E-PROMO HIGHLIGHTS GUIDE PROVIDED BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLIC MEDIA
January 2026 |
NEW SEASON SUN Jan 4 | 7 PM
VOCES: American Sons The Longest Walk Secrets of the Dead: Queens of Combat VISIT US ONLINE RMPBS.ORG | AUDIENCE SERVICES CONNECT@RMPBS.ORG | 303-892-6666 1 MON Jan 12 | 9 PM MON Jan 19 | 9 PM WED Jan 28 | 9 PM
Primetime Highlights
H
appy New Year! January ushers in an exciting slate of programming to kick off 2026. We begin with Great Performances: From Vienna – The New Year’s Celebration 2026, setting an elegant tone for the season ahead. Viewers can also look forward to brand-new seasons of audience favorites, including ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, Finding Your Roots, American Experience, and Midsomer Murders: Book of the Dead. Two fan-favorite dramas return as well: the highly anticipated sixth season of Miss Scarlet, immediately followed by the new season of All Creatures Great & Small. This month also marks the premiere of Bookish, a new British crime drama from Mark Gatiss. NATURE debuts a powerful new episode, Tusker: Brotherhood of Elephants, and NOVA goes out of this world with Asteroids: Spark of Life! Closer to home, RMPBS presents the premiere of two impactful local originals: Undercovered and Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink. Rounding out the month, viewers can enjoy fresh episodes of NOVA and Frontline. It’s an engaging start to the year—perfect for settling in and discovering something new. ALL PROGRAMMING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. VISIT RMPBS.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR UPDATES, CHANGES, AND QUESTIONS.
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
SEASON 30 PREMIERE MON Jan 5 | 7 PM ROADSHOW kicks off their 30th season with part 1 of Red Butte Garden and Arboretum House.
All Creatures Great and Small
SEASON 6 PREMIERE SUN Jan 11 | 8 PM Season 6 of All Creatures Great and Small takes us back to the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales, where life in Darrowby is starting to find its rhythm again as the war in Europe winds down. It’s 1945, and the Skeldale family is stepping into a new chapter—one shaped by change, hope, and the opportunities that come with a more peaceful future.
NOVA
ANGKOR: HIDDEN JUNGLE EMPIRE WED Jan 28 | 8 PM Discover the lost secrets of Angkor, the once-mighty Khmer capital and the largest city of its time. This remarkable civilization built Angkor Wat and engineered an advanced urban landscape before mysteriously disappearing into the jungle. Now, new technology and recent findings reveal how the empire rose to greatness—and what may have caused its dramatic fall. COVER PHOTO: PBS SMALLER PHOTOS PAGE 2: ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, PBS, NOVA
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Local & Independent Colorado Experience
BLACK COWBOYS THUR Jan 8 | 7 PM Black cowboy culture is experiencing a renaissance. Creators are reclaiming a long-overlooked legacy deeply rooted in Colorado history from the pioneering Exodusters to Lu Vason, founder of Denver’s Bill Pickett Rodeo. As Black history faces growing threats, this documentary highlights the enduring impact of Black cowboys and the voices redefining the culture today.
Colorado Experience
SACRED HOT SPRINGS THUR Jan 8 | 7:30 PM Take a deep dive into Colorado’s hot springs and geothermal culture explores the rich history and enduring Indigenous connection to these sacred waters. It also examines the ongoing need for land and water stewardship amid modern development, as well as the growing potential for geothermal energy use across the state. All of this comes at a time when self-care and agency in your own wellness has become more popular in the wake of the pandemic.
Colorado Experience
UNITED BY BASEBALL THUR Jan 8 | 8 PM Baseball has long unified Colorado’s diverse communities. Even before statehood, towns formed teams that brought people together. Immigrant groups—like Hispanic sugar beet workers and Japanese Americans—created their own leagues, claiming the sport as part of their American identity. In Denver, rising Black talent led to the first integrated game of the 20th century. Today, baseball still builds lasting connections, especially for new immigrants.
Colorado Experience
HIDDEN HISTORY OF CHEESMAN PARK THUR Jan 8| 8:30 PM Uncover the captivating history of Cheesman Park, that began as one of Denver’s first cemeteries. As the city expanded, the cemetery was transformed into a park, with most of the bodies relocated— though an estimated 3,000 remain beneath the grass. Over time, Cheesman Park evolved into a vital gathering place for Denver’s LGBTQ community, becoming one of the city’s few safe spaces. Today, it remains a vibrant hub of queer culture and has historically served as the starting place for the Pride parade each June. SMALLER PHOTOS: RMPBS
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Local & Independent RMPBS Original:
SHEARED THUR Jan 8 | 9 PM Once central to Colorado’s agricultural economy, the sheep industry is now struggling to survive. This limited series follows ranchers and seasonal workers as they face shrinking markets, declining demand, and new pressures from a changing landscape—where even wild bighorn sheep can shape the fate of a flock.
