american experience

Restive 'Downton Abbey' fans need fret no more: PBS has confirmed that Season 2 will (finally!) premiere in the US on Sunday January 8, 2012. The AP reports Paula Kerger, PBS president, as saying that the abrupt ending to Season 1 and the paucity of episodes -- there were only four -- led to angry phone calls from fans, many of whom worried that PBS might not even air a second season.

PBS also has good news for 'Sherlock' fans. The 21st-century twist on Conan-Doyle's deerstalker-wearing detective will start its second season on PBS on Sunday May 6, 2012. Alas, it's only three episodes long, but fans can be assured that it should be a case of quality triumphing over quantity.

Other gems from the PBS spring lineup include a two-part examination of Bill Clinton's presidency, a look at some celebrity family trees by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, and a series on American infrastructure, 'America Revealed,' hosted by winner of 'Survivor: Cook Islands,' Yul Kwon. More on these after the jump.

'Chuck'
(8PM, NBC) 2nd season finale
First of all, like many must-see-TV fans, we're hoping this is just a season, not a series, finale, especially since the episode ends with what 'Chuck' creators have called a 'game-changing' event.

Lest you think Chuck can relax and enjoy Ellie and Awesome's wedding now that the pesky Intersect is out of his head, here comes baddie Ted Roark (Chevy Chase) vowing to get revenge on Chuck and his papa (Scott Bakula), and promising to use Ellie and her wedding to do it.

Meanwhile, Chuck's still got some unfinished business to attend to with Sarah, he and Casey share a dude moment and Ellie may not be the only one walking down the aisle ... here comes the Morgan?

• At 8, FOX has a new American Idol, then a new Back To You.
• CBS has a new Big Brother at 8.
• ABC has a new Wife Swap at 8, followed by new episodes of Supernanny and Men in Trees.
• PBS has new episodes of America's Ballroom Challenge and American Masters.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8.
• There's a new America's Next Top Model at 8 on The CW.
• Also at 8: TCM has On The Beach, followed by High Noon.
• At 9, CNBC has a new American Greed.
• HGTV has a new Deserving Design at 9, then a new Design on a Dime.
• At 9:30, HBO has a new In Treatment.
• At 10, NBC has a new Law and Order.
• Bravo has a new Project Runway at 10.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new Reno 911.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new Dancing with the Stars, then a new Bachelor.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8, followed by new episodes of Heroes and The Real Wedding Crashers.
• FOX has a new Drive at 8, then a new 24.
• The CW has a new Everybody Hates Chris at 8, then new episodes of All Of Us, Girlfriends, and The Game.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Emeril Live, then a new Unwrapped.
• At 8:30, CBS has a new Old Christine, then new episodes of Two and a Half Men, King of Queens, and CSI: Miami.
• At 9, PBS has a new American Experience.
• Lifetime has a new movie at 9, A Life Interrupted.
• At 10, Discovery has a new Stunt Junkies.
• There's a new ep of The Riches on FX at 10.
• At 10:30, Food Network has a new The Secret Life Of...

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new Wife Swap, followed by new episodes of Supernanny and What About Brian.
• FOX has a new, two hour 24.
• CBS has new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, The Class, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• NBC has a new Deal or No Deal at 8, then new episodes of Heroes and Studio 60.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on the CW at 8, then new eps of All Of Us, Girlfriends, and The Game.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, followed by a new American Experience.
• Four good Friends episodes on TBS starting at 8, with Tom Selleck and that creepy guy Eddie who moved in with Chandler for a short time.
• Lifetime has two new eps of Gay, Straight, or Taken at 8, then the new movie Nora Roberts' Blue Smoke. What's with all the Nora Roberts movies on Lifetime lately?
• ABC Family has a new Wildfire at 8.
• Emeril is cooking for couples on a new Emeril Live at 8 on Food Network.
• USA has the opening night of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It's on at 8 too.
• At 9, Nickelodeon has a Growing Pains marathon.
• TCM has Barefoot in the Park at 9.
• At 10, Discovery has two new eps of Stunt Junkies.
• Also at 10: HBO has a new REAL Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

Check your local listings for more.