If you thought July was quiet on PBS, then August is even more so. Fortunately, there are still new episodes of the British dramas Cobra and Hotel Portofino to enjoy. But as far as premieres go, there really aren’t that many. It’s a very news-heavy month, with coverage of the 2024 Democratic Convention, as well as Frontline‘s special about President Joe Biden’s decision to pull out of the 2024 election.
For non-partisan entertainment, there’s a Great Performances concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, the documentaries Fauna and Almost American, as well as the series premiere of Odysseus Returns. It’s not a jam-packed schedule of originals, but you can’t say there’s nothing new to watch on PBS.
If you missed the best shows on PBS from July, you can still stream those online. But you will have to wait for the premiere dates listed below to catch everything coming to PBS in August.
POV — Fauna
Premieres: Monday, August 5
An old shepherd and his flock live alongside a high-tech laboratory for animal experimentation. Two worlds that are two sides of the same coin. While the shepherd, afflicted with a bone disease, witnesses his profession disappearing, scientists are busier than ever researching the COVID vaccine. Fauna explores the relationship between humans, animals, and science in post-pandemic times.
Frontline — Biden’s Decision
Premieres: Tuesday, August 6
Behind Biden’s historic decision, decades of challenges and controversies, triumphs and tragedies. The inside story of Biden’s rise to the presidency, the personal and political forces that shaped him and led to his dramatic decision to step aside.
A Boston (R)Evolution
Premieres: Tuesday, August 13
Executive produced by Emmy-winning Bostonian Uzo Aduba and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Sam Pollard, and directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Daphne McWilliams, the feature documentary A Boston (R)Evolution examines one of America’s most racially complicated cities as it confronts not only its past but also its future.
When Kim Janey, a black woman who was bussed as a child to hostile neighborhoods, is catapulted to Acting Mayor, she breaks a 200-year history of white men in the city’s top seat. Boston’s traditional old school politics are further challenged when the top candidates in the historic 2021 mayoral race are four non-white women.
PBS News Special: Democratic National Convention
Premieres: Monday-Thursday, August 19-22
Live special coverage of the Democratic National Convention will air on PBS stations and stream on PBS NewsHour’s digital and social platforms, beginning on Monday, August 19 through Thursday, August 22.
Co-anchored by Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett in Chicago, coverage will include reporting from NewsHour White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López and senior correspondent Judy Woodruff, and analysis from Washington Post opinion writer Jonathan Capehart, New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks, and editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report Amy Walter, among others.
Great Performances — Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2024
Premieres: Friday, August 23
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.
Voces — Almost American
Premieres: Monday, August 26
The lives of the Ayala Flores family, who have lived and worked in the nation’s capital for 20 years, are shattered when their teenage daughter — who came to the United States from El Salvador at age 1 and grew up sheltered by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) — gets caught in the middle of the fight over immigration policy.
The Trump administration moves to terminate TPS status, only to have the Biden administration act in the eleventh-hour to delay the debate for another year. More than 400,000 TPS holders remain at risk, impacting the lives of almost 200,000 U.S.-born children.
American Masters — Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames
Premieres: Tuesday, August 27
Blake Edwards redefined slapstick comedy through a lens that still resonates with today’s directors and actors, with a body of work spanning over four decades, and often in collaboration with his wife, actress and singer Julie Andrews.
Counting the Vote: A Firing Line Special with Margaret Hoover
Premieres: Tuesday, August 27
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.
Odysseus Returns
Premieres: Wednesday, August 28
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.
