What to Watch in October

There's a huge amount of worthwhile TV out there nowadays, so it can be hard to choose what to watch. But who better to recommend shows than the person who programs them? Lisa Tipton, WTTW’s Head of Programming and Pledge, constructs the WTTW schedule by searching through offerings from many different sources which include the national PBS network, the BBC, and independent filmmakers to put together a varied and engaging broadcast schedule. Each month, she recommends a few shows that she thinks you should watch.

Find all the ways to watch WTTW here. Many of the below shows are available to stream via the PBS app or will be once they premiere, especially by WTTW Passport members. 

Chicago Stories

Fridays at 8:00 pm on WTTW, the PBS app, and wttw.com/chicagostories

More unforgettable stories about our city are coming, from the unresolved mystery of the Tylenol Murders on October 3, the rise and fall of Rod Blagojevich on October 10, delectable dishes on Iconic Foods on October 17, and the shopping splendors of Marshall Field's on October 24. You can explore each story even more at wttw.com/chicagostories (and watch the shows!).

New Cooking Shows and Seasons

The slew of new cooking shows continues into October, with season 14 of Sara's Weeknight Meals Saturdays at 11:30 am beginning October 4; the return of Chef's Life's Vivian Howard in Kitchen Curious with Vivian Howard Saturdays at 3:30 pm beginning October 11; and the all-new Fork & Hammer, which follows a restaurant owning couple as they open a sixth spot in a historic church in Charlotte, North Carolina, combining both food and home improvement in one show, Saturdays at 9:30 am beginning October 18.

Rick Steves 

The indefatigable travel guru has a new special on Poland (Monday, October 6 at 8:00 pm), plus a new season of Rick Steves' Europe (Saturdays at 5:00 pm beginning October 4) featuring both Poland and Iceland, the subject of another recent special. We spoke to the writer and associate producer of the special on Iceland.

New Dramas & Mysteries

New month, new drama line-up, with three new shows on October 5. Brian & Maggie is based on the relationship between the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the politician-turned-journalist Brian Walden as they have an interview near the end of Thatcher's career, at 7:00 pm. The legendary detective Jules Maigret returns in a new adaptation set in Paris at 8:00 pm. The Gold is another show based on real British history in the 1980s: a record-breaking heist of gold, at 9:00 pm. Then, Saturdays beginning October 11 at 7:00 pm, there's a new, fourth season of Sister Boniface Mysteries.

Biographies

Three notable people, their lives, and work are explored this month on Tuesdays (and a Monday). American Masters takes on Marlee Matlin, the first Deaf actress to win an Academy Award, in Not Alone Anymore, Tuesday, October 14 at 8:00 pm. Frontline takes a look at Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his rise to President Trump's Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tuesday, October 21 at 9:00 pm. And American Experience, in its last original production for now, untangles the complicated legacy of Henry Kissinger and his foreign policy under Richard Nixon in two parts, October 27 and Tuesday, October 28 at 8:00 pm. Check back later in the month for an interview with the filmmaker behind Kissinger.

Nature, NOVA, and Secrets of the Dead on Wednesdays

Chicago Stories on Fridays, cooking shows Saturdays, dramas Sundays, biographies Tuesdays – and Nature (beginning October 22 at 7:00 pm), NOVA (8:00 pm), and Secrets of the Dead (9:00 pm) on Wednesdays. Super floods, walruses, mountain lions, queens from Cleopatra to Mary Queen of Scots: there's a wide range of engaging topics. 

Journalism, Parks, and Live Music

Not all of our programming slots into neat categories, but that doesn't mean it isn't absolutely worthwhile. Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink (Sunday, October 12 at 4:00 pm) looks into the hedge fund Alden Global Capital, which has bought newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Tribune, and gutted them. We'll have an interview about the documentary coming this month.

If you enjoy the 606, you'll be interested in From Rails to Trails (Monday, October 20 at 9:00 pm), which tells the story of how parks and bike trails like the 606 have taken over unused railways across the country. We'll also have an interview with the producer, who has done lots of work for WTTW.

Sundays beginning October 5 at 11:00 pm, you can enjoy concerts from a new season of Austin City Limits, featuring artists such as Finneas, The Marias, My Morning Jacket, Charley Crockett, and Waxahatchee.