7.6/1042 votes#1 - In Search of our Fathers
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/2014
Three famous guests — Stephen King, Gloria Reuben and Courtney B. Vance — know almost nothing about their fathers’ histories.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1036 votes#2 - Born Champions
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/2014
Billie Jean King, Derek Jeter and Rebecca Lobo learn about their family histories. King discovers that her grandmother was an orphan; Derek Jeter investigates his ancestors' lives as slaves; and Lobo finds out that an ancestor was forced to flee Spain because of his democratic ideals.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/1041 votes#3 - Our American Storytellers
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/2014
Ken Burns learns that his Southern ancestors include Confederate soldiers and a slave owner; Anderson Cooper learns that an ancestor on his father's side was killed by one of his slaves; and Anna Deavere Smith learns about her great-grandfather, who was a free black man and former conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/1037 votes#4 - Roots of Freedom
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 10/14/2014
Actor Ben Affleck discovers his mother's past as a Freedom Rider in 1964, NAACP President Ben Jealous learns how far his great-grandfather would go to keep his family whole, and actress Khandi Alexander learns about her grandfather's death. This episode is not available from pbs because actor Ben Affleck had persuaded Gates to omit information about his slave-owning ancestors. In the investigation, PBS said that producers violated network standards by letting Mr. Affleck have “improper influence” and “by failing to inform PBS or WNET of Mr. Affleck’s efforts to affect program content.”
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1033 votes#5 - The Melting Pot
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/2014
Chef Tom Colicchio learns the hardships his family endured in Northern Italy; chef Ming Tsai traces his roots back 2,000 years; chef Aarón Sánchez learns his Mexican roots include Spaniards, Africans and Native Americans.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.9/1037 votes#6 - We Come From People
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 10/28/2014
Nas learns about his slave ancestors; Angela Bassett discovers that her family history includes an emancipation story; and Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Obama, learns about the free people of color in her family's past
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1028 votes#7 - Our People, Our Traditions
Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 11/4/2014
Tony Kushner learns how the Holocaust impacted his ancestors; Carole King delves into the origins of her family name; and Alan Dershowitz discovers that an Hassidic synagogue started by his great-grandfather played a secret role in World War II.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/1035 votes#8 - The British Invasion
Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 11/11/2014
Deepak Chopra, Sally Field and Sting’s ancestry demonstrates the extraordinary influence of the British Empire during the 18th and early 19th century.
Director: Hazel Gurland-Pooler
Writer: N/A
7.8/1037 votes#9 - Ancient Roots
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 11/18/2014
Tina Fey, George Stephanopoulos and David Sedaris, three quintessential voices in American life, descend from ancestors that were part of the wave of Greek immigrants that flooded America’s shores in the early decades of the 20th century.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/1039 votes#10 - Decoding Our Past Through DNA
Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 11/25/2014
Secrets encoded in their genomes challenge these guests’ ideas about their families’ histories and their identities today. This episode features Jessica Alba, Anderson Cooper, Valerie Jarrett, Governor Deval Patrick and more.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Finding Your Roots Season 2
Every episode of Finding Your Roots Season 2 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Finding Your Roots Season 2!
Noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has been helping people discover long-lost relatives hidden for generations within the branches of their family trees....
Genre:Documentary
Network:PBS
Season 2 Ratings Summary
"In Search of our Fathers" is the best rated episode of "Finding Your Roots" season 2. It scored 7.6/10 based on 42 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 9/23/2014. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Born Champions".