‘Roots,’ ‘DB Cooper,’ ‘Barbarians Rising’ Highlight History Summer Schedule

History is kicking off an ambitious summer schedule with its Roots miniseries, followed by the eight-part docudrama Barbarians Rising and the documentary DB Cooper, among other projects. Roots airs across four nights, with two hours per night, starting May 30. Barbarians Rising, also four nights and eight hours total, premieres June 6.

Eight hour-long installments of Six, a scripted series about Navy Seal Team Six, starts July 18.

“History’s robust summer slate helps build upon the network’s position as the leader in factual programming, by widening the net of history to include our recent past,” said Jana Bennett, president and general manager of History.  “This lineup exemplifies the best of historical storytelling about centuries past as well as explosive events of the past few decades.”

Roots is an A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization. Barbarians Rising is produced for History by October Films. Six is executive produced by William and David Broyles, Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Alfredo Barrios, Jr. and George W. Perkins. 

Upcoming special programming on History also includes Alexander Hamilton, a two-hour show airing June 26; DB Cooper, a four-night special about the famed airline hijacker, which starts July 10; and The Rise and Fall of El Chapo Aug. 8.

Ozzy and Jack’s World Detour, starring Ozzy Osbourne and his son, has its series premiere July 27 and runs for 10 episodes.

New seasons of Counting Cars and Big Easy Motors start July 5.

Competition series Forged in Fire kicks off Aug. 23.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.