Finding Your Roots, Season 7 DVD

Renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns for an all-new season of Finding Your Roots. Over the course of ten episodes, Gates uses genealogical detective work and cutting-edge DNA analysis to guide twenty influential guests through the branches of their family trees, traveling hundreds of years into the past to discover people and places long forgotten. From coastal towns in Italy to rural villages in Russia to the slave plantations of the antebellum South, the surprising stories of extraordinary ancestors are brought back to life from the annals of history.

As the pages turn in each guest’s book of life, emotional revelations give way to complex questions about individual and collective identity. Through Gates’ discerning touch, Finding Your Roots reveals what every family history shares—love, hardship, and triumph—human experiences that transcend borders and merge to form an American root system fortified by its diversity.

The season features actors Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Jane Lynch, Christopher Meloni, and Tony Shalhoub; Broadway stars Audra McDonald and Mandy Patinkin; filmmakers Kasi Lemmons and John Waters; talk show host and author Andy Cohen; journalists Gretchen Carlson, Maria Hinojosa, Don Lemon, and Nina Totenberg; comedians Lewis Black, Jim Gaffigan, and Roy Wood, Jr.; and musicians Clint Black, Rosanne Cash, and Pharrell Williams.

My Thoughts

There are a lot of things that genetic testing can tell you. You can learn about your true paternity, whether or not you carry a gene for certain health conditions, whether or not your siblings are really your siblings, and even about your possible ancestry. In Finding Your Roots, we can to explore the wonders of DNA with some of our favorite celebrities. This season includes three informative episodes:

1-To the Manor Born - Henry Louis Gates, Jr learned he's related to a famous actor and director. He also  explored the roots of Quaker PA and British lineage.

2- Against All Odds - A few celebrities learn about their Jewish ancestry.

3- No Irish Need Apply - My favorite episode featuring Jane Lynch from Glee as she explores her Irish ancestry.

This series is filled with tons of great information on the science of DNA and what we can learn from it. If you want to get a better understanding of where you come from, this is a great place to start. If you'd like to grab a copy of this awesome DVD for yourself, you can find it in stores nationwide or online at PBS.org or Amazon.