National Geographic has teamed with actor Stanley Tucci to develop a documentary series that explores the flavors of Italian cuisine.

The 10-episode series, Tucci — The Heart of Italy, follows the Emmy-winning actor as he unlocks the distinct flavors of food that define each region of Italy, according to the network. As Tucci travels to each corner of the country, he will seek out the essence of each region and its people through the food they eat, said Nat Geo. 

Tucci hosted a food-culture series, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, for two seasons on CNN, but the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network declined to continue it further.

“National Geographic is the perfect home for Stanley to share his knowledge and passion for Italy’s people, food and culture,” Nat Geo executive VP of global factual and unscripted Tom McDonald said in a statement. “Our programming is all about inspiring a deeper connection to the world. With Stanley as their guide, audiences will be transported to places and to flavors they’ve never experienced before.”

Added Tucci: “National Geographic is all about adventure and exploration, and I am honored to take viewers once again to explore Italy through the lens of food. In Italy’s many distinct regions there is always something new to discover and I’m more than excited to begin the process in partnership with BBC Studios.”  

Tucci — The Heart of Italy is produced by Salt Productions and BBC Studios, with Tucci and Lottie Birmingham serving as executive producers.

National Geographic has announced a February 1 premiere date for its latest Genius biographical anthology series, profiling civil rights icons the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

The eight-part Genius: MLK/X will look at how the dueling philosophies of King and Malcolm X helped usher America through the Civil Rights Movement, according to the network. The series follows both King and X from their formative years, where they were molded by strong fathers and traumatic injustices, to their rich, parallel stories as they shaped their identities and became the change they wished to see in the world, said Nat Geo.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. will star as King, while Aaron Pierre will play Malcolm X. Also starring in the series are Weruche Opia, Jayme Lawson and the late Ron Cephas Jones.

Genius: MLK/X is the fourth series in Nat Geo's Emmy-winning Genius franchise, following installments featuring the lives of Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and Aretha Franklin. 

Also Read: Nat Geo, Idris Elba to Develop 'The Color of Victory: Heroes of WW2' Docuseries

As with each previous Genius season, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard's Imagine Television will return to produce Genius: MLK/X along with Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince-Bythewood's Undisputed Cinema. Damione Macedon and Raphael Jackson Jr. serve as executive producers.

The first two episodes of Genius: MLK/X will air on February 1 and stream the next day on Disney Plus and Hulu, with two episodes debuting weekly throughout Black History Month. 

National Geographic will team with actor Idris Elba on a new documentary series profiling World War II heroes of color.

The series, The Color of Victory: Heroes of WW2, reveals the untold stories of the people of color who fought in the war and restores their place in the historic narratives of the war, according to the network. Elba will executive produce and narrate the series, which will also showcase how the war experiences of people of color helped shape and inspire post-war movements for freedom around the world, said Nat Geo officials.

Other new Nat Geo series in production include Inside The FBI, which focuses on how an FBI in turmoil fought to solve some of the most notorious crimes of the 20th Century; and Waking the Dead, in which genetic investigation organization the DNA Doe Project seeks to identify some of the unnamed and unidentified bodies in the US, according to Nat Geo. 

The network also announced it will develop a culinary-themed show featuring author Antoni Porowski. The series, No Taste Like Home With Antoni Porowski, will follow the Queer Eye star as he discovers the rich heritages of global celebrities by way of their ancestors’ food traditions and culinary experiences, said network officials. 

National Geographic has set a November 5 premiere date for its new documentary series commemorating the 60th anniversary of the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy.

The three-part docuseries, JFK: One Day In America, features newly colorized footage of the events surrounding the infamous November 22, 1963 assassination and its aftermath, including that of accused shooter Lee Harvey Oswald when he is in police custody and when he is shot while being transferred to the county jail. The series also offers testimony from those on the ground in Dallas on that day, including police radio recordings as law enforcement searched for the shooter, according to the network. 

