PBS has several Amazon Prime Video channels and PBS Living is the one that focuses on what can loosely be described as “lifestyle” programming.

It’s costs $2.99 a month and its library includes a catalog that includes some of the programs you would expect to on the service: complete seasons of Antiques Roadshow, Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr., Craft In America and various shows featuring Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and Lidia Bastianich.

But there are a number of other shows and specials worth watching and I wanted to highlight a few of those here:

Vintage Roads Great And Small (2018-2019)
This is the type of show that the Brits do better than anyone. In the series, Christopher Timothy and Peter Davison go back to the 1930s to relive the Golden Age of Motoring. Getting behind the wheel of a Morgan 4/4, the world's oldest production car, they set out on a series of journeys along Britain's most beautiful vintage roads. They use old travel guides for inspiration and meet up with other classic car enthusiasts in a way of showing what it was like to travel around the country when that was still a novel and sometimes dangerous idea.
(Seven episodes spread over two seasons)

Trading History (2021)
Sadly, a large and growing number of rare and unusual historical items are headed from auction houses to private collections, often never to be seen again in public. Host Steve John Shepard tells the fascinating and often untold tale behind every object. The show reveals the amazing hidden histories behind them, before they disappear into private collections. Items include everything from a rare watch linked to The Great Escape to a rare collection of drawings made by Queen Victoria herself.

The Musicians' Green Book: An Enduring Legacy (2022)
In the days of segregation in America, The Green Book as a guide that was used by traveling black entertainers and it would let them know where the safe places to eat, sleep and visit were in each Southern town.

This 59-minute documentary includes classic songs, performances, interviews and stories from musicians who traveled during that era, honoring Black artists who changed America's music.

Mary Chapin Carpenter: One Night Lonely (2021)
I first saw Mary Chapin Carpenter in a small club in Chicago just before she had her string of hits in the 1980s and early 1990s. I’ve long been a fan, although I have found myself less interested in her recent music, which is thoughtful and gentle, but also less interesting to revisit.

This one-women concert was filmed during the pandemic and it is a reminder not just just of her impressive songwriting abilities, but of her compelling stage presence.

The Great Muslim American Road Trip (2022)
It’s difficult to imagine a network other than PBS greenlighting a three-part TV series that follows rap-star Mona Haydar and husband Sebastian Robins, a young Muslim American couple who discover America's Muslim roots on Route 66. Beginning in Chicago and traveling across America's Southwest, the couple discovers the iconic highway's overlooked Muslim American story.

Family Ingredients (2016-2023)
One of my favorites genres of cooking show is the one which centers the culinary point of view inside the local culture. Ones that show not just what the local cuisine looks like and how to make it. But uses the food as a jumping off point for discussing why that food came to exist and the way it is used locally.

Host and Hawai'i chef Ed Kenney traces the origins of a beloved family recipe from Hawai'i to its source, showing how local recipes can unite communities and build cultural bonds. For those of you who believe the bulk of Hawaiian cuisine includes Spam and pineapple, this series will open your eyes to a new world of dishes.
(Three seasons, 16 episodes)

The Oratorio: A Documentary With Martin Scorsese (2020)
Italian opera was introduced to New York City in a single 1826 performance that launched the city's love of opera. But the oratorio was lost to time and when it was recently rediscovered, director Martin Scorsese decided to restage the performance in his childhood church and use it to tell the story of Italy's cultural impact on New York City. A really fascinating slice of history.
(56 minute)s

Undiscovered Haiti With José Andrés (2015)
José Andrés has always argued that food can connect us and even change the world and this documentary is an effort to put that into action. Haiti might not be at the top of most people's lists for culinary destinations. But Andres makes the case for Haiti being a must-visit destination for serious foodies.
(55 minutes)

Hope In The Water (2024)
Produced by Andrew Zimmern and David E. Kelly, this three-part docuseries takes an enlightening deep dive into fishing around the world and how the industry is responding to the pressure of climate change, overfishing and large commercial fishing fleets. Martha Stewart, Shailene Woodley, José Andrés and Baratunde Thurston travel around the world to see up close how seafood is caught, processed and sent to your local shops.
(3 episodes)

Roots Of Comedy With Jesus Trejo (2024)
Host Jesus Trejo travels across the U.S. to spend time with six and-an-coming comics, who represent the social and comedic diversity of America. It's a great introduction to some talented comics, and the episodes provide a nuanced look into how their cultural histories impact their comedy.
(6 episodes)