Clockwise from top left: Host of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, Meredith Vieira (Courtesy of Stephanie Berger); Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark (Courtesy of Mammoth Screen for BBC and MASTERPIECE); Host of WE’LL MEET AGAIN SEASON 2, Ann Curry (Courtesy of David Turnley); Nurse Shantice Berry in MAYO CLINIC: FAITH – HOPE – SCIENCE (Courtesy of Christopher Loren Ewers).
– More than 2 Million Votes Strong and Growing: THE GREAT AMERICAN READ Counts Down to
the Selection of America’s Best-Loved Novel –
– FRONTLINE Announces New Documentary “The Facebook Dilemma” –
– Drama Reigns on Sunday Nights With ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: FIRE & DEW, THE WOMAN IN WHITE, and New and Returning Favorites from MASTERPIECE: “The Miniaturist,” “Poldark” and “The Durrells in Corfu” –
– WE’LL MEET AGAIN With Ann Curry Returns, Along With New Programs NATIVE AMERICA, NATURE “Super Cats” and THE MAYO CLINIC –
ARLINGTON, VA; July 16, 2018; Updated August 28, 2018 – Today, PBS updated its fall 2018 schedule lineup, anchored by THE GREAT AMERICAN READ (Tuesdays, September 11- October 23). Exploring the power, passion and joy of reading, the series is hosted by Meredith Vieira and features reflections from everyday Americans as well as notables. Margaret Atwood, Lauren Graham, John Irving, Bill T. Jones, Devon Kennard, Gayle King, Diane Lane, George R.R. Martin and many more reflect on their favorite books. The series will culminate with the results of the first-ever national vote for “America’s Best-Loved Novel.”
FRONTLINE dives into the recent controversies plaguing Facebook with its new documentary “The Facebook Dilemma” on October 29 and 30. The popular social network was first created with the goal of connecting the world, but several high-profile issues, including selling users’ personal information, exposed its darker side. The yearlong FRONTLINE investigation reveals how these problems have led some to wonder whether Facebook creates more harm than good.
Sunday nights on PBS continue to be the destination for drama. Highlights include new MASTERPIECE series “The Miniaturist” premiering September 9, a new special ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: FIRE & DEW (September 23) and the new five-part series THE WOMAN IN WHITE premiering October 21. September 30 marks the return of MASTERPIECE series “The Durrells in Corfu” (Season 3) and “Poldark” (Season 4).
WE’LL MEET AGAIN with Ann Curry returns Tuesday, November 13 for a second season of powerful personal stories that explore some of history’s most dramatic events. Premiering Wednesday, October 24 is SUPER CATS, A NATURE MINISERIES, which uncovers the secret lives of the big cats that thrive across the continents. And the four-part NATIVE AMERICA, premiering Tuesday, October 23, combines modern science with Native knowledge to explore the splendor and ingenuity of the world created by America’s First Peoples (watch a clip here). Premiering September 25 is THE MAYO CLINIC: FAITH – HOPE – SCIENCE, executive produced by Ken Burns and directed by Burns, Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers, which reveals how one institution has met the changing demands of healthcare for 150 years — and what that can teach us about patient care today.
The PBS fall season includes many additional shows, series and specials, with most program descriptions listed below. For more information on all programs and for additional program listings, visit www.pbs.org/pressroom.
PROGRAM LISTINGS FOR PBS FALL 2018
TOP SEASON PICKS
FRONTLINE “The Facebook Dilemma” (Monday, October 29, 9:00 p.m. ET and Tuesday, October 30, 10:00 p.m. ET)
The promise of Facebook was to unite the world. But a series of recent controversies has raised the question: Is Facebook more harmful than helpful? This yearlong investigation goes inside the truth and consequences of Facebook’s rise as a global power.
SERIES RETURN: THE GREAT AMERICAN READ
(Tuesdays, September 11-October 23, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)
Examine the power, passion and joy of reading, gauged through the lens of America’s 100 best-loved novels chosen by the public. The multi-part series features reflections from everyday Americans, as well as figures in the entertainment, sports, news and literary worlds, culminating in the first national vote to choose “America’s Best-Loved Novel.”
