PBS gets out The Vote

By Allison Shoemaker | September 8, 2020 | 5:00am

TV Lists What's On Tonight

Ida B. Wells Photo: University Of Chicago

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Tuesday, September 8. All times are Eastern.

Top pick

American Experience: The Vote, “Hour One” (PBS, 8 p.m.): It’s PBS day here at What’s On Tonight! Really, every day is PBS day, for PBS rules. In this case, however, it’s because it’s a sleepy TV night—except, of course, for Viewers Like You. Our night of public broadcasting begins with this rebroadcast of the excellent American Experience: The Vote, which chronicles the fight to pass the 19th Amendment. This marks the beginning of a three-week stretch in which The Vote will air on Tuesdays; it’s been broken into three one-hour segments rather than the two longer parts that aired in July.

Regular coverage

Wild cards

Frontline, “Growing Up Poor in America” (PBS, 9 p.m.): When the Emmys are handed out later this month, Frontline will have a shot at blowing past the 100-Emmy mark; if it wins even half of the 15 awards it could pick up, it’ll happen. Somehow they’ve managed to continue to do excellent reporting and practiced their acceptance speeches.

Harbor From The Holocaust (PBS, 10 p.m., one-hour special premiere): During World War II, tens of thousands of European Jews sought safe harbor in Shanghai. This documentary “explores the relationship of the refugees and their host city, and the survivors who carried on the traditions that would have been consigned to oblivion.”

#Alive (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., premiere): Okay, this isn’t on PBS. But the zombies are very fast!