PBS Slates Disney Doc, More Call the Midwife

LOS ANGELES: PBS's upcoming programming highlights unveiled at TCA include a four-hour doc on Walt Disney, six new MAKERS specials and the broadcast of season four of BBC's Call the Midwife.

Walt Disney, a two-night event, will premiere in the fall of 2015, directed and produced by Sarah Colt and written by Mark Zwonitzer. It will feature rare archival footage, scenes from films and interviews with animators who worked on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as well as with people who helped design Disneyland.
 
“For many Americans—and for me—the twinkle and swish of the Sunday night Disney logo was pure magic," said Beth Hoppe, the chief programming officer and general manager of general audience programming at the American public broadcaster. "It was an invitation to a special event. For my kids, introducing them to animated Disney movies from Beauty and the Beast to The Lion King brought us great joy and taught them life lessons. Now viewers of all ages can learn about the life and legacy of the man behind the magic and his continuing impact on our lives and culture.”

The doc will air as part of PBS's American Experience strand.
 
Also on the factual front, PBS unveiled six new one-hour MAKERS docs, telling the stories of leading women in the arenas of comedy, Hollywood, space, business, politics and war. They will air every Tuesday from September 30 till November 4, expanding on the February 2013 doc special MAKERS: Women Who Make America. MAKERS began as a multiplatform initiative at AOL.

“MAKERS brings to life new and unforgettable stories that every woman, man, girl and boy should know,” said Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS. “PBS and our member stations are very proud to be a part of this enormous initiative to preserve this history and bring it to every household in America.”

PBS also announced that its stations will stream Ken Burns' The Roosevelts the day after broadcast. The 14-part series about the noted American political dynasty premieres September 14. "The Roosevelts is Ken Burns at his best," said Hoppe. "This is a family history that is a sweeping drama, rich with stories of personal and political power, sex, love and death. We have worked together with PBS member stations to accommodate a wide-range of viewing and recording habits, including special opportunities for viewers who like to 'epic binge.' Through these efforts, we hope to connect even more viewers with the film and our PBS member stations."

Launching in 2015 is the new science series The Brain with Dr. David Eagleman, six episodes about the inner workings of the brain. It will air as part of the PBS "Think Wednesday" lineup of science and nature programming. "The brain is a very interesting and complicated part of the human anatomy, and this series will boldly venture to this inner cosmos in a way not seen on television before," Hoppe said.

On the drama end, PBS has signed a deal with BBC Worldwide North America to bring season four of Call the Midwife to American audiences in March 2015. Season three averaged 3.6 million viewers, a 20-percent gain on season one. "Call the Midwife is a heartwarming journey that has also been a tremendous success for PBS, and we look forward to a remarkable season four," said Hoppe. "Call the Midwife has played a major role in cementing PBS as a destination for drama on Sunday nights, and we are pleased the relationship with our BBC and Neal Street partners will continue with gripping new stories on season four."