PBS Primetime This Fall Shines With Exquisite New Drama, Exuberant Performances, Extraordinary Science and Stars Galore
– Highlights Include
“Walt Disney” on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE,
“Indian Summers” on MASTERPIECE, Ken Burns’s THE CIVIL WAR Revival, AMERICAN EPIC, the
KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE, and New Explorations From NOVA −
–
TCA Press Tour lineup features Oscar-winner
Helen Mirren, Norman Lear, Phil Rosenthal, Vanessa Williams and cast members from
“Downton Abbey” on MASTERPIECE and MERCY STREET –
Walt Disney; © Condé Nast Archive/Corbis
Cast of “Indian Summers;” © New Pictures/Channel 4 for MASTERPIECE in association with All3Media International
ARLINGTON, VA; June 4, 2015 – PBS’ Fall 2015 primetime schedule offers delights in all genres — from drama to the performing
arts to sumptuous nature and science programs — anchored by the story of
America’s most legendary filmmaker and his magical legacy in “Walt Disney”
on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (watch the trailer here),
and the enthralling new MASTERPIECE drama “Indian Summers,” featuring acclaimed actress Julie Walters. In November, PBS celebrates America’s diverse
musical history in AMERICAN EPIC,
which documents the roots of modern music, and premieres Latin-infused arrangements in
UNITY – THE LATIN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON,
a concert special that showcases songs from Tony Succar’s album of the same name.
PBS will roll out new season programming at the Television Critics Association Press Tour, August 1 and 2, with a star-studded
lineup of actors, performers, producers and directors from its new Civil War drama,
MERCY STREET (premieres January 2016), INDEPENDENT LENS, “Downton Abbey” on MASTERPIECE
(January 2016), the PBS ARTS FALL FESTIVAL, AMERICAN MASTERS, music documentary
AMERICAN EPIC (watch a clip here)
and more. Those slated to appear to date include Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren in conjunction with
“India’s Daughter”; 11-time Grammy Award nominee Vanessa Williams with a panel and performance for
“Show Boat”; the legendary television writer/producer Norman Lear for an
AMERICAN MASTERS special profiling his life and work, slated for Fall 2016;
Phil Rosenthal for I’LL HAVE WHAT PHIL’S HAVING; Steven Moffat and
Sue Vertue for “Sherlock” on MASTERPIECE (airdate TBD.); cultural historian and author of
Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination Neal Gabler and Disney film producer
Don Hahn for “Walt Disney” on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and the end of the Civil War, PBS presents
a re-mastered, high-definition version of producer and director Ken Burns’s groundbreaking and award-winning film
THE CIVIL WAR. The epic documentary will be rebroadcast over five consecutive nights in September,
coinciding with the 25th
anniversary of its original broadcast in 1990. Also in September, GORONGOSA PARK
Rebirth of Paradise (watch a clip here)
documents the revival of Mozambique’s national park after years of civil war in that country.
PBS also explores the natural history of the U.S. and the globe with
NOVA “Making North America” and EARTH’S NATURAL WONDERS.
The fifth season of the
PBS ARTS FALL FESTIVAL, hosted by international music superstar Gloria Estefan, premieres October 9 with new programs coming from
GREAT PERFORMANCES, including “Billy Elliott: The Musical,”
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER, and other specials, such as FIRST YOU DREAM – THE MUSIC OF KANDER & EBB and
UNITY – THE LATIN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON. Also premiering in October is
THE BRAIN WITH DAVID EAGLEMAN (watch a clip here.)
In the three-part series, the scientist and YouTube sensation explores
the synapses and impulses that make up humanity’s endlessly fascinating
and most complex organ.
“PBS
has the very best shows this fall, from historic dramas to true-life
mysteries to extraordinary live performances and more,” says Beth
Hoppe, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General
Audience Programming. “It’s a season that highlights what we do best as
we revisit Ken Burns’s seminal masterpiece film, introduces new epic
series like
“Indian Summers,” and surprises us with fresh takes on things we thought we knew, like the legacy of Walt Disney or the musicians profiled in
AMERICAN EPIC. When viewers want to be entertained, learn, laugh and cry, all week long, they turn to PBS.”
SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS:
Dramas with a comedy nightcap rule Sunday nights. The 9-part
“Indian Summers” on MASTERPIECE premieres September 27
with Golden Globe Award-winning actress Julie Walters in the dramatic
retelling of the twilight of British rule in India.
Season two of the comedy
VICIOUS with Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi premieres August 23. THE WIDOWER, based on the true story of the charming killer Malcolm Webster, premieres October 4.
MONDAY HIGHLIGHTS:
Fall weeknights start with the world’s greatest entertainment
legend and his magical legacy in
“Walt Disney” on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, September 14. Ken Burns’s
THE CIVIL WAR has its high-definition debut September 7. PBS’
ongoing commitment to independent film continues with provocative and
moving stories from
INDEPENDENT LENS, including “India’s Daughter,” and new films from the award-winning
POV’s current season continue into October. Treasures keep coming on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW this fall with new episodes in Albuquerque and Chicago, beginning September 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The travelogue
I’LL HAVE WHAT PHIL’S HAVING follows “Everybody Loves
Raymond” creator Phil Rosenthal on a culinary expedition from Hong Kong
to Barcelona and also premieres September 28.
TUESDAY HIGHLIGHTS:
Tuesdays
this fall bring new perspectives on America’s music, its first settlers
and its current events. On November 10, the three-part historical
documentary
AMERICAN EPIC journeys through the trailblazing era when the
music of everyday Americans was recorded for the very first time. On
November 17, the feature-length film
THE AMERICAN EPIC SESSIONS showcases performances by contemporary
artists in a 1920s recording studio utilizing the same equipment on
which musicians recorded 90 years ago, creating a musical and technical
link between today’s artists and the musicians
whose earliest recordings had such an impact on American culture. On
November 24,
“The Pilgrims” on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE explores the
converging forces, circumstances, personalities and events that
propelled English settlers across the Atlantic in 1620.
FRONTLINE uncovers the latest in America’s war on drugs, immigration reform, the hunt for the Pan Am flight 103 bombers and more.
WEDNESDAY HIGHLIGHTS:
“Think Wednesday” is home to extraordinary science and nature programming on PBS, including
THE BRAIN WITH DAVID EAGLEMAN, which premieres October 14 and
tells the ultimate story of why we feel and think the things we do. The
heartwarming, science-grounded series
NATURE premieres September 23 with “Nature’s Miracle Orphans” (w.t) and continues with a focus on various species, from wild elephants to domesticated pets.
EARTH’S NATURAL WONDERS and NOVA’s three-part series “Making North America” premiere November 4.
FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS: Arts anchor primetime Fridays with the fifth
PBS ARTS FALL FESTIVAL, hosted by international superstar and Grammy-winner Gloria Estefan. The festival begins October 9 and showcases such titles as
UNITY – THE LATIN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON, which
features 16 songs that inspired musicians from
all over Latin America to come together to celebrate and reimagine hits
such as “Smooth Criminal,” “I Want You Back” and “Billie Jean,” and
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER “Kern & Hammerstein’s Show Boat” starring Vanessa Williams and “Downton Abbey” star Julian Ovenden. The festival’s decidedly musical bent is highlighted by
GREAT PERFORMANCES “Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin’ to Do” and FIRST YOU DREAM – THE MUSIC OF KANDER & EBB, dates TBD.
AMERICAN MASTERS “Althea” recounts the life and achievements of the groundbreaking African-American tennis player Althea Gibson on September 4.
SEPTEMBER ON PBS:
AMERICAN MASTERS “Althea” –
Uncover
the story of Althea Gibson (1927-2003), who emerged as the unlikely
queen of the segregated tennis world of the 1950s. She was the first
African American to win Wimbledon
and the U.S. Nationals (precursor of the U.S. Open) — a decade before
Arthur Ashe. The documentary explores her mentoring by boxer Sugar Ray
Robinson, former New York City mayor David Dinkins and others.
Interviewees include Dinkins, Wimbledon champion Dick
Savitt and Billie Jean King. Produced and directed by Rex Miller (A Chef’s Life). –
Friday, September 4, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET
ARTHUR & GEORGE ON MASTERPIECE
– Martin
Clunes (“Doc Martin”) stars as world-famous author Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle in this three-part adaptation of Julian Barnes’ acclaimed
novel that follows the separate but intersecting
lives of two men: a half-Indian son of a vicar who is framed for a
crime he may not have committed; and Doyle, who investigates the case.
