Detective Aurelio Zen simply wants to solve crimes and bring justice where deserved but it’s easier said than done when his own bosses are taking part in criminal activity. But where there’s a will there’s a way and nothing can stop Zen from putting in a good-faith attempt at his goals… or is there? Separated from his wife and sleeping under his mother’s roof, things might not be going particularly well in his personal life, but all the better for keeping his focus on each case he encounters. Watch the complete Masterpiece Mystery! Zen series back-to-back Sunday, December 16 beginning at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 and WETA HD.

Zen: Vendetta

Zen is on what seems to be a solo quest for the truth when a wealthy and affluent construction tycoon is murdered in his own home. The corrupt Ministry involves itself and urges Zen to acquit the main suspect, all the while his boss demands conviction. The murder presents an opportunity for Zen to salvage his reputation and image. He’s determined as ever to uncover the truth but will the beautiful new secretary assigned to his team keep his eye off of the prize? Oh, and as if she’s not enough of a distraction, Zen must avoid the wrath of a convicted killer on his way to Rome and out to get revenge on those who sent him away to prison – specifically Zen!

Watch Zen: Vendetta Sunday, December 16 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 and WETA HD.

Zen: Cabal

As if solving a crime isn’t hard enough, once again, the search for the truth becomes more complicated than necessary when the Ministry gets involved and directs Detective Zen to go against the law and dismiss the death of a wealthy couple’s son as a suicide. The prosecutor assigned to the case aligns with Zen’s honest objectives and the fact that she is strikingly attractive doesn’t hurt his decision to go against the all-powerful Ministry. As beautiful as Prosecutor Pirlo is, Zen is still interested in the department’s secretary, Tania Moretti. In fact, he finds himself in a sticky situation when he must reject the Prosecutor’s bold advances. As Zen delves deeper into the investigation, it becomes clearer that suicide was not the cause of death and if it was murder, it could only have been the work of a sophisticated and organized criminal group. It seems that nothing in Zen’s professional or personal life can go smoothly, and of course, another man has his sights set on Tania. Will Zen succeed as a detective and in love, or is that too much to ask?

Watch Zen: Cabal Sunday, December 16 at 9:30pm on WETA TV26 and WETA HD.

Zen: Rat King

There’s a new boss in town and he’s brought some new rules with him. Mainly on his agenda: no romantic “rendezvous” between his employees. Bad news for Zen, who after much adieu and effort finally transformed his fascination with Tania into the reality he dreamed of…and Ernesto Hueber is about to put an end to it. But his forbidden relationship must be put on the backburner. After all, he’s in a profession of life and death! A member of a powerful Italian family is kidnapped, and paying a ransom would resolve a potential deadly outcome. However, in Italy paying off criminals (even if it’s a ransom) is illegal. He is partnered up with a rival detective who is much more interested in advancing his career and status than freeing a hostage or bringing justice. The opportunist detective even makes a rash proposal to Zen, who is already contemplating partaking in an immoral and illegal activity.  Will he give in to temptation? As always, Detective Zen has someone after him. With so much on his plate and a lot at stake, it seems something is bound to go wrong! The question is in which area will he take a fall…love, his life, or his career? 

Watch Zen: Rat King Sunday, December 16 at 11:00pm on WETA TV26 and WETA HD.

Zen may be a detective, but he certainly didn’t appear out of thin air! It all started with Michael Dibdin’s novels. Watch a behind-the-scenes video of the Zen cast and crew discussing the process of adapting the novel for a television series. 

For more intriguing, entertaining, and addicting British programming any day and time of the week, be sure to tune into our 24/7 British program channel, WETA UK. Learn more about it here and explore all the programs WETA UK has to offer.

We're thrilled to announce the WETA UK premieres of My Family, Wallander, and Reilly Ace of Spies! You can watch these new shows plus watch Downton Abbey from season 1 all this December on WETA UK the 24/7 British television channel in DC, MD, and VA! Read on for video previews, descriptions, and more. Come back to the Programmer's Choice Blog every Monday for highlights from the upcoming week's schedule!

Join us for the premiere of My Family, a British comedy about a family just trying to stay afloat in a crazy world. Dad, Ben is a dentist struggling to understand his wife Susan the terrible cook, daughter Janey the selfish shopping addict, youngest son Michael the brain, and eldest son Nick the lazy goof. Although loving and caring parents, Ben and Susan have a little trouble showing their children these true intentions since the kids are always up to something. Watch this series Mondays – Thursdays at 7:00pm beginning Monday December 3!

