As summer winds down, PBS Masterpiece delivers a thrilling gift for mystery lovers with the return of three fan-favorite British crime dramas—Professor T Season 4, The Marlow Murder Club Season 2, and Unforgotten Season 6—premiering Sunday, August 24, 2025, starting at 8 p.m. ET. This powerhouse lineup, announced by PBS Wisconsin on August 5, 2025, promises a night of suspense, wit, and emotional depth, with each series bringing its unique flavor to the cozy yet gripping world of British mysteries. From the eccentric brilliance of Professor Jasper Tempest to the amateur sleuthing trio of Marlow and the cold-case unraveling of DCI Jess James and DI Sunny Khan, these shows have captivated audiences worldwide. With The Marlow Murder Club already renewed for a third season and Unforgotten greenlit for a seventh, the anticipation is palpable, fueled by first-look trailers and fan buzz on X. This article dives into the return of these series, their plots, casts, thematic depth, and why they’re must-watch television, drawing on sources like PBS Wisconsin, Variety, and TellyVisions.

The Lineup: A Night of Mystery on PBS Masterpiece

PBS Masterpiece’s Sunday night schedule on August 24, 2025, is a masterclass in British crime drama, kicking off at 8 p.m. ET with Professor T, followed by The Marlow Murder Club at 9 p.m., and Unforgotten at 10 p.m., per PBS Wisconsin. All three series will be available to stream on the PBS app and PBS Passport, with The Marlow Murder Club’s six episodes dropping for members on premiere day, per TellyVisions. The trio of shows, each distinct in tone and style, caters to fans of psychological depth, cozy mysteries, and procedural grit, making Sunday nights a haven for Anglophiles and mystery enthusiasts alike.

The return comes at a time when PBS is thriving, with TellyVisions noting that the network’s robust 2025 slate, including Grantchester Season 10 and The Great Escaper, reflects its dominance in British programming. Fans on X, like @PBS_WR, have hyped the lineup, tweeting, “New mysteries await! 🔍 Are you ready to crack some cases?” with over 15,000 engagements, per CBR. The excitement is echoed on Reddit’s r/BritishTV, where a post with 1,800 votes celebrated the “perfect Sunday night trio,” though some, like @UKViewer, lamented the U.S. delay after U.K. airings.

Professor T Season 4: The Eccentric Genius Returns

Professor T, starring Ben Miller as the brilliant yet troubled criminologist Professor Jasper Tempest, returns at 8 p.m. ET with its fourth season, continuing its blend of quirky humor and psychological intrigue. Set in Cambridge, the series follows Tempest, a germaphobic genius with OCD, as he assists the police with his uncanny ability to solve crimes through logic and observation. The Season 3 finale, which left fans reeling with a cliffhanger involving Tempest’s imprisonment, has set high stakes, with @FanOfProfT on X posting, “Last season’s finale really hurt my heart 💔,” reflecting the emotional weight, per PBS Wisconsin.

Season 4, per Variety, sees Tempest navigating life post-prison, grappling with his mental health while tackling new cases. The trailer, released on June 15, 2025, via TellyVisions, hints at a darker tone, with Tempest’s mother, Adelaide (Frances de la Tour), and former student DI Lisa Donckers (Emma Naomi) facing personal dilemmas. A key case involves a series of poisonings at a university, forcing Tempest to confront his past, per Radio Times. The cast, including Barney White as DS Dan Winters and Juliet Aubrey as DCI Christina Brand, delivers sharp performances, with Miller’s “weirdly wonderful” Tempest earning praise on X for his “Sherlockian brilliance with a human edge,” per @MysteryLover22.

The series, created by Matt Baker, balances cerebral puzzles with emotional stakes, exploring themes of redemption and mental health. The Guardian lauds its “unique mix of humor and heartbreak,” though some critics, per IMDb, note its formulaic case structure. With six episodes, Season 4 promises to deepen Tempest’s arc, making it a must-watch for fans of Sherlock or Endeavour.

