FEATURED PROGRAMS on Blue Ridge PBS
Be sure to check our schedule for additional air times!
American Experience
Tuesdays @ 9pm
Discover the incredible characters and epic stories that have shaped America’s past and present.
October 13 – Jesse James
The story of Jesse James remains one of America's most cherished tales ... and one of its most fictitious. James, so the legend goes, was a western outlaw, though, he never went west; America's Robin Hood, though he robbed from the poor as well as the rich; a gunfighter, though his victims were almost always unarmed. Less heroic than brutal, James was a member of a vicious band of Missouri guerrillas during the Civil War. With a life steeped in violence and bloodshed, he met what was perhaps the most fitting end.
October 20 – Annie Oakley
Meet the Ohio sharpshooter who won fame and fortune in a man’s world for never missing a shot. Born into poverty, the self-taught Oakley picked up a gun at age 15 not to become a superstar, but to save her family from destitution.
American Masters - American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez
Tuesday, October 6 @ 9pm
Follow the legacy of filmmaker and playwright Luis Valdez. A founding figure of the Chicano Movement, Valdez is best known for his play Zoot Suit, the Ritchie Valens biopic La Bamba and the theatre company El Teatro Campesino.
Antiques Roadshow
Mondays @ 8pm
Part adventure, part history lesson, part treasure hunt, Emmy® Award-nominated ANTIQUES ROADSHOW began its 30th broadcast season in 2026 and is the most watched ongoing primetime PBS series.
October 5 – Vintage First Finds, Hour 3
Go back to the beginning for updates on ROADSHOW finds from Season 1, including a pocket watch with fob chain, ca. 1885, a 1942 Donald Duck animation cel, and a New England miniature chest, ca. 1825. Which treasure increases to $55K-$60K?
October 12 – Vintage First Finds, Hour 4
See fabulous finds from ROADSHOW’s first season updated with today’s values including an Albrecht Dürer engraving, an 1870 J. L. Stone limestone temperance jug, and an 11/22/63 news ticker tape. One treasure increases in value to $60K-$90K!
October 19 – Vintage First Finds, Hour 5
Discover today’s values for ROADSHOW’s first finds including a 1933 Duck Soup movie poster, an 1867 Carl Haag watercolor, and an Edward Gilpin watch, ca. 1670. One item purchased at a house sale has a whopping value increase to $50K-$75K!
October 26 – Vintage First Finds, Hour 6
Take a trip back to the 90s for ROADSHOW first season of finds including a Duncan Phyfe sewing table, ca. 1805, a 1924 Jane Peterson painting, and Tiffany vases, ca. 1895! Do the values of yesterday's treasures hold up in today's market?
Austin City Limits: Olivia Rodrigo
Friday, October 9 @ 9pm
Three-time Grammy Award winner Olivia Rodrigo returns to the ACL stage with her fearless songwriting and arena-sized performance. The multi-platinum superstar performs highlights from her chart-topping album, You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love.
Belonging
Thursday, October 8 @ 8pm
Building on a simple rule of "You Can't Say You Can't Play,” Oklahoma teacher Miss Varnell and her students work together to shape their kindergarten classroom into a place where each child feels connected and valued. We meet 5-year-old Justin who is suspended and finds himself at a new school under the watchful eye of Miss Varnell. The experience of kindness and acceptance is transformative.
Big Cats 24/7
Wednesday, October 7 @ 8pm
As lion numbers rise, the competition for food becomes fierce. A lioness risks her life to feed her five cubs and Xudum’s newborn leopard cubs face a deadly threat.
Breaking the Deadlock - AI: Crisis of Control
Tuesday, October 27 @ 9pm
As AI works its way into every facet of our lives, Americans will have a choice: will we control it, or will it control us? Moderator Aaron Tang guides a panel of prominent voices through complex hypothetical scenarios.
The Gold on Masterpiece – NEW SEASON!
Sundays @ 10pm
When the truth emerges that only half the Brink’s-Mat gold was ever recovered, a new investigation exposes a dangerous trail of international money laundering and organized crime in this thrilling final chapter.
October 18 – Episode 1
Where is the missing half of the Brink’s-Mat gold?
October 25 – Episode 2
The stolen gold fuels a growing criminal network as police follow the trail overseas.
Great Performances
Fridays @ 9pm
Watch television’s longest-running performing arts anthology to enjoy the best in music, dance and theater.
October 16 – The Magic of Nureyev
An incredible 89 curtain calls provide an enduring testament to the ballet history that was written at the Vienna State Opera on October 15, 1964. The event was a performance of Swan Lake choreographed by Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who also took on the lead male role of the Prince; his partner was the great British prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn. In his novel interpretation of this iconic favorite of classical ballet, Nureyev revolutionized the role of the male dancer, seeking to be Fonteyn's equal counterpart.
October 23 – Tammy Wynette: Forever Yours
From Nashville's Ryman Auditorium and the stage of The Grand Ole Opry, a diverse mix of talents pay tribute to Wynette's life, legacy, and music.
October 30 – Jimmy Webb: American Song Writer
A hit-filled tribute to master songwriter, storyteller, musician and performer Jimmy Webb, who's iconic hits include 'Up, Up and Away,' 'Wichita Lineman,' 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix,' 'Galveston,' 'Didn't We' and 'MacArthur Park.'
Maigret on Masterpiece – NEW SEASON!
Sundays @ 8pm
As Maigret investigates complex crimes, his boss deliberately weakens his team to teach him a harsh lesson. With pressure mounting, Maigret is forced to make a difficult choice between his personal life and his career.
