New PBS Spring Season Brings Back Downton Abbey, Sherlock Holmes

First Published: November 16, 2011 9:16 PM EST Credit: Getty Images NY, N.Y. -- Caption Benedict Cumberbatch attends the American Express Gala Screening of The Kings Speech during the 54th BFI London Film Festival at the Odeon Leicester Square, London, October 21, 2010Theres good news for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Downton Abbey: Theyre both coming back to PBS next year. A two-part examination of Bill Clintons presidency, a look at some celebrity family trees by Louis Gates and a series on American infrastructure hosted by a former Survivor contestant are all part of PBS new spring schedule, the public broadcasting service said Wednesday. An abrupt season ending to Downton Abbey with several unanswered questions including whether the show was even going to return led to angry phone calls from many fans, said Paula Kerger, PBS president. The first season was only four episodes. The second season, set during World War I, contains seven episodes and starts Jan. 8. The Masterplace Mystery! presentation of Sherlock, Series 2 is set in 21st century London and will air in three episodes in May, PBS said. The American Experience documentary on Clinton premieres on Presidents Day and features fresh interviews with many in the administration and some of the presidents adversaries. It does not include a new interview with Clinton, Kerger said. The positive side of profiling such a recent president is that many people within the administration are still alive. The negative side is losing the perspective of history, she said. Hes an interesting and complex individual and I think the piece captures that, Kerger said. Harvard professor Gates is host of Finding Your Roots, a 10-part series that begins March 25. The series will have celebrity juice Kevin Bacon, Barbara Walters, Tyra Banks and Martha Stewart are among those who have their family roots explored and Gates tries to tie those family stories to historical trends. Yul Kwon of Survivor will be host of America Revealed starting on April 11. Hell try to show how infrastructure is changing traffic and food production, for example. Cultural programming includes a premiere of Anna Deavere Smiths play Let Me Down Easy, a music special on Tony Bennetts duets album, and Michael Feinsteins American Songbook. Were going to continue our focus on arts content, Kerger said. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.