PBS Announces Their Fall Schedule and New Programs

PBS 2014 Fall Programs
Theodore Roosevelt in his new buckskin suit, c. 1885 (Photo Courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)
Among the shows that will make up PBS’ 2014 and 2015 primetime lineup are a 14 hour series about the Roosevelts, a two-night look at one of America’s most beloved entertainment figures, and a behind-the-scenes look into the history of the U.S. Navy SEALS. All of the details on PBS’ plans for the upcoming season were announced during the 2014 summer Television Critics Association’s press event in Los Angeles.

Here’s the scoop on what PBS viewers can expect:

THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY

Ken Burns’s 14-hour epic of an American political dynasty, THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY, will premiere Sunday, September 14th from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. (ET) and run for seven consecutive nights at the same time. In addition, it will be repeated from 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. (ET) each night and will have a weekend, daytime marathon September 20th and 21st. Beginning on Monday, September 15th, the entire 14 hours will be available online to stream through PBS stations’ video sites, pbs.org/theroosevelts, and PBS station branded digital platforms, including ROKU, Apple TV and Xbox, and will be available for two weeks, through September 29th.

WALT DISNEY

PBS and AMERICAN EXPERIENCE announced that Walt Disney, a new four-hour, two-night film that explores the life and legacy of one of America’s most enduring and influential storytellers, will premiere in fall 2015. Directed and produced by Sarah Colt (Henry Ford, RFK) and written by Mark Zwonitzer (JFK, Triangle Fire), the film features rare archival footage from the Disney vaults, scenes from some of his greatest films, and includes interviews with animators and artists who worked on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Imagineers who helped design Disneyland.

NAVY SEALS – THEIR UNTOLD STORY

PBS announced a new documentary about the transformation of U.S. Navy frogmen into the warrior elite Navy SEALs. NAVY SEALS – THEIR UNTOLD STORY premieres on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET. Despite the widespread attention paid to the SEALs (Sea, Air and Land) since they eliminated Osama bin Laden, the story of how these clandestine commandoes evolved in response to changing threats — from WWII to the War on Terror — and how their extraordinary abilities shaped U.S. and world history, has remained untold. Few people know the unheralded tales of the first frogmen who dared to face almost certain death with little training, scant equipment and untested tactics.

THE BRAIN WITH DR. DAVID EAGLEMAN

THE BRAIN WITH DR. DAVID EAGLEMAN (working title), six one-hour episodes, tells the story of the inner workings of the brain and takes viewers on a visually spectacular journey into why they feel and think the things they do. The show will premiere in 2015 as part of the PBS “Think Wednesday” lineup of science and nature programming. The series, hosted by Dr. David Eagleman, neuroscientist, New York Times best-selling author and a Guggenheim Fellow, will reveal the human story by blending scientific truth with innovative visual effects and compelling personal stories.

CALL THE MIDWIFE

BBC Worldwide North America Sales & Co-productions, PBS and Neal Street Productions announced today that the hit British drama CALL THE MIDWIFE will return to PBS for a fourth season. Premiering on Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. ET, CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 4) will lead into new MASTERPIECE drama content (to be announced), reinforcing Sunday nights on PBS as a top destination for quality drama.

PBS ARTS FALL FESTIVAL

The 2014 PBS Arts Fall Festival returns in September with 11 weekly programs featuring classic Broadway hits, music from around the country and a theater performance by award-winning actor Nathan Lane. Entering its fourth season, the Festival has become a Friday night fall tradition, reaching more than 33 million viewers since its conception in 2011, and underscoring PBS’ ongoing commitment to giving audiences a front-row seat and a backstage pass to the best of the arts on-air and online. The series will be hosted by Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and accomplished singer Kristin Chenoweth beginning Friday, September 26, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. ET.