Primetime Highlights
This month brings exciting new premieres and special programming you won’t want to miss. Renaissance – The Blood and The Beauty makes its debut, and The Great American Recipe returns for Season 4, featuring local contestant Carlos Tiburcio. Keep an eye out for a delicious lineup of culinary specials airing throughout the month. Thursday nights will become the new home for Ken Burns documentaries. We’ll be showcasing many of his most celebrated series, leading up to the premiere of The American Revolution in November, as part of our ongoing America at 250 initiative. To celebrate Independence Day, we’re bringing back A Capitol Fourth along with our local favorite Star Spangled Symphony , featuring the Colorado Springs Philharmonic in a stirring musical tribute. Later this month, join us for a train-themed evening of independent productions. New programs Steel Rails to Colorado’s Ski Trails: Winter Park Ski Trains and Railroad Stations in American Life will be featured, along with our RMPBS produced Colorado Experience: Ski Train ALL PROGRAMMING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT RMPBS.ORG/SCHEDULE
A Capitol Fourth CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY
FRI July 4 | 7 & 9:30 PM
Commemorate our country’s 249th Independence Day with the 45th broadcast of America’s grand Fourth of July celebration - a star-spangled event for our nation, where music, fireworks, and heartfelt tributes light up the special night.
Renaissance THE BLOOD AND THE BEAUTY
TUE July 8 | 8 PM
- THREE PART SERIES
July 8 – Rise: Michelangelo and Leonardo clash in Renaissance Italy, navigating deadly politics, war, and artistic rivalry.
July 15 – Rivalry: As Florence erupts in turmoil, their rivalry intensifies with the arrival of young prodigy Raphael.
July 22 – Redemption: Michelangelo and Raphael compete for Papal favor amid a religious schism that challenges Michelangelo’s beliefs.
The Great American Recipe SEASON 4 PREMIERE
FRI July 11 | 8 PM
Eight of the nation’s top home cooks gather in the barn to share their most treasured recipes, introducing themselves to the judges with a dish that reflects their perfect meal, followed by a regional dish that represents the place they call home. This season features Aurora, Colorado resident Carlos Tiburcio.
Local & Independent
Great Colorado Women
JOAN BIRKLAND, A COLORADO SPORTS LEGEND
THUR July 3 | 7 PM
Joan Birkland is widely considered one of Colorado’s greatest all-around athletes, spending most of her life competing and working in athletics. Growing up prior to Title IV, Joan played and competed in a wide variety of sports: tennis, golf, basketball, bowling, skiing and others. She was a co-creator of the Sportswomen of Colorado--the first, and still only, community-based organization in the US to recognize and honor girls and women for their sports endeavors.
Come One, Come All:
THE SALIDA CIRCUS, A CIRCUS WITH A PURPOSE
THUR July 3 | 7:30 PM
Explore The Salida Circus, a small town Colorado social circus that is changing lives.
Star Spangled Symphony
THE COLORADO SPRINGS PHILHARMONIC
FRI July 4 | 8:30 PM
Celebrate the Fourth of July like never before as the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and local talent perform patriotic favorites and more.
Full and Buzzed Season 1
SUNDAYS | 5 PM | July 6, 13, 20 and 27
This is your not-so-formal invitation to a special dinner party with Chef and Denver restaurateur Frank Bonanno. We’re not talking cocktail attire and your mom’s finest china. Come as you are and join Frank’s closest family and friends in his home kitchen as he whips up mouth-watering, simple meals that anyone can recreate. The goal is for everyone to leave the Bonanno home full on life and buzzed on happiness.
Local & Independent
Steel Rails to Ski Trails: COLORADO’S WINTER PARK SKI TRAINS
THUR July 17 | 7:30 PM
75 years of Ski Train history, from its early days on the Denver & Salt Lake and Denver & Rio Grande Western railroads to its revival as the Amtrak Winter Park Express.
Railroad Stations in American Life DOCUMENTARY
THUR July 17 | 8 PM
Railroad stations have historically played an important role in American life. Personal stories of experiences at stations and depots big and small bring these transit hubs to life.
Colorado Uncharted SEASON 1
THURSDAYS | 7 & 7:30 PM
Thursday, July 24 – 7:00 pm
Ouray – Conor Hall climbs Ouray’s iconic ice walls with elite climber Anna Pfaff during the world-famous Ice Climbing Festival in the “Switzerland of America.”
Thursday, July 24 – 7:30 pm
Moffat County – Explore the rugged Yampa River Valley with Conor. Kayak, bike to Maybell, and discover a land where dinosaur tracks meet cowboy trails.
Thursday, July 31 – 7:00 pm
San Luis Valley – Conor joins Dani Reyes-Acosta and Luis Benitez for sand boarding, rock climbing, and a retro drivein adventure across the stunning San Luis Valley.
Thursday, July 31 – 7:30 pm
Southeast Colorado – Conor climbs Fishers Peak with para cyclist Dr. Rachel Zoeller and visits La Junta’s tarantula festival in the Comanche National Grasslands.
Ken Burns in July
Prohibition A NATION OF DRUNKARDS
THUR July 3 | 8 PM
The story of Prohibition’s rise and fall is a compelling saga that goes far beyond the oft-told tales of gangsters, flappers, and speakeasies, to reveal a complicated and divided nation in the throes of momentous transformation.