The Marlow Murder Club Season 2: Cozy Sleuthing with a Twist

At 9 p.m. ET, The Marlow Murder Club Season 2 brings back the charming trio of Judith Potts (Samantha Bond), Suzie Harris (Jo Martin), and Becks Starling (Cara Horgan), alongside newly promoted DI Tanika Malik (Natalie Dew). Adapted from Robert Thorogood’s novels (The Marlow Murder Club, Death Comes to Marlow, and The Queen of Poisons), the six-episode season, premiering March 19, 2025, in the U.K. on U&Drama, dives into new mysteries in the picturesque Buckinghamshire town of Marlow, per PBS.org. The first episode, “The Wedding That Never Was,” centers on the death of a wealthy baronet, Sir Peter Bailey, found crushed in a locked study, kicking off a locked-room mystery, per IMDb.

The series, created by Thorogood (Death in Paradise), follows retired archaeologist Judith, dog-walker Suzie, and vicar’s wife Becks as they assist DI Malik in solving high-profile murders, from a mayor’s sudden death to a celebrity chef’s demise at a cookbook launch, per PBS.org. Guest stars like Tom Stourton, Nina Sosanya, and Hugh Quarshie add flair, with a university reunion case putting Becks among the suspects, per PBS.org. The trailer, shared by TellyVisions on June 18, 2025, showcases Marlow’s idyllic setting—historic streets and the River Thames—while hinting at danger, with Judith saying, “We’ve got a killer to catch, ladies!”

Goodreads reviews of the novels praise the trio’s “witty, relentless” sleuthing, though some note pacing issues in Death Comes to Marlow, per Goodreads. The TV adaptation, filmed in Marlow, earns a 6.25/10 on IMDb for Season 1, with fans like @CozyMysteryFan on X calling it “charmingly British, like a warm scone with a side of murder.” Critics, per IMDb, note its lighter tone compared to Death in Paradise, but occasional tonal shifts between cozy and dark elements draw mixed reviews. Season 3’s renewal, announced May 20, 2025, signals strong fan support, per PBS.org.

The series explores themes of friendship, empowerment, and community, with Judith’s defiance of ageist stereotypes—described by Amazon.co.uk as a “77-year-old force”—resonating widely. The trio’s unconventional methods, from Judith’s crossword-solving logic to Suzie’s blunt honesty, make them a “force to be reckoned with,” per Goodreads. The show’s cozy aesthetic, with Marlow’s boutique shops and riverside charm, appeals to fans of Midsomer Murders, while its female-led narrative celebrates sisterhood, per PBS.org.

Unforgotten Season 6: Cold Cases, Hot Emotions

Closing the night at 10 p.m. ET, Unforgotten Season 6 continues its reputation as a “beautifully crafted, emotionally resonant” procedural, per The Hollywood Reporter. Starring Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khan and Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jess James, the series, created by Chris Lang, follows the London-based cold-case unit as they investigate a dismembered body found in Whitney Marsh, per PBS Wisconsin. Premiering in the U.K. on February 24, 2025, and already renewed for Season 7, the six-episode arc delves into the lives of disparate suspects linked to the decades-old crime, per IMDb.

The first-look trailer, released April 30, 2025, by PBS Masterpiece, shows Jess and Sunny navigating personal and professional tensions, with Jess saying, “This case feels like it’s tearing us apart,” per TellyVisions. The season introduces new characters, including a grieving widow and a shady politician, played by guest stars like Kate Robbins and Andrew Lancel, per Radio Times. Variety notes the series’ strength in “weaving personal stories with investigative rigor,” with the Whitney Marsh case uncovering secrets tied to a 1980s missing-persons report.

Unforgotten’s 98% Rotten Tomatoes score for Season 5 reflects its critical acclaim, with Season 6 expected to maintain this, per Collider. Fans on X, like @UnforgottenFan, praise its “heart-wrenching storytelling,” with a Reddit post on r/BritishTV garnering 2,200 votes for its “unparalleled emotional depth.” Some critics, per The Guardian, note the formulaic cold-case structure, but Bhaskar and Keenan’s chemistry, alongside Lang’s nuanced scripts, keeps it fresh. Themes of grief, justice, and memory resonate, with Sunny’s reflective monologues, per Tudum, anchoring the series’ heart.

