Smithsonian TV Guide — Thursday TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Thursday, 8 October 2026. 24 programmes listed , including 6 tonight. US listings updated daily — scroll down to tonight's highlights or use the day tabs above to browse the weekly schedule.

Early Morning

00:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S4 · E6 · Panic Over the Pacific Documentary

Panic Over the Pacific

A China Airlines Boeing 747 encounters a patch of turbulence so strong that parts of its tail are torn off and its number four engine flames out.
01:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S8 · E2 · Science of Disaster: Cruel Skies True

Science of Disaster: Cruel Skies

At the U.S. Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, meteorologists demonstrate how the latest weather information is transmitted to pilots in the air.
02:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Frozen Wings True

Frozen Wings

Experts analyze the crash of American Eagle Flight 4184 that got caught in icy conditions near Roselawn, Ind.
03:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S23 · E6 · Cockpit Catastrophe Documentary

Cockpit Catastrophe

When an Airbus A319 cockpit window explodes, investigators try to understand the freshly serviced aircraft was released with a fatal flaw.
04:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Take Off Tragedies True

Take Off Tragedies

When three different flights ended in tragedy, officials discover proof that minor missteps during takeoff can have disastrous consequences.
05:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S7 · E7 · Flight 574: Lost True

Flight 574: Lost

A 2007 Indonesian flight crashed in the Makassar Strait, and authorities concluded that the pilots inadvertently disconnected the autopilot.

Morning

06:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S1 · E6 · Killer in the Cockpit? True

Killer in the Cockpit?

Cases in which a pilot deliberately crashes or attempts to crash an aircraft in a suicide attempt are presented, unleashing their plans on innocent passengers.
07:00 1h

Combat Ships

S2 · E6 · Galleons and Privateers Documentary

Galleons and Privateers

A look is taken galleons, multi-decked sailing ships first used as armed cargo carriers, and privateers, private ships with a government commission.
08:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E7 · The Fast and Furious Documentary

The Fast and Furious

Featuring the revolutionary steam turbines, discover how speed has been used to give the advantage to ships and smaller vessels in naval battles.
09:00 1h

Combat Ships

S2 · E3 · Doomed Vessels Documentary

Doomed Vessels

An examination of vessels doomed by human errors, including the Vasa, a 17th century combat ship that sank on its maiden voyage, is conducted.
10:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E2 · Metal War Ships Documentary

Metal War Ships

Designers use archival footage, detailed interviews and explore surviving ships to explain the evolution of ironclad vessels and their role in history.
11:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E1 · War Beneath the Waves Documentary

War Beneath the Waves

In-depth interviews with crewmembers and never-before-seen archival footage detail the development and evolution of submarines through history.

Daytime

12:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E7 · Cold War Warriors Documentary

Cold War Warriors

The submarines and warships that undertook operations in Soviet waters, Cuba and Vietnam during the Cold War are examined in great detail.
13:00 1h

Combat Ships

S4 · E3 · Hidden Figures Documentary

Hidden Figures

An enslaved teenager winds up in the middle of the Seven Years' War; during World War II a Black Merchant Marine forces the Navy to integrate his ship.
14:00 1h

Combat Ships

S4 · E7 · Record Breakers Documentary

Record Breakers

Over the centuries, technological advancements have led to bigger and faster combat ships and altered maritime warfare.
15:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E4 · Gulf War Warriors Documentary

Gulf War Warriors

Persian Gulf naval conflicts including Desert Storm, the Iran-Iraq War and present day.
16:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E8 · The Smallest Ships Documentary

The Smallest Ships

Stories about the USS Philadelphia and the M33 gunboat are shared as an analytical look is taken at how small wartime vessels made an impact of battle.
17:00 1h

Air Warriors

S6 · E2 · F6F Hellcat True

F6F Hellcat

The battle of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf helps shed light on the impact the F6F Hellcat had on history and the Allies' eventually victory.

Evening

18:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E1 · F-14 Tomcat True

F-14 Tomcat

The history of one of the Navy's top carrier fighters, the F-14 Tomcat which was made famous by the movie "Top Gun."
19:00 1h

Air Warriors

S8 · E5 · B-24 Liberator True

B-24 Liberator

Experts share how the B-24 Liberator went from concept to combat in months and how it became the most mass-produced military airplane in history.
20:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E2 · PBY Catalina True

PBY Catalina

The PBY Catalina seaplane served multiple roles during WWII, primarily for air-sea rescue missions, cargo transport, convoy bombing and anti-submarine warfare.
21:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E4 · Mosquito True

Mosquito

Narrators Beau Weaver and Bob Naughton take a closer look at the de Havilland Mosquito which was used as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.
22:00 1h

Air Warriors

S8 · E3 · Hawker Hurricane True

Hawker Hurricane

An exploration of Britain's use of the Hawker Hurricane aircraft in World War II battles highlights how the aircraft became the secret weapon they relied upon.
23:00 1h

Air Warriors

S1 · E2 · Tornado True

Tornado

The Cold War-era Panavia Tornado bomber's development and history.