What to Watch in October
Lisa Tipton
September 29, 2021
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.
Call the Midwife and Grantchester Season Premieres
Sunday, October 3 at 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm
It's finally fall, which means a new season of great shows! That includes season ten of Call the Midwife and season six of Grantchester, and later, season two of Baptiste, which premieres Sunday, October 17 at 9:00 pm. If you need to catch up on the previous season of Grantchester, we're airing a marathon of it on October 3 beginning at 1:00 pm. You can also recap it, Call the Midwife, and Grantchester.
It's a great time for drama and mystery—and if you want even more, be sure to sign up for Dramalogue, our e-newsletter about Masterpiece, mystery, and more.
American Masters: Rita Moreno — Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It
She's one of a highly select group of EGOT winners: performers who have been awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. And for good reason! The Puerto Rican performer has had a long and storied career, and a full and fascinating life.
Inventing Improv: A Chicago Stories Special
Friday, October 22 at 8:00 pm and at wttw.com/improv
Chicago is known as the improv comedy capital, with Second City and so many other theaters large and small devoted to the craft. But improv's roots here run far deeper—and are more unexpected—than you would know. In WTTW's latest Chicago Stories Special, discover how improv came out of theater games developed by a social worker at Hull House.
And don't miss even more stories and laughs at wttw.com/improv!
American Veteran
Tuesdays at 9:00 pm beginning October 26
Illinois's U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth is among the narrators of this four-part series highlighting the diverse experiences of American veterans from a wide variety of backgrounds. Every voice in the series is that of a veteran, including Duckworth, who lost her legs and partial use of her right arm in Iraq,
The Indian Doctor
Fridays at 8:00 pm beginning October 29
Like we said, it's a great month for drama! The Indian Doctor follows, yes, and Indian doctor (played by Unforgotten's Sanjeev Bhaskar) and his wife's misadventures when they move to a Welsh coal mining town in the 1960s. If you can't wait to watch it on WTTW, WTTW Passport members can stream all three seasons now.