–
Sundays, September 6-20, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET
THE CIVIL WAR 25th ANNIVERSARY –
Producer and director Ken Burns’s award-winning film
THE CIVIL WAR will rebroadcast over five consecutive nights this month, coinciding with the 25th
anniversary of its 1990 premiere. This is the first time
the film will be in high definition, further enhancing the vision of
Burns and his cinematographers Allen Moore and Buddy Squires more than
25 years ago.
–
Monday-Friday, September 7-11, 9:00-11:30 p.m. ET
“Walt Disney” on
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE – Walt
Disney was uniquely adept at art as well as commerce, a master
filmmaker who harnessed the power of technology and storytelling. This
new two-part,
four-hour film offers an unprecedented look at Disney’s complex life
and enduring legacy, featuring rare archival footage from the Disney
vaults, scenes from some of his greatest films and interviews with
biographers, animators and artists who worked on early
films, including Snow White, and the designers who helped turn his dream of Disneyland into reality.
– Monday-Tuesday, September 14-15, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
AMERICAN MASTERS “Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey” –
Discover
the remarkable life and work of Pedro E. Guerrero, a Mexican American
born and raised in segregated Mesa, Arizona, who had an extraordinary,
international photography career.
Using Guerrero’s words and images, the program explores his
collaborations with three of the most iconic American artists of the 20th century: Frank Lloyd Wright and sculptors Alexander Calder and Louise Nevelson. This film is a special co-presentation
with VOCES. – Friday, September 18, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
POV
“Cutie and the Boxer”
An Oscar®-nominated reflection on love,
sacrifice and the creative spirit, this candid New York tale explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed
“boxing”
painter Ushio Shinohara and artist Noriko Shinohara. –
Friday, September 18, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET
“Don’t Tell Anyone”
(“No Le Digas a Nadie”) –
Meet
immigrant activist Angy Rivera, the country’s only advice columnist for
undocumented youth. In a community where silence is often seen as
necessary for survival, she steps
out of the shadows to share her own parallel experiences of being
undocumented and sexually abused. –
Monday, September 21, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
“Art and Craft”
The
jig is up for art forger Mark Landis, who has donated his expert copies
to museums for 30 years. But stopping isn’t simple. This cat-and-mouse
caper uncovers the universal in one man’s
search for connection and respect. – Friday, September 25, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET
ON TWO FRONTS: LATINOS & VIETNAM
– Examine the Latino experience during a war that placed its
heaviest burden on working-class youth and their communities. Framing
the documentary are memoirs of two siblings, Everett and Delia Alvarez,
who stood on opposite sides of the Vietnam War, one as a POW and the
other protesting at home. –
Tuesday, September 22, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET
GORONGOSA PARK
Rebirth of Paradise
Experience
the inspiring rebirth of an African wilderness through the eyes of Emmy
Award-winning wildlife cameraman Bob Poole. Darting lions, wrestling
crocs, facing
down angry elephants — it’s all part of a day’s work as he joins the
battle to re-wild a legendary national park.
–
Tuesdays, September 22-October 6, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET
NATURE
“Nature’s Miracle Orphans”
(w.t.)
