Welcome back to What's On Weekly!
Read about this week's TV highlights below, including a series exploring Muslim history in America, an Independent Lens film examining race and memory in Natchez, a new documentary on Minnesota’s revolutionary roots, a stage revival of Top Hat, and the return of Downton Abbey to Sunday nights.
See the full television schedule >
American Muslims: A History Revealed
American Muslims: A History Revealed is a documentary series that reveals and explores the early history of Muslims in the United States. The films are hosted by journalists Malika Bilal, Aymann Ismail, and Asma Khalid, who travel the country to piece together stories spanning over 200 years.
In one of next week's episodes, airing May 18 at 8pm, the show travels to Ross, North Dakota, to learn about Muslim homesteaders on the Great Plains.
TUNE IN
Watch on Mondays, May 11 and May 18:
- Islam at the Nation's Founding — Monday, May 11, at 8pm
- A Muslim in the Civil War — Monday, May 11, at 8:30pm
- A Mosque on the Prairies— Monday, May 18, at 8pm
- A New Hope for Freedom— Monday, May 18, at 8:30pm
Independent Lens | Natchez
Antebellum homes draw visitors to Natchez, Mississippi, but not everyone agrees on the stories being told.
As tour guides, homeowners, and activists navigate competing histories, the town confronts the tension between preservation and truth, offering a glimpse into a Southern community wrestling with race, memory, and identity.
TUNE IN
Tune in Monday, May 11, at 9pm.
STREAM
Stream on the PBS app and online.
Minnesota and the American Story: Revolutionary Roots
Two and a half centuries after the birth of the American Revolution, the ideals of liberty, self-governance, and civic responsibility continue to shape communities across Minnesota.
In this powerful one-hour documentary, four stories from across the state explore how the spirit of 1776 lives on far beyond the original colonies. Though Minnesota was largely frontier wilderness during the Revolutionary era, its people today carry forward the legacy of those founding principles in deeply personal and community-driven ways.
This program includes a short feature from Prairie Public, Clay County Settlements, which explores the history of Scandinavian and German immigrants who settled in western Minnesota, drawn by the railroad and the promise of land through the Homestead Act.
TUNE IN
Tune in Thursday, May 14, at 9pm.
Great Performances | Irving Berlin's Top Hat
Inspired by the iconic 1935 movie musical starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this acclaimed Chichester Festival Theatre revival of Top Hat, recorded from the West End in January 2026, is directed and choreographed by three-time Tony winner Kathleen Marshall.
TUNE IN
Tune in on Friday, May 15, at 8pm.
STREAM
Stream on the PBS app and online.
Downton Abbey
The Crawleys are back! Downton Abbey — the beloved MASTERPIECE series and most popular PBS drama of all time — returns to Prairie Public this month this weekend.
Seasons 1-3 will air on Sundays, beginning May 17, at 9pm. Consecutive seasons will begin later in the year.
TUNE IN
Tune in on Sundays, beginning May 17, at 9pm.