PBS Debuts New Spring Sunday Night Lineup Packed with Romance, Mystery, and Thrills

PBS will debut a new Sunday primetime programming lineup March 20, 8:00-11:00PM ET (check local listings), with a binge-worthy night of drama premieres. The spring primetime block begins with Season 11 of the award-winning CALL THE MIDWIFE, followed by the highly anticipated Season 2 return of MASTERPIECE fan favorite SANDITON and the debut of BEFORE WE DIE, a new crime thriller about a detective whose moral boundaries are tested. All three programs will also be available to stream concurrent with broadcast on PBS.org and the PBS Video app.

“PBS continues to be the unique destination for period piece dramas. Viewers have fallen in love with CALL THE MIDWIFE, now in Season 11, and became instant fans of SANDITON when it premiered last year,” says Maria Bruno Ruiz, Vice President Program Scheduling at PBS. “We are so thrilled to offer new episodes of these fan favorites as well as the English-version premiere of BEFORE WE DIE, starring award-winning British actress Lesley Sharp. It’s an incredibly strong lineup.”

CALL THE MIDWIFE

Sundays, March 20-May 8, 8:00PM ET

Following an eventful Christmas special, the beloved drama series, which regularly draws in audiences of over 10 million, picks up in spring 1967. As celebrations are underway for a colorful Easter Bonnet parade outside Nonnatus House, construction on a nearby building uncovers a terrible secret. Sister Monica Joan and Reggie are excited about the Eurovision Song Contest, and Nancy, having just passed her midwifery examinations, is about to don her red cardigan for the first time.

SANDITON SEASON TWO ON MASTERPIECE

Sundays, March 20-April 24, 9:00PM ET

The fan-favorite drama inspired by Jane Austen’s final, unfinished novel is back! After the first season’s finale left viewers hanging in suspense, the story continues with its high-spirited heroine, Charlotte Heywood, returning to the picturesque coastal resort of Sanditon and the companionship of her friend Georgiana Lambe. What adventures, scandals, intrigue and, above all else, romance await Miss Heywood this season?

BEFORE WE DIE

Sundays, March 20-April 24, 10:00PM ET

Determined to find whoever is responsible for killing her colleague, Detective Inspector Hannah Laing reaches out to one of his confidential contacts for information. “Issy” leads her to the Mimicas, a tight-knit Croatian family running a successful restaurant – and a drug-smuggling operation. But when Hannah discovers Issy’s identity, she quickly realizes there is far more at stake than bringing the murderers to justice.

Full episodes of PBS programming will be available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video app, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries and specials via PBS Passport. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

About PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.