Toronto, Ontario, May 28, 2025 – TVO has unveiled a Summer 2025 programming slate that spotlights our most hotly anticipated premieres on TVO.org, TVOkids.com and broadcast including a new season of Crossroads: Beyond Boom & Bust, curated programming for Pride and National Indigenous History Month, a new stop-motion series for kids, and The Agenda with Steve Paikin’s final episodes.
* Images from TVO’s June-August 2025 titles are available upon request. Please credit “Courtesy of TVO.”
National Indigenous History Month
TVO has curated a collection of thought-provoking documentaries, learning resources, and children’s series all centered around National Indigenous History Month, available here. Featured titles from TVO Docs include Red Fever, Beautiful Scars, From Earth to Sky, Ever Deadly, and more. TVOkids highlights include a 50-minute Molly of Denali episode (“Wise Raven and Old Crow”), as well as a Seven Sacred Laws marathon and a special episode of Wolf Joe (“Best Day Ever”).
Pride Month
To celebrate Pride Month, TVO launched a curated collection of programming and learning resources for audiences of all ages. Highlights from TVO Docs include Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance (world broadcast premiere), Emergence: Out of the Shadows, No Ordinary Man, and The Capote Tapes. TVOkids will feature Pride-themed episodes for preschoolers and school-age viewers from series like Arthur, 16 Hudson, Clifford, Raven’s Quest, and It’s My Party.
New TVO Original Documentaries
Crossroads: Beyond Boom & Bust (Season 3) *Returning Series* (4 x 50) Premieres Friday, June 13. The third season of Crossroads takes a close look at four vibrant and diverse towns across Ontario: Creemore, Sturgeon Falls, Markdale, and Elliot Lake. Each community faces big decisions about their future, including battles to preserve cultures, eroding farmland, and municipal governance challenges. Broadcast info: Airs Fridays at 7 pm ET, starting June 13. World premiere.
Carnival: They Can’t Steal Our Joy *Feature Documentary* Premieres Sunday, July 27. Discover a celebration of resistance as Ugandan-Canadian filmmaker, Ian Mark Kimanje, explores the little-known origins of the Caribbean Carnival. Kimanje highlights its 200-year-old roots, dating back to founders who were liberated from slavery. Viewers will enjoy an all-access pass to the first post-Covid Carnivals in Toronto, the UK, and Trinidad. Broadcast info: Sunday, July 27 at 9 pm ET. World premiere.
TVO Docs
Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance *Feature Documentary* Premieres Sunday, June 22. Learn about pivotal moments that sparked Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ movement and the activists and elders who led the way. Through rarely seen archival footage and first-person accounts, viewers experience the frontlines of the struggle that saw police raids of drag shows, community organizing, and political courage. Key milestones illustrate the power of activism and how easily these rights can be revoked without continued efforts. Broadcast info: Sunday, June 22 at 9 pm ET. World broadcast premiere.
Alan Cumming’s Most Luxurious Train Journeys: Scotland *New Four-Part Series* (4 x 50) Premieres Friday, June 6. A new series with behind-the-scenes access to the Royal Scotsman train as it embarks on a beautiful rail journey through the landscapes and heritage of Scotland. Emmy-winning actor Alan Cumming experiences the voyage as a passenger and indulges in the royal-like decadence. Broadcast info: Saturdays at 8 pm ET, starting June 7. Canadian broadcast premiere.
Hope Street (Season 3) *Returning Dramatic Series* (15 x 45) Premieres Friday, June 6. This warm-hearted police drama is set on the stunning Ulster coastline. In season three, Port Devine’s new detective, the mysterious Jo Lipton, hits the ground running when she drives into an armed prison break. Broadcast info: Fridays at 9 pm ET, starting June 6.
Manufacturing the Threat *Feature documentary* Premieres Thursday, July 10. This thrilling and emotional film examines a deeply disturbing episode in Canadian history, when an impoverished couple was coerced by undercover law enforcement agents into carrying out a terrorist bombing. Viewers learn that this case is far from unique in the context of Canadian intelligence. Broadcast info: Thursday, July 10 at 9 pm ET. North American premiere.
