• Cincinnati.com, Wednesday, July 13, 2011 4:15 PM

Apparently PBS' "Pioneers of Television" series was so successful that the pubcaster is now edging into the modern era with its TV history docs.

Coming to prime time this fall: "America in Primetime," a four-part look at the shows and characters that have "both reflected and shaped our national character."

The themes of the four episodes, writes John Klesewetter, will be "Man of the House" (interviewees including Dick Van Dyke and "Breaking Bad's" Bryan Cranston); "The Crusader" (from Alan Alda of "M*A*S*H" to Hugh Laurie of "House"); "Independent Woman" (including Mary Tyler Moore, Roseanne Barr, Candice Bergen and "Grey's Anatomy's" Sandra Oh) and "The Misfits" (from Gary Shandling of "The Larry Sanders Show" to Larry David of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and Alec Baldwin of "30 Rock," but, alas, no Charlie Sheen).

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