“JFK: One Day in America offers audiences a unique chance to hear from some of the last surviving witnesses of the momentous events of November 22, 1963,” National Geographic EVP of global factual and unscripted content Tom McDonald said in a statement. “Many of these witnesses are now in their 80s and 90s, so this may be the final chance to capture their accounts and hear their testimony. National Geographic aspires to be a brand of record for historic events — the interviews featured in the series are a unique body of work which shed fresh light on what it felt like to be caught up in the events of that day.”

JFK: One Day in America is produced by 72 Films, with David Glover, Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin serving as executive producers. 

The series marks the second documentary in the One Day in America franchise -- the 2021 9/11: One Day In America series won an 2022 Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical Documentary.

PASADENA, Calif, — National Geographic announced Underdogs, a look at the “heroic underdogs of the natural world — the good, the bad and the frankly ugly,” the network said. Ryan Reynolds narrates. There will be 10 parts and the series is scheduled to premiere in 2025.

“From their hidden talents to their bold hygiene choices, unsavory courtship rituals, devious camouflage techniques and ‘tough love’ parenting skills, Underdogs will celebrate and champion the unique and unpredictable behaviors of a little-known and surprising cast of animal characters,” said Nat Geo. “These overlooked superstars come in all sizes, shapes and smells. They’re the outcasts and the troublemakers, brash, unsophisticated, flatulent, incontinent and often unhinged. But they’re also warriors, team players and evil geniuses. They’re out there 24-7 giving it maximum effort, keeping the natural world in working order for all those showboating polar bears, sharks and gorillas.”

"Underdogs represents an entirely fresh take on the natural history genre that is sure to delight and inform audiences of all ages,” said Courteney Monroe, Nat Geo content president. “With Ryan and Maximum Effort’s irreverent spirit and Wildstar’s award-winning expertise in wildlife storytelling, we have assembled the perfect team to tell the entertaining stories of nature’s unsung heroes with both humor and heart.”

Nat Geo said Reynolds brings “his distinctive voice and humorous take to the natural world through a groundbreaking partnership that bakes humor into the storytelling from the ground up.”

Underdogs is produced by Wildstar Films and Maximum Effort. For Maximum Effort, Ryan Reynolds and George Dewey are executive producers. For Wildstar, Vanessa Berlowitz, Mark Linfield and Dan Rees are executive producers; and Dave Denny is series producer.

“I love nature series and I love making things my kids can actually watch,” said Reynolds. “We’re already having a lot of fun trying to bring a new voice to animal docs. Wildstar has the expertise, experience and cutting-edge film tech to help us chew up that healthy National Geographic budget. We’ll deliver a show that is entertaining, surprising and will do justice to animals usually stuck as supporting cast.”

Talking about the project at TCA in Pasadena, Monroe promised “an entirely fresh take on the genre,” full of “mischief and attitude.” ■

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." ■

Retrograde, a documentary about the U.S.’s messy withdrawal from Afghanistan, debuts on National Geographic December 8, then turns up on Disney Plus December 9.

Matthew Heineman directed the film.

Retrograde captures the final nine months of America's 20-year war in Afghanistan from multiple perspectives: one of the last U.S. Special Forces units deployed there; a young Afghan general and his corps fighting to defend their homeland; and the civilians desperately attempting to flee as the Taliban take over.

"From rarely seen operational control rooms to the frontlines of battle to the chaotic Kabul airport during the final US withdrawal, this film offers a cinematic and historic window onto the end of America’s longest war, and the costs endured for those most intimately involved," according to Nat Geo.

A review in The Guardian said the film offers an "extraordinary insider's view" of the withdrawal.

"Acclaimed documentary maker Matthew Heineman is known for his remarkable ability to stay close to subjects caught up in dangerous situations – be those fighting the drug trade in Latin America (Cartel Land), defying ISIS occupation (City of Ghosts), or struggling to care for the sick during the COVID pandemic (The First Wave)," the review reads. "This latest feature-length chronicle lays out an extraordinary insider’s view of the last months of the United States’ war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, as seen from the point of view of the last Green Berets supporting the Afghan army led by Gen Sami Sadat."

