Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. - Season 5
Season 5
Episodes
Grandparents and Other Strangers
Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps actor Andy Samberg and author George R. R. Martin answer family mysteries when DNA detective work uncovers branches of their family trees. The DNA analysis upends family history and reveals new relatives.
Mystery Men
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps actors Felicity Huffman and Michael K. Williams discover a wealth of hidden family history. Both grew up knowing little about their biological fathers, and seeing their lost ancestry restored proves empowering.
Reporting on the Reporters
Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. shows journalists Christiane Amanpour, Ann Curry and Lisa Ling that the stories within their own family trees are every bit as compelling as the news stories they have been covering for the world.
Dreaming of a New Land
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores with Marisa Tomei, Sheryl Sandberg and Kal Penn the tremendous challenges faced by their immigrant forebears. From Italy, Russia and India, their histories show success could take generations to achieve.
Freedom Tales
Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. delves deep into the roots of two African-American guests, actor S. Epatha Merkerson and athlete and television personality Michael Strahan. Both discover unexpected stories that challenge assumptions about black history.
Roots in Politics
Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the diverse family histories of politicians Paul Ryan, Tulsi Gabbard and Marco Rubio. They each see a shared vision of the great American melting pot reflected in their ancestors' stories.
No Laughing Matter
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. shows comedians Seth Meyers, Tig Notaro and Sarah Silverman that their family trees are filled with people whose struggles laid the groundwork for their success. Gates also reveals news of an unexpected DNA cousin.
Hard Times
Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family stories of filmmaker Michael Moore and actors Laura Linney and Chloë Sevigny—three people whose distant ancestors overcame great hardships in ways that resonate with their lives today.
The Eye of the Beholder
Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. shares the family histories of director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, iconoclastic performance artist Marina Abramović and painter Kehinde Wiley. These visionary artists find their identities challenged—and affirmed.
All in the Family
The family stories of actor Ty Burrell, and radio host Joe Madison. Also a look at how a summer camp for children is using genetic genealogy to help young people better understand their burgeoning identities.
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Providence Falls
In 1844 Ireland, Liam O'Conner, a rogue and a thief, falls in love with Cora McLeod, a fiery but sheltered aristocrat's daughter, who is promised in marriage to a man she barely knows. Their plan to make a new life together in America is thwarted, and the consequences of Liam and Cora's unlikely love ripples through time, causing everyone to relive the events of the past. Now the Angels of Destiny need Liam's help to set things right and if he doesn't succeed, his very soul is on the line. They transport Liam to present day to help this incarnation of Cora fall in love with Finn, the man she was destined to marry in 1844. Liam would give anything to reunite with his beloved Cora but only he retains the memories of their past together. Now a cop in Providence Falls, Oregon, Cora feels an inexplicable connection to Liam, who is introduced as her new partner. And as they tackle a big case together, Liam sees the same passion and adventurous nature in Cora that he had fallen in love with. With everyone's lives at stake, Liam must overcome unexpected and otherworldly obstacles in his mission. Perhaps none as powerful as his own undying love for Cora.
Grantchester
Eavesdropping on the life of Sidney Chambers, a charismatic, charming, crime-fighting clergyman, and his partner in crime Police Inspector Geordie Keating, became a highlight for the audience who revelled in their on screen partnership. Geordie's plain-speaking, down to earth approach to policing complemented Sidney's more gentle technique of coaxing information from witnesses and suspects. Their unlikely pairing became a true friendship as each offered a different insight into the crimes they unravelled.
