On the Road in America, a 12-part series about the adventures and observations of four young Arabs—three men and one woman—who travel across America, airs Wednesdays on the Sundance Channel, starting tonight (June 4). Conceived by Jerome Gary, who serves as an executive producer on the series and directed nine episodes, the series aired on the Saudi-owned Middle East Broadcasting Center in 2007, attracting 4.5 million viewers per episode. On the Road in America seems a perfect fit—and possibly a pre-Rainbow Media finale—for Sundance Channel, having distinguished itself with such notable series as Nimrod Nation, Transgeneration, The Staircase and Iconoclasts. Here’s the story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/arts/television/01jens.html?_r=1&scp=27&sq=june+01+2008&st=nyt&oref=slogin

And here’s another piece about the production, from The New York Times from 18 months ago:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/arts/television/31road.html

Photo: The cast of On the Road in America. Photo: Leon Shahabian/ Layalina Productions Inc.