– Growing up in the wild is always rough
—
and young animals rely on their parents to protect and nurture them
through the dangerous early phase of
life. But how do young animals survive when they’ve lost their
mothers? This heartwarming, emotional series follows the work of animal
rescue centers around the world and introduces the extraordinary people
who have devoted their lives to helping all kinds
of wild orphans get back on their feet. –
Wednesdays, September 23-30, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET
AMERICAN MASTERS “The Women’s List” –
Hear
from 15 women who created and defined contemporary American culture in
the newest chapter of filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ “List”
series (“The Boomer List,” “The Black
List,” “The Latino List,” “The Out List”). This film features
interviews with Madeleine Albright, Gloria Allred, Laurie Anderson, Sara
Blakely, Margaret Cho, Edie Falco, Betsey Johnson, Alicia Keys, Aimee
Mullins, Nancy Pelosi, Rosie Perez, Shonda Rhimes,
Wendy Williams and Nia Woodlaw. – Friday, September 25, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
MASTERPIECE “Indian Summers” –
Julie
Walters plays the glamorous doyenne of an English social club in the
twilight of British rule in India. The lavish 9-part series explores the
collision of the English ruling
class and local people agitating for Indian independence. The two sides
alternately clash and merge in intricate games of power, politics and
passion. Also starring are Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Jemima West, Nikesh
Patel, Roshan Seth and Lillete Dubey. –
Sundays, September 27-November 15, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET and November 22, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
I’LL HAVE WHAT PHIL’S HAVING –
Journey
with Phil Rosenthal, creator of the TV hit “Everybody Loves Raymond,”
as he learns from the chefs, vendors, culinary leaders and style-setters
who keep their communities’
traditions alive and create new ones. Rosenthal visits kitchens on and
off the well-worn gastronomic path, leading viewers
from one of the least expensive Michelin-starred restaurants in Asia
to a Los Angeles bakery training former gang members. –
Mondays, September 28-November 2, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
E.O. WILSON – OF ANTS AND MEN
– An exploration of the remarkable life and groundbreaking ideas of
biologist
E.O. Wilson, founder of the discipline of sociobiology, world authority
on insects and Pulitzer-prize winning writer on the subject of human
nature. In Wilson, we see an endearing personality who is one of the
great scientists and thinkers of our time. –
Wednesday, September 30, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
OCTOBER ON PBS
POV “Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case”
This
stunning dissection of the persecution of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei
explores how the government’s attempts to silence him have backfired and
turned him into an
irrepressible voice for free speech and human rights around the globe.
– Friday, October 2, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
THE WIDOWER –
This
drama is the true story of Malcolm Webster, a nurse by profession and,
on the surface, a perfect gentleman: well-spoken, personable and
charming. He’s also a spendthrift and
killer. He marries, and attempts to kill, a succession of women to cash
in their life insurance policies. –
Sundays, October 4-18, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
NATURE
“Big Birds Can’t Fly”
(w.t.) –
This is the unique story of flightless birds. They say a bird is three things
—
feathers, flight and song. But what happens when you’re a bird who
can’t fly, who can’t sing and whose
feathers are closer to fluff? Is this an evolutionary joke? Flightless
birds include ostriches, emus, rheas, cassowaries and kiwis; all have
evolved independent of each other on different continents.
–
Wednesday, October 7, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET
“Soul of the Elephant”
(w.t.) –
Ironically,
every dead elephant with its ivory intact is a reason to celebrate. It
means an elephant died of natural causes, not bullets, snares or poison,
and a soul was
allowed to be celebrated and mourned by its herd. Award-winning
filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert start with the remains of two bull
elephants and, through a series of key flashbacks, look at the lives
they would have led, the dramas they may have seen,
their great migrations for water with their families and their
encounters with lions and hyenas.
–
Wednesday, October 14, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET
“Pets: Wild at Heart”
(w.t.) –
From
the award-winning team that brought us “Earthflight” and “Penguins: Spy
in the Huddle” comes a revolutionary look at our pets. Our pets may
seem familiar, but they exist alongside
us in a secret world of wild behavior and natural abilities that we
hardly recognize. This two-part series explores this parallel existence
with all the techniques that have been perfected in past “spy” shows,
including HD spy cameras, night vision cameras,
drones, miniature on-board cameras and digital high-speed cameras. –
Wednesdays, October 21-28, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET
PBS ARTS FALL FESTIVAL—Host Gloria Estefan will kick of the festival on October 9. Program order to be announced.
THE BRAIN WITH DAVID EAGLEMAN –
Neuroscientist
David Eagleman explores the human brain in an epic series that reveals
the ultimate story of us, why we feel and think the things we do. This
ambitious project blends
science with innovative visual effects and compelling personal stories,
and addresses some big questions. By understanding the human brain, we
can come close to understanding humanity. –
Wednesdays, October 14-November 18, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET
NOVA
“Nepal Earthquake” (w.t.)
–
On April 25, 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake ripped through Nepal,
causing catastrophic damage, shaking Mount Everest, and leaving
thousands dead. NOVA tells the story of this
chilling disaster and unwraps the science behind earth’s deadly
quakes. – Wednesday, October 28, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
NOVEMBER ON PBS
EARTH’S NATURAL WONDERS –
Explore
the most extraordinary places on the planet in this three-part series.
