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As its ratings continue to soar to new heights, History has further entrenched itself as the No. 1 nonsports network on cable.3 Millions of new viewers continue to discover History's treasure-trove of informative, engaging, addictive programming. Not only do favorites such as "Pawn Stars," "American Pickers" and "Swamp People" rank among cable's most-watched programs every week, they're also crushing a lot of the competition on broadcast TV. And while other networks try to imitate History's most popular shows, it continues to innovate, staying several steps ahead. History's upcoming gems in 2012 and 2013 include "Hatfields & McCoys," a miniseries starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, premiering on Memorial Day weekend; "Mankind," a dynamic miniseries that charts the rise of civilization as we know it; the action-packed "Vikings," the network's first scripted drama series; and "The Bible," an epic series from acclaimed producer Mark Burnett that delves into some of the greatest stories ever told. Other new series certain to be audience draws in the year to come: "United Stats of America," offering an offbeat take on the numbers that make our country tick; "Men Who Built America"; "History Bee"; and "Picked-Off." Bold, inventive, eclectic programming choices such as these have given History five years of skyrocketing growth. The network's winning formula of hard work and ingenuity will ensure a bright future for years to come.
HIGHLIGHTS
RETURNING SERIES
"American Restoration," "American Pickers," "Ax Men," "Cajun Pawn Stars," "Ice Road Truckers," "Invention USA," "Only in America With Larry the Cable Guy," "Pawn Stars," "Swamp People," "Top Gear" and "Top Shot"
NEW SERIES
PICKED-OFF: Hosted by NFL player and rancher Keith Neubert, this tension-driven series sets the clock for one nail-biting hour as four teams, with a starter fund of $100 each, compete for $10,000 plus their individual winnings. Facing the expert picking perils of master appraisers the Merrill brothers, only one team can be left in the end.
MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA: From JP Morgan to Cornelius Vanderbilt, these are among the men who transformed America into the greatest economic and technological superpower in the world. The series will shine a spotlight on these influential builders, dreamers and believers whose feats changed the face of a nation.
UNITED STATS OF AMERICA: Identical twins and stand-up comedians Randy and Jason Sklar bring their irreverent brand of humor to locations across the country, uncovering hidden facts about America and Americans while engaging in stunts and experiments that help tell the story behind the most interesting and surprising statistics in history.
EPIC EVENTS
HATFIELDS & MCCOYS: History's first scripted drama, "Hatfields & McCoys" starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, portrays the epic, true American story of a legendary family feud that spanned decades and nearly launched a war between Kentucky and West Virginia. Premieres Memorial Day 2012.
MANKIND: From the producers of "America the Story of Us" comes a 12-hour series that uncovers the epic tale of the rise of civilization. Groundbreaking production techniques bring the greatest milestones of human achievement to life. Computer-generated imagery, large-scale reenactments and innovative, interactive maps illustrate our progress across the globe. History captures the action, struggle, heroism and adrenaline of mankind in this upcoming event.
VIKINGS: In this new scripted series, History journeys through medieval Ireland and Northern Europe introducing the extraordinarily complex world of the Norsemen, tracing the gripping sagas of historical heroes as has never been seen before.
THE BIBLE: More than the greatest story ever told, it's the greatest adventure and will be a landmark television event, bringing fresh life to the world's best-known book. First-person storytelling captures the struggles of the heroes and villains of both Old and New Testaments. Historic evidence is interwoven with dramatic re-enactments and jaw-dropping computer-generated imagery to enhance exciting new information.
Source: 1Nielsen live+SD, M-Su 8 p.m.-11 p.m. A/M25-54 and A/M18-49 impressions rank vs. all ad-supported cable networks. 2History impressions by year vs. 12/27/10-12/25/11. 312/27/10-12/25/11 M25-54 impressions rank vs. all ad-supported nonsports networks. 412/26/11-3/25/12 History impressions by quarter. 512/26/11-3/25/12 impressions rank vs. all ad-supported cable series, excluding sports, specials and repeats.