There have been plenty of documentaries and films about Muhammad Ali but award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns ("Baseball," "The National Parks: America's Best Idea") will offer his vision of the life and legacy of the man known as "The Greatest" with his four-part, eight-hour series that runs Sunday, September 19 through Wednesday, September 22 on PBS. Each episode is two hours.
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Providing yet another look at the life and legacy of Ali, Burns assembles a phenomenal list of guests to speak on the legendary boxer including Rasheda Ali, Hana Ali, Todd Boyd, David Zirin, Howard Bryant and others. With so much ground to cover with Ali's life in and out of a boxing ring, each episode focuses on a different aspect of his life. From his childhood to his last breath, every nook and cranny of "The Greatest" is covered. The docuseries pulls from a wealth of archival footage and photographs, music and the insights and memories of those who were closest to him.
The series, which was in development for six years, was also written and co-directed by Sarah Burns and David McMahon, whose previous collaborations with Burns include "The Central Park Five," "Jackie Robinson" and "East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story."
“Muhammad Ali was the very best at what he did,” said Ken Burns. “He was arguably America’s greatest athlete, and his unflinching insistence that he be unabashedly himself at all times made him a beacon for generations of people around the world seeking to express their own humanity.”
Even if you think that there's nothing left to say about him, the Muhammad Ali documentary is very much like its subject as it always finds a new angle and always has something new to tell you.
Muhammad Ali docuseries episodes start time and schedule
- Episode 1: The Greatest (Sept. 19, 8 p.m. ET)
- Episode 2: What's My Name (Sept. 20, 8 p.m. ET)
- Episode 3: The Rivalry (Sept. 21, 8 p.m. ET)
- Episode 4: The Spell Remains (Sept 22, 8 p.m. ET)
Ken Burns' documentary on Muhammad Ali will be broken up into four, two-hour episodes with "The Greatest" premiering on September 19 at 8 p.m. ET. Subsequent episodes will premiere on the 20-22 in the same time slot.
What channel is the Muhammad Ali docuseries on?
- PBS
"Muhammad Ali" will air on PBS stations (check your local listings for channel information).
How to stream the Muhammad Ali docuseries
All four episodes of Muhammad Ali are available to stream at pbs.org/ali starting September 19 at 8 p.m. ET. Watch full episodes of Muhammad Ali here or on your favorite streaming device: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, iOS device, or Samsung Smart TV using the PBS Video app.
