This Month on CPTV
Fall has arrived and that traditionally means a hefty supply of new shows and educational programming from PBS. Premier episodes from 鈥淢asterpiece鈥� highlight the schedule, with 鈥淢aigret鈥� and 鈥淭he Gold鈥� airing on Sunday nights. In addition, 鈥淎ntiques Roadshow鈥� reaches into its vault of vintage shows to put a spotlight on today鈥檚 value of previous season finds. 鈥淏ig Cats 24/7鈥� and 鈥淣OVA鈥� continue to bring new insights into the phenomenon of nature and humans alike. There are also new offerings for history buffs and public affair fans slated in October from 鈥淪ecrets of the Dead,鈥� 鈥淚ndependent Lens鈥�, 鈥淔rontline鈥� and shows focused on 黑料吃瓜网 reflecting America鈥檚 upcoming 250th anniversary, that provide perspectives on what鈥檚 happening in the world around us. Plus, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we鈥檒l highlight 鈥淰elvet鈥�, 鈥淟eguizamo Does America鈥� and more.
On CPTV
Big Cats 24/7 | Season 2
Wednesdays, October 1 and 8 at 8 p.m.
A team of local and international wildlife filmmakers uses the latest technology to follow a group of African big cats in Botswana's awe-inspiring Okavango Delta, day and night for six months, revealing their lives like never before. Now, the core of the Xudum Pride has fled south, but a group of its young females surprises the team in the north. Meanwhile, tragedy strikes the cheetah mother, Pobe, and Lediba, the leopard, struggles to provide for her ever-growing cub.
NOVA | Human
Wednesdays, October 1, 8 and 15 at 9 p.m.
Discover how Homo sapiens outlasted Neanderthals - and how they helped make us who we are today.
Sacred Planet with Gulnaz Khan | Reclaiming Peru's Glaciers
Wednesday, October 1 at 10 p.m.
Examine the impact of climate change on sacred places around the world with journalist Gulnaz Khan. Gulnaz follows the ancient Inca and modern Catholic paths, confronting the Andes deglaciation. These spiritual traditions unite through engineering, pilgrimages, lawsuits and prayer to face Peru's climate crisis.
Austin City Limits | Finneas
Saturday, October 4 at 11 p.m.
Groundbreaking singer, songwriter and producer Finneas takes center stage with songs from his solo outing 鈥淔or Cryin' Out Loud!鈥� The ten-time Grammy-winning hitmaker dazzles with highlights and new gems detailing his sonic journey in a revelatory hour.
Brian and Maggie
Sundays, October 5 and 12 at 8 p.m.
After resigning as a Labour MP, Brian Walden is hired to front a heavyweight political program dedicated to the long-form interview. His first guest: Leader of the Opposition Margaret Thatcher. An unlikely friendship develops.
Maigret on Masterpiece
Sundays at 9 p.m.
Follow Maigret as he investigates a series of bank robberies plaguing Paris. Ignoring his superior's orders, he turns his attention to the brutal murder of a burglar, but Maigret's choice to juggle both cases puts his career in jeopardy.
The Gold on Masterpiece
Sundays at 10 p.m.
Six armed men steal gold from the Brink's-Mat security depot and scramble to find ways to dispose of the bullion. DCI Brian Boyce sets up a task force to investigate.
Antiques Roadshow | Vintage Raleigh 2025 Hour 2
Monday, October 6 at 8 p.m.
Learn if values of the 2015 鈥淩oadshow Raleigh鈥� appraisals go up, down or stay the same in today's market, including a Gibson Double 12 electric guitar, ca. 1960, an 1812 needlework sampler and a French couture dress, ca. 1925. One triples in value!
Independent Lens | Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution
Monday, October 6 at 11 p.m.
A groundbreaking look at Phil Sharp's rise from being a rural Kentucky farm boy who battled dyslexia to Nobel Prize-winning scientist. Narrated by Mark Ruffalo with insights from Walter Isaacson, the show reveals how Sharp's RNA discovery transformed biology and launched the biotechnology revolution leading to life-saving treatments for millions.
Frontline | Born Poor
Tuesday, October 7 at 11 p.m.
An indelible look at the realities of growing up poor in America. Filmed over 14 years with kids from three families, from adolescents to adults with kids of their own, navigating an economy with more obstacles than opportunities.
Secrets of the Dead | The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
Wednesday, October 8 at 10 p.m.
The Colosseum was the jewel of Ancient Rome, wowing vast crowds with its extraordinary spectacles and exhibiting Rome's immense wealth. But just as the structure embodied Rome's power, so too did it contribute to the Empire's downfall.
