SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
EVOLUTION
TRACING THE HISTORY OF LIFE ITSELF
Evolution, a new five-part series from NOVA, traces the epic journey of life — from a single ancient cell to the exceptional variety of extant species. This landmark series, which features passionate scientists, gorgeous photography, and stunning animation of long-lost ancestors, reveals how all species that exist now sprang from organisms that were completely dissimilar to those of the present era.
“Every animal alive today is connected by a single thread of ancestry stretching back billions of years, and yet the creatures that gave rise to modern life would be almost unrecognizable to us today,” said NOVA Co-Executive Producer Julia Cort. “This series gives viewers a frontrow seat to extraordinary chains of events — mutations, adaptations, and evolutionary leaps — that ultimately produced the astonishing diversity of life on our planet.”
Starting with the first episode “Brain Power,” viewers will discover how the smallest mutations — repeated and inherited across countless generations — ultimately reshape life itself. “Brain Power” explores what’s probably the most complex structure on this planet. How did evolution build brains? To find out, viewers
travel back three billion years to trace the evolutionary story of the dolphin, one of earth’s smartest animals.
You’ll learn how the first light-sensing cells led to eyes that helped wire bodies to think, how a fluke viral infection supercharged the speed of thought, and how the neocortex emerged as early mammals re-wired their brains to attune to the night. Together, these breakthroughs reveal how evolution transformed simple perception into arguably the most remarkable organ on earth — a structure capable of thought, communication, and compassion.
“Brain Power” and the four other episodes of Evolution are full of surprises. Did a prehistoric feeding frenzy spark a mass extinction? How did the unlikely journey of bones from our ancestors’ jaws give us the incredible gift of hearing? How did evolution craft a dazzling variety of adaptive traits? — from an elephant’s trunk to a hummingbird’s long thin beak. You won’t want to miss any of the amazing and little-known stories of life on earth, so be sure to include Evolution on your watch list this fall.
Airs Wednesday, October 14 at 9 p.m. on VPM PBS
SEASON 2
Gold is the stuff of wealth and desire. No wonder this shiny sought-after element has held endless fascination for millennia, as viewers of season 1 of The Gold will agree. Based on the real-life Brink’s-Mat robbery, the biggest heist in history (at the time) of £26 million of gold bullion, season 1 ended with detectives capturing most of the people involved in this heist. But one man, John Palmer, eluded them — as did half of the 3 tons of gold — which left viewers asking, “What happened to the rest?”
Season 2 of The Gold provides answers. Or does it? Don’t miss this high-stakes journey into international money laundering and organized crime. Led by DCI Brian Boyce (portrayed by Hugh Bonneville), the Brink’s-Mat Task Force embarks on a series of dramatic manhunts as they desperately try to track the rest of the stolen gold. Need a refresher on the story or want to see it for the first time? Then check out all of season 1 on PBS Passport.
Airs Sundays starting October 18 at 10 p.m. on VPM PBS
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FROM THE DESK OF … Jayme Swain
Dear Reader:
Autumm is coming, which means a new lineup of PBS programs and, of course, election season in Virginia.
VPM News will cover all the races and provide a detailed look at the four constitutional amendments on this year’s ballot. For full election coverage, visit our website at vpm.org/elections. You can also tune into the PBS NewsHour for analysis on how the midterms’ outcome could affect domestic and foreign policy.
Beyond news and public affairs, PBS will debut Evolution, NOVA’s new five-part series that traces the journey of life and uncovers the mysteries of our existence. If you love a good mystery, we will also air new seasons of two favorites: The Marlow Murder Club and Marble Hall Murders, the third and last of the
Susan Ryeland/Atticus Pünd collaborations. They’re joined with a new season of Maigret and the final revelations of The Gold on MASTERPIECE.
Your support makes it possible for VPM to provide access to these programs for all Virginians. Over the last year, people like you have stepped up to ensure VPM will be here now and into the future. Thank you for standing with us.
With gratitude,
Jayme Swain President and CEO, VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media
Preschoolers and kindergartners will love this brand-new animated series that builds on the legacy and success of the beloved Emmynominated SUPER WHY! series and SUPER WHY’S COMIC BOOK ADVENTURES shorts. Follow the Super Readers — Super Why (aka Whyatt Beanstalk), Wonder Red, Princess Presto, Alpha Pig, Woofster, and the newest reading hero, Power Paige — on out-of-thisworld adventures as they use their unique literacy powers and gadgets to protect Reader Valley from a group of silly Super Villains. With help from the viewer, “Super You,” the Super Readers work together to make things right in Reader Valley.
Best of all, the new series empowers preschoolers and kindergartners by
supporting early-literacy skills through exciting 7-minute stories that launch them into a colorful comic book universe where every interactive story adventure brings reading to life. “Literacy-focused content that engages, entertains, and supports young learners is needed now more than ever, which is why we’re thrilled to expand on the SUPER WHY! universe,” says Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President & General Manager of PBS KIDS and Education. “Through its fresh, comicsinspired format and fun-filled stories, the new series will help young audiences jumpstart a lifelong love of reading.”
