PBS has announced their new winter line up for 2020 and it’s full of bingeworthy seasons and exciting premieres, as well as thematic specials on food, culture and history. Below are some highlights of what you’ll find.
In preparation for International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 75th anniversary of the Auschwitz liberation, PBS dedicates Tuesday, January 21 to celebrating Jewish heritage, exploring the questions surrounding the possibility of bombing Auschwitz and honoring the last survivors of the Holocaust.
In recognition of Black History Month in February, PBS will highlight programming that shines a light on racial issues and African American history.
January Premieres
- Discover the mysteries, surprises and revelations hidden in family trees with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. in the sixth season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS (Tuesdays, January 7-February 25, 8:00 p.m. ET)
- The much-anticipated premiere of SANDITON ON MASTERPIECE is Sunday, January 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Experience Jane Austen’s last, fragmentary work, where entrepreneurs, love interests, legacy hunters, hypochondriacs and medical mountebanks come together at a struggling resort aiming to be the next fashionable playground in early 1800s England. PBS Passport subscribers will be able to binge the entire eight-episode series starting the night of the premiere.
- HOWARDS END ON MASTERPIECE (Sundays, January 12-February 2, 8:00 p.m. ET) In HOWARDS END, meet two independent and unconventional sisters and the men in their lives as they seek love and meaning while navigating an ever-changing world.
- VIENNA BLOOD (Sundays, January 19-February 23, 10:00 p.m. ET) follows a student of Sigmund Freud and an Austrian detective as they team up to solve some of the most mysterious and deadly cases in early 1900s Vienna.
- Discover the unknown with explorer and naturalist Steve Backshall in EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL (premieres Wednesday, January 15, 10:00 p.m. ET) as he ventures into uncharted territory in pursuit of new discoveries and “World Firsts.” In this 10-episode series, Backshall takes on extreme physical challenges, encounters extraordinary wildlife and meets remarkable people. From freediving in underground river systems and descending deep into the caves of the Maya underworld to kayaking Himalayan whitewater and scaling unclimbed Arctic peaks, these expeditions push Backshall and his team to the limit. This adventure series journeys into the unknown to shine a light on places that have been dark for millions of years
- Get a delicious taste of immigrant traditions and cuisines woven into our nation’s food and culture with chef Marcus Samuelsson as he visits six different cities in NO PASSPORT REQUIRED (Mondays, January 20-February 17, 9:00 p.m. ET)
February Premieres
- Delve into the history of the forgotten heroes who fought for food safety at the turn of the 20th century in AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “The Poison Squad” (Tuesday, February 4, 9:00 p.m. ET)
- INDEPENDENT LENS “Cooked: Survival by Zip Code” premieres Monday, February 10 at 10:00 p.m. ET. The effects of the July 1995 Chicago heat wave claimed the lives of more than 700 mostly poor, elderly and African American residents.
- FINDING YOUR ROOTS “Slave Trade” (Tuesday, February 11, 8:00 p.m. ET) follows Henry Louis Gates, Jr. as he takes film director Ava DuVernay, actor S. Epatha Merkerson and musician Questlove to the unexpected places where their ancestors were scattered by slavery.
- AMERICAN MASTERS “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool” (Tuesday, February 25, 9:00 p.m. ET) boasts never-before-seen footage of the legendary musician, including studio outtakes from recording sessions, rare photos and new interviews.
- INDEPENDENT LENS “Always in Season” (Monday, February 24, 10:00 p.m. ET) follows the tragedy of African American teenager Lennon Lacy, who in August 2014 was found hanging from a swing set in Bladenboro, N.C. His death was ruled a suicide, but Lennon’s mother, Claudia, believes her son was lynched. Claudia’s fight for justice intersects with other communities striving to acknowledge the victims of lynching, repair the damage and achieve reconciliation.
March Premieres
- The new three-episode series EARTH’S SACRED WONDERS (Wednesdays, March 25-April 8, 10:00 p.m. ET) takes viewers on an amazing journey to some of the greatest spiritual buildings and places of worship, revealing the scale, ingenuity and faith embodied by the world’s most remarkable religious sites. The entire season will be available for early release in PBS Passport beginning November 30, 2019, ahead of its broadcast premiere.
- Take a culinary journey through the American South with Chef Vivian Howard in SOMEWHERE SOUTH (Fridays, March 27–April 24, 9:00 p.m. ET)
- THE INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTON: A DELICIOUS DOCUMENTARY (Friday, March 27, 10:00 p.m. ET) follows self-taught chef Patrick O’Connell as he chases a third Michelin star.
- The wait is over for fans of CALL THE MIDWIFE with the ninth season premiere on Sunday, March 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Opening with the funeral of Winston Churchill in January 1965, CALL THE MIDWIFE continues with Nonnatus House entering a bold and innovative era. The familiar team of medics and midwives faces unexpected challenges as the population shifts, rules change and old diseases come back to haunt them. Alongside the joy and optimism of birth, they must cope with cases including diphtheria, drug abuse, cancer, tuberculosis and fistula. Meanwhile, their own experiences are fueled by love, loss and doubt — and the very fabric of their lives is jeopardized when Nonnatus itself comes under threat of demolition.
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