Austin City Limits | The Marias
Saturday, October 11 at 11 p.m.
American indie pop band The Marias make their ACL debut with songs from their acclaimed studio album 鈥淪ubmarine鈥� in a spellbinding hour. The bilingual group blends English and Spanish lyrics anchored by velvet vocals, hypnotic guitar and lush jazz percussion.
Antiques Roadshow | Vintage Phoenix 2025 Hour 1
Monday, October 13 at 8 p.m.
Do 2015 treasures from Phoenix rise again? 鈥淩oadshow鈥� discoveries include Art Deco lapel watches, a Lakota Sioux doctor's bag, ca. 1895 and a Tiffany Studios peacock mirror, ca. 1905. One musical find's value doubles in today's market!
POV | A Mother Apart
Monday, October 13 at 11 p.m.
In a poignant story of healing and forgiveness, Jamaican-American poet and LGBTQ+ activist Staceyann Chin explores how to raise a child after being abandoned by her own mother. Known for her work in Def Poetry Slam and shows like 鈥淢otherStruck!鈥�, Chin embarks on a journey across Brooklyn, Montreal, Cologne and Jamaica to find her mother, ultimately creating a new sense of home with her daughter.
American Masters | Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
Tuesday, October 14 at 9 p.m.
Take an intimate look at the life and career of actress Marlee Matlin as she shares her story in American Sign Language. At 21 years old, Matlin became the first Deaf actress to win an Academy Award for her role in鈥� Children of a Lesser God.鈥� With credits that include 鈥淭he West Wing鈥� and the Oscar-winning film 鈥淐ODA,鈥� Matlin continues to champion for more inclusivity and accessibility in entertainment.
Secrets of the Dead | Cleopatra's Last Temple
Wednesday, October 15 at 10 p.m.
A French explorer makes an unprecedented discovery in Alexandria's harbor that could reveal vital new information about Cleopatra's reign and her connection with the goddess Isis.
Austin City Limits | ACL 11th Annual Hall of Fame Honors My Morning Jacket
Saturday, October 18 at 11:15 p.m.
ACL inducts rock legends My Morning Jacket into the 11th Annual ACL Hall of Fame. Special guest Cameron Crowe honors the fan-favorite Kentucky band, and MMJ takes the stage with classics and new highlights from their latest LP in a thrilling hour of music.
Antiques Roadshow | Vintage Phoenix 2025 Hour 2
Monday, October 20 at 8 p.m.
How well will values of vintage desert discoveries from the 鈥淩oadshow鈥� 2015 Phoenix stop hold up today? Highlights include a 1956 David Klein TWA poster, a 1921 Lyonel Feininger watercolor and an enamel and rock crystal pendant watch, ca. 1910.
Independent Lens | Ratified
Monday, October 20 at 11 p.m.
Ratified traces the fight to make Virginia the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Led by Black women and cross-party activists, the film explores the century-long push to enshrine gender equality in the U.S. Constitution.
Stepping Into the Shade
Tuesday, October 21 at 9 p.m.
Discover the history of tobacco farming in 黑料吃瓜网 and the stories of the diverse people who toiled in the soil. This cash crop not only brought economic growth to the state, it also brought culture through the people who came to work on the farms and stayed to set up diverse communities.
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Breaking the Deadlock | Truth Under Fire
Tuesday, October 21 at 10 p.m.
This Emmy-nominated public affairs series is designed to encourage civil dialogue at a time when conversation is so polarized. Moderator Aaron Tang guides a panel of prominent voices through complex hypothetical scenarios where they're pushed to grapple with questions of community, accountability and personal responsibility.
Frontline | The Rise of RFK Jr.
Tuesday, October 21 at 11 p.m.
The dramatic and controversial rise of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. How the scion of a storied dynasty endured tragedy and scandal, broke with the Democratic Party and his family, stoked conspiracy theories, and is reshaping government and public health.
Nature | Walrus: Life on Thin Ice
Wednesday, October 22 at 8 p.m.
With bulbous eyes, two long sharp tusks, a long mustache and one ton of blubber, the walrus is far from majestic. But for Kirk Johnson, scientist and Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the walrus has been a creature close to his heart for 30 years. Johnson will follow his passion and trek across the Arctic to uncover the hidden lives of these lumbering giants, their cultural significance to the native peoples of the North, and the threats they face as climate change shrinks the sea ice.
NOVA | Ancient Desert Death Trap
Wednesday, October 22 at 9 p.m.