RMPBS Original:
UNDERCOVERED THUR Jan 15 | 7 PM Homeowners in Colorado face difficult decisions when it comes to insuring their home. With increasing fires and more intensive hail, we look into the looming crisis - and what the state government is doing to address it.
The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: CELEBRATING YEARS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE THUR Jan 15 | 7:30 PM Explore the history and evolution of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel news outlet and its role in Western Colorado.
Stripped for Parts: AMERICAN JOURNALISM ON THE BRINK THUR Jan 15 | 8 PM Alden Global Capital is quietly buying and stripping newspapers—until journalist Julie Reynolds exposes the truth. Her reporting ignites nationwide pushback from reporters and the NewsGuild union as they fight to save local journalism. Stripped for Parts follows their battle to protect the press and free speech. SMALLER PHOTOS: RMPBS, PBS
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Local & Independent
The Longest Walk
DOCUMENTARY MON Jan 19 | 9 PM Charles Burrell has played at the highest level in both jazz and classical music genres. Charlie helped to form the cultural identity of Denver, despite the politics in play, some of which adversely affected Charlie as a man of color. He remarkably rose above it all through his grace, intellect, and incomparable music.
America’s Hidden Gem:
NORTHWEST AURORA THUR Jan 22 | 7 PM This is a story of a community making good on the promise of the American dream. Aurora’s diversity puts it in the top 10 among U.S. cities, and NW Aurora or “Original Aurora” is its heart. Once affordable, urban development now threatens to dismantle its unique cultural fabric. Efforts to keep it intact through conscious revitalization could be a model for cities facing gentrification.
Behind the Wings
THE HURRICANE HUNTERS THUR Jan 22 | 8 PM When others turn back, they fly straight into the eye of a storm. The Hurricane Hunters, an elite unit of aviators, use specialized aircraft to gather real-time data from inside hurricanes. From cutting-edge radar to autonomous drones deployed in-flight, this episode explores the high-risk missions, unique aircraft, and courageous crews who help improve hurricane forecasting, risking their lives to save others.
Behind the Wings
BUILDING THE INT’L SPACE STATION THUR Jan 22| 8:30 PM Orbiting 250 miles above Earth, the International Space Station is a marvel of engineering and global collaboration. Built by 15 nations over decades, it’s a laboratory, a gateway to deep space, and a home base for astronauts. Go behind the scenes to explore how the ISS was assembled in-orbit, what it takes to live and work in microgravity, and why this unique spacecraft continues to shape the future of human spaceflight. SMALLER PHOTOS: RMPBS, PBS
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Local & Independent
Behind the Wings
50 YEARS OF THE F16 THUR Jan 22 | 9 PM Few aircraft have had the lasting impact of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. First flown in 1974, the F-16 was designed for agility, speed, and survivability. What began as an experimental idea became a mainstay of air forces around the world. Step inside the F-16 factory to see how it’s built, and onto Buckley Space Force Base where the Colorado Air National Guard continues to fly operational missions. From dogfights to deep strike missions, this episode traces the evolution of the F-16 and reflects on 50 years of innovation, adaptability, and frontline service.
Behind the Wings
UNLOCKING ASTEROID SECRETS THUR Jan 22 | 9:30 PM What can a 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid tell us about life on Earth? NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission set out to answer that question, traveling over 4 billion miles to collect a pristine sample from asteroid Bennu. This episode explores how the spacecraft was designed to meet its ambitious science goals, and how its discoveries may change our understanding of life’s origins and our place in the universe.
About Damn Time: THE DORY WOMEN OF GRAND CANYON THUR Jan 29 | 7 PM In 1983, Cindell “Dellie” Dale talked her way onto her first commercial river trip through the Grand Canyon. Like many women in the industry at the time, her place was in the kitchen. But determined to push against the tide of a male-dominated river-running world, she earned her spot on the oars and became one of the Grand Canyon’s legendary dory guides. Inspired by the trailblazing women before her, Dale is now proudly passing the oars to a new generation, declaring, “It’s about damn time.”
Colorado Uncharted SEASON 1 THUR Jan 29 | 8 & 8:30 PM 4-part docu-series hosted by Conor Hall (Director of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Office) explores the diverse outdoor adventures and economies across Colorado, from ice climbing in Ouray to dinosaur fossils in Moffat County, showcasing the state’s wild beauty and rural life.