Retrograde is rated R. Caitlin McNally produced the film, and Baktash Ahadi, David Fialkow, Joedan Okun and Carolyn Bernstein are the executive producers.

Heineman previously worked on Showtime’s opioid docuseries The Trade and HBO’s Tiger Woods documentary Tiger. ■

Disney Plus follows actor Chris Hemsworth as he seeks to combat the aging process through healthy living and exercise in a new trailer for the National Geographic-produced series Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, debuting November 16.

The six-part series features the Thor and The Avengers star as he looks to discover the full potential of the human body, said the streaming service. The series puts cutting-edge science of human longevity center-stage, with each series episode following Hemsworth as he takes up physical and mental feats designed by world-class experts, scientists and doctors to unlock different aspects of the aging process.

Limitless with Chris Hemsworth is executive produced by Hemsworth, Ben Grayson, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, Jane Root, Arif Nurmohamed, Ruth Shurman, Bengt Anderson and Matt Renner. ■

Pay-per-view content aggregator In Demand will look to sink its teeth into cable’s annual July shark-themed programming stunts with a special airing of Syfy’s original Sharknado movie.

In Demand on July 26 will distribute Sharknado: The Critics’ Roast, in which the first Sharknado film will feature new commentary from online film critics The Cinema Snob and the Nostalgia Critic, according to In Demand. Sharknado: The Critics’ Roast will be available exclusively to In Demand affiliates including Comcast Cable, Charter Communications and Cox Communications for a suggested retail price of $5.99, according to In Demand.

In addition, In Demand will make available for rent or purchase the full Sharknado movie catalog, including Sharknado, Sharknado 2: The Second One, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, Sharknado 3: Extended Edition, Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming, The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time, as well as the mockumentary Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness.

In Demand’s Sharknado: The Critics’ Roast comes amid National Geographic’s four-week, 10th annual SharkFest programming stunt currently on-air, and Discovery Channel/Discovery Plus’ Shark Week event which premieres on Sunday (July 24). ■

Disney Plus will commemorate Independence Day with the launch of its documentary series America the Beautiful.

The streaming service will make all six episodes of the National Geographic-produced series available on July 4. Narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan, the series showcases North America's most spectacular regions to witness the landscapes of the most diverse land on Earth while focusing on its many unique creatures, said the streaming service.

According to Disney Plus, each episode of America the Beautiful -- the first documentary series to utilize cinema-grade cameras on fighter jets to reveal epic imagery -- showcases smart and brave animal heroes of all sizes whose funny and amazing antics are brought to life with character-led storytelling.

Executive producers for America the Beautiful are Mark Linfield, Vanessa Berlowitz, and Ashley Hoppin. ■

National Geographic has tapped Karen Greenfield to fill the newly created position of senior VP of content, diversity and inclusion.

In her new role, Greenfield will work with Nat Geo content creative teams to “develop and produce inclusive storytelling for a multicultural and multigenerational audience,” according to the network. Greenfield, who previously served as senior VP of business operations as well as National Geographic content, diversity and inclusion council chair, will also work with leaders across The Walt Disney Co. to ensure Nat Geo talent and programming are integrated into company-wide DEI initiatives.

Greenfield will report to National Geographic content president Courteney Monroe. “For 134 years, National Geographic has used the power of storytelling to change the world. An essential component of that is ensuring that everyone’s voice is included,” Monroe said in a statement. “Karen is an exceptional executive with a proven track record leading diversity and inclusion initiatives and working with the world’s leading content creators. I am thrilled that Karen will be leveraging her extraordinary talents and passion to help guide us in our mission to inspire and elevate diversity and inclusion in every aspect of our work and storytelling, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Nat Geo also announced that it has renewed for the second year its Nat Geo Media Scholarship program for students who attend historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs). The initiative, led by Greenfield, last year awarded four recipients a $10,000 scholarship, an opportunity to participate in a two-week immersion program at National Geographic headquarters, and a mentorship with a Nat Geo employee, said the company. 