Prohibition A NATION OF SCOFFLAWS
THUR July 10 | 8 PM
In 1920, Prohibition goes into effect and millions of lawabiding Americans become lawbreakers overnight. Drys had hoped Prohibition would make the country a safer place, but the law has many victims.
Prohibition A NATION OF HYPOCRITES
THUR July 10 | 10 PM
Gangsters make huge profits and wreak havoc in cities across the country. By the late 1920s, many Americans believe that Prohibition has failed. After the election of FDR in 1932, Prohibition is repealed.
The Roosevelts AN INTIMATE HISTORY
THUR July 24 & 31 | 8 PM
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History #101 Get Action (1858-1901)
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History #102 In the Arena (1901-1910)
What to Watch July 1 - 8
Iconic America:
OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN: THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
TUE July 1 | 8 PM
Reveal the evolving meaning of this symbol for a “nation of immigrants,” and how it embodies our values and our conflicts, from abolition and women’s suffrage to the treatment of refugees.
Life of Loi:
MEDITERRANEAN SECRETS
SAT July 5 | 9:30 AM
Hosted by critically acclaimed chef Maria Loi, who shares thousands of years of knowledge baked into Mediterranean cuisine as she takes viewers island hopping across Greece and serves up the secret to making some of the region’s most classic dishes.
POV:
Igualada: REFUSING TO KNOW YOUR PLACE
MON July 7 | 9 PM
In Colombia’s most consequential election, Black activist Francia Marquez rises from rural organizer to presidential candidate, challenging centuries of racial and social exclusion. Filmed over fifteen years, this intimate portrait captures how Marquez transforms a grassroots movement into a powerful force for change, inspiring millions to reimagine their nation’s future and their place within it.
What to Watch July 9 - 15
The Green Desert DOCUMENTARY
THUR July 10 | 7 PM
Farmers in the arid Southwest depend on Colorado River water delivered downstream from the Hoover Dam. Storage reservoirs of Lake Powell and Lake Mead have dwindled to historic lows and may never recover from a 20-year drought. America’s food security is at risk.
POV: MADE IN ETHIOPIA
MON July 14 | 9 PM
As Ethiopia’s largest Chinese-run industrial park attempts an ambitious expansion, three women find themselves at the heart of a changing nation. A determined Chinese director pushes for 30,000 new jobs, while a local farmer and factory worker face the promise and painful realities of rapid industrialization. Their interwoven stories reveal the complex human dimensions of global development.
FRI July 11 | 9 PM
Discover how celebrated writer Marcella Hazan shaped Italian cuisine in America. After immigrating to New York in the 1950s, she began making authentic dishes from her Italian roots and inspired millions of Americans with her cookbooks. American Masters:
Xinyan Yu THE FILMMAKERS
Tamara Dawit
Xinyan Yu
Max Duncan
What to Watch July 16 - 22
FRI July 18 | 9 PM
This documentary focuses on one of the most emblematic dishes of Mexican cuisine and its place of origin - Puebla, Mexico. According to academic and anthropological sources, the origin of this traditional sauce and marinade dates to the time of the conquest. The approach of traditional Mexican cuisine is shared by local cooks, who demonstrate the process of preparing different recipes. Laura Esquivel Laureada, author of “Como Agua para Chocolate” (“Like Water for Chocolate”) comments that “when tasting the mole, the diner inherits a fragment of the cultural heritage of this country.” She along with a number of historians provide context about the special meaning of mole for Mexicans.
Patience
SEASON 1 FINALE
SUN July 20 | 7 PM
A man dies on a bus after a violent coughing fit. The dead man turns out to have multiple identities and a history of eco-terrorism. Bea is warned off the case, but she refuses to stop investigating.
POV: THE RIDE AHEAD
MON July 21 | 9 PM
Turning 21, Samuel wants his independence. Yet every rite of passage is fraught with challenges and social barriers. Seizures and uncontrollable movements. Inaccessible housing. Degrading ableist encounters. “No one tells you how to be an adult,” he says, “let alone an adult with a disability.” Can a community of disability activists help him follow his dreams?
What to Watch July 23 - 31
La Frontera with Pati Jinich MILES FROM NOWHERE, PART 1
FRI July 25 | 9 PM
Acclaimed chef and James Beard Award-winning host Pati Jinich travels from El Paso and Juarez to Big Bend National Park. She discovers the people, places and food, from burritos to Middle Eastern cuisine, that make this region unique.
Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana
JUNEAU & WHITEHORSE - SISTER CITIES
FRI July 25 | 10 PM
Pati explores the sister cities of Alaska’s capital, Juneau, and the capital of Canada’s Yukon Territory, Whitehorse. She finds a pioneering culture of artistry and entrepreneurship thriving alongside the unforgiving wilderness.
VOCES: SLUMLORD MILLIONAIRE
MON July 28 | 9 PM
A documentary film exploring the housing crisis and gentrification in New York City, focusing on the struggles of residents fighting against corrupt landlords and developers. The film highlights the fight for the right to affordable housing and the impact of the real estate business on communities. It premiered at DOC NYC in November 2024 and won the Audience Award.
Focus on Housing Injustice:
The documentary follows New York City residents, activists, and nonprofit attorneys as they grapple with the high cost of housing, neglect by landlords, and the displacement of communities due to gentrification.
Systemic Failures:
“Slumlord Millionaire” also delves into the systemic issues that contribute to the housing crisis, including “deed theft” and the ways in which landlords can intentionally make properties uninhabitable to force tenants out.