Airs Monday through Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on VPM PBS
Novels can be murder! At least that’s the case for editor Susan Ryeland in Marble Hall Murders, the third and final installment of this wildly popular metafiction mystery. Susan has returned to England and taken on a new editing assignment. She’s working with a troubled young writer as he pens the final novel in the Atticus Pünd series. Soon the assignment draws Susan into another very real murder case, one in which she finds herself cast as a suspect. How do Atticus Pünd’s travels to the island of Corfu parallel Susan’s situation? Tune in for the six-episode series and find out.
Marble Hall Murders reunites audiences with the mind-bending, time-traveling world of Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders. Lesley Manville (World on Fire) and Tim McMullan (Foyle’s War ) return as Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pünd. They’re joined by MASTERPIECE favorites, including Patricia Hodge ( All Creatures Great and Small ) and Harry Lloyd (Wolf Hall ) and other familiar faces. The stories are all based on the Anthony Horowitz novels.
Airs Sundays starting September 6 at 9 p.m. on VPM PBS
There’s no rest for The Marlow Murder Club’s intrepid crime fighters. Retired archaeologist Judith Potts, dog walker Suzie Harris, and vicar’s wife Becks Starling have found themselves bringing their unconventional methods to a string of high-profile murders in the third season of this cozy murder mystery series. From the sudden death of the town’s beloved mayor — the nicest man in Marlow — to a celebrity chef found dead at the launch of his cookbook, the team will be working under the watchful eye of the Marlow community. They’ll also be called to action
at a university reunion in a manor house where Becks finds herself to be among the suspects.
Returning for season 3 are Natalie Dew as DCI Tanika Malik, Samantha Bond (Judith Potts), Jo Martin (Suzie Harris), and Cara Horgan (Becks Starling). Fun facts: Author Robert Thorogood created both The Marlow Murder Club and Death in Paradise. He based Judith Potts in part on his grandmother Betty and his great aunts Jean and Jess.
Airs Sundays starting September 6 at 8 p.m. on VPM PBS
SEASON
2
The legendary Jules Maigret is back for six more exciting episodes on season 2 of the stylish new adaptation of Georges Simenon’s wildly popular stories. This season brings dramatic changes in La Brigade Criminelle. Maigret’s boss and mentor, Director of Police Xavier Guichard, has become suspicious of Maigret’s growing fame and decides to take him down a peg. The resulting internal turmoil is the backdrop for three of Simenon’s best-known Maigret novels: The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien, Maigret’s Revolver, and The Yellow Dog. Throughout the investigations of cruel and heartbreaking crimes, Maigret finds that the line between guilt and innocence can be bewilderingly blurred. He’ll have to reach deep within his heart to work out his own unique form of justice — for victims and perpetrators alike.
Benjamin Wainwright reprises his role as Maigret, described by The New Yorker as “a man of moral restraint who practices the art of listening, not interrogating.” Also returning is Stephanie Martini as Madame Louise Maigret, as well as Kerrie Hayes, Shaniqua Okwok, and Reda Elazouar as “Les Maigrets,” the chief inspector’s loyal team of detectives.
Airs Sundays starting October 18 at 9 p.m. on VPM PBS
This year, Virginians are voting on four constitutional amendments: felon voting rights, marriage equality, redistricting, and reproductive rights. VPM News state politics reporter Jahd Khalil dives into what the amendments are, explains how they will impact Virginians if passed, and talks to opponents and proponents of each of the amendments. Visit VPM.org/amend to watch and learn more.
Follow a school district’s transformative approach to career-based learning, where both college prep and career-based learning are integrated to help students discover in-demand skills and connect to meaningful careers. At a time of tremendous change in employment, education, and technology, students explore diverse careers and master traditional and neweconomy skills, while having fun!
Multiple Choice premieres on VPM PBS on Thursday, September 3. https://www.multiplechoicefilm.com/
October 9 is DAF Day
DAF Day is an opportunity to make an impact alongside other Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) holders. More than $326 billion is currently held in DAFs, funds that only support nonprofits when donors recommend a grant. On DAF Day, we encourage you to recommend a grant from your DAF to support VPM’s work. To learn how to designate your DAF gift to VPM, contact Angie Hatcher Sledge at asledge@VPM.org or visit VPM.org/DAF. Stand together to support public media!
Life in the Heart Land: An American 250 Special presents rural America in a fresh light: as the source of innovative solutions and a deep sense of heritage. Meet neighbors, communities, and organizations in Virginia that are discovering, reflecting, and sharing the country’s history. Join them as they embrace the lessons of the past and use them to shape the future. Life in the Heart Land: An American 250 Special takes you on a trip to historic towns, streets, and waterways to discover more about Virginia and the people who live here.
Watch Life in the Heart Land: An American 250 Special in October on VPM PBS and anytime on the PBS APP
AMERICAN 250 SPECIAL