Reilly Ace of Spies is a witty drama based on the incredible escapades of MI6 secret agent, Sydney Reilly. Reilly was a Brit known as the best spy in the world and is also believed to be the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s famous fictional agent James Bond. This series is based on the 1967 book Ace of Spies by Robin Bruce Lockhart, the son Reilly’s fellow agent Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart. With thrill, suspense, drama, romance, and action, this series has it all. Dive into this exciting and legendary series with us! Watch Mondays at 8:00pm beginning December 3.

This month we’re introducing a new complete series for the WETA UK Event on Saturday nights: WETA UK Event: The Complete Wallander! Although his personal life is in shambles due to a broken marriage, a tragic relationship with his daughter, and an aging father, Inspector Kurt Wallander continues to solve heinous crimes as he has for decades. His focus is in high demand as he faces new bizarre crimes that are more complicated than usual. Watch all three seasons Saturdays at 8:00pm. Begin with season 1, episode 1 December 8!

Downton Abbey season 1 comes to WETA UK! As season 3 approaches in January, catch up and relive the first season Tuesdays at 8:00pm beginning with episode 1 on December 18!

Hear what Hugh Bonneville (plays Robert Crawley) has to say in this PBS Q&A with the actor! 

You don't have to live in England to watch TV from the UK! Right here in DC, MD, and VA, watch British television 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all for free and without commercials on WETA UK! Read on for our highlights in this week's WETA UK schedule!

Monday tune in for the conclusion of I, Claudius at 8:00pm! All the drama and excitement will come to a close in this last episode of the series Old King Log. We hope you’ve enjoyed this rare and monumental series.

Tuesday at 6:00am, we begin All Creatures Great and Small season 2! This wholesome series is a family favorite and British classic. Download or print our WETA UK ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL SEASON 2 EPISODE GUIDE. This show also airs Sundays at 8:00am, Tuesdays – Fridays at 6:00am, and Mondays – Thursdays at 2:00pm on WETA UK.

Tuesday at 7:00pm, you can find your laughs with Last of the Summer Wine season 17 episode 1! This series is so funny it ran for 32 seasons. Don’t hesitate, jump right in!

Tuesday at 8:00pm, continue watching the period drama Call the Midwife. In this episode, a baby girl recently delivered by Jenny is snatched from her baby carriage. The local community unites as they search for the missing child. Meanwhile, Cynthia witnesses another type of loss as she assists soon-to-be parents David and Margaret.

Wednesday is full of thrill, drama, and crimes! At 8:00pm, catch part 2 of Inspector Morse: Happy Families, then at 9:00pm the final installment of Prime Suspect: The Last Witness, and on Hustle at 10:00pm, the team cons a pair of ruthless venture capitalists by posing as a PR company.

Thursday we want to feed your mystery and crime fix with the best of British dramas. First at 8:00pm Rosemary & Thyme are on to a new case, at 9:00pm Waking the Dead concludes the mystery In Sight of the Lord, and at 10:00pm on New Tricks, the team takes on Powerhouse.

Friday start watching the light-hearted comedy My Hero from the very beginning! We’re airing season 1, episode 1 at 4:30pm on WETA UK! Check out this WETA UK MY HERO SEASON 1 EPISODE GUIDE for an outline of the season!

Friday is the last day of back-to-back episodes of Doc Martin. Return to this blog soon to see the new WETA UK Friday evening lineup and remember to watch back-to-back episodes of Doc Martin on WETA TV26 and WETA HD every Saturday at 8:00pm!

Saturday starting at 8:00pm, we conclude the most recent season of Masterpiece Mystery! Sherlock during the WETA UK Event: The Complete Sherlock! The Hounds of Baskerville is a twist on the classic tale: A gigantic hound is legend around Baskerville, a top-secret military compound where, it's rumored, chemical and biological weapons experiments are conducted on genetically engineered animals.  Henry Knight has just seen the hound's footprints in the very location where it killed his father decades before. Sherlock Holmes gleefully sets off to track the demonic hound with John Watson in tow. Then the big finale The Reichenbach Fall: Insane criminal mastermind Jim Moriarty is busy plotting the crime of the century. But bringing Britain to its knees is just a prelude for Sherlock's arch-nemesis, who orchestrates a perilous cat-and-mouse game with the object of his obsession.

Sunday starting at 8:00pm get your laugh on with Yes, Minister, Miranda, Black Adder, and Mr. Bean! 

