PBS Summer 06 Programming Features Comprehensive Election Coverage, New and Returning Drama Series, and Olympic-emed Specials

Image: (L) AMERICAN EXPERIENCE The Boys of 36 The University of Washington's varsity crew in June 1936. Corbis. (R) THE WHITE HOUSE: INSIDE STORY. Partisan Pictures.

- Other Highlights Include Fresh Sunday Night Lineup, And New Science Series With Stephen Hawking -

ARLINGTON, VA; April 28, 2016 - The PBS summer schedule offers comprehensive election coverage, as well as specially themed programs around the 31st Olympiad in August 2016. Anchored by live broadcasts of the Republican (July 18-21) and Democratic (July 25-28) National Convention activities, election-themed programs include an encore presentation of six films from the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE award-winning collection The Presidents, August 8-18, and a fresh documentary on America's most prominent address and historic landmark, THE WHITE HOUSE: INSIDE STORY (view clip), on July 12. The recently announced issues-and-social-media-driven weekly series POINT TAKEN, hosted by Carlos Watson (premiered April 5), and an Olympic underdog story in AMERICAN EXPERIENCE The Boys of '36, on August 2, round out additional summer features (view clip).

Summer on PBS also brings the premiere of new Sunday dramas, including new episodes of MASTERPIECE favorites Endeavour, Season Three on June 19 and Oxford drama Inspector Lewis, The Final Season on August 7. The crime series THE TUNNEL(view clip), from the makers of The Bridge, involves intrigue and mystery when a body is found in the Channel Tunnel between England and France, and premieres June 19; the BBC production DANCING ON THE EDGE follows a black jazz band in 1930s London and premieres June 26. The hit series VICIOUS, a comedy with two extremely dramatic leads in Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen, returns with a one-night, series finale special on Sunday, June 19.

As the national conversation around elections continues throughout the summer, viewers will get comprehensive coverage and reporting from the Republican and Democratic National Conventions through award-winning news and public affairs programs like PBS NEWSHOUR and PBSNEWSHOUR WEEKEND, said Beth Hoppe, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. Also this summer, timed with the start of the Olympic games in Rio, we are showcasing new documentaries from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and INDEPENDENT LENS about athletes who have triumphed over adversity to ultimately win the gold. Rounding out the schedule is a fresh selection of Sunday dramas, and intriguing science specials, engaging viewers in a variety of informational and entertaining programming all summer long.

New, engaging and accessible science programs provide in-depth insights into the greatest scientific minds in GENIUS BY STEPHEN HAWKING (view clip). The six-part series, hosted by Hawking, debuts with back-to-back episodes May 18 and demonstrates how ordinary people around the world can grasp history's greatest scientific discoveries through a series of large-scale experiments and remarkable demonstrations. On June 22, the conservation-focused special THE GREAT POLAR BEAR FEAST (view clip) examines the impact of environmental change on polar bears and their cubs. The three-part natural history series SUPERNATURE - WILD FLYERS (view clip), a co-production with the BBC, focuses on animals - from the quirky leapers to the extraordinary gliders - that push the laws of physics and live airborne, starting June 29. Also a co-production with BBC is the documentary film KOKO THE GORILLA WHO TALKS(view clip), premiering August 3, features footage from four decades and examines the relationship between American psychologist Penny Patterson and the gorilla Koko.

Back this summer is the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, live on May 29, and the popular Independence Day celebration A CAPITOL FOURTH on July 4 (performers to be announced). The worldwide attention focused on the 2016 Rio Olympics offers viewers a chance to reflect on the history of that international institution with specials that show different sides of the Olympics story. On August 2, two programs examine the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin, and it's impact on modern-day Olympics. The first is NAZI GAMES - BERLIN 1936 and then, from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, The Boys of '36, about the American rowing team that triumped at the 1936 games. The INDEPENDENT LENS documentary T-Rex Her Fight for Gold introduces 17-year old boxer Claressa T-Rex Shields and recounts her rise from Flint, Michigan, to the first gold medal podium for women's boxing at the 2012 London Olympics.

As part of PBS Arts, CAROL BURNETT'S FAVORITE SKETCHES includes personally selected favorite moments from her long-running comedy series on June 3.

PBS' commitment to independent film and documentary is strong this summer with provocative, moving stories. The award-winning series POV, now in its 29th season, presents works by the world's most talented documentary filmmakers on Monday nights. Highlights include the Oscar -nominated The Look of Silence, in which an optometrist confronts the men who killed his brother in the horrific 1965 Indonesian genocide, premiering on June 27, and Pervert Park, which examines the life of sex offenders living in the Florida Justice Transitions trailer park, on July 11. A new season from the venerable FRONTLINE returns on Tuesday nights, along with several new documentaries from INDEPENDENT LENS.

New but previously announced series premiering this summer on PBS include GENEALOGY ROADSHOW Season Three, uncovering fascinating stories of diverse Americans in six new cities starting May 17. This time Albuquerque, Miami, Houston, Boston, Providence and Los Angeles are in the mix (view clip). Starting June 29, the BBC co-production 9 MONTHS THAT MADE YOU(view clip) tells the fascinating story of humans from conception to birth 280 days l

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