Postcards From (Season 5) *Eight episodes* (8 x 30) Premieres Thursday, July 17. A Canadian travel series for the senses. In each episode, singer Christa Couture meets up with interesting locals who guide her through memorable sensory experiences that go beyond traditional tourism. What does it feel like to climb a mountain on your hands? Or taste the char of fire-roasted salmon while an Elder tells stories in an Indigenous sign language? This season visits Drumheller, Fredericton, Dawson City, Salt Spring Island, Niagara Falls, Montreal, Edmonton, and Whistler. Broadcast info: Episodes air Thursdays at 7 pm ET, starting July 17.
California Typewriter *Feature Documentary* Premieres Friday, July 18. Enjoy this portrait of artists, writers, and collectors who remain steadfastly loyal to the typewriter as a tool and muse. Featuring Tom Hanks, John Mayer, David McCullough, Sam Shepard, and others, California Typewriter movingly documents the struggles of one of the last typewriter repair shops in America. This doc delivers a thoughtful meditation on the changing dynamic between humans and machines and encourages us to consider our own relationship with technology. Broadcast info: Premieres Saturday, July 19 at 9 pm ET.
Beyond Moving *Feature Documentary* Premieres Thursday, July 24. Siphe November was born in a segregated community near Cape Town. From a young age, he was surrounded by his family’s love for dance. His extraordinary potential leads to his acceptance into a professional training program at Canada’s National Ballet School, one of the world’s most elite dance programs. Over the next seven years, Siphe pushes the limits of his abilities and soars on stages around the world, all while growing up away from his family. Broadcast info: Premieres Thursday, July 24 at 9 pm ET. Canadian broadcast premiere.
Golda *Feature Documentary* Premieres Friday, August 1. Shortly before her passing, Golda Meir was interviewed for Israeli television. After filming ended, the cameras kept rolling, recording an intimate talk with Israel’s controversial first leader – the only woman to ever lead the country. As she lit one cigarette after the other, Meir pleaded her case for her five turbulent years as Prime Minister. Featuring never-before-seen materials alongside testimonies of supporters and opponents, this documentary tells the story of one leader’s dramatic time in the public eye. Broadcast info: Premieres Saturday, August 2 at 9 pm ET.
The Last Stand *Feature Documentary* Premieres Friday, August 8. Experts examine the importance of keeping forest ecosystems intact in North America, the Amazon, and around the world. Frontline forest defenders and global forestry experts discuss the need to protect habitats, support jobs, and recognize the First Nations’ rights to control resources in their territories. Broadcast info: Premieres Saturday, August 9 at 8 pm ET. North American broadcast premiere.
Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf *Feature Documentary* Premieres Friday, August 15. Learn about renowned garden designer Piet Oudolf’s work through an inside view of his creative process. Intimate discussions take place in Oudolf’s gardens and on visits to his signature public works in New York, Chicago, and the Netherlands. The film also follows Oudolf’s efforts to design and install a major new garden at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, a gallery and arts centre in southwest England. Through poetic cinematography and unique access, Five Seasons reveals Piet’s vision for redefining gardens. Broadcast info: Premieres Saturday, August 16 at 9 pm ET.
Obit *Feature Documentary* Premieres Friday, August 22. This rare look into the world of editorial obituaries comes via the legendary obit desk at The New York Times. Obit poses essential questions about life, memory, and the passage of time. Longtime obituary editor William McDonald is featured alongside writers Bruce Weber, Margalit Fox, William Grimes, Douglas Martin, and Paul Vitello. While de-emphasizing death, the writers tell stories of lives lived in the most extraordinary ways, and often below the radar. Broadcast info: Premieres Saturday, August 23 at 9 pm ET.
New TVOkids Originals
Bumpadoo! *New Series* (10 x 3) Premieres Friday, August 8. Bumpi is a globular, monosyllabic alien who makes friends with LiLi, a young girl who delights in teaching Bumpi about the everyday objects that can thrill and confound us. This stop-motion animated preschooler series is full of playful curiosity and encourages engaging with the world’s shapes, textures, and simple mechanics of the objects around the house. In each adventure, Bumpi attempts to morph into the objects and creatures he discovers. His attempts may not always be perfect, they’re always silly and full of fun. Broadcast info: Premieres Sunday, August 17 at 7 am ET.