Archaeologists investigate dozens of strange Stone Age megastructures in the Arabian desert. They're so big that their true form is visible only from the air, yet these giant structures were built by a mysterious people 9000 years ago.
Secrets of the Dead | Cracking the Queen's Code
Wednesday, October 22 at 10 p.m.
Secret messages from Mary, Queen of Scots, are finally decoded, with 57 encrypted letters detailing the tragic monarch's efforts to free herself from imprisonment and gain an advantage over her rival, Queen Elizabeth.
Courtmaker John Marshall and the Forging of America鈥檚 Supreme Court
Sunday, October 26 at 5 p.m.
Explore the life of the greatest judge in American history, John Marshall, who as the fourth Chief Justice of the Unites States, built the Supreme Court into the third pillar of American government.
The Last Ecstatic Days
Monday, October 27 at 11 p.m.
Ethan Sisser, a young man with terminal brain cancer, sits alone in his hospital room. When he starts livestreaming his death journey on social media, thousands of people around the world join to celebrate his courage. Still, Ethan envisions more -- to teach the world how to die without fear. To do that, he needs to film his death.
American Experience | Kissinger: Part One
Tuesday, October 28 at 8 p.m.
Discover how Henry Kissinger's anti-Communist zeal would shape U.S. foreign policy in Vietnam, China, Chile, and the Soviet Union during the second half of the 20th century; featuring dozens of historians and former colleagues.
Just Like Me: The Vietnam War/The American War
Tuesday, October 28 at 11 p.m.
Follow Vietnam veteran Ron Osgood's quest to document stories from all sides of the war, uncovering untold personal accounts that shy away from combat and politics and instead focus on topics such as soldiers who were artists, musicians or demonstrated empathy and respect towards the enemy.
Nature | Willow: Diary of a Mountain Lion
Wednesday, October 29 at 8 p.m.
A unique, non-invasive mountain lion study uses a giant network of trail cameras scattered throughout Montana's Sapphire Mountains over a decade to piece together the life story of a female mountain lion. This film weaves clips of mountain lions and their complex interactions with each other and the rest of the forest world into a story about life and death that contains never-before-captured events and behaviors at every turn.
NOVA | Superfloods
Wednesday, October 29 at 9 p.m.
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene dumped 14 inches of rain on North Carolina, triggering flash floods and killing more than 100 people. Why are these floods on the rise around the world -- even in places thousands of feet above sea level?
Secrets of the Dead | Chasing the Plague
Wednesday, October 29 at 10 p.m.
Scientists track down the earliest known bubonic plague victims and study the virus in hopes of preventing future outbreaks while the societal impact of the plague is also considered.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Velvet | Season 2
Fridays at 10 p.m.
In late 1950s Madrid, the golden age of haute couture, there is one place everyone would like to shop at least once in their lifetime: the Galerias Velvet. However, forbidden love, jealousy and greed threaten to tear apart the fashion house, as Alberto is back from his honeymoon in Rome and excited to return to the store, but Blanca and Max are struggling with their emotions.
Pati鈥檚 Mexican Table | Season 14
Saturdays at 1:30 p.m.
Pati Jinich invites viewers to take a deep dive into the nation鈥檚 rich culture as she returns to her hometown of Mexico City. From its beautiful traditions to its modern innovations, Season 14 is a love letter to the city that shaped her 鈥� celebrating its unique magic and the way its past and present are deeply intertwined.
Leguizamo Does America
Miami
Monday, October 6 at 10 p.m.
John visits Miami to find out why the city has become such a Mecca for Latinos leaving their homeland and to show how their culture and flair have made Miami a true slice of all things Latin within the U.S.
Washington, D.C.
Monday, October 13 at 10 p.m.
John dives into the topic of proper representation within elected offices, while also discovering the many ways Latinos in Washington, D.C. keep their culture alive through theater, poetry and activism.
Chicago
Monday, October 20 at 10 p.m.
John travels to middle America to learn about how both the Mexican and Puerto Rican communities of Chicago have transformed the city into Chicagolandia; he learns about the deep roots in activism and resistance these communities have displayed.
Puerto Rico
Monday, October 27 at 10 p.m.
John travels to the island of Puerto Rico to highlight the many ways in which the island and its people have influenced American culture and the ways America is influencing theirs.
America @ 250
Home of the Brave: When Southbury Said NO to the Nazis
Monday, October 20 at 9 p.m.
In 1937, the residents of Southbury, CT were surprised to learn a Pro-Nazi organization was building a Hitler-styled youth camp in their midst. Through the leadership of a Reverend and a local politician, the town came up with a plan that prevented the Nazis from building Camp General Von Stueben.
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