What to Watch in July

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.

Find all the ways to watch WTTW here. Many of the below shows are available to stream or will be once they premiere, especially by WTTW Passport members.

A Capitol Fourth 2024

Thursday, July 4 at 7:00 and 8:30 pm

Stars from Broadway, Motown, and Nashville, from the big screen, small screen, and stage all converge to celebrate Independence Day in a classic PBS tradition broadcast from the nation's capitol. 

Gods of Tennis

Tuesdays beginning July 23 at 8:00 pm

Just in time for the Olympics, take a look back at a golden age of tennis through majestic matches at Wimbledon in this three-part series spotlighting champions like Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, John McEnroe, and Chris Evert.

Hotel Portofino

Sundays beginning July 28 at 7:00 pm

The third season of this sun-soaked drama set on the coast of Italy brings the Wall Street crash that led to the Great Depression, along with some new characters and some old menacing ones, while Cecil asks Bella for a divorce (finally).

Catch up on the previous season in a marathon broadcast of it earlier the day of the premiere, or read through our recaps. Both seasons are available to stream by WTTW Passport members.

The 100 Days 

Thursdays beginning July 25 at 7:00 and 8:00 pm

It's easy to think of history as a series of decisive turning points, but that's over-simplistic. Any one event, however important, is defined and affected by context and other events, however minor seeming at the time. This series shows all that surrounds dramatic moments such as D-Day, the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the fall of the Berlin Wall. 

The episodes are available to stream by WTTW Passport members now.