FEATURED PROGRAMS on Blue Ridge PBS
Be sure to check our schedule for additional air times!
25 Years with Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee
Friday, July 19 @ 9pm
Beloved chef Lidia Bastianich is celebrating 25 years on public television. With one of the longest running cooking shows on PBS, Lidia is also a life-long restaurateur and bestselling cookbook author. In honor of her silver anniversary, join Lidia’s family and celebrity friends to roll back the years and get an intimate look at the memorable moments of her life, both on and off the screen.
D. I. Ray, Season 2
Sundays @ 10pm
Two months after her suspension, D.I. Ray is thrust back into homicide after the fatal shooting of an innocent nurse and the head of a notorious crime family points to brewing tensions between rival crime families.
July 7 – A Test of Wills
The investigation takes an emotional toll on Rachita as she questions who she can trust.
July 14 – Staying on Top
As pressure mounts for D.I. Ray, surveillance on a new suspect yields shocking results.
July 21 – Enemy Within
Following the discovery of the missing gun, D.I. Ray’s lens turns back to the Chapman family.
French Magnolia Cooks
Mondays @ 7:30pm
An inspirational, savory, and educational epicurean journey through Southwest Virginia.
July 1 – Cherries
Chef Missy & culinary icon Nancy Wall Hopkins for cherry picking followed by everything you need to know about canning & cherry preserves. Laughs and knowledge with wine expert Thomas Fraley.
July 8 & 15 – Spring Gobbler
Chef Missy and her gang of family & friends celebrate spring with a wild turkey hunt in Bastion, Virginia. Learn tips on outdoor entertaining and elegant family style side dishes. Join wine expert Thomas Fraley for some luxury non-alcoholic beverages and world class wines from Burgundy, France.
July 22 – Cow
Chef Missy hits the countryside of Southwest Virginia for high-quality beef.
July 29 – Greens & Compost
Chef Missy & living soil system expert Jonny Root where a variety of gorgeous greens shine. Gourmet home cook & gardener Anastasia Berg helps teach and prepare rustic yet elegant recipes.
Gods of Tennis
Tuesdays @ 9pm except where noted
Framed through the world-famous Wimbledon tournament, revisit the golden age of tennis in this three-part fascinating series. Meet the heroes who changed the sport forever and drove significant change away from the tennis courts.
July 23 – Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe
Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe fight for Wimbledon success and global social change.
July 30 – Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe
The Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe rivalry brings glamour and celebrity to the tennis court.
August 6 @ 8pm – Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova dominates Wimbledon but struggles to be as adored as her rival, Chris Evert.
Grantchester, Season 9, on Masterpiece
Sundays @ 9pm
It’s 1961, and times are changing in Grantchester. Will seeks new challenges elsewhere while Geordie and Cathy deal with an independent Esme. With Reverend Alphy Kottaram arriving as the new vicar, will the locals accept him as one of their own?
July 7 – Episode 4
Alphy attends a manor fundraiser, but festivities are cut short when a body is found in the basement.
July 14 – Episode 5
A murder at Esme’s office sends shockwaves through the Keating family. Alphy meets with the bishop.
July 21 – Episode 6
Alphy and Geordie’s murder investigation uncovers a tangled web of betrayal and deceit.
July 28 – Episode 7
When a woman known by Alphy goes missing, he and Geordie race to find the answers.
The Great American Recipe, Season 3
Mondays @ 9pm, encore presentation Fridays @ 9pm
Follow eight talented home cooks from different regions of the country as they compete weekly with their most memorable recipes. In the final week, the top three home cooks vie for a chance to win The Great American Recipe.
July 1 – A Spoonful of Love
Love is in the air as the home cooks share their favorite comfort foods and the dishes they make for loved ones.
July 8 – Home Baked
Savor the return of the second Great American Recipe Bake Sale.
July 22 – A Celebration of Flavors
Join the party in the barn as the home cooks serve up their best celebratory meals.
July 29 – Outside the Comfort of Your Kitchen
The competition continues as the recipe swap challenge returns and the cooks share dishes for friends.
Hotel Portofino, Season 3
Premiere! Sunday, July 28 @ 8pm
When Cecil returns requesting a divorce, Bella must decide what her future holds. But when the Wall Street Crash hits, Bella and Cecil lose everything. Desperation leads to dangerous actions in this sun-soaked 1920s Italian drama.
