PBS Digital Studios and ITVS have launched the second season of Ritual, a documentary series exploring the traditions and rituals of the American South, on the newly established PBS Documentaries YouTube channel.
The six-part second season premiered August 6, with a new episode being released monthly. Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball, frontwoman of New Orleans-based group Tank and the Bangas (pictured), returns as host and narrator, with the series exploring subjects ranging from New Orleans second lines and New Year’s meals to Black hair and ancestral traditions.
The opening episode, Code Switching, examines the ways people adapt their behaviour and language to signal belonging, looking at how race, class and profession can influence those shifts and the tension between authenticity and acceptance.
“Telling stories from the past and rediscovering history with such deep roots to my own feels so special and deeply personal,” said host Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball. “This is why I’m so excited for Ritual to be back. This is a show for all of us to enjoy and feel connected to.”
Ritual is co-produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting and ITVS and presented by Independent Lens. The second season forms part of PBS Digital Studios’ push to build out its programming for online audiences through YouTube channels.
PBS Documentaries launched in March 2026, replacing PBS Voices as the home for original documentary series including Subcultured, Prideland and Ritual. The channel is aimed primarily at the 18-45 audience previously served by PBS Voices, while expanding the range of documentary programming available through YouTube.
Maribel Lopez, head of PBS Digital Studios, said the channel had been launched to support diverse voices and powerful visual storytelling. “We launched the PBS Documentaries YouTube channel in March for the purpose of amplifying diverse voices and powerful visual storytelling, and Ritual does exactly that,” she said. “By exploring the American South through the lens of its enduring traditions, this series is both deeply authentic and culturally resonant, and we’re extremely proud of it.”
The move is part of a broader digital strategy from PBS Digital Studios, which operates a network of themed YouTube channels spanning subjects including food, science and nature, history, and arts and humanities. Its wider YouTube network has more than 35 million subscribers and has generated more than five billion lifetime views since PBS Digital Studios began launching original series in 2012.
The studio’s catalogue includes digital-first series such as Be Smart, Sound Field, Weathered, Eons, Monstrum and Space Time, positioning PBS as a substantial player in educational and documentary content on YouTube.
