National Geographic has greenlit two unscripted anthology series, One Day in America and an as yet untitled series that will explore the largest natural disasters in recent history. One Day in America previously examined September 11, in 2021. The next one looks at the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
“These new documentary franchises exemplify our aim to be the brand of record for events that forever changed the shape of history,” said Courteney Monroe, National Geographic president. “Weaving together never-before-seen archive and powerful first-person testimony, these powerful and riveting series will serve as the definitive stories of these momentous events."
JFK: One Day in America will have three parts. Using archival footage of the investigation, police radio recordings, live broadcasts and footage from television crews, viewers will relive that November 1963 day. Executive producers are David Glover, TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay.
The Cult: One Day in America looks at the cult run by American Jim Jones in Guyana, when over 900 people committed suicide at one point in 1978.
There are three parts. Executive producers are David Glover, TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay.
The natural disaster franchise looks at a 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, which killed 230,000. It will premiere in 2024 and has four parts. Executive producers are Danny Horan, Tanya Winston and Daniel Bogado.
Another installment of the natural disaster franchise, focused on Hurricane Katrina, premieres in 2025. Executive producers on that one are Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn.
Monroe called both series "the definitive story of these catastrophic events." ■