MASTERPIECE (Sundays):
“The Miniaturist” (Sundays, September 9-23, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Adapted from Jessie Burton’s internationally best-selling novel. In 1686, 18-year-old Nella Oortman (Anya Taylor-Joy, Split) arrives in Amsterdam to meet her wealthy merchant husband Johannes Brandt (Alex Hassell, Genius: Picasso), but is instead met by his sister Marin (Romola Garai, Churchill’s Secret). When Johannes appears, he presents her with a wedding gift: a cabinet that is a miniature replica of their home, to be furnished by an elusive Miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror what is happening within the house in unexpected ways and seem to be predicting and unravelling the future with unsettling precision.
SEASON 3 PREMIERE: “The Durrells in Corfu”
(Sundays, September 30-November 18, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)
Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as “an island of charm,” “The Durrells in Corfu” returns for a third season of eccentric family adventures on a Greek isle in the 1930s. Based on the memoirs of Gerald Durrell, the animal-loving youngest member of the clan, the series stars Keeley Hawes as the plucky widowed mother, Louisa Durrell; Josh O'Connor as her eldest son, Lawrence, who is destined to become a famous novelist; Callum Woodhouse as the hapless sportsman, Leslie; Daisy Waterstone as the lovelorn teen, Margo; and Milo Parker as Gerald. The bohemian Durrells fit right in with the light-hearted Greeks — except when they disastrously don’t.
SEASON 4 PREMIERE: “Poldark”
(Sundays, September 30-November 18, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
The rip-roaring TV drama called “swoon-worthy” by the Los Angeles Times returns for a fourth season of action-packed episodes, starring Aidan Turner as the roguish Ross Poldark and Eleanor Tomlinson as his fiery partner, Demelza.
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: FIRE & DEW (Sunday, September 23, 7:30-9:00 p.m. ET)
Anne Shirley heads to school in the city, and Matthew and Marilla face emptiness. Will Anne, overwhelmed by competition — especially from Gilbert Blythe — find that the dark cloud over her life does have a silver lining?
THE MAYO CLINIC: FAITH – HOPE – SCIENCE (Tuesday, September 25, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Discover how one institution has met the changing demands of healthcare for 150 years — and what that can teach us about facing the modern challenges of patient care.
SERIES PREMIERE: THE WOMAN IN WHITE (Sundays, October 21-November 18, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
When a young man encounters a ghostly woman dressed all in white on a moonlit road, he is drawn into a web of intrigue that will transform his life forever. Offering his assistance to this distressed, spectral woman, he is later shocked to discover that she had just escaped from a nearby insane asylum.
SUPER CATS, A NATURE MINISERIES (Wednesdays, October 24-November 7, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)
Uncover the secret lives of big cats that thrive in all four corners of the globe, from the solitary snow leopard to the nimble black-footed cat, seen through the latest camera technology and science.
SERIES PREMIERE: NATIVE AMERICA (Tuesdays, October 23-30, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET and November 13, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
At the intersection of modern science and Native knowledge is a new vision of the world created by America’s First Peoples. NATIVE AMERICA reaches back 15,000 years to reveal cities aligned to the stars, unique systems of science and spirituality, 100 million people connected by social networks spanning two continents, and a past whose story has for too long remained untold.
SEASON 2 PREMIERE: WE’LL MEET AGAIN (Tuesdays, November 13-January 1, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)
Join Ann Curry for a new season of dramatic reunions of people whose lives crossed at pivotal moments. View history through their eyes and hear stories of heroism, hope and the forging of unbreakable bonds.
ADDITIONAL FALL LISTINGS
AMERICAN MASTERS presents an Artists Flight (Fridays, August 31-September 14, 9:00 p.m.)
This special presentation of four films showcases a range of iconic American artists. Films include “Eva Hesse” (Friday, August 31, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET), which tells the story of the 1960s art world icon who changed art history and women's place in the picture; “Everybody Knows…Elizabeth Murray” (Friday, September 7, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET), following Murray’s journey to artistic maverick, voiced by Meryl Streep; “Wyeth” (Friday, September 7, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET), uncovering the inner life of painter Andrew Wyeth; and “Basquiat: Rage to Riches” (Friday, September 14, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET), exploring the life of anonymous New York graffiti artist turned ‘80s art world rock star Jean-Michel Basquiat.