October 18 – The Hanged Man, part 1
Maigret investigates young woman’s death, crossing paths with those hiding the truth.
October 25 – The Hanged Man, part 2
With Maigret injured and Adeline’s death investigation shut down, will he drop the case?
Marble Hall Murders on Masterpiece
Sundays @ 9pm
Worlds collide as Pünd is caught in a suspicious death and Susan is tied to a real murder case.
October 4 – Episode 5
With tension ratcheting up and threats mounting, Susan desperately hunts for the real murderer. Will she clear her name before time runs out?
October 11 – Episode 6
In the final chapter of this fiendish puzzle, can Susan and Pünd discover the truth in time?
The Marlow Murder Club on Masterpiece
Sundays @ 8pm
Now a key part of DI Malik’s team, Judith, Suzie, and Becks face a string of high-profile murders.
October 4 – An Appetite for Murder: Part One
When a notoriously tempestuous chef is brutally murdered in his own kitchen during the launch of his cookbook, the trio discover there is no shortage of suspects.
October 11 – An Appetite for Murder: Part Two
A shocking development forces the trio to rethink everything they know.
Nature
Wednesdays @ 8pm
NATURE brings rich and rewarding stories from the wild to homes across America.
October 14 – Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure
The whole family is invited to join Elmo and the Sesame Street gang on a once-in-a-lifetime African safari.
October 21 – Tiger Island, part one
In Nepal, a team of wildlife experts explores an island full of tigers. They follow two remarkable big cat families. By using a fleet of drones and night-time thermal cameras, the team witnesses tiger behavior that has never been recorded before.
October 28 – Tiger Island, part two
Following tigers after dark reveals surprise encounters and a hidden world of family life.
NOVA
Wednesdays @ 9pm
Explore the science behind the headlines in PBS's premiere science series.
October 7 – Space Wars
Inside the escalating military struggle to control space and the satellites we rely on.
October 14 – Evolution: Brain Power
The story of the dolphin reveals how intelligence evolved, step by step, over billions of years.
October 21 – Evolution: Need to Feed
Discover the untold story—full of surprising evolutionary leaps—behind every bite we take.
October 28 – Evolution: Body Builders
Follow the surprising evolutionary journey that led to the majestic elephant.
Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana – NEW SEASON!
Monday, October 26 @ 9pm
Traveling through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, Jinich encounters people whose traditions, ambitions and everyday acts of determination reflect the many threads that make up the United States. From ranching communities and Indigenous lands to historic neighborhoods and desert borderlands, the season explores how food, culture and personal connection reveal what unites people across the Americas.
Professor T – NEW SEASON!
Sundays @ 8pm
Jasper and Helena’s new bond falters as grief and obsessive instincts intrude. Meanwhile, Maiya’s team faces twisting cases that push them to grow amid tested loyalties and love.
October 18 – Natural Causes
Jasper and Helena test their new romance at a luxury spa, but two suspicious deaths pull Jasper into a mystery. Meanwhile, Dan meets Leonie and wonders if he can love again.
October 25 – The Ring
A boxing champ is found murdered, Adelaide's health declines and Dan's romance hits trouble when Chloe links Leonie's father to a crime family. Jasper faces loss and tough choices.
Secrets of the Dead
Wednesdays @ 10pm
Explore some iconic historical moments while debunking long-held myths and shining new light on past events.
October 7 – Cleopatra’s Temple
Just below the Mediterranean’s surface, in Alexandria’s harbor, lie the ruins of a mysterious ancient monument. This discovery could reveal vital new information about Cleopatra’s reign and her connection with the goddess Isis.
October 14 – Africa’s Golden City
New discoveries reveal how pivotal Great Zimbabwe was to global trade.
October 21 – Raising Lady Liberty
See how the unique partnership between two countries made the iconic monument possible.
October 28 – Field of Vampires
Uncover the mystery behind the 2022 discovery in Eastern Europe of more than 50 errant burials that indicate a perceived threat of vampirism in the 17th century.
Trespasses
Sundays, September 20-October 11 @ 10pm
Cushla is a young Catholic schoolteacher whose life in 1975 Northern Ireland is shadowed by the Troubles. She meets and falls for Michael — an older, married Protestant barrister. Their affair is intoxicating and dangerous. As the forbidden love between Cushla and Michael deepens, violence looms and tensions rise. Cushla is pulled between duty and desire, family and freedom.
October 4 – Episode 3
Cushla and Michael’s love deepens amid secrets and danger. She discovers he’s lied about his family and confronts him. Just as they commit to each other, tragedy strikes, devastating Cushla and shaking their community to its core.
October 11 – Episode 4
A grieving Cushla confides in Gerry and Gina. Tommy is charged with murder and the McGeowns lose their home. Cushla seeks the truth, leading to a shocking climax for the Laverys that unites them. Years later, Cushla encounters Davy again.
Velvet, Season 3
Thursdays @ 9pm
Alberto rebels against the expectations heaped on him. Ana, who longs to become a designer, struggles to assert herself as a creative personality.
October 1 – Many Happy Returns
On Ana’s birthday, surprises await. Cristina and Barbara start their business, and Rita meets Pedro’s overbearing mother.
October 8 – Two Men and a Dummy
Raul reacts badly to Ana and Alberto’s romance. Mateo cares for Barbara’s baby.
October 15 – Make Your Bets
Alberto bets Velvet in a poker game. Clara discovers signs of Barbara in Mateo’s home.
October 22 – Returning
Cristina reveals Alberto’s secret at a party. Mateo and Clara break up.
October 29 – The Wait
Ana disappears after the party, causing great strife at Velvet.