TVOkids
Carl the Collector *New Series* (80 x 11) Premieres Saturday, June 14. Follow the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who enjoys collecting things in Fuzzytown. Carl pays extraordinarily close attention to detail and comes up with unique ideas that others might not consider. These traits have helped him amass his extensive collections – from autographs and bottle caps to fake mustaches and sweaters. The first 10 episodes of this preschooler series premiere via digital channels on June 14. Broadcast info: Premieres Saturday, June 14 at 8:25 am ET. Ontario premiere.
Vegesaurs (Season Three) *Returning Series* (20 x 5) Premieres Saturday, June 28. This entertaining preschooler series follows Ginger, a young Tricarrotops, and her trio of baby Pea-Rexes as they throw themselves into further adventure in the rich and colourful Vegesaur Valley. A hidden waterfall leads them to discover all sorts of subterranean creatures they never knew existed, including a pool of bioluminescent Grapepoles and a burrowing Rockmegalodon. They’ll also meet the timid Pumpkinsaurus during the Spooky Forest’s honeysuckle harvest and revisit familiar friends they have met on their travels. Broadcast info: Saturday, June 28 at 7:20 am ET. Canadian premiere.
Isadora Moon *New Series* (48 x 11; 2 x 22) Premieres Monday, July 7. // Includes two 22-minute specials // Isadora Moon is an 8-year-old girl who is just like any other, except she’s half-fairy and half-vampire. With her magic wand and bat-like wings, Isadora relies on kindness and empathy to make the most out of life’s adventures. Season one of this early school-age series includes two 22-minute specials. Broadcast info: Premieres Monday, July 7 at 8:20 am ET. Canadian premiere.
Run Jump Play (Season Two) *Returning Series* (5 x 5 animated; 15 x 3 live action) Premieres Monday, July 7. Watch children on the autism spectrum find courage, fun, and friendship though sports. Season One confronted myths and stereotypes about autism while celebrating neurodiversity and inclusivity. Season Two brings back our five neurodiverse heroes, with new chapters in each of their stories. Broadcast info: Will appear in September. World premiere.
TVO Today
The Agenda with Steve Paikin *Final Episodes* Series finale on June 27. As announced in April, TVO’s flagship current affairs series will end its 19-year run of thought-provoking conversations in June. Episodes will remain available on TVO Today’s website, YouTube channel, and apps for the foreseeable future. In the fall, TVO will premiere a new series in The Agenda’s broadcast timeslot that will feature original journalism and in-depth analysis.
Unravelled *Digital Video Series* New Episodes in June and July. TVO Today’s explainer series peels back the layers on complex societal issues. In “The West Wants In” (June), Unravelled digs into Alberta separatist discussion, exploring the reasons why the province feels so alienated from the rest of Canada. Then, in “Does Canada Have an Immigration Vision?” (July),Unravelled explores Canada’s record on immigration and what would it take for us to develop a consistent long-term vision.
Stream TVO programming across Canada:
- YouTube: TVO Docs, TVO Today, TVOkids (Preschool, School-Age, PAW Patrol), TVO Learn
- Smart TV app: TVO Today, TVOkids
- Websites: TVO.org, TVOkids.com
- Podcasts: TVO.org, Apple Podcasts, Spotify
For broadcast details, check the TVO schedule page.
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ABOUT TVO MEDIA EDUCATION GROUP
TVO Media Education Group inspires learning that changes lives and enriches communities. Founded in 1970, we are a globally recognized digital learning organization that engages Ontarians of all ages with inclusive experiences and diverse perspectives. Through our brands TVO Today, TVO Docs, TVO Learn, TVO ILC and TVOkids, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. TVO is a registered charity funded in part by the Province of Ontario and supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. Visit TVO.me for more information.
Media Contact: Genevieve Grant, TVO| ggrant@tvo.org