SERIES PREMIERE: AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
(Launch special premieres Monday, September 10, 10:00 p.m. ET; regular show airs Mondays-Fridays at 11:00 p.m. ET beginning September 10)
Examine the global issues, domestic news and trends impacting the world. Christiane Amanpour leads conversations with thought leaders and influencers, with additional interviews from Walter Isaacson, Michel Martin, Alicia Menendez and Hari Sreenivasan.
FRONTLINE “Left Behind America” (Monday, September 11, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Hear intimate stories of the economic and social forces shaping Dayton, Ohio, a once-booming Rust Belt city where nearly 35 percent of residents now live in poverty.
THE AMAZING HUMAN BODY (Wednesday, September 19, 8:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Pioneering graphics and captivating scientific case studies explore the internal mechanics of your body in vivid detail. Witness the fascinating and finely tuned systems that keep your body motoring – and the scientists guessing.
ART IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY – SEASON 9 (Fridays, September 21-28, 9:00 p.m. ET)
Season 9 of the Peabody Award-winning "Art in the Twenty-First Century" series charts art-making in three urban centers across three continents: Berlin (Friday, September 21, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET), Johannesburg (Friday, September 21, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) and the San Francisco Bay Area (Friday, September 28, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET). From the post-Cold War cultural and economic rebirth in Berlin, to the dramatic fall of apartheid in South Africa and the technological boom in the Bay Area, the 12 artists and one non-profit art center highlighted in this season respond to the forces that have shaped the places where they live and work, while pursuing their personal visions for a better future.
NOVA “Transplanting Hope” (Wednesday, September 26, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Follow the patients who desperately need transplants to save their lives, see the profound decisions families face in donating the organs of loved ones who die, and learn about the critical shortage of organs and new research into “organs by design.”
POV “Dark Money” (Monday, October 1, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET)
Following an investigative reporter through a political thriller, the documentary exposes the shadowy world of unlimited, anonymous campaign contributions threatening to upend Montana's government and the very integrity of American democracy.
GREAT PERFORMANCES “GRAMMY Salute to Music Legends 2018®”
(Friday, October 5, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
This annual all-star concert honors Neil Diamond, Tina Turner, Queen, film composer John Williams, New Orleans funk band The Meters and other recipients of the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement, Trustee and Music Educator awards.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “The Circus” (Monday-Tuesday, October 8-9, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Explore the colorful history of this popular American form of entertainment, in an era when its stars were among the most famous people in the world and multitudes gathered to see the improbable and the impossible, the exotic and the spectacular.
NOVA | VOLATILE EARTH “Volcano on Fire” and “Volcano on the Brink”
(Wednesday, October 10, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET and 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
The Virunga Mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo are home to two of the most dangerous, spectacular, and least understood volcanoes in the world. In this one-night, two-part NOVA special, an intrepid international team of volcano experts climb up to their summits, perilously close to their gigantic craters, to deploy innovative imaging and remote sensing techniques. They’re seeking clues to the forces at work deep beneath the volcanoes that are splitting East Africa apart, to predict when the next devastating eruptions could occur and to save the lives of large numbers of people who live in the shadow of these monsters.
SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED – Series 3 (Fridays, October 12-26, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Join six famous hosts who seamlessly weave their personal passions with history, biography, iconic performances and new analysis to tell the stories behind Shakespeare’s greatest plays, including The Merchant of Venice with F. Murray Abraham, Much Ado About Nothing with Helen Hunt, Julius Caesar with Brian Cox, The Winter’s Tale with Simon Russell Beale, Measure for Measure with Romola Garai and Richard III with Sir Antony Sher.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: “The Eugenics Crusade” (Tuesday, October 16, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Uncover the shocking history of the eugenics craze that swept the nation in the early days of the 20th century – a campaign to breed a better American race which turned a scientific theory of heredity into a powerful instrument of social control.
AUTUMNWATCH NEW ENGLAND (Wednesday-Thursday, October 17-18, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET and Friday, October 19, 8:30-9:30 p.m. ET)
In this live production, travel to the colorful landscapes of New England, meet a cast of unforgettable wildlife characters, and experience some of the best autumn has to offer, including leaf gazing, pumpkin carving and cranberry harvesting.