Inside the Mind of Agatha Christie
Sunday, July 28 @ 10pm
Surpassed only by the Bible and Shakespeare, Agatha Christie is the most successful writer of all time. We all know her characters and incredible plot twists, but what do we know about Agatha herself? Combining rare access to Agatha's family, her personal archive and speaking to those who know her work best, discover what made the world's most successful crime writer tick.
Nature
Wednesdays @ 8pm
NATURE on PBS brings rich and rewarding stories from the wild to homes across America. Forty years on, it is the premier voice for the natural world, an essential lens on the creatures, great and small, that sustain us all on our living planet.
July 24 – American Horses
American horses are icons. Mustang. Appaloosa. Morgan. Quarter Horse. Follow the history of the uniquely American horse breeds that helped shape our nation and meet the people who are continuing in the long tradition of caring for them.
July 31 – Primates: Secrets of Survival
Discover the survival strategies used by primates, often in the most unexpected places.
Professor T, Season 3
Sundays @ 8pm
The multi award-winning much-loved crime drama Professor T starring Ben Miller, Frances de la Tour and Juliet Stevenson is back for a third season. The Professor is in jail and must find a way to get his old life and job back.
July 7 – A Little Drop of Poison
Out of prison the Professor is desperate to get back to his work at the university and with the police. They need the Professor’s help to investigate a series of unexplained deaths.
July 14 – The Conference
Professor T comes under suspicion following the murder of a professional rival at a Criminology Conference. The Professor must prove his innocence to regain his reputation and his job.
July 21 – Attachment Issues
A woman is found dead at the scene of a car crash, but it seems the accident didn’t kill her. Examining the case, the Professor finds some uncomfortable resemblances to his own situation.
Sea Change: The Gulf of Maine, A NOVA Special Presentation
Wednesdays @ 10pm
Explore a body of water that is warming 97 percent faster than the global ocean, and what that means for the Gulf of Maine – for the animals, for the jobs dependent upon it, and the millions of people along its shores.
July 24 – Bounty
Discover the lasting impact of how international trade forever changed the Gulf of Maine’s bounty.
July 31 – Peril
Explore Cashes Ledge, a part of the Gulf of Maine that helps power the Gulf’s more than 3,000 species.
August 7 – Survival
Meet the people leading new efforts to shape the future of the Gulf of Maine and our oceans.
COMING IN AUGUST!
Agatha Christie’s England
Sunday, August 4 @ 10pm
Agatha Christie was born in Torquay on England's south coast. In a career spanning over half a century, the prolific crime writer was inspired by the landscapes and character of her home country, much of which featured in her novels. This heart-warming documentary takes viewers on a literary tour of England - focusing on the most interesting locations featured in some of her best-known books.
American Experience: The American Diplomat
Tuesday, August 13 @ 9pm
Discover how three African-American ambassadors who broke racial barriers to reach high-ranking positions at the State Department during the Cold War.
American Masters – Blake Edwards: A Story in 24 Frames
Tuesday, August 27 @ 9pm
Discover the life and career of director Blake Edwards, one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures. Edwards redefined slapstick comedy through a lens that still resonates with today’s directors and actors. With a career and body of work spanning over a four-decade career–often in collaboration with his wife, legendary actress and singer Julie Andrews–the film offers reflections on the times he lived in and tackles issues including sex, gender and power that remain at the forefront of present-day zeitgeist. Featuring interviews and never-before-seen video and stills from the Edwards/Andrews archive explore the legacy of one of the most influential figures in film history.
The Brothers: Celebrating The Allman Brothers Band 50th Anniversary
Saturday, August 10 @ 9:30pm & Saturday, August 31 @ 7pm
Celebrate 50 years of the Allman Brothers Band’s music with Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Marc Quinones, Duane Trucks, Reese Wynans and Chuck Leavell in this 2020 concert at Madison Square Garden.
Counting the Vote: A Firing Line Special with Margaret Hoover
Tuesday, August 27 @ 9:30pm
Margaret Hoover explores voting systems across the U.S. She examines which states are most efficient and inclusive, as well as those that face challenges. Personal stories and expert voices shed new light on the most powerful tool in our democracy.
