Looking for some great shows to dig into this month? GBH Passport is where you should be looking, and below are some top selections from Ron Bachman, Senior Director of Programming, and Devin Karambelas, Programming Manager. The member benefit that provides you with extended access to an on-demand library of quality public television programming, GBH Passport features current and past seasons of PBS and GBH shows — including drama, science, history and the arts. Watch anytime on GBH.org or on the PBS App.
American Masters: Ted Williams
Stream now on GBH Passport through August 19
During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams was known by several nicknames: “The Splendid Splinter,” “The Kid,” “Teddy Ballgame” — but the one that meant the most was “the greatest hitter who ever lived.” Originally released in 2018 to coincide with Williams’ centennial birthday, this American Masters documentary is the definitive portrait of the American ball player and reveals the lesser-known aspects of Williams’ personal life, such as his Mexican-American heritage and his experience serving as a fighter pilot during World War II and the Korean War. Stream it before it leaves Passport on August 19. —Devin
Professor T
Stream now on GBH Passport
You may have been watching the original Belgian version of this detective series for a few years now, but this English-language adaptation from the UK is something new. Ben Miller takes on the title role of Jasper Tempest, a Cambridge University criminology professor who is obsessed with cleanliness, order and structure — and who uses his analytical mind to help the police solve crimes. To be clear, the scripts are based on the original Belgian episodes, but Miller puts his own spin on the character — and the always delightful Frances de la Tour is sheer perfection as his mother. All episodes of the series are now available on GBH Passport, even as the series rolls out weekly on Sunday nights on GBH 2. Binge away! —Ron
Icon: Music Through the Lens
Stream now on GBH Passport
The surprisingly thrilling world of music photography gets a long overdue close-up in this new six-part series. I hope viewers will dig this quirky twist on the typical music doc genre, which explores some of the most memorable images in music history. Candid insights from musicians including Ziggy Marley, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Alice Cooper and Julian Lennon make for compelling viewing, but the real star of the series is the colorful cast of legendary music photographers who reveal what it really took to get the shot. The series abounds with fabulous anecdotes: how that Abbey Road album cover came together, the almost-by-accident iconic shot of Sex Pistols’ Sid Vicious eating a hot dog, vivid tour bus encounters with Prince and so much more. —Devin
American Masters: Buddy Guy—The Blues Chase the Blues Away
Streaming on GBH Passport starting July 27
Blues guitarist and singer — and national treasure — Buddy Guy turns 85 on July 30, so what better way to celebrate this legendary musician’s milestone than with a new career retrospective from the award-winning producers at American Masters? If you join the party, you’ll be in good company, as the likes of Carlos Santana, John Mayer and Gary Clark, Jr. are on hand to offer perspectives on the guitarist whose work has influenced rock titans like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. After moving from Louisiana to Chicago in the 1950s, Guy became the go-to guitarist for Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf in the city’s iconic blues scene, directly inspiring The Rolling Stones, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others. Yet solo success eluded him until a late-career breakthrough in the ‘90s. A tale of decades-long perseverance, Guy’s journey reflects both the Black experience in America in the late 20th century and the history of the blues. —Ron
View more selections for July and beyond in the GBH Passport collection.