NOVA “Addiction” (Wednesday, October 17, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Delve into America’s opioid crisis – in a world in which many other diseases can be traced to addictive behavior, how do addictions work, and what can the science of addiction tell us about how we can resolve this dire social issue?
A CHEF’S LIFE HARVEST SPECIAL (Monday, October 22, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Join chef Vivian Howard after the harvest season as she hosts a special harvest feast for the show’s most beloved personalities to gather for one last batch of quintessential Southern ingredients.
POV “The Apology” (Monday, October 22, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET)
Meet three of the 200,000 former “comfort women” kidnapped and forced into military sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Seventy years after their imprisonment, they give their first-hand accounts of the truth.
NOVA “Flying Supersonic” (Thursday, October 25, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Uncover the history of the Concorde, the passenger plane that flew from the late ‘70s until 2003 at twice the speed of sound. Today, scientists are working to build a new generation of quieter, greener and cheaper supersonic passenger planes.
SEASON PREMIERE: INDEPENDENT LENS “Young Men and Fire” (Monday, October 29, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Forest and wildland fires are growing larger, more frequent, and deadlier every year, threatening millions of acres and thousands of lives. Meet a firefighting crew as they struggle with fear, loyalty, love and defeat over the course of a single wildfire season. What emerges is a quietly powerful story of a small group of men – their exterior world, their interior lives and the fire that lies between.
GREAT PERFORMANCES (Fridays, November 2, 9, 16 and 23, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET)
Television’s longest-running performing arts anthology, featuring the best in music, dance and theater, presents a month’s worth of Broadway-themed programs, including the Tony Award-winning production of “An American in Paris The Musical;” a live production recorded in the U.K. of “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music;” John Leguizamo’s latest theatrical showcase “John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway;” and “Hal Prince: A Director’s Journey,” a retrospective look at the 60-year career of this Tony Award-winning producer and director.
LIDIA CELEBRATES AMERICA: A HEARTLAND HOLIDAY FEAST (Tuesday, December 18, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Join Lidia Bastianich as she travels to the heartland of America, immersing herself in diverse cultures that provide holiday inspiration. In her cross-country journey, Lidia experiences the culinary traditions of the Buffalo soldiers in Lawton, Oklahoma; learns that Christmas starts in June in Nachitoches, Louisiana; and has her first taste of rural life in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
NOVA “Apollo 8” (w.t.) (Wednesday, December 26, 2018, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Following the tragic fire on Apollo 1 that killed three astronauts, it looked as if the U.S. space program would screech to a halt and lose the race with the Soviets to reach the moon. But Apollo 8, the first mission to circle the moon and return astronauts safely to Earth, proved that the U.S. was still in the game. NOVA looks at the engineering innovations in rocketry and navigation that Apollo 8 pioneered, and that ultimately made the 1969 lunar landing possible. Extensive interviews with all three Apollo 8 astronauts – Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders – as well as scientists, engineers and mission controllers reveal how a can-do spirit and a willingness to adopt new technologies for the first time led to a much-needed success in space for the United States and perhaps even saved the space program.
GREAT PERFORMANCES “Bernstein Centennial Celebration” (w.t.) (Friday, December 28, 9:00 p.m. ET)
Celebrate the legendary composer and conductor with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood. John Williams and Michael Tilson Thomas conduct. Audra McDonald hosts. Yo-Yo Ma, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, Midori and more perform.
LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER “New York Philharmonic New Year’s Eve” (Sunday, December 31, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Ring in 2019 with an extraordinary New York Philharmonic New Year’s Eve concert. The legendary New York Philharmonic, led by new music director Jaap van Zweden, celebrates the intersections between classical music and dance, ranging from the waltzes of Johann Strauss to the gigues and sarabandes of the Baroque era, and much more.
About PBS
PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 90 million people through television and 30 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
CONTACTS:
Michaé Godwin, PBS, mmgodwin@pbs.org
Cara White / Mary Lugo, CaraMar, Inc.
cara.white@mac.com; lugo@negia.net
For further information and photos visit http://www.pbs.org/pressroom.