Visit six continents to learn how these natural wonders evolved and hear
rarely told stories about the
challenges their inhabitants face. –
Wednesdays, November 4-18, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET
NOVA
“Making North America” –
This unprecedented,
3-part series presents a bold and sweeping biography of our homeland.
How was it built? How did life evolve? How did the landscape shape
us? Host Kirk Johnson
embarks on an epic road trip to uncover the clues just beneath our
feet. – Wednesdays, November 4-18, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
AMERICAN EPIC –
In
the 1920s, record company scouts toured America with the first electric
recording machine and captured the raw expression of an emerging
culture. The filmmakers follow the scouts’
trail to rediscover the families whose music was recorded: early blues,
country, gospel, Hawaiian, Cajun and folk, without which there would be
no rock, pop, R&B or hip hop. Over three episodes, the remarkable
lives of seminal musicians materialize in previously
unseen film footage, unpublished photographs and exclusive interviews
with some of the last living witnesses to that era. –
Tuesdays, November 10, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET, and November 17, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET.
THE AMERICAN EPIC SESSIONS – The filmmakers, working with
engineer Nick Bergh, have meticulously re-assembled the machine that
allowed America to first hear itself. They have replicated the
atmosphere of America’s seminal 1920s field recordings down
to the smallest detail, with top American artists recording live to
disc, using all the original microphones, amplifiers and other equipment
from that era. This is the first time that any performer has been able
to use this machinery in more than 80 years.
Led by Jack White and T Bone Burnett, today’s legends are given a
once-in-a-lifetime chance to re-live the experience of the founding
mothers and fathers, their idols, and remake the music that changed
America and changed the world. –
Tuesday, November 17, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
EDDIE MURPHY: THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE –
This special honors comedian and actor Eddie Murphy,
the latest recipient of The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. From the stage of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC,
a lineup of the biggest names in comedy salutes the 18th recipient of the humor prize. –
Monday, November 23, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET
“The Pilgrims”
on
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE – Acclaimed
filmmaker Ric Burns explores the converging forces, circumstances,
personalities and events that propelled a group of English men and women
west across the Atlantic in 1620. With distinct and
riveting personal histories, passionate religious beliefs and the will
to survive — even through violent means — these first immigrants reveal
the history of our nation’s beginnings. –
Tuesday, November 24, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET
TBA
INDEPENDENT LENS
“India’s Daughter” –This
film pays tribute to the remarkable short life of Jyoti
Singh and documents the brutality of her gang rape and murder in Delhi
in December 2012. Recently banned in India, the powerful documentary
explores the compelling human stories behind the incident and examines
the root causes of violence against women in
India.
“No More Babies for Life” –
Investigate
the plight of Mexican-American women who were coercively sterilized at
Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center during the late 1960s and 1970s.
Many spoke no English and
were urged to have surgical procedures — often based on little more
than the question “More babies?” The film follows a group of mothers,
young Chicana lawyers and a whistle-blowing doctor who dared to stand up
to powerful institutions in the name of justice.
“Stray Dog” –
Winter’s Bone director
Debra Granik’s stereotype-shattering documentary focuses on Ron “Stray
Dog” Hall as he caravans on his motorcycle from his rural Missouri home
to Washington, DC, with his fellow vets to pay tribute to his fallen
brothers at the Vietnam Memorial. Back home, Ron and his Mexican wife,
Alicia, help her two newly arrived teenage sons
find their place in America. “Stray Dog” is at once a powerful look at
the veteran experience, a surprising love story and a fresh exploration
of what it takes to survive in the hardscrabble heartland.
PBS
LearningMedia, a digital library of more than 100,000 resources for
educators and students, will offer classrooms a host of educational
resources,
including video clips and interactives that inspire learning, from GORONGOSA PARK,
THE BRAIN WITH DAVID EAGLEMAN, AMERICAN EPIC, KEN BURNS’S CIVIL WAR, EARTH’S NATURAL WONDERS
and NOVA “Making North America.” Ken Burns will also speak directly to students in classrooms around the nation about the
CIVIL WAR in an educational webinar hosted by PBS LearningMedia this fall.
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