The 2001 deadly anthrax attacks are at the heart of National Geographic’s latest original series The Hot Zone: Anthrax, which debuts on the network Nov. 28.

The six-part series, which follows the network’s successful 2019 Hot Zone series that chronicled the origins of the deadly Ebola virus, stars Daniel Dae Kim and Tony Goldwyn and follows the investigation into anthrax-laced letters sent to several companies shortly after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

National Geographic executive VP of global scripted content & documentary films Carolyn Bernstein recently spoke to Multichannel News about the origins of the series, how The Hot Zone: Anthrax compares to the original Hot Zone series, and what’s in store for the Hot Zone franchise going forward. An edited version of the interview appears below.

Picture This: What is the biggest difference between the original Hot Zone series and Hot Zone: Anthrax from a storytelling standpoint?

Carolyn Bernstein: We felt that the story for the original Hot Zone that focused on the Ebola virus coming into the US for the first time really made a lot of sense -- it felt very Nat Geo because at the center of the story was hard science, yet it was also a propulsive, suspense thriller. When that show performed incredibly well for us -- I believe it's our highest-rated scripted series ever -- we started talking about whether there could be a season two and become a franchise like what we did with our Genius anthology series. For it to make sense we needed to find another propulsive, suspense thriller from a storytelling and tone perspective that also had hard science and heroic scientists at the center of the storytelling. The anthrax story, which began in 2001right after the 9/11attacks, really checked those same boxes that season one did.

PT: With the country still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, are you concerned that audiences may not be ready to watch a series that loosely reminds them of what they are going through now?

CB: I think our audience is not one that wants to hide under the covers. They like to look at the truth head-on, so I'm not too worried about it. The amazing thing about the anthrax story is that it has an incredibly heroic FBI agent at its core. He's a character composite of a lot of different FBI agents, but he's a scientist as well. How often do you get to put scientists front and center of storytelling, but also deliver on an FBI-led crime story? So I think audiences are going to embrace it.

PT: How do you walk the fine line between offering fictional elements to a series that’s based on true, fact-based information?

CB: I think audiences are pretty savvy. When you’re telling a story in a scripted series that’s fact-based or based on true events, they know that we take some creative license. Daniel Dae Kim’s FBI agent character is a perfect example. There were a number of FBI agents who were involved in the anthrax investigation over the course of a few years, but what made more sense from a storytelling perspective is to create a composite character that could carry the investigation across all of the episodes. I think audiences are really smart and understand that we do take some creative license, but we always need to get the important facts of the story right. It's a balancing act.

PT: Are you already thinking ahead about what the next Hot Zone might look like?

CB: The answer is yes, we’re thinking about what could work for a season three. We’re definitely not going to continue the anthrax story -- I think this season has a clear beginning, middle and end. We are looking for a suspenseful story to tell for season three that has science and scientists at the center of the storytelling. It’s a tall order, but one place to look is at COVID and what’s happening in our midst today as opposed to a story from the past. I think the reason that we haven’t committed yet is because while we know what the beginning and the middle of the COVID story is, we don’t know what the end is yet. ■

Beverly Hills, Calif.—National Geographic continues to ramp up its scripted lineup with The Hot Zone, starring Julianna Margulies, the network announced Wednesday during the its Television Critics Association summer press tour session.

The drama series—based on the international best-seller by Richard Preston—recounts the terrifying true story of the origins of the Ebola virus, and follows a U.S. Army scientist (Margulies) who put her life on the line to head off the outbreak before it spread to the human population, said network officials.

“Julianna is dream casting for the role of Dr. Nancy Jaax,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive VP, global scripted development and production, National Geographic in a statement. “Her rare combination of warmth, strength, humor and intelligence are the perfect recipe to make this terrifying true story feel relatable, grounded and human.”

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The Hot Zone will be produced by Lynda Obst Productions, Scott Free Productions, Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson, Jeff Vintar and Fox 21 Television Studios.

The Hot Zone joins the network’s other scripted series including the Emmy-nominated Genius: Picasso and Mars.

With never before seen footage, Ebola: Inside The Deadly Outbreak centers on personal struggles with the highly contagious disease, and gives a deeper look into the history, containment, as well as medical implications.

Led by ABC News’ chief medical editor and former acting director of the CDC, Dr. Richard Besser, the one-hour documentary will capture the lives of those affected in the center of it all, Monrovia, Liberia.

“These are unimaginable terrors that we’ve seen played out in science fiction movies like ‘Contagion’ and ‘Outbreak,’ but Ebola is knocking on America’s door and we are looking for answers,” said Jane Latman, General Manger of Discovery Fit & Health. 

Many ponder the question, can Ebola happen here? With 100 specialists sent to Liberia to assist with the deadly virus, the documentary attempts to find an answer.

Dr. Besser tells the story of patients and caretakers, one who has watched half of his family die, leaving him trapped in quarantine, as well as those going days without treatment. The special also delves into the lives of American missionaries, Nancy and David Writebol, who reveal why they have risked their lives and explain further why they might go back.

Catch the documentary Thursday, September 18 with programming beginning with Ebola: Are We Next? And following with, Monsters Inside Me: Outbreak, NBC News Special: Saving Dr. Brantly, Ebola: Inside The Deadly Outbreak at 10/9C.

You can follow @DrRichardBesser and @Disc_Health, who will be live tweeting, answering any questions viewers may have about the widespread epidemic.