November shines with "The American Revolution," the latest masterpiece from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. I’ve already watched half the series, and I can’t wait to finish it! This month, we also honor our veterans with "Defying Death on the Atlantic," a gripping local special worth watching to the very end.
Don’t miss "Salute to Service 2025: A Veteran’s Day Celebration," guaranteed to make your heart soar. And if you haven’t grabbed your tickets to see Rick Steves at the BPO in March, tune in Saturday, Nov. 15, to find out how!
We’ll close out the month with "We Heart Public Television!" a star-studded telethon featuring Josh Groban, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ken Burns, Ziggy Marley, Lily Tomlin, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and many more.
Keep reading for more information about each of these programs and when you can catch them airing on BTPM PBS! Many of these programs are also available to our members via BTPM PBS Passport to watch on demand.
NOVA: Operation Space Station – mini series – Wednesdays, 9 PM, beginning 11/5
The size of a football field, the International Space Station hurtles around Earth at 17,000 mph, shielding its astronauts from the most hostile environment humans have ever endured. After 25 years of continuous human presence in space, astronauts and Mission Control insiders reveal the most terrifying moments aboard this remarkable orbiting laboratory, where a single mistake could prove fatal.
Watch "NOVA: Operation Space Station" on demand here!
Warren – Saturdays at 8 & 8:30 PM, beginning 11/8
Warren Thompson is a pedantic driving instructor who suddenly finds himself in his mid-fifties with a job he doesn’t enjoy and a family he never asked for. Warren wants an easy life. He’s happy with a clean house, a neat garden, and a nice cup of tea. However, thanks to his naturally difficult personality, Warren often finds himself in sticky situations.
Watch "Warren" with BTPM PBS Passport!
Defying Death on the Atlantic – Saturday, 11/8, 5:30 PM
“The World’s Toughest Row" is an extreme race featuring unassisted rowing boats that cross the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Antigua. For a team of four Air Force veterans, this challenge was the ultimate test of body and mind, as well as an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for other vets experiencing mental illness. Narrated by actor William Fichtner, "Defying Death on the Atlantic" is an hour-long documentary that follows their fight to survive, their mission to raise awareness for veterans facing mental illness, and their powerful story of courage, connection, and hope.
Watch "Defying Death on the Atlantic" with BTPM PBS Passport!
Salute to Service 2025: A Veteran’s Day Celebration – Monday, 11/10, 9 PM
Country music legend Trace Adkins joins the U.S. Army Field Band to host "Salute to Service 2025: A Veterans Day Celebration." Featuring unforgettable performances by opera superstar Angel Blue, jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, and Trace Adkins himself.
Preview "Salute to Service 2025: A Veteran's Day Celebration" on demand here!
(BTPM) Friday Night Lights – special airing on BTPM PBS, Friday, 11/14, 7:30 PM
Jack Kreuzer and Jim Monos preview the Section VI Class AA Championship game live from Highmark Stadium. We say goodbye to the stadium with "Remembering The Ralph," and the 46 years of title games held at the Home of the Bills.
Rick Steves: Art of the Renaissance – Saturday, 11/15, 3 PM
Around 1400, the beauty of ancient Greece and Rome was reborn in the Renaissance, and glorious art told the story. This rebirth of classical culture showed itself in the statues, paintings, and architecture of Florence, then spread from Italy to Spain, Holland, Germany, and beyond. Follow along with Rick Steves and explore this fascinating period in art history.
Watch "Rick Steves Art of the Renaissance" with BTPM PBS Passport!
The American Revolution – Sunday-Friday, 11/16 - 11/21, 8 PM
Experience how a bold rebellion reshaped the world. The thirteen colonies rose against the British Empire, won independence, and ignited the flame of democracy across the globe. This sweeping film brings the Revolution to life through the eyes of soldiers, leaders, loyalists, Native peoples, enslaved and free African Americans, and civilians caught in the conflict.
Airs Friday, 11/28 – Sunday, 11/30, starting at 1 PM.
Preview "The American Revolution" on demand here!
The Great Escaper on Masterpiece – Sunday, 11/23, 9 PM
"The Great Escaper" tells the true story of Bernard Jordan, who made global headlines in the summer of 2014. He had staged a “great escape” from his care home to join fellow war veterans on a beach in Normandy, commemorating their fallen comrades at the D-Day Landings 70th anniversary. Michael Caine and the late, two-time Oscar® winner Glenda Jackson star as Bernard Jordan and his wife, Rene.
Preview "The Great Escaper on Masterpiece" on demand here!
Lidia Celebrates America: A Nation of Neighbors – Tuesday, 11/25, 9 PM
Lidia Bastianich highlights communities coming together in times of need, including selfless acts that foster connection and fulfillment on both sides.
Preview "Lidia Celebrates America: A Nation of Neighbors" free online or with the BTPM PBS app!
Nature: My Life As a Turkey – Wednesday, 11/26, 8 PM
Biologist Joe Hutto was mother to the strangest family in the world, 13 endangered wild turkeys that he raised from their eggs. For a whole year, his turkey children were his only companions as he walked them deep through the Florida Everglades. Suffering all the heartache and joy of any other parent as he raised his new family, he even learnt to speak their language and began to see the world through turkey eyes!
Watch "Nature: My Life As a Turkey" with BTPM PBS Passport!
We Heart Public Television! – Thursday, 11/27, 8 PM
A star-studded cast will honor 55 remarkable years of public television. Featuring music director Rickey Minor and appearances by Josh Groban, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ziggy Marley, Celtic Woman, Sarah Silverman, and so many more! This program celebrates the extraordinary musical artists and personalities who have graced PBS stages and screens, showcasing the cultural richness that public media and local PBS stations offer all Americans.
Andre Rieu: Power of Love – Friday 11/28, 9 PM
Recorded live in Maastricht in 2024, highlights include Verdi's Triumphal March of Aida performed with 400 brass players, "Strauss & Co," "Dancing on the Stars" with 16-year-old Emma Kok, a singalong of "Sweet Caroline," "The Blue Danube," and more.
All Creatures Great and Small: Cheers to the Years – Saturday, 11/29, 9 PM
Raise a glass to celebrate the most memorable moments from five seasons of this beloved series with cast members and creators. Explore each of the characters, human and animal, and revisit their loves, losses, triumphs, struggles, growth, and joy.