Gripping roadside rescue operations, thrilling train adventures, fearless firefighting heroes, and thought-provoking insights into hate and the human experience are all part of a jam-packed lineup of hit series this fall on Discovery, and everyone has a chance to check it out.
Discovery’s annual nation-wide free preview runs from Thursday, Oct. 10 to Thursday, Nov. 7, featuring MADE®-in-Canada series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, MIGHTY TRAINS, and HELLFIRE HEROES, new Canadian original HITLER’S MOST WANTED, and the all-new docu-series WHY WE HATE, executive produced by Alex Gibney and Steven Spielberg.
On the heels of Discovery’s free preview, the channel also announced today new seasons of two marquee Canadian original series. Continuing its reign as Discovery’s most-watched series, HIGHWAY THRU HELL begins production on Season 9 this fall. Discovery’s Exploration Production Inc. (EPI) is also currently in production on a fourth season of MIGHTY TRAINS, with filming taking place in exotic locations around the world including Peru, Japan, Serbia, and more.
Below is a closer look at Discovery’s new and returning programming highlights during the free preview. All programming is subject to change (visit Discovery.ca to confirm local broadcast times and to view the full schedule).
HIGHWAY THRU HELL, Season 8
Premieres Monday, October 7 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT (new day and time) and continues with all-new episodes during the free preview
- Discovery’s smash-hit original Canadian series returns for another epic season, with 17 all-new episodes following the hardworking and heroic heavy recovery operators who fight to keep the roads open through British Columbia’s Coquihalla and Cascade mountains. This season, Jamie Davis continues to lean on his classic collection of “old iron” to tackle some of the toughest recoveries, but his crew is buzzing with excitement at the prospect of something shiny and new coming to the yard. Change is also in the air for lead-operator Colin Mclean, when developments in his personal life lead him to question his future in the tow business. Then, 100 kilometers north of Hope, B.C., Reliable Towing’s resilience is tested like never before when one of their own is caught up in a terrifying event on the highway. Quiring Towing’s Al Quiring and Gord Boyd tackle some of the heaviest off-road jobs imaginable, while down in the Fraser Valley at Aggressive Towing, Jamie’s brother Jason and his top man Chris ‘Merv’ Mervyn’s modern rotators are in high demand. Just down the road, 63-year-old heavy rescue legend Ken Duperon continues to lead Mission Towing, but when he’s struck down by an urgent medical crisis, his son-in-law and lead-driver Dylan Greenwood must step up. HIGHWAY THRU HELL marks its milestone 100th episode this season, before just-announced Season 9 begins production. A sneak peek of HIGHWAY THRU HELL Season 8 is available HERE.
MIGHTY TRAINS, Season 3
Premieres Sunday, October 13 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
- Host Teddy Wilson whisks viewers around the world to witness the inner workings of six exceptional trains and their scenic locomotive routes. This season, Teddy rolls along Norway’s scenic Bergen Line, and uncovers how some of the fastest trains in the world are built at an Italian train company owned by the chairman of Ferrari. Then, it’s off to the Indian Pacific train for a bucket-list journey across southern Australia, and on to the colourful trains of the Thailand State Railway to traverse beautiful but deadly landscapes. This season’s adventures are capped off by a trip through historic routes and impressive scenery aboard South Africa’s most luxurious train, the Pride of Africa, and a wintery journey aboard Switzerland’s Bernina Express, one of the most beautiful train trips on earth. Produced by Discovery’s Exploration Production Inc. (EPI), MIGHTY TRAINS is set to air in more than 100 countries around the world, spanning the U.K., Germany, Australia, France, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and throughout Asia, with Season 4 now in production. A sneak peek MIGHTY TRAINS Season 3 is available HERE.
WHY WE HATE
Premieres Sunday, October 13 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
- Executive produced by Oscar®-winners Alex Gibney and Steven Spielberg, and directed by Emmy®-winners Geeta Gandbhir and Sam Pollard, this six-part docu-series investigates the human capacity for hatred and how we can overcome it. While all humans have the capacity to hate, few understand what sparks it and transforms it into a destructive force. Drawing on ground-breaking research in psychology, biology, and neuroscience, each episode traces the evolutionary basis of hatred and its powerful impact on individuals and societies throughout human history. Helping to unpack these complex issues in each episode are experts including cognitive scientist Laurie Santos, evolutionary anthropologist Brian Hare, journalist and author Jelani Cobb, extremism expert Sasha Havlicek, international criminal lawyer Patricia Viseur Sellers, and neuroscientist Emile Bruneau. Select episodes of WHY WE HATE are available HERE.