SMALLER PHOTOS: RMPBS
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What to Watch Jan 1 - 8 Great Performances
FROM VIENNA: THE NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION 2026 THUR Jan 1 | 7 PM
The New Year’s Celebration features the famous Vienna Philharmonic performing their annual New Year’s concert on January 1, 2026, led by firsttime conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. Hosted by Hugh Bonneville, the broadcast will include traditional Strauss family waltzes, polkas, and marches, interspersed with stunning ballet performances from the Vienna City Ballet at various Vienna landmarks.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS
Finding Your Roots
NEW SEASON TUE Jan 6 | 7 PM For more than a decade, renowned Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has helped to expand America’s sense of itself, stimulating a national conversation about identity with humor, wisdom, and compassion. Professor Gates has explored the ancestry of dozens of influential people from diverse backgrounds, taking millions of viewers deep into the past to reveal the connections that bind us all.
PHOTO COURTESY OF POV
American Experience BOMBSHELL
TUE Jan 6 | 8 PM On August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb leveled Hiroshima, followed by a second strike on Nagasaki. While hailed for ending World War II, the bomb’s use was clouded by misleading claims—President Truman described Hiroshima as “an army base,” though the blast targeted the city center for maximum psychological effect. PHOTO COURTESY OF IPBS
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What to Watch Jan 9 - 15 Ukraine Under Fire
DOCUMENTARY TUE Jan 13 | 10 PM
In the wake of Russia’s all-out invasion, an American journalist and a Ukrainian news presenter embark on a series of interviews, chronicling resistance, war crimes and acts of genocide.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS
Miss Scarlet
SEASON 6 PREMIERE SUN Jan 11 | 7 PM In a case centered around the fledgling world of psychiatry, a violent psychiatric patient is on the loose, leaving behind a murder, a mystery and an unidentified body. Blake hires Eliza to help him solve the case.
Nature
TUSKER: BROTHERHOOD OF ELEPHANTS WED Jan 14 | 7 PM Explore the complex lives, dominance struggles, and deep social bonds of giant bull elephants (Tuskers) in Kenya’s Amboseli and Mount Kilimanjaro regions, highlighting these magnificent, rare elephants facing threats and showcasing their role as landscape engineers. The film offers a rare look at these iconic, large-tusked males and the challenges to their survival. PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS
Bookish
SERIES PREMIERE SUN Jan 11 | 9 PM British detective drama series created by Mark Gatiss, set in 1946 London, following erudite antiquarian bookseller Gabriel Book (Gatiss) as he uses his vast knowledge and quirky network of associates to solve baffling crimes, while navigating his loving but platonic “lavender marriage” with his wife Trottie and forming a complex bond with a young ex-con he hires, blending post-war nostalgia with engaging mysteries. PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS, NATURE
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What to Watch Jan 16 - 22 The American Revolution
AN ASYLUM FOR MANKIND FRI Jan 16 | 8 PM The American Revolution: An Asylum for Mankind” is the title of the second episode (May 1775 - July 1776) in Ken Burns’s recent PBS documentary series, focusing on the crucial early period when New Englanders besieged Boston, George Washington took command, and the colonies declared independence, asserting rights against tyranny as a beacon for liberty, though historians note America’s complex, evolving relationship with true open asylum.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS
Breaking the Deadlock
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH TUE Jan 20 | 8 PM Top voices tackle America’s toughest issues through fictional yet realistic scenarios. Legal expert Aaron Tang moderates spirited, solutions-driven debate. Civil discourse meets real-world stakes.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NOVA
NOVA
ASTEROIDS: SPARK OF LIFE? WED Jan 21 | 8 PM Explore a revolutionary theory that cosmic impacts, rather than just destroying, delivered vital ingredients like water, minerals, and organic compounds to early Earth, kickstarting life amidst volcanic chaos, with scientists like Robert Hazen studying these “relic environments” to understand how life and rocks coevolved from a lifeless rock to a living planet. PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS
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What to Watch Jan 23 - 31 NOVA
ANGKOR: HIDDEN JUNGLE EMPIRE WED Jan 28 | 8 PM
PHOTO COURTESY OF INDEPENDENT LENS
Independent Lens:
VIVIEN’S WILD RIDE
Discover the secrets of the mighty Khmer Empire’s capital, Angkor, using cutting-edge Lidar technology to uncover its massive, hidden urban networks beneath the Cambodian jungle, exploring how this vast metropolis rose to power, built wonders like Angkor Wat, and mysteriously collapsed due to factors like drought, warfare, and potential water management failures.
MON Jan 26 | 9 PM When legendary film editor Vivien Hillgrove begins losing her sight, she confronts memories of loss and resilience while reinventing herself as an artist with a disability. From her groundbreaking career in cinema to her life on a small farm with her partner, Karen, Vivien’s story reveals how creativity, care, and connection can reshape what it means to see and belong.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS
American Masters ELIE WIESEL: SOUL ON FIRE TUE Jan 27 | 8 PM Learn about Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize-winning author of Night. After his internment at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and liberation from Buchenwald, Wiesel became a journalist in France before immigrating to America. Over the course of his life, Wiesel fought the “sin of indifference” by writing, teaching, speaking truth to power and championing for human rights. PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS
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