American Experience is returning to PBS. The series will return with new episodes in 2027 after leaving the public network in 2025 when it lost its funding after 37 years on the air. The first three-part series will arrive in May 2027.
“As the public need for trusted, fact-based storytelling intensifies, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, the GBH-produced history documentary series for PBS, is returning in 2027 with limited-series documentaries. Meanwhile, it is achieving massive growth with short-form videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, generating more than 19 million video views in the last five months, a 273 percent increase from the same period last year.
“At a time when misinformation floods our feeds, trusted brands like AMERICAN EXPERIENCE matter more than ever. Audiences are looking for stories they can rely on – grounded in the historical record, informed by rigorous scholarship, and brought to life through compelling storytelling. By exploring defining moments, iconic figures, and enduring themes, we’re reaching broader audiences and introducing new generations to history. That’s not just growth – it’s central to our mission,” said Raney Aronson-Rath, editor-in-chief overseeing GBH’s documentary programming.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE’s new broadcast and digital lineup kicks off with Lindbergh, a highly anticipated three-part documentary series premiering in May 2027. Legendary documentarian Ken Burns will be the executive producer of Lindbergh, reuniting with acclaimed director/writer Stephen Ives to reappraise the polarizing aviator’s legacy on the 100th anniversary of his first flight. Lindbergh’s turbulent, controversial life is a window into an America hurtling into modernity, captivated by technology, celebrity, and hero worship.
In the fall of 2027, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE will premiere a four-part series The Bureau: A Secret History of the FBI, directed by Sharon Grimberg and Sarah Colt, charting the rise, weaponization, and survival of the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agency. Also in development is a series on the Great Depression.
In addition to original limited-series documentaries, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE is reprising two groundbreaking films from award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson in winter 2027: his Emmy-Award winning Freedom Riders, which premiered in 2011, and Freedom Summer, which originally aired in 2014. Both films marked the 50th anniversaries of pivotal moments in the civil rights movement, as told through the voices and experiences of student volunteers and local citizens.
“Having visionary filmmakers including Ken Burns, Stephen Ives, and Stanley Nelson involved with us is a testament to the importance of this moment in history, the way these topics relate to our world today, and the trust of AMERICAN EXPERIENCE as a brand,” said GBH CEO Susan Goldberg. “With Raney’s leadership, audiences can expect the highest quality documentaries available.”
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, along with NOVA and FRONTLINE, comprise a new documentary unit at GBH under Oscar-winning Aronson-Rath’s editorial leadership. The unit also will be working to pioneer collaborations on topics that tackle a single, monumental subject across history, science and investigative journalism perspectives.”
What do you think? Have you watched this PBS series? Are you glad it is returning next year?
