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    Vietnam, Scarlett Johansson, Putin part of PBS’ new season

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2570 Views
    In this Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, file photo, Ken Burns, from left, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Lynn Novick speak at PBS' "The Vietnam War" panel at the 2017 Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif. The public TV service said its fall lineup will be anchored by Burns' "The Vietnam War," a 10-part documentary debuting Sept. 17. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

    PBS is mixing it up next season with programs about Vietnam, Scarlett Johansson and Vladimir Putin.

    The public TV service said its fall lineup will be anchored by filmmaker Ken Burns' "The Vietnam War," a 10-part documentary debuting Sept. 17.

    The genealogy series "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr." is returning Oct. 3. Besides Johansson, celebrities who will learn about their ancestors include Aziz Ansari, Bryant Gumbel and Garrison Keillor.

    Russian President Putin will get a different kind of scrutiny on "Frontline." A two-part documentary on his rise and his rule will air Oct. 25 and Nov. 1.

    In January, PBS will air a music special honoring the legendary Tony Bennett. The tribute, "Tony Bennett: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize," is to be taped this fall.

    The season kicks off with "an array of terrific programming in all the genres that made PBS great in the first place," said PBS programming executive Beth Hoppe in a statement.

    Among other programs and dates announced Wednesday for the upcoming schedule:

    • A "Great Performances" series salute to Broadway airing Oct. 20-Dec. 1 and including the musicals "She Loves Me" and "Holiday Inn"; a tribute to famed producer-director Harold Prince; and Tony Award winner Kevin Kline in a revival of Noel Coward's "Present Laughter."
    • New seasons of the drama series "Poldark" (starting Oct. 1) and "The Durrells in Corfu" (Oct. 15) and "Last Tango in Halifax" (Dec. 17).
    • "David Letterman: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize" (Nov. 20).
    •  "American Masters" specials on filmmaker Richard Linklater (Sept. 1); artist Tyrus Wong (Sept. 8); Edgar Allan Poe (Oct. 30); and Bob Hope (Dec. 29).
    • A "Nova" science series special on the Cassini space probe's last hours as it descends into Saturn's atmosphere, "Death Dive to Saturn" (Sept. 13).

     

    Tags:Ken BurnsPBSThe Vietnam War



    Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with 2 Swift-inspired films airing this season

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    This image released by Hallmark Media shows Hunter King, left, and Tyler Hynes in a scene from "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. (Joshua Haines/Hallmark Media via AP)

    Two new Christmas TV movies have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding.

    "Christmas in the Spotlight" debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world's biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger as a pro football player, who meet and fall in love — not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

    "It's clearly inspired by Taylor and Travis, but I don't know them and I don't know what is going on behind the scenes. I only know what's been put out there," said Eirene Tran Donohue, a longtime, devoted fan who jumped at the opportunity to write a script even loosely based on her favorite musician.

    She was inspired by the couple's support of each other's accomplishments, particularly Kelce's ease with dating the star despite the glare of the spotlight, adding, "I love the way that he celebrates her."

    Tran Donohue wants fellow Swift fans to know she wrote the script with them in mind.

    "There are so many Easter eggs," she said of little details added that a Swift fan would pick up on. "I put in as many as I could."

    Then, on Nov. 30, Hallmark will air "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story." Instead of a nod to Swift, it's an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark's headquarters is also in Kansas City, so it makes sense why the company chose the Chiefs to be highlighted.

    In this story, written by Julie Sherman Wolfe, sparks fly when a new employee for the Chiefs organization (Tyler Hynes) meets a woman — played by Hunter King — whose family's dedication to the team goes back generations.

    Sherman Wolfe, a San Francisco 49ers fan, said she got the call a week after Super Bowl LVIII, when the Chiefs... Read More

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