PBS is scheduling a civil war series, title to be determined, set in Virginia, for a winter 2016 debut. The series would be part hospital story, part family saga. Ridley Scott (Gladiator and Thelma & Louise), David W. Zucker (“The Good Wife”) and Lisa Q. Wolfinger (“Desperate Crossing, The untold story of the Mayflower”) will executive produce. Series co-creator David Zabel (“ER”) will write.
PBS has also announced a co-production deal with the BBC and BBC Worldwide to develop eight-to-ten specials comprising twenty hour of programming – both standalone pieces and multi-part series will be included.
A series of specials covering the Vietnam War (culminating in the 2017 premiere of Ken Burns’s and Lynn Novick’s THE VIETNAM WAR (working title), and two documentaries (The Bomb, and Uranium – Twisting The Dragon’s Tale) the development of nuclear weapons are also planned for a July, 2015 premiere.
For further details, follow the jump.
PBS ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAMMING DURING WINTER 2015 TCA SESSION
PASADENA, CA; JANUARY 19, 2015 – Today at the Television Critics Association Press Tour, PBS announced new programs and initiatives launching in 2015. A brief synopsis of each program is listed below, along with links to the full press releases.
A new Civil War historical drama, title TBD, shot in Virginia, will join the PBS Sunday night drama lineup. The first season of six episodes is slated for a winter 2016 premiere. Executive produced by Ridley Scott (Gladiator and Thelma & Louise), David W. Zucker (“The Good Wife”) and Lisa Q. Wolfinger (“Desperate Crossing, The untold story of the Mayflower”) and co-created and written by David Zabel (“ER”), the new drama is set against the backdrop of doctors and nurses valiantly struggling to save lives while facing their own trials and tribulations.
LEADING PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTERS BBC AND PBS ANNOUNCE MAJOR NEW PARTNERSHIP
PBS announced a unique new multi-title co-production deal between PBS, BBC and BBC Worldwide to develop 8-10 new programming specials across approximately 20 hours a year, both stand-out singles and flagship multipart series, to air on PBS stations nationwide. Specials will begin airing as early as summer 2015. Unique in its breadth and scale, this partnership will deliver a pipeline of inspiring content across the full range of factual genres, including natural history, science, history, religion and the arts. These ambitious specials may be part of the PBS schedule or featured in ongoing PBS programming series, including NATURE and GREAT PERFORMANCES, produced by Thirteen/WNET, and NOVA, produced by WGBH.
PBS REMEMBERS THE VIETNAM WAR WITH WEEK OF SPECIAL PROGRAMMING
PBS announced a slate of primetime specials related to the Vietnam War, and culminating in the 2017 premiere of Ken Burns’s and Lynn Novick’s THE VIETNAM WAR (w.t.). The specials airing this April, anchored by Oscar® nominated documentary “Last Days in Vietnam” and presented by AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, offer new perspectives on the tumultuous era and the endurance of the United States military during one of the nation’s longest wars.
TWO NEW DOCUMENTARIES MAKE SUMMER 2015 DEBUT— THE BOMB and URANIUM ? TWISTING THE DRAGON’S TAIL
PBS announced two new thought-provoking documentaries: THE BOMB, a history of nuclear weapons and how they shaped our world, and URANIUM ? TWISTING THE DRAGON’S TAIL, an in-depth look at the chemical element used in nuclear weaponry, hosted by physicist and YouTube star Dr. Derek Muller. The documentaries are timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the first explosion of an atomic bomb, and the bombing of Hiroshima, essentially the dawn of the nuclear age. Both programs premiere in July 2015.
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