Bounce TV is set to air the 1977 mini-series Roots for five consecutive nights from Nov. 16-20 starting at 9. p.m. ET. The network will then present the complete mini-series for an all-day binge-watching marathon on Fri. Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving, beginning at 11 a.m. ET.
Bounce TV in New York City
Over the air: 41.3
Verizon Fios: 476
Comcast: 262
RCN: 100
Time Warner: 1280
Charter: 199
Roots is the epic saga of African-American life, based on author Alex Haley’s family history. Kunta Kinte is abducted from his African village, sold into slavery, and shipped to America. He makes several escape attempts until he is finally caught and crippled. He marries Bell, his plantation’s cook, and they have a daughter, Kizzy, who is eventually sold away from them. Kizzy has a son by her new master, and the boy grows up to become Chicken George who leads his family into freedom.
Throughout the series, the family observes notable events in U.S. history, such as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings, and emancipation.
Roots first aired on ABC in 1977 starring LeVar Burton, John Amos, Ben Vereen, Louis Gossett Jr. and Leslie Uggams. It won nine Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. The mini-series holds a record as the third highest rated episode for any type of television series, and the second most watched overall series finale in U.S. television history.
In 2016, a remake of the original miniseries, with the same name, was commissioned by the History Channel.