CBS Sunday Morning: Your Weekend Guide to Inspiring Stories and Cultural Treasures

A Beloved Sunday Tradition Continues

For decades, CBS Sunday Morning has been the perfect companion to lazy weekend mornings, offering viewers a thoughtful blend of news, arts, culture, and human interest stories that inspire and inform. Hosted by the warm and engaging Jane Pauley, this Emmy Award-winning program has carved out a special place in American television by taking the time to explore stories in depth, without the breathless urgency that characterizes so much of today’s media landscape. Broadcasting every Sunday beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET, and streaming on the CBS News app from 11:00 a.m. ET, the show continues to attract loyal viewers who appreciate its unique approach to storytelling. Whether you’re sipping your morning coffee or enjoying a leisurely brunch, Sunday Morning invites you to slow down and discover the fascinating people, places, and ideas that make our world richer and more interesting.

Reaching for the Stars: The Artemis II Mission

This week’s cover story takes viewers on an extraordinary journey beyond our planet as correspondent Mark Strassmann reports on the Artemis II mission, marking humanity’s return to lunar exploration. The program captures the awe-inspiring moment when NASA’s Artemis II rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, representing a giant leap forward in our quest to return humans to the Moon. This mission isn’t just about revisiting old accomplishments—it’s about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and laying the groundwork for future Mars exploration. The Artemis program represents NASA’s commitment to sustainable lunar exploration and includes plans to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. Strassmann’s report provides viewers with an inside look at the technology, the astronauts, and the dreams that are propelling this ambitious venture forward. For those who remember watching the original Moon landings, this coverage offers a chance to recapture that sense of wonder and possibility, while younger viewers get to experience their own “one small step” moment in history.

Ancient Crafts and Natural Wonders

The program also explores the intersection of art, history, and nature through two captivating segments that showcase human creativity and the natural world’s quiet beauty. Correspondent Chris Livesay takes viewers inside the Vatican’s Mosaic Studio, where artisans have been creating breathtaking works of art for hundreds of years using techniques that date back centuries. These craftspeople work with millions of tiny colored tiles, melting and fashioning them into the stunning mosaics that adorn St. Peter’s Basilica. The dedication, skill, and patience required for this work is humbling—each piece represents countless hours of meticulous labor, transforming fire and stone into divine expressions of faith and beauty. It’s a reminder that in our fast-paced digital age, some things still require the human touch and cannot be rushed.

In a completely different but equally mesmerizing segment, correspondent Conor Knighton explores the often-overlooked world of moss—those ancient, resilient plants that have survived for more than 450 million years through dramatically different climactic conditions. Visiting the Japanese-inspired Moss Garden at Washington State’s Bloedel Reserve and attending Lewis & Clark College’s annual Moss Appreciation Week, Knighton reveals how these tiny, flowerless plants represent some of Nature’s most fascinating habitats. There’s something deeply peaceful about contemplating moss, those soft green carpets that grow in the shadows, asking nothing from us but the chance to exist. In a world that often celebrates the loudest and largest, this segment reminds us that beauty often comes in the smallest packages, and that slowing down to appreciate the overlooked corners of our natural world can be its own form of meditation.

Comedy, Culture, and Creative Journeys

Television comedy takes center stage with two delightful segments featuring some of the medium’s most talented creators and performers. Anthony Mason sits down with Dan Levy, the Emmy-winning co-creator of the beloved “Schitt’s Creek,” to discuss his new sitcom “Big Mistakes.” The show tells the story of a New Jersey pastor and his sister who unexpectedly find themselves entangled with organized crime—a premise that promises the same kind of heart and humor that made “Schitt’s Creek” such a phenomenon. Levy reflects on his journey from MTV VJ to television auteur, revisits Goodwood, Ontario (the small town where “Schitt’s Creek” was filmed), and discusses working alongside his father Eugene Levy and the incomparable Catherine O’Hara. What made “Schitt’s Creek” so special wasn’t just the laughs—it was the show’s fundamental belief in human decency and the possibility of growth and redemption, themes that clearly continue to drive Levy’s creative vision.

Meanwhile, correspondent Tracy Smith explores the final season of HBO’s Emmy-winning comedy “Hacks,” which chronicles the complicated relationship between veteran comedian Deborah Vance and her young writer, Ava. Stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder discuss saying goodbye to roles that were, as Smith describes it, “a match made in comedy heaven.” Smith also speaks with the show’s co-creators—Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs, and Lucia Aniello—who share behind-the-scenes stories, including Aniello’s remarkable experience of directing an episode while in labor. Both segments celebrate the transformative power of comedy and the special alchemy that occurs when talented people come together to create something that resonates with audiences on a deeper level than mere jokes ever could.

History, Heritage, and Timeless Traditions

The program delves into more serious territory with correspondent Seth Doane’s examination of how archaeology becomes political in the West Bank. Traveling to Israel and the West Bank, Doane speaks with archaeologists, residents, and government officials about how the excavation and preservation of centuries-old sites and artifacts has become entangled with contemporary disputes over ownership rights and concerns about historical narratives being erased. In the Judean desert, where layers of history lie beneath the sand, every discovery has implications that extend far beyond academic interest. This segment tackles difficult questions about who owns the past, who gets to tell its stories, and how ancient history continues to shape present-day conflicts. It’s a reminder that archaeology is never just about dusty relics—it’s about identity, belonging, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and where we came from.

On a lighter note, Lee Cowan presents an ode to baseball through the lens of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” the 1908 song that has become the sport’s unofficial anthem. Penned by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer as a celebration of America’s pastime, the song captures the thrills, fun, and romance of baseball in a way that still resonates more than a century later. There’s something quintessentially American about baseball—the patient rhythm of the game, the ritual of singing during the seventh-inning stretch, the way it connects generations through shared memories of summer afternoons at the ballpark. Cowan’s segment celebrates not just the song but what it represents: those moments of pure, uncomplicated joy that sports can provide, bringing us together across differences of background, politics, and perspective.

Art, Aging, and the Enduring Human Spirit

The program also features correspondent Martha Teichner’s exploration of “Raphael: Sublime Poetry,” the first comprehensive exhibition of the Italian Renaissance master’s work ever presented in the United States. Now showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the exhibition examines the life of an artist who, while still young, was influenced by Leonardo da Vinci and commissioned by the Vatican to create works rivaling those of Michelangelo. Raphael’s paintings and drawings represent the pinnacle of Renaissance ideals—perfect balance, harmonious composition, and a profound understanding of human emotion and beauty. Standing before a Raphael painting, you can feel the artist’s hand reaching across centuries, reminding us that great art doesn’t age or become obsolete; it continues to speak to something fundamental in the human experience.

Finally, the program offers a web exclusive marathon exploring all angles of the aging process—from the scientific to the cultural. Featuring segments on longevity research, fighting ageism, and conversations with celebrities like Jim Gaffigan, Jane Fonda, and Brooke Shields about growing older, this collection tackles a topic that affects everyone but that our youth-obsessed culture often prefers to ignore. These segments remind us that aging isn’t just about decline—it’s also about wisdom, perspective, and the freedom that comes from finally knowing who you are. As our population ages and more people are living longer, healthier lives than ever before, these conversations become increasingly important. Sunday Morning handles this subject with the same grace, humor, and depth that characterizes all its best work, proving once again why it remains essential viewing for anyone seeking substance and meaning in their Sunday morning routine.