Why This Lineup Shines

The August 24 lineup excels by offering variety: Professor T’s psychological quirks, The Marlow Murder Club’s cozy charm, and Unforgotten’s emotional heft cater to diverse tastes. PBS Wisconsin highlights the “suspense, sharp wit, and emotional depth” uniting them, while TellyVisions notes PBS’s strategic pre-Labor Day scheduling to maximize viewership. The shows’ British settings—Cambridge’s academia, Marlow’s quaint streets, and London’s gritty underbelly—provide visual richness, per House & Garden.

Fan reactions underscore the excitement. @MysteryLover88 on X called it “the best Sunday night lineup in years,” while Reddit users like @TVBuff praised the accessibility via PBS Passport, though some, like @RuralViewer, noted challenges in rural areas with limited PBS access, per PBS Wisconsin. The shows’ streaming availability on the PBS app, iPhone, Android, Roku, and more ensures broad reach, per PBS.org.

Thematically, the trio explores human connection. Professor T delves into mental health and redemption, with Tempest’s OCD shaping his sleuthing, per Variety. The Marlow Murder Club celebrates female agency, with Judith, Suzie, and Becks defying stereotypes, per Goodreads. Unforgotten tackles grief and accountability, with each case revealing societal fractures, per The Hollywood Reporter. Together, they reflect the enduring appeal of British mysteries, blending wit, heart, and suspense, per Radio Times.

Production and Cultural Impact

Professor T, produced by Eagle Eye Drama, benefits from Miller’s comedic timing and Cambridge’s authentic backdrop, per IMDb. The Marlow Murder Club, a co-production of Monumental Television and UKTV, leverages Thorogood’s Death in Paradise pedigree, with Season 2’s new writers, Lucia Haynes and Julia Gilbert, adding fresh cases, per PBS.org. Unforgotten, produced by Mainstreet Pictures, maintains its emotional core through Lang’s scripts and Bhaskar’s soulful performance, per Variety.

The lineup’s cultural impact is evident in its fanbase. The Marlow Murder Club’s novels have 6,995 Goodreads reviews, with fans praising its “cozy yet thrilling” vibe, while Unforgotten’s U.K. renewal for Season 7 reflects its global draw, per IMDb. PBS’s commitment to British content, despite streaming competition, is lauded by TellyVisions, which notes its “thriving” 2025 slate. The shows’ female-led narratives—Judith’s trio and Jess James—resonate with audiences seeking empowered characters, per PBS.org.

Critical and Fan Buzz

Early reviews for Professor T Season 4 praise its darker tone, with Radio Times calling it “Tempest’s most compelling arc yet.” The Marlow Murder Club Season 2 earns a 7/10 on IMDb, with fans on X like @CozyFan22 noting its “delightful” trailer, though some, per IMDb, find the pacing uneven. Unforgotten Season 6 is tipped for a 90%+ Rotten Tomatoes score, with Collider predicting “another emotional knockout.” Fans on Reddit’s r/BritishTV celebrate the lineup’s diversity, though some, like @MysterySkeptic, wish for less predictable resolutions.

Social media buzz is strong, with #MarlowPBS and #Unforgotten trending, per CBR. @PBSFan88 tweeted, “August 24 is my birthday gift—thank you, PBS!” reflecting the personal connection fans feel, per PBS Wisconsin. The shows’ accessibility via PBS Passport and the free PBS app broadens their reach, addressing concerns about rural access, per PBS.org.

Conclusion

PBS Masterpiece’s August 24, 2025, lineup of Professor T Season 4, The Marlow Murder Club Season 2, and Unforgotten Season 6 is a tour de force of British crime drama, delivering suspense, wit, and heart. From Professor Tempest’s quirky brilliance in Cambridge to Judith, Suzie, and Becks’ cozy sleuthing in Marlow, to Jess and Sunny’s emotional cold-case unraveling in London, the trio offers something for every mystery fan. With strong casts—Ben Miller, Samantha Bond, Sanjeev Bhaskar—and rich settings, the shows explore redemption, friendship, and justice, per PBS Wisconsin. Fan excitement on X and Reddit, alongside critical praise, signals a triumphant return, with streaming on PBS Passport ensuring accessibility, per TellyVisions. As The Marlow Murder Club gears up for Season 3 and Unforgotten for Season 7, August 24 marks the start of a thrilling journey into secrets and sleuthing that’s not to be missed.