Viewers Like You
After a national casting call that received over nine thousand submissions, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets 3 everyday Americans. Each has a family mystery that they have spent years trying to solve—only to reach dead ends. Using genetic genealogy and old-fashioned detective work, Gates unravels these mysteries, allowing each of his guests to understand themselves—and their families--as never before.
Episodes
-
Viewers Like You
S10 E10 - 52m 10s
After a national casting call that received over nine thousand submissions, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets 3 everyday Americans. Each has a family mystery that they have spent years trying to solve—only to reach dead ends. Using genetic genealogy and old-fashioned detective work, Gates unravels these mysteries, allowing each of his guests to understand themselves—and their families--as never before.
-
In the Blood
S10 E9 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of actor Michael Douglas & writer-director Lena Dunham. Both guests are the children of famous artists—and both proudly followed in their parents’ footsteps. But their family trees contain a cast of characters whose lives were forgotten. Gates recovers them, telling fascinating stories from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the streets of colonial America.
-
Mean Streets
S10 E8 - 52m 11s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the family trees of comedian Tracy Morgan & actor Anthony Ramos—two native New Yorkers whose roots stretch to surprising places and contain inspiring stories. Moving from the Canary Islands to battlefields in Europe & Asia to slave plantations in Virginia, long-lost records reveal ancestors who laid the groundwork for Tracy and Anthony’s success by fighting to survive.
-
The Brick Wall Falls
S10 E7 - 52m 11s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps musician Dionne Warwick and actor Danielle Brooks break down the barriers imposed by slavery to learn the names and stories of their ancestors who endured bondage. Facing one of the greatest genealogical challenges, Gates uses his detective skills to piece together the lives of women and men who survived unimaginable ordeals—but emerged to forge families that thrived.
-
Far and Away
S10 E6 - 52m 11s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of journalist Sunny Hostin & actor Jesse Williams—revealing the tremendous diversity hidden within their family trees. Sifting through stories of Swedish musical prodigies, Spanish slave traders, Southern plantations, and Salem Witch Trials, Gates unravels deep secrets and uncovers lost ancestors—compelling each of his guests to rethink their identities.
-
Hold the Laughter
S10 E5 - 52m 11s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovers the roots of comedians Bob Odenkirk and Iliza Shlesinger—two very funny people whose family trees brim with stories that are more drama than comedy. Moving from Napoleonic France to Nazi-occupied Poland to the castle of a European duke, Gates introduces them to relatives who took great risks and overcame enormous hardships for the sake of their families.
-
Buried Secrets
S10 E4 - 52m 11s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps singer Sammy Hagar and actor Ed O’Neill uncover their hidden roots, revealing scandals and secrets that their ancestors went to great lengths to conceal. Traveling from criminal underworlds to Civil War battlefields, they explore the meaning of family bonds—meet heroes and villains—and celebrate the virtue of accepting one’s relatives, whoever they may be.
-
Fathers and Sons
S10 E3 - 52m 11s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actors LeVar Burton and Wes Studi—two men who grew up without their fathers, haunted by questions about entire branches of their family trees. With only a handful of clues to guide him, Gates uncovers stories his guests have long wanted to hear, introducing them to ancestors whose names they’ve never known-—and revealing their connections to key moments in history.
-
Forever Young
S10 E2 - 52m 11s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser—two actors who found fame when they were young and lived much of their lives in the limelight, cut off from their roots. Moving from war-torn Europe to the coal mines of Pennsylvania to the Amazon jungle, each discovers the places their ancestors once called home—providing new insight into what made them who they are today.
-
Born to Sing
S10 E1 - 52m 12s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of singers Alanis Morissette and Ciara—using DNA analysis and genealogical detective work to trace lineages that run from shtetls in Eastern Europe to Jazz Age Harlem. Along the way, Alanis and Ciara reimagine their families and meet the people who laid the groundwork for their success—including one ancestor who was at the center of a song.
Extras + Features
-
Iliza Schlesinger's Comedic DNA Cousin is Revealed
S10 E5 - 38s
Iliza Schlesinger learns that she shares significant DNA segments with fellow comedian Sarah Silverman, indicating a closer genetic relationship than usual.
