Twenty-five years after it first stomped across our TV screens, the iconic Walking with Dinosaurs returns in a major new BBC Studios production for BBC and PBS, co-produced with ZDF and France Télévisions.

Walking with Dinosaurs airs Wednesdays, June 25-July 30 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

This six-part series will take you on a unique journey back through time, revealing the incredible life stories of these long-lost giants. 

In an exciting reimagining of one of the BBC’s best loved factual shows, each episode of Walking with Dinosaurs will tell the dramatic story of an individual dinosaur whose remains are currently being unearthed by the world’s leading dinosaur hunters. Thanks to cutting-edge science, experts can reveal how these prehistoric creatures lived, hunted, fought and died more accurately than ever before. As the dinosaur’s bones emerge from the ground, the series will bring these prehistoric stories to life with state-of-the-art visual effects – making each episode a gripping dinosaur drama based on the very latest evidence. Across the six episodes, audiences will meet a range of spectacular dinosaur species in an array of prehistoric landscapes. These include a Spinosaurus – the largest carnivorous dinosaur to ever walk the earth – roaming the rivers of ancient Morocco; a youthful Triceratops battling a ravenous T. rex in North America; and a lonely giant Lusotitan risking it all for a love in Portugal. There’s never been a better time to travel back to the prehistoric times. 

Around 50 new species are being identified every year, and science is revealing extraordinary new details about dinosaur biology and behavior. Across the globe, hundreds of dinosaur experts are currently scouring the wilds for new dig sites, and this series has exclusive access to some of the very best.

Episode titles + air dates:
6/25 The Orphan An orphaned baby Triceratops must outwit a deadly T. Rex. Can she survive?
7/2 The River Dragon A Spinosaurus struggles to keep his family alive in the deadliest place in Earth’s history.
7/9 Band of Brothers Follow a gang of armored dinosaurs battle to reach adulthood, pursued by ferocious raptors
7/16 The Pack A young Albertosaurus, a relative of T. Rex, earns her place in a fierce hunting pack.
7/23 The Journey North Travel back in time to the dangerous journey of the Pachyrhinosaurus, where survival is at stake.
7/30 Island of Giants Discover the story of Lusotitan, one of the largest dinosaurs ever.

Photo: A PACHYRHINOSAURUS mom and baby
Credit: BBC Studios

An adaptation of the popular French series Astrid, this series brings a unique and authentic perspective to the crime drama genre.

Patience premieres on Sundays in June at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV  and streaming live on the WXXI app,

Patience follows Patience Evans, played by Ella Maisy Purvis (A Kind of Spark), a neurodivergent woman who works in the Criminal Records Office in the city of York. Patience is autistic and views the world in a unique way. When Detective Inspector Bea Metcalf, played by Laura Fraser (Breaking Bad), recognizes her talents, she takes Patience under her wing to assist with complex criminal investigations. Together, they tackle a series of challenging cases, with Patience offering extraordinary insight that transforms the way crimes are solved. 

The ensemble cast includes Nathan Welsh (The Ledge), Mark Benton (Anna and the Apocalypse), Ali Ariaie (“The Great”), Adrian Rawlins (The Harry Potter Franchise) and others.
The series is presented as part of Move to Include^TM, a partnership between WXXI and The Golisano Foundation that is an award-winning national initiative to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.

Photo: Ella Maisy Purvis as Patience
Credit: Eagle Eye Drama/Robert Viglasky

On Father’s Day, binge all five episodes of this series that explores the generational changes of fatherhood and asks what it means to be a good dad today

Grown Up Dad airs Sunday, June 15 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

Historically, being a dad meant providing financially – putting food on the table and a roof overhead. Yet, this norm feels incomplete. With important societal discussions about toxic masculinity and evolving gender roles, defining good fatherhood has never been more complex. Host Joseph Gidjunis grew up seeing fathers as drive-by parents who often missed out on real family time. Wanting to be more present for his son, Joseph embarks on a journey across the United States and Australia to discover what that means for him and his family. Along the way, Joseph meets up with experts and other fathers to discuss fatherhood, parenting, work and life balance, and being a role model.

Photo: Host Joseph Gidjunis with son Gabe. Credit: Provided by APT

Explores the history, lore, craft and haunting music of the Hardanger fiddle and the dances that accompany it as they are practiced in present day Norway.

The Devil’s Instrument airs Friday, June 13 at 8:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI’s app

The national instrument of Norway, the Hardanger fiddle is similar to the violin, though it has eight strings, four of which resonate as drone strings.  The instrument is often highly decorated with an extensive mother of pearl inlay on the fingerboard and black ink decorations on the body of the instrument. “The Devil’s Instrument” was the name given to the fiddle by religious leaders in the 19th century to discourage its use. The documentary interviews woodworkers who make the fiddle, the musicians who play it and the dancers who spin to it against the backdrop of the gorgeous Norwegian landscape.

Photo: Olav L. Mjelva — Hardanger Fiddle player
Credit: American Public Television