HITLER’S MOST WANTED
Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
- This original Canadian docuseries presents a new perspective on how and why a generation of men and women living in a European society became the leaders of one of the most terrifying regimes of all time, responsible for starting a world war that resulted in more than 60 million deaths. Visiting the villages and towns where these elite Nazi leaders grew up, as well as the sites of their worst atrocities, dedicated young historian James Ellis explores the defining moments which transformed everyday Germans into mass murderers. As knowledge of the Third Reich recedes from society’s collective memory, this docu-series examines the key personalities of the Third Reich to determine what happened and ensure that the lessons of history are never forgotten.
HELLFIRE HEROES, Season 2
Premieres Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
- In the coastal towns, wildlands, and prairies of the Canadian West, there lives a special breed of firefighter. These are the men and women who serve and protect the communities in which they live with bravery and devotion. The stress is high and there’s no room for error as each fire department responds to a relentless battery of emergency calls. With remote and unmarked roads, fast flowing rivers, roaming wildlife, and a steady stream of transport trucks and freight trains barreling through their towns, these firefighting teams face life-altering challenges on a daily basis. Returning with a fresh batch of eight episodes, Season 2 of this Discovery original series sees the return of Chief Albert Bahri and Chief Jamie Coutts from Northern Alberta, as well as two new fire departments from Port Alberni, British Columbia and Swift Current, Saskatchewan. A sneak peek HELLFIRE HEROES Season 2 is available HERE.
*Interviews for Canadian Originals HIGHWAY THRU HELL, MIGHTY TRAINS, and HELLFIRE HEROES are available. Please contact Adam Slinn, adam.slinn@bellmedia.ca, with any requests.*
Discovery’s free preview also features all-new episodes of signature Discovery series, including:
ALASKAN BUSH PEOPLE, Season 5
Premieres Monday, October 7 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
- After six months on the mountain, the Wolfpack has fully rededicated themselves to the goal of total self-sufficiency they began in Alaska. With winter only weeks away, their preparations become even more critical as the Wolfpack grows with the addition of Noah and wife Rhain Alisha’s first child, Elijah. But the family’s excitement around the first Bush-baby is accompanied with new challenges, and Noah’s resourcefulness is called upon as he works hard to create practical innovations for his new son. In addition, Ami continues to regain her strength and makes plans to start prepping for her garden in the spring, and Billy gets closer to his dream of running a fully-functional family ranch equipped with horses, a fortified bullpen, and a winterized barn.
GOLD RUSH, Season 10
Premieres Tuesday, October 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with a one-hour special, followed by the Season 10 premiere
- This season, GOLD RUSH marks a decade of digging with all-new claims, crews, and challenges as miners Parker Schnabel, Tony Beets, and Rick Ness battle the odds and the elements in pursuit of the American dream. With the price of gold spiking, a new rush of prospectors flood the area, and each miner is forced to take massive gambles as they hunt for gold on new grounds. Seeing the trouble in the Klondike, Rick Ness decides to move his entire operation to the mountains above the historic mining town of Keno City in the Yukon. Meanwhile, 25-year-old Parker Schnabel achieves his lifelong dream of owning his own claim, but must mine every ounce of gold in just one season due to water permitting issues. Legendary miner Tony Beets has an early jump on the new season, but his luck doesn’t last very long when he’s forced to shut down his Indian River operation after failing to get a permit.
BITCHIN RIDES, Season 6
Premieres Thursday, October 17 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET
- Some great artists work with oil on canvas, others with clay, but for Dave Kindig, iron and chrome are the tools of his creative self-expression, and he is an artist at the top of his craft. From his sprawling 27,000-square-foot custom fabrication shop, Dave and his team use cars as their canvases to create extraordinary works of art for serious car lovers nationwide. In each episode, viewers head inside Dave’s shop for a real and unfiltered look at how he and his team sketch, design, fabricate, and assemble their head-turning custom car restorations.
ALASKA: THE LAST FRONTIER, Season 9
Premieres Sunday, October 20 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
- Generations of Kilchers have survived on the Alaskan homestead, passing down valuable lessons, techniques, and skills while continuously learning new homestead practices necessary for the preservation of their unique Alaskan lifestyle. Now, the next generation must rise up like never before and take on new challenges and fresh opportunities to lead the Kilcher family into the future. A warmer, earlier spring has prematurely melted most of the winter snow, turning the homestead pastureland into a life-threatening muddy swamp for their cattle. To help their livestock thrive, Otto uses a spark of mechanical genius to get his heavy-duty dozer working again so he can clear new grazing land for the cows. A primary goal for the Kilchers is to expand their grazing land to remote Perl Island, an area without predators that will keep their animals safe. But the island’s tumultuous weather and perilous seas make it dangerous for the Kilchers to travel there safely. In addition, for the first time ever in the series, Kilcher women Jane and Eve embark on the first hunt of the season, making their mark as leaders of the Kilcher family.
Discovery’s free preview is available via participating television service providers across Canada, including Bell, Bell Aliant, Bell MTS, Cogeco, Eastlink, Rogers, Telus, Shaw, Shaw Direct, SaskTel, and others.