured to exploit her friendship with the president.

July 13 – Empty Promises
Martha uses dinner-table tactics to help Norway. The president gets on dangerous ground with her.

July 20 – The Giant Awakes
As America enters the war, people grow suspicious of Martha’s ties to the president.

July 27 – The Gift
A Nazi agent slips through the cracks. Martha travels to England and gets a shock.

American Experience - Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History

Tuesday, June 29 @ 9pm
Discover the fascinating and unexpected history behind America's Discover the fascinating and unexpected history behind America's favorite board game. Part detective story and part pop culture favorite board game. Part detective story and part pop culture commentary, the film explores what makes this game - a celebration of commentary, the film explores what makes this game - a celebration of unbridled capitalism - such an enduring favorite. unbridled capitalism - such an enduring favorite.

America the Bountiful

Thursdays @ 7pm
A journey into America's heartland to learn about its culture and find inspiration in the evocative chronicles of farmers, artisans, restaurateurs, and home cooks through the fare they grow, produce, and eat.

July 3 – Crawfish in Louisiana
Explore regional traditions surrounding crawfish in Louisiana, visit the longest running crawfish festival in the state, and more

July 10 – Mushrooms in Pennsylvania
Discover why the area surrounding Kennett Square, PA is considered the “Mushroom Capital of the World.”

July 17 – Walleye in Ohio
Find out about regional traditions surrounding walleye and perch in Ohio.

July 24 – Wheat in Kansas
Learn how wheat was harvested 150 years ago and how it's harvested today.

July 31 – Honey in North Dakota
Visit one of the largest apiaries in the state and a small honey producer who also makes beeswax products.

Iconic America: Our Symbols & Stories

Tuesday, July 1 @ 9pm
On this episode, learn about the Statue of Liberty and the evolving meaning of this symbol for a "nation of immigrants," and how it embodies our values and our conflicts, from abolition and women's suffrage to the treatment of refugees

Grantchester, Season 10, on Masterpiece

July 6 – Episode 4
Alphy and Geordie investigate witchcraft at an orphanage, but when a body is found everything changes.

July 13 – Episode 5
Leonard’s drinking lands him in jail overnight, but things escalate from there.

July 20 – Episode 6
Alphy and Geordie investigate the murder of a rock band member.

July 27 – Episode 7
Geordie secretly intervene in Alphy’s personal life.

Great American Recipe – NEW SEASON!

Fridays @ 9pm
The competition returns to Nashville with eight talented home cooks showcasing their signature recipes each week. After eight weeks of cherished recipes and heartfelt stories, one home cook will be crowned the winner of The Great American Recipe!

July 11 – First Impressions
Eight of the nation's top home cooks gather in the barn to share their most treasured recipes, introducing themselves to the judges with a dish that reflects their perfect meal, followed by a regional dish that represents the place they call home.

July 18 – Passing the Dish
The eight home cooks are back for week two. In the first round, they'll prepare a dish that shows support for someone in need. In the second round, it's holiday time, and the cooks will create their favorite holiday recipes for the judges.

July 25 – The Bakes are High
Things heat up in week three! First, the home cooks showcase freshly made bread, followed by a dozen of their tastiest fruity treats for the annual Great American Recipe bake sale. Who will rise to the challenge?

Human Footprint – NEW SEASON!

Wednesdays @ 9pm
Biologist Shane Campbell-Staton travels the globe to explore how humans have transformed the planet.

July 2 – The Enemy of My Enemy
We enlist allies from nature to fight in our battles. But is the enemy of an enemy always a friend?

July 9 – Dressed to Kill
From runway to throwaway, Shane suits up to discover the global impact of our fashion addiction.

July 16 – The Honey Trap
Shane investigates the future of bees, from honey bees to wild native species, in a changing world.

July 23 – Damned If You Do
A journey down the Colorado River reveals the ripple effects of humanity’s quest to conquer water.

July 30 – Vanishing Act
Tracing the arc of extinction from prehistory to the present, from fossils entombed in tar to cells frozen in hope.

Joy of Painting with Nicholas Hankins – NEW SEASON!

Tuesdays @ 7pm
Nicholas Hankins is back for a second season of Bob Ross-inspired painting instruction. With each episode, Nicholas employs the late, great Bob Ross' "Wet-on-Wet Technique" in his paintings and shows viewers how to create their own works of art.

July 22 – Crisp Day in the Valley
Join host Nicholas Hankins as he demonstrates the Joy of Painting with a classic Ross style mountain landscape.

July 29 – Nolichucky Summertime
Nicholas Hankins invites you to join him by the riverbank on a summer afternoon with his brushes and paint in this inviting landscape.

The Life of a Musician

Saturdays @ 9pm
One-on-one conversations and performances with some of the best musicians in the country.

July 5 – Jesse Smathers
Jesse Smathers, of Lonesome River Band fame, brings Appalachian soul and string-band grit to this heartfelt session.

July 12 – Vince Gill, part 1
Vince Gill reflects on bluegrass roots, songwriting, and a lifetime of music.

July 19 – Vince Gill, part 2
Vince Gill gets personal with stories, songs, and surprises from a legendary career.

July 26 – James Nash
James Nash jams raw and real with Brandon Lee Adams at MerleFest.

Lucy Worsley Investigates: Jack the Ripper

Sunday, June 27 @ 8pm
Many think of true crime as a modern obsession, but Lucy investigates the phenomenon through the world’s most infamous serial killer, Jack the Ripper. She uncovers a story that goes beyond a single murderer and his five victims — Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane — to a burgeoning newspaper industry desperate for readers and a Victorian society unequipped to support the most vulnerable.

Patience

July 6 – The Locked Room
A bestselling crime writer is found dead behind locked doors and all is not as it seems.

July 13 – My Brother’s Keeper
A body disappears from the morgue. Patience has a connection to the case.

July 20 – Pandora’s Box
A man dies on a bus and Bea is warned off the case, but she refuses to stop investigating.

Renaissance: The Blood & The Beauty – NEW SERIES!

Tuesdays @ 9pm
In an era torn by war, rivalry, and bloodshed, the greatest masterpieces of our history were born. Witness the lives of these iconic artists—Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael—as they craft beauty from chaos in this three-part series.

July 8 – Rise
Experience Michelangelo and Leonardo clash and compete in the fierce world of Renaissance Italy.

July 15 – Rivalry
The arrival of Raphael ignites a new fire in Michelangelo and Leonardo’s intense rivalry.

July 22 – Redemption
Michelangelo battles Raphael for Papal favor as violent religious schisms engulf Europe.

Walking with Dinosaurs

Wednesdays @ 8pm
Step into the world of iconic dinosaurs and experience them walking the Earth once more.

July 2 – The River Dragon
A Spinosaurus struggles to keep his family alive in the deadliest place in Earth’s history.

July 9 – Band of Brothers
Follow a gang of armored dinosaurs battle to reach adulthood, pursued by ferocious raptors

July 16 – The Pack
A young Albertosaurus, a relative of T. rex, earns her place in a fierce hunting pack.

July 23 – The Journey North
Travel back in time to the dangerous journey of the Pachyrhinosaurus, where their survival is at stake.

July 30 – Island of Giants
Discover the story of Lusotitan, one of the largest dinosaurs ever, as it embarks on a quest for love.