Check out this week’s highlights from the WETA UK schedule! We bring DC, Maryland, and Virginia the very best of British comedies, dramas, and mysteries 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Monday is the beginning of the work week and the beginning of new seasons of all your favorite WETA UK shows! Start watching the popular series Doctor Who from the very beginning as we air season 1 episode 1 today at 4:00pm. Wise and funny, cheeky and brave, the Doctor is an alien and a loner. His new assistant is Rose, a shop-girl from the present day, and from the moment they meet, the Doctor and Rose are soul mates. As they travel together through time, encountering new adversaries, the Doctor shows her things beyond her imagination.

Monday at 9:00pm catch Foyle’s War as he begins a new mystery Invasion part 1. It’s April 1942 and cultures clash as the first Americans arrive to build an airfield near Hastings. Some locals see the "invaders" as a threat. Others find the chance for romance among the young girls. But when a barmaid turns up strangled, Foyle's investigation strains British-American relations to the breaking point. Be sure to come back next week for the conclusion of this murder mystery!

Monday at 10:00pm, stay tuned for the premiere of Ashes to Ashes season 2. It's now 1982 and DI Alex Drake, still haunted by sudden visions and unable to prevent the death of her parents, is still no nearer to returning to her own time. But there is a new man in these visions: unseen but offering a glimmer of hope of a return home to her daughter. Could he be real? Meanwhile, DCI Gene Hunt has his own problems, as an investigation into the death of policeman reveals an intricate web of corruption that could stretch all the way to the top of the force.

Then at 11:00pm Monday, catch Are You Being Served? season 9 episode 1. The fun and games in the world’s most eccentric department store continue!

Tuesday at 11:00am laugh along with the funniest old British men you’ve ever met as we launch season 16 of Last of the Summer Wine.

Tuesday evening catch Call the Midwife episode 3. Jenny is placed on the district nursing roster for a few weeks, to extend her experience of community practice. During her rounds, she attends to Joe, a gentle old soldier, and a friendship forms. At the neonatal clinic, Trixie and Cynthia enroll Winnie as a new patient. In her 40s, Winnie, who thought her days of diapers and babies were long gone, seems upset by her pregnancy.

Wednesday at 8:00pm Inspector Morse begins a new investigation with Happy Families part 1. The head of a wealthy and dysfunctional family is found bludgeoned to death in the family estate as Morse is forced to deal with the resultant media frenzy. Tune in next week for the second part of this mystery!

Wednesday at 10:00pm the gang is at it again in the season 5 premiere of Hustle. Download and print this WETA UK HUSTLE SEASON 5 EPISODE GUIDE to follow along with all the action!

Thursday at 10:00am, Keeping Up Appearances season 4 begins! If you haven’t seen previous episodes of this show, don’t worry! This hilarious British sitcom is easy enough to watch at any episode, so start this week! Here’s some background: Hyacinth Bucket is so obsessed with etiquette and breeding that she makes her husband's life a perfect misery. In season four, Hyacinth is determined to buy a cottage in the country as a weekend retreat. Needless to say, her idea of what is suitable matches neither Richard's wishes nor his wallet. Luckily, an amorous farmer makes her realize that country life is not as idyllic as she thought. But Hyacinth decides to make another attempt at finding a weekend country home - much to Richard's horror. Download and print this WETA UK KEEPING UP APPEARANCES SEASON 4 EPISODE GUIDE!

Thursday at 9:00pm watch the launch of season 4 Waking the Dead on WETA UK! Chief Inspector Boyd and his team are back to reopen the files of more cold cases. Download and print this WETA UK WAKING THE DEAD SEASON 4 EPISODE GUIDE!

Friday at 10:30pm get more laughs from Black Books as we begin series 2 of this British comedy. Bernard Black runs his own bookshop even though he doesn't much like people who buy books and hates having customers. Next door to Bernard's shop is the Nifty Gifty gift shop run by Fran, probably Bernard's only friend in the world. When Bernard's accountant goes on the run Bernard employs stress victim, Manny to help in his shop. This leads to a series of surreal adventures that are sure to have you laughing.

Saturday beginning at 8:00pm, continue The WETA UK Event: The Complete Sherlock with the last episode of season 1, The Great Game, and the first episode of season 2, A Scandal at Belgravia. Have you played the PBS.org Sherlock game? See if you have what it takes to assist Sherlock in his investigations.

Sunday check out our line up of comedies beginning at 8:00pm! Yes, Minister at 8:00pm, Miranda at 8:30pm, Black Adder at 9:00pm, and Mr. Bean at 9:30pm.

