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What to Watch in January

Lisa Tipton
Aliana Alexis of Haiti stands on the concrete slab of what is left of her home after destruction from Hurricane Dorian in an area called "The Mud" at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, Bahamas on Thursday, September 5, 2019. Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service
Aliana Alexis of Haiti stands on the concrete slab of what is left of her home after destruction from Hurricane Dorian in an area called "The Mud" at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, Bahamas on Thursday, September 5, 2019. Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service

There’s a huge amount of worthwhile TV out there nowadays, so it can be hard to choose what to watch. But who better to recommend shows than the person who programs them? Lisa Tipton, WTTW’s Head of Programming and Pledge, constructs the WTTW schedule by searching through offerings from many different sources which include the national PBS network, the BBC, and independent filmmakers to put together a varied and engaging broadcast schedule. Each month, she’ll recommend a few shows that she thinks you should watch.

You can also watch all of WTTW's programming via live stream 24/7 at wttw.com/live.

PBS American Portrait

Tuesdays beginning January 5 at 9:00 pm and available to stream


PBS is in the midst of its 50th anniversary this year, and as part of the celebrations it asked everyday Americans from across the country to share their stories, perspectives, experiences, and dreams. They're all woven together in the four episodes of American Portrait.

When Disaster Strikes

Wednesdays beginning January 6 at 10:00 pm and available to stream


See how humanitarians, normal heroes, and governments spring into action when disaster strikes in three different countries in this new series: Mozambique as it faces a cyclone; Somalia in the midst of a drought; and the Bahamas in hurricane season.

The Mallorca Files 

Saturdays beginning January 9 at 9:00 pm

The Mallorca Files

If you like Death in Paradise (or really any of our British mysteries), you'll love The Mallorca Files, another procedural set in a spectacularly gorgeous location. 

All Creatures Great and Small

Sundays beginning January 10 at 8:00 pm and available to stream


The beloved classic about a veterinarian in rural England is back with an all-new cast, look, and stories. Catch a first look at the new series.

Finding Your Roots

Tuesdays beginning January 19 at 8:00 pm and available to stream

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. with Tony Shalhoub on 'Finding Your Roots.' Photo: McGee MediaTony Shalhoub is one of the guests on a new season of 'Finding Your Roots.' Photo: McGee Media

In a new season of Finding Your Roots (its 7th!), Henry Louis Gates, Jr. digs into the family histories of everyone from Jane Lynch to Rosanne Cash, Pharrell Williams to John Waters, discovering amazing stories along the way.

Africa with Ade Adepitan

Thursdays, January 28 and February 4, at 9:00 and 10:00 pm

Africa with Ade Adepitan

Join journalist and athlete Ade Adepitan as he journeys through the wildly disparate countries and cities of all-too-often-overlooked Africa, from the tech hub of Lagos to endangered gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.