PBS America TV Guide: Listings, Schedule & What’s On PBS America Tonight
PBS America is the UK home of America’s Public Broadcasting Service: history, science and current affairs, with a long list of heavyweight documentary series. Channel numbers are further down the page. Tonight, Saturday 24 October 2026, is Caligula’s Hidden Legacy at 6pm, the two-part The War Cabinet from 7:05pm, and Caught in the Crackdown at 9pm. Full breakdown below.
PBS America Schedule: Saturday 24 October 2026 (Full Listings)
Here is the complete PBS America schedule for Saturday 24 October 2026, on Freeview 84.
Overnight
| Time | Programme | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 12am | Sicily: the Conquered Isle | S1E2 |
| 1:15am | Weathered: Earth’s Extremes | S1E5 |
| 2am | Teleshopping |
Breakfast
| Time | Programme | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 8am | Athens: Birth of Democracy | S53E8 |
Morning
| Time | Programme | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 9:25am | The Mughal Empire | S1E1 |
| 10:40am | The Mughal Empire | S1E2 |
| 11:50am | The Mughal Empire | S1E3 |
Afternoon
| Time | Programme | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1pm | The Mughal Empire | S1E1 |
| 2:15pm | The Mughal Empire | S1E2 |
| 3:30pm | The Mughal Empire | S1E3 |
| 4:50pm | Caligula’s Hidden Legacy | S1E1 |
Early evening
| Time | Programme | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 6pm | Caligula’s Hidden Legacy | S1E2 |
Primetime
| Time | Programme | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 7:05pm | The War Cabinet – Part 1 | S45E1 |
| 8pm | The War Cabinet – Part 2 | S45E1 |
| 9pm | Caught in the Crackdown | S44E13 |
Late night
| Time | Programme | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 10:05pm | The War Cabinet – Part 1 | S45E1 |
| 11pm | The War Cabinet – Part 2 | S45E1 |
Also on TV tonight at 9pm
- BBC One: Wisdom of the Crowd (from 8.35pm)
- ITV1: The Voice UK (from 8.35pm)
- BBC Two: Amy Winehouse at the BBC (from 8.35pm)
- Channel 4: The Equalizer 2
- Channel 5: Alan Carr: My Best Bits & More (from 8.35pm)
- Film4: Shaun of the Dead
- E4: Celebrity Gogglebox
- ITV2: FYI Daily
- ITV3: Midsomer Murders (from 8pm)
- ITV4: Darts: European Championship (from 6pm)
Every channel tonight, side by side · Films on TV tonight · Tomorrow’s TV
What’s on PBS America today
The day opens with the second half of Sicily: the Conquered Isle at midnight and Weathered: Earth’s Extremes at 1:15am, then teleshopping fills the small hours until 8am.
Athens: Birth of Democracy, from the US science strand NOVA, is on at 8am. The Mughal Empire then runs in three episodes from 9:25am and again from 1pm. Caligula’s Hidden Legacy, a two-part series, begins at 4:50pm and finishes at 6pm.
PBS America tonight — primetime and the evening schedule
Here’s the PBS America primetime line-up for tonight, Saturday 24 October 2026.
Caligula’s Hidden Legacy — PBS America, 6pm
The second and final part of a series that began at 4:50pm. Part one covered the emperor’s descent into paranoia and cruelty, and this one turns to the two enormous ships he had built, which gave rise to stories lasting two thousand years. It is a film about what survives of him, and it opens the evening on archaeology.
The War Cabinet — PBS America, 7:05pm and 8pm
A two-part American documentary about the circle of advisers and officials around the US president when it comes to using force abroad: friction with allies, the targeting of foreign leaders and the war in the Middle East. Part one is at 7:05pm and part two at 8pm. Both parts are shown again later in the night, so you can pick it up from the start if you join late.
Caught in the Crackdown — PBS America, 9pm
A documentary made with the investigative newsroom ProPublica on the federal immigration sweeps across the US. It looks at the arrests, the protests and the violence that followed, the tactics used and the court cases, and what it has meant for communities. It is the night’s one stand-alone piece of current affairs, and a sober watch after The War Cabinet.
The War Cabinet — PBS America, 10:05pm and 11pm
The full two-part repeat, with part one at 10:05pm and part two at 11pm. If the 7:05pm showing clashed with something else, this is the second chance.
What kind of shows are on PBS America
History and ancient worlds
History is the backbone of the schedule. Tonight’s roster takes in Caligula’s Rome, with the Mughal emperors and medieval Sicily in the daytime, mostly in short series made to be shown in two to four parts.
Science and US documentary strands
The channel carries series from American public television, including NOVA, FRONTLINE and American Experience. Ken Burns series such as The Vietnam War, Jazz and The Civil War are part of the mix. Today the line-up includes Athens: Birth of Democracy, from NOVA, and The War Cabinet.
Current affairs and the environment
Alongside the history, the schedule makes room for contemporary reporting, such as the climate series Weathered: Earth’s Extremes overnight and, tonight, The War Cabinet and Caught in the Crackdown.
How to watch PBS America
Channel numbers
Here is where to find PBS America on the main UK television platforms:
| Platform | Channel |
|---|---|
| Freeview (HD) | 84 |
| Sky | 173 |
| Freesat | 155 |
PBS America on Freeview needs a Freeview HD box or TV. It has been on Freeview since December 2017. Sky moved the channel from 174 to 173 in October 2024. For Virgin Media, check your on-screen guide, as we have no confirmed number to give you. Numbers can vary slightly by region.
Streaming online
PBS America has its own player on Freeview Play, found at channel 100 on a connected Freeview Play device, and the channel is also on Freely. See our guide to how to watch Freeview channels online for the wider picture.
Similar channels
If PBS America is your sort of thing, Yesterday covers history on Freeview, Sky Arts leans towards culture and the arts, and BBC Four is the nearest public-service equivalent. The Freeview channel guide lists the whole line-up.
Frequently asked questions
What’s on PBS America tonight?
Caligula’s Hidden Legacy is on at 6pm, The War Cabinet in two parts at 7:05pm and 8pm, and Caught in the Crackdown at 9pm. The War Cabinet then repeats at 10:05pm and 11pm. See the schedule table above for daytime listings in full.
What channel is PBS America on Freeview?
Channel 84, and it needs a Freeview HD box or TV.
What channel is PBS America on Sky and Freesat?
Sky 173 and Freesat 155. For Virgin Media, check your on-screen guide.
Can I watch PBS America online?
Yes. It has its own player on Freeview Play and is also on Freely.
Is PBS America free to watch?
Yes, it is free on Freeview, with no subscription needed.
Is PBS America the same as PBS in the US?
No. PBS America is a UK channel, run from London, that shows programmes from America’s public broadcaster PBS, such as NOVA, FRONTLINE and Ken Burns series. It is not a live relay of a US PBS station, so it runs its own UK schedule.
Verdict
Nothing is tagged new tonight. The evening begins with the ancient world, as Caligula’s Hidden Legacy ends at 6pm, then moves to modern American politics for the rest of the night. The War Cabinet fills two hours and then returns for a second run from 10:05pm, which is generous but leaves Caught in the Crackdown as the only different programme in primetime.
Daytime is mostly The Mughal Empire, shown twice.
Related: What’s On TV Tonight | Yesterday TV Guide | BBC Four TV Guide | Freeview Channel Guide | Films on TV Tonight and This Week