-
Bob Odenkirk Learns The He is Descended from Royalty
S10 E5 - 1m 11s
Bob learns that his fifth great-grandfather, Friedrich Karl, didn't list his mother, Marie Catherine Bein, on his marriage record. Further research reveals that Marie had a relationship with the Duke of Plune and had several children with him, including Bob's ancestor. This surprising revelation leads to Bob discovering that he is descended from royalty, making his sixth great-grandfather a Duke.
-
Hold the Laughter Preview
S10 E5 - 31s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovers the roots of comedians Bob Odenkirk and Iliza Shlesinger—two very funny people whose family trees brim with stories that are more drama than comedy. Moving from Napoleonic France to Nazi-occupied Poland to the castle of a European duke, Gates introduces them to relatives who took great risks and overcame enormous hardships for the sake of their families.
-
Buried Secrets Preview
S10 E4 - 31s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps singer Sammy Hagar and actor Ed O’Neill uncover their hidden roots, revealing scandals and secrets that their ancestors went to great lengths to conceal. Traveling from criminal underworlds to Civil War battlefields, they explore the meaning of family bonds—meet heroes and villains—and celebrate the virtue of accepting one’s relatives, whoever they may be.
-
Sammy Hagar Discovers His True Biological Surname
S10 E4 - 7m 20s
Despite assuming a family connection, Sammy Hagar's DNA test results show he doesn't genetically belong to the Hagar lineage as expected. This discovery leads to the question of his true biological surname, introducing uncertainty and curiosity about his heritage.
-
Sammy Hagar Tears Up Over His Mother's Hard Life
S10 E4 - 1m 13s
Sammy Hagar is overcome with emotion while reflecting on his family's difficult past and discussing the challenges his mother faced growing up with a traumatized grandmother and the lack of proper love and support.
-
As a Boy, Ed O'Neill Acted Out Movie Scenes for Friends
S10 E4 - 1m 8s
As a young boy, Ed O'Neil found himself drawn to the local movie theater, where he discovered that he had a unique gift.
-
Ed O'Neill Learns About His Immigrant Ancestor's Harsh Start
S10 E4 - 7m 36s
Ed O'Neill's maternal ancestors migrated from Ireland to Youngstown, Ohio, in the 1800s to escape the Great Potato Famine. They worked as coal miners, enduring harsh conditions underground.
-
Wes Studi's Discovers His Connection to the Trail of Tears
S10 E3 - 7m 34s
Wes hears the story of his how his ancestor journeyed on the Trail of Tears, which was a forced displacement of about 60,000 Native Americans, including Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes, from their homelands to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in the 1830s.
-
Levar Burton's Emotional Connection to His Ancestors
S10 E3 - 4m 57s
LeVar Burton is overcome with emotion when when he reads the 1940 census for Arkansas that reveals that he and his father's ancestors share something truly profound.
-
Levar Burton Reflects Proudly on "Reading Rainbow"
S10 E3 - 1m 4s
When asked, by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., "What are you proudest of?", Levar Burton replied, "...It's gotta be Reading Rainbow... Believing so much in the power of education, as we do in my family, and having an impact on the reading habits of a couple of generations of human beings, It doesn't get any better than that."
-
How Wes Studi Got Into Theater
S10 E3 - 1m 22s
Actor Wes Studi's friend Jay WhiteCrow recommended the American Indian Theater Company in Tulsa to help him navigate meeting new people after his divorce.
Schedule
-
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Saturday
Apr 20
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Sunday
Apr 21
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Sunday
Apr 21
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Sunday
Apr 21
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Sunday
Apr 21
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Monday
Apr 22
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Monday
Apr 22
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Monday
Apr 22
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Born to Sing
Tuesday
Apr 23
1 Hour
Singers Ciara and Alanis Morissette examine their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Tuesday
Apr 23
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Tuesday
Apr 23
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 24
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 24
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 24
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 24
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Saturday
Apr 27
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Sunday
Apr 28
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Sunday
Apr 28
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Sunday
Apr 28
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Monday
Apr 29
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories.
WETA Passport
Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.
Similar Shows
The Good Stuff
Culture
Lucky Chow
Culture
If Everyone Knew
Culture
Inspired Lives
Culture
The Good Road
Culture
Self-Evident
Culture