PBS Winter/Spring Season Features Endings, Beginnings and Awaited Returns

Image: The cast of Downton Abbey, courtesy of Nick Briggs/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2015 for MASTERPIECE. Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Nurse Mary Phinney and Josh Radnor as Jedediah Foster, courtesy of Antony Platt/PBS.

- Lineup features MASTERPIECE favorites including the final season of Downton Abbey, a Sherlock special and the return of Grantchester ; the premiere of Civil War drama MERCY STREET;

and Ken Burns's new two-part JACKIE ROBINSON -

- PBS explores diverse American history with in-depth documentary THE BLACK PANTHERS

and the third season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS -

ARLINGTON, VA; October 19, 2015 -- PBS' winter/spring primetime schedule offers a number of exciting new beginnings, awaited returns and a few goodbyes: most notably to one of television's most beloved dramas, Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE, whose final season premieres January 3 (see a clip here). PBS welcomes the highly anticipated premiere of its Civil War drama MERCY STREET on January 17 (see a clip here), and the return of the MASTERPIECE hits Sherlock (date TBA), and the British mystery series Grantchester this spring.

On April 11-12, America's preeminent documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns's, brings viewers the two-part film JACKIE ROBINSON, memorializing the life of the Major League Baseball legend - the first African-American player in the major leagues. Commemorating the centennial of America's best idea, PBS presents an encore of Burns's acclaimed THE NATIONAL PARKS series beginning April 25. Compelling historical films are highlighted by THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION: INDEPENDENT LENS by award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson (see a clip here); and genealogical journeys with the third season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who also presents BLACK AMERICA SINCE MLK: AND STILL I RISE, which asks profound questions about the state of black America - and the nation as a whole.

PBS offers expanded British drama on Sundays in early 2016, satisfying viewers who crave more of the genre. Spring marks the fifth season of CALL THE MIDWIFE on April 3 with stories of midwives and nuns in London's East End, and the final season of MASTERPIECE Mr. Selfridge (March/April, dates TBA) with Jeremy Piven as the flamboyant American entrepreneur of London department store fame. Set in 1950s England, the second season of MASTERPIECE Grantchester (April/May, dates TBA) follows sleuths Sidney Chambers, played by James Norton ( Happy Valley ), and Inspector Geordie Keating, played by Robson Green (MASTERPIECE Reckless ), as they solve murders.

As Downton Abbey' on MASTERPIECE premieres its highly anticipated final season, we bid a fond farewell to the fan favorite and also look forward to a powerhouse of drama throughout the entire season - including our new original American drama MERCY STREET, MASTERPIECE mysteries Sherlock' and Grantchester,' and the fifth season of CALL THE MIDWIFE, said Beth Hoppe, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. Beyond the season's strong drama lineup, our schedule showcases PBS' commitment to a diverse programming slate, highlighted by Stanley Nelson's THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION from INDEPENDENT LENS, Ken Burns's new epic film JACKIE ROBINSON and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s BLACK AMERICA SINCE MLK: AND STILL I RISE, as well as captivating new and returning specials across science and nature, biography, history, genealogy and the arts.

To honor Black History Month, and as part of its commitment to celebrating the diversity of America year-round, PBS' lineup enriches viewers' understanding of African-American history, culture and experience. THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION: INDEPENDENT LENS on February 23 and INDEPENDENT LENS A Ballerina's Tale, a documentary about Misty Copeland, the first African-American female principal dancer with the renowned American Ballet Theatre, on February 8.

On January 15, PBS presents WILLIE NELSON: GERSHWIN PRIZE, a tribute to the 2015 recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Leading into Women's History Month, AMERICAN MASTERS focuses on three notable women musicians - Carole King, Janis Joplin and Loretta Lynn - beginning February 19.

PBS explores individual and American history on GENEALOGY ROADSHOW. The third season premieres May 17 with a diverse cast of participants from cities around the country, including Boston, Providence, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles and one city TBD. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores personal histories for a third season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS, which features Oscar-winner Julianne Moore, creator/writer/executive producer of Scandal and Grey's Anatomy Shonda Rhimes, television stars Neil Patrick Harris and Julianna Marguiles and more, starting January 5. AMERICAN EXPERIENCE marks its return January 12 and recounts the stories behind iconic figures in American history, including President James Garfield and outlaws Bonnie and Clyde.

PBS continues its commitment to independent film with provocative and moving stories from INDEPENDENT LENS, such as Autism in Love, conveying the relationships and challenges of four adults on the autism spectrum; No M s Beb s (No More Babies), which examines the case of Mexican-American women who claim they were coercively sterilized at a Los Angeles hospital in the late 1960s and 70s; and In Football We Trust, a behind-the-scenes look at the Polynesian pipeline to the NFL.

A chronological listing of winter and spring 2016 PBS programs follows, grouped by month and by premiere dates:

JANUARY ON PBS:

GREAT PERFORMANCES From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2016 - The Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Mariss Jansons per

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