Emma’s Must-Sees for November 2025

Hello! I’m Emma Casley, the TV Programming Manager at KQED, and I’m so excited to take on the curation of the must-sees guide. I believe very strongly in the power of public media to bring local communities together through telling stories that speak to unique and specific experiences that might not otherwise be showcased. This November I want to highlight some wonderful local programming, such as the 20th anniversary special of Check, Please! Bay Area, compelling stories for Native American Heritage month, and finally a heartwarming Masterpiece program starring Michael Caine for my fellow drama obsessives.

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After four months away with her family, Dr. Ruby Walker finds herself back at the Good Karma Hospital with her pregnant sister just as an influx of expectant mothers overwhelms the maternity ward. Her mentor Dr Lydia gives Ruby a less-than-warm welcome when she realizes it’s a temporary visit. Meanwhile, Greg receives an unexpected visit from a family member. Will Ruby actually return to the hospital for good? What will come of Greg’s surprise family reunion? I love the vibrant characters of Good Karma Hospital and I’m so excited for it to return — it’s like getting to catch up with old friends. As the season gets colder and nights get longer, this is the perfect series to warm your spirits.

Airs on KQED PLUS Tuesdays starting November 4 at 8pm. Binge this season and past episodes on the PBS App with KQED Passport now.

I grew up in Palo Alto and it feels like Check, Please! Bay Area has always been a part of my life. I watched it at home as a teenager and I remember admiring its posters on the walls of the KQED office back when I was an intern in 2013. Which is why I’m so excited for this first-of-its-kind episode where we will celebrate twenty years on air. From its 2005 pilot to today, the show has spotlighted celebrity guests, budding foodies, and even Top Chefs. We’ll hear from dozens of former guests and restaurateurs, host Leslie Sbrocco and the Check, Please! producers as they spill the tea on everything from fiery debates, what it takes to make a show, and the program’s decades-long evolution.

Airs on KQED 9 on Thursday November 6 at 7:30pm. Streaming for free on the KQED App and the PBS App starting November 6.

As with all of Ken Burns’ work, this new series might be about our nation’s past but it has never felt more timely. The first episode sets the stage for this historic event, detailing how British policies over taxes, land and sovereignty sparks opposition in colonial North America. Fighting in Massachusetts ignites a war that gives common cause to thirteen otherwise disunited colonies. As we reflect on our country’s 250th anniversary, it’s so important to truly grapple with our origins. This all seems great to a history nerd like me but rest assured, even for a more casual viewer this series is instantly gripping. It’s an epic, human story with so much relevance to our world today. It’s sure to spark conversation and reflection and I can’t wait to hear what people think.

Airs on KQED 9 starting Sunday November 16 at 8pm and runs the whole week until Friday November 21 with repeats on KQED 9 and KQED PLUS throughout the month. The whole series will be streaming for free on the PBS App starting November 16.

As I’ve mentioned, I grew up in the Bay Area so I feel like redwood trees are a part of my upbringing — the name of my home town translates to tall tree after all! Giants Rising is a beautiful new documentary from KQED Presents that takes you deep into the heart of America’s majestic redwood forests and explores the secrets of some of the oldest living beings on Earth.I was truly blown away by the beautiful cinematography in this. I’ve never seen a film capture the feelings of wonder I get when looking up at a redwood tree before. Combining science, culture and art, Giants Rising tells the epic tale of these iconic trees, while imparting wisdom that may help us all face the challenges that lay ahead.

Airs on KQED PLUS Saturday November 22 at 7pm and on KQED 9 Wednesday November 26 at 8pm. Streaming for free on the PBS App starting November 1.

I was gushing about this new Masterpiece program at a party yesterday and as soon as I mentioned it starred Michael Caine, all my friends were instantly as excited as I was for the premiere of The Great Escaper. As charming as ever, Michael Caine stars as Bernard Jordan, a real life WWII veteran, who plans a daring escape from his retirement home to attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. I also loved the sweet relationship Bernard has with his wife, Irene (played by Glenda Jackson, who Masterpiece fans will know from Elizabeth is Missing). This true story is a tribute to heroism, healing, and remembrance — I guarantee you will be crying and cheering just like I was as Bernard sets out on his grand adventure.

Airs on KQED 9 Sunday November 23 at 8pm. Streaming for free for two weeks on the PBS App starting November 23. Moves to Passport only December 7.

Too often, stories about Native Americans frame them as people who only exist in the past. This new documentary showcases the culture and lives of Native Americans today, telling the story of a small, determined group of Blackfoot people striving to re-establish the first wild buffalo herd on ancestral lands since the species’ near-extinction a century ago. I’ve been a huge fan of Lily Gladstone since I saw her in Certain Women, and even way back in the day as an educator on the web show Crash Course, so I was thrilled to see her involvement in this incredible documentary. Her powerful narration, combined with stunning up-close footage of running buffalo and heart thumping music bring this story to life.

Airs on KQED 9 Monday November 24 at 10pm. Streaming for free for 30 days on the PBS App starting November 24.

Sacramento-born filmmaker Jaime Tafoya chronicles his journey as a stroke survivor, using both Western medical treatments and traditional Native American healing practices.

Airs on KQED PLUS Tuesday November 4 at midnight. Streaming for free now on the PBS App.

A two part NOVA series on the building and operation of the International Space Station. Astronauts and Mission Control face disasters and danger on board humanity’s remarkable orbiting laboratory.

Airs on KQED 9 Wednesday November 5 and Wednesday November 12 at 9pm. Streaming for free on the PBS App the night of its broadcast premiere.

Explores the moving personal stories of two Native families in rural Alaska who fight for justice after the brutal murders of their loved ones.

Airs on KQED 9 on Friday November 7 at 8pm. Streaming for free on the PBS App on November 1.

Follow the roadtrippers as they meet people in the healthcare industry and explore its diverse fields, proving there are a million ways to chart your own path.

Airs on KQED 9 Friday November 14 and Friday November 21 at 7:30pm. Streaming for free now on the PBS App.

Two young Native American men, Thomas and Victor, embark on a trip to retrieve the ashes of Victor’s father. Victor resents his father’s abandonment but Thomas thinks of him as a hero.

Airs on KQED 9 on Saturday November 22 at 8pm.

With persistence and imagination, Fremont High School has been changed from a school that had been “divorced from the community to one that is now owned by the community.”

Airs on KQED 9 Friday November 28 at 7:30pm. Streaming for free on the PBS App November 15.

Looking for more programs to watch? Find our past recommendations:

October 2025
September 2025
August 2025
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025