New shows, new seasons, and loads of entertainment this week on WETA UK! In this week's highlight of the WETA UK schedule, you'll find episode descriptions, trailers, and downloadable and printable episode guides for new shows and seasons. So grab a cuppa and settle in as you read this detailed blog post on the WETA UK schedule: all British, 24 hours a day, only here in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Monday evening, Last of the Summer Wine season 16 begins!

Monday tune in for drama and mystery with I, Claudius: Fool’s Luck at 8:00pm, then Foyle’s War: A War of Nerves Part 2 at 9:00pm, and the conclusion of Ashes to Ashes season 1 at 10:00pm. Tune in next Monday for the premiere of Ashes to Ashes season 2!  

Tuesday catch the first episode of Are You Being Served? season 7 at 11:30am! No need to watch from season 1, jump right into this hilarious British comedy today! 

Tuesday continue the period drama Call the Midwife with season 1 episode 2 beginning at 8:00pm. There’s a new arrival at Nonnatus House named Chummy (Miranda Hart). As Chummy sets about showing her worth, her helping hands are appreciated, but being a people pleaser and not knowing how to ride a bike make gaining the respect of Sister Evangelina difficult. Meanwhile, Jenny has a chance encounter with a pregnant young runaway. 

Wednesday at 8:00pm Inspector Morse continues solving the mystery Dead on Time and Prime Suspect continues with part two of The Last Witness. 

Thursday at 7:30pm watch Keeping Up Appearances season 4 episode 1. Never seen this hilarious show? Here’s everything you need to know: Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced ‘bouquet’) has a pompous, self-serving attitude which makes life miserable for all around her. In marked contrast to Hyacinth’s meticulously ordered life, the rest of her family is as common as muck and can always be guaranteed to show her up. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE WETA UK KEEPING UP APPEARANCES SEASON 4 EPISODE GUIDE!

Thursday join us for the premiere of Rosemary & Thyme at 8:00pm! This charming, contemporary crime series has a unique twist as two gardening enthusiasts find themselves caught up in a series of murder mysteries. Brought together by the sudden death of a mutual friend, lecturer Rosemary Boxer and newly-divorced former policewoman Laura Thyme discover a shared passion for horticulture and a talent for investigation. Begin this new series with season 1 episode 1 this Thursday! 

Friday at 9:00pm begin a new season of As Time Goes By starring Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer. This witty comedy stars long-lost sweethearts Jean and Lionel, who lost touch after a whirlwind romance in the early 1950s and meet up again 38 years later. Season 4 finds Lionel surrounded by females and grumpier than ever. With a day-to-day whirlwind of excitement, he wants a quiet wedding, of course, but Jean has very different ideas. If you miss episode 1 of season 4 this Friday, catch it again Saturday at 5:00pm! CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE WETA UK AS TIME GOES BY SEASON 4 EPISODE GUIDE!

Saturday get ready for the WETA UK Event: The Complete Sherlock beginning at 8:00pm. Start watching this fast-paced and unique series Masterpiece Mystery! Sherlock (BBC Sherlock) from the very first episode this week and continue with back-to-back episodes every Saturday through season 2. 

This week, watch season 1, A Study in Pink at 8:00pm and The Blink Banker at 9:30pm. In A Study in Pink, meet the characters that make up this newest rendition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. A modern-day Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) teams up with former Army doctor John Watson (Martin Freeman) to solve a case of serial suicides. Using his deductive skill, Sherlock corners a killer who has mysterious powers over his victims. Stay tuned after episode 1 for episode 2, The Blink Banker. Pursuing the case of a banker and a journalist shot dead by a ghostly assailant, Sherlock and Watson uncover an antiquities-smuggling empire.

Saturday after The WETA UK Event: The Complete Sherlock lighten up with the WETA UK premiere of William and Mary season 1. A romantic, comedy, drama starring Martin Clunes and Julie Graham as lonely hearts looking for love. Undertaker William Shawcross joins a dating agency in the hope of finding his ideal match and is instantly attracted to put-upon midwife Mary Gilcrest: but she's less than keen to go on a date as she has her hands full. After a lackluster first meeting, Mary agrees to see William again and a spark ignites between the fledgling couple, only for tragedy to strike revealing William’s unappealing occupation in the process. Will their love blossom amidst tragedy?

Sunday we’re giving you a reason to wake up early. At 8:00am catch the first episode of season 1 of All Creatures Great and Small! DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE WETA UK ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL SEASON 1 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Sunday evening be sure to watch the WETA UK premiere of Miranda at 8:30! This British sitcom stars Miranda Hart. It doesn't matter what Miranda attempts in life, whether it's dating or simply dealing with her overbearing mother, she always seems to fall flat, quite literally.