What to Watch in September

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.

Future of Work

Wednesdays at 10:00 pm beginning September 1

AI, robotics, globalization, a pandemic: the workplace in America faces many disruptions. This three-part series tries to determine what work will look like in the future in the face of these evolving conditions and technologies—a topic you may have thought more about in the past year and a half, especially if you have been working from home.

Frontline: America After 9/11

Tuesday, September 7  at 8:00 pm

America has changed vastly in the two decades since 9/11. With Afghanistan now having fallen to the Taliban, it's an even more apt time to look back on those twenty years and four presidencies to understand how we got to where we are today.

American Experience — Sandra Day O'Connor: The First

Monday, September 13 at 9:00 pm

One hundred and ten of the 115 United States Supreme Court Justices have been men. Sandra Day O'Connor, nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, was the first woman Justice. Only four more women have followed in her footsteps since. Explore the life of the trailblazing O'Connor and her pivotal swing votes while on the Court.

Muhammad Ali

Sunday, September 19 at 7:00 pm; Monday, September 20 through Wednesday, September 22 at 8:00 pm

He was the "greatest of all time," a boxing champion who attracted adulation and controversy in equal measure throughout his life, due to his involvement with the Nation of Islam, refusal to serve in the military, and brash confidence. Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon jump into the ring to cover this outstanding athlete in a four-part documentary.

Don't miss our examination of Ali's life in Chicago via stories and images at wttw.com/ali.