Grantchester, Season 9, on Masterpiece
SEASON FINALE! Sunday, August 4 @ 9pm
When a reclusive man is found dead on the streets of Cambridge, Alphy and Geordie begin to unravel a series of clues that leads them to a shocking revelation.
The Great American Recipe, Season 3
Mondays @ 9pm, encore presentation Fridays @ 9pm
Follow eight talented home cooks from different regions of the country as they compete weekly with their most memorable recipes. In the final week, the top three home cooks vie for a chance to win The Great American Recipe.
August 5 & 9 – Defining First and Family
Watch the home cooks make life-changing dishes and a treasured family recipe to earn a spot in the finale for a chance to be named the winner of The Great American Recipe.
August 12 & 16 – The Grand Finale
Tune into the finale of The Great American Recipe, where the top three home cooks share their most treasured dishes in an unforgettable final round.
Great Performances: Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2024
Friday, August 23 @ 9pm
Enjoy the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic’s annual open-air concert from the gardens of Austria’s Imperial Schönbrunn Palace, featuring Andris Nelsons as guest conductor joined by soprano Lise Davidsen as guest soloist.
Hotel Portofino, Season 3
Sundays @ 8pm
When Cecil returns requesting a divorce, Bella must decide what her future holds. But when the Wall Street Crash hits, Bella and Cecil lose everything. Desperation leads to dangerous actions in this sun-soaked 1920s Italian drama.
August 4 – Proposals
As Bella considers her future with Marco, Carlo rejects a hurt Alice and Lucian returns.
August 11 – Realizations
When George threatens to pull investment from the hotel, Bella knows the pressure is on.
August 18 – Experiments
After the Wall Street Crash, Bella starts her new business and Cecil appeals to Danioni.
August 25 – Revelations
When Nish is found dead, Lucian and Virat spiral. Cecil and Jack agree to a deadly plan.
Iconic America: Our Symbols & Stories – Fenway Park
Friday, August 30 @ 9pm
Baseball is America’s pastime and obsession, and no ballpark is more iconic than Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Learn the story of a city’s loyalty to its team and love for its ballpark through thick and thin.
Magpie Murders on Masterpiece
BACK-TO-BACK EPISODES! Sundays, August 11-25 @ 9pm
A mystery author dies under suspicious circumstances, with his last book seemingly unfinished. This leaves two mysteries: What happened to him? And how does his latest potboiler end? Magpie Murders revolves around the character Susan Ryeland, an editor who is given an unfinished manuscript of author Alan Conway’s latest novel but has little idea it will change her life.
Nature
Wednesdays @ 8pm
NATURE on PBS brings rich and rewarding stories from the wild to homes across America. Forty years on, it is the premier voice for the natural world, an essential lens on the creatures, great and small, that sustain us all on our living planet.
August 7 – Primates: Family Matters
Family is everything for primates. Meet devoted monkey dads, playmate apes and tender troops.
August 14 – Primates: Protecting Primates
More than half of the world's primates are under threat. Meet the scientists making ground-breaking discoveries to safeguard their future.
August 28 – American Ocelot
Dive deep into South Texas to meet one of the United States' most endangered wild cats: the ocelot.
NOVA
Wednesdays @ 9pm except where noted
Explore the science behind the headlines in PBS's premier science series. With compelling stories and spectacular visuals, NOVA programs demystify science and technology for viewers of all ages and spotlight people involved in scientific pursuits.
August 7 – Kilauea: Hawai’i on Fire
Scientists journey to Kīlauea volcano to investigate the eruptions that shook Hawaiʻi in 2018.
August 14 – Dog Tales
Follow the epic journey of dog domestication and see what science says about dogs’ love.
August 14 @ 10pm – Cat Tales
Goddess, demon, house pet? What does science say about the human relationship with cats?
Odysseus Returns
Wednesday, August 28 @ 9pm
An amateur historian, Makis Metaxas, claims he found the bones of Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey. But the discovery is soon embroiled in controversy, and Makis embarks on his own odyssey to convince the world he is right.
Goddess, demon, house pet? What does science say about the human relationship with cats?