“I could not be prouder to not only work for National Geographic, an iconic brand whose mission is to ensure all voices are included in storytelling, but also work alongside Courteney and her senior team, who believe in this value,” Greenfield said. “The green-light of the second year of the Nat Geo Media Scholarship is a testament to their commitment.” ▪️

The Walt Disney Co. said it hired Pamela Levine as head of marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content, effective June 27.

Levine joins Disney from BookClub.com, where she was chief marketing officer. She replaces Jayanta Jenkins, who left the company earlier this month.

At Disney, Levine will report to Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis and Nat Geo content president Courteney Monroe. She will head up an integrated internal agency handling brand and creative marketing, strategy, publicity, media planning, social, event, talent relations and awards.

“Pam is an incredibly accomplished executive whose extensive experience launching, reimagining and growing big entertainment brands is unparalleled,” Davis and Monroe said in a statement. “She’s not only led marketing for some of the most successful film and television franchises of all time, but Pam has a stellar reputation as a strong, inspiring leader of high-performing, award-winning teams. We’re delighted to welcome her to our Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content teams.”

Before going to BookClub.com, Levine was president of worldwide theatrical marketing at 20th Century Fox and chief marketing officer at HBO. 

“This is an incredible and unique opportunity to work not only for two of the world’s most beloved and iconic global brands but also with some of the most talented executives in the business,” Levine said. “It’s an added bonus that so many of them are friends and former colleagues. I’m thrilled to join Ayo and Courteney, and the amazing teams at Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content to help realize the unlimited potential of both brands.”

Reporting directly to Levine at Disney will be: Chris Albert, executive VP, marketing and publicity; Chris Spencer, executive VP, creative marketing; Kristin Corrigan, senior VP, marketing strategy; Jessica Bodaken, VP, marketing production; Abby Ho, VP, social media and engagement strategy; and Katie Morrow, VP, media planning. ■

Disney Plus Tuesday announced a September 8 premiere date for its live-action retelling of the classic Disney film Pinocchio as part of a teaser trailer for the movie. 

The movie, which will debut as part of the 2022 Disney Plus Day celebration, stars Tom Hanks, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Cynthia Erivo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, Lorraine Bracco and Luke Evens, according to the streaming service.

Robert Zemeckis will direct the film, which retells the classic story of a wooden puppet who embarks on a trilling adventure to become a real boy. Jack Rapke, Alexandra Derbyshire and Jeremy Johns serve as executive producers of Pinocchio.

Disney Plus said it will announce more Disney Plus Day premieres from Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Star Wars and National Geographic.

National Geographic has greenlit a second season of its documentary series Life Below Zero: First Alaskans in advance of the show’s May 30 premiere.

The series, a spinoff of the network’s Life Below Zero franchise, follows the lives of Indigenous Alaskans who live in the brutal and unforgiving Alaskan landscape, said network officials. National Geographic will debut the first two episodes of the series on Memorial Day, with the remaining four episodes airing weekly on Tuesdays beginning May 31.

“The heart of the Life Below Zero franchise has always been the ingenuity, resilience and spirit of the individuals who survive and thrive in one of the harshest and most beautiful environments in the world, which Alaska Natives have been doing for thousands of years,” says Alan Eyres, senior VP of production and development, National Geographic in a statement. “With this second season of Life Below Zero: First Alaskans, we are honored to have been given the opportunity to capture more of the daily lives, cultures, customs and traditions of our Alaska Native cast members and allow our audience to hear more of their stories.”

Also: National Geographic's 'Genus' to Feature Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr.

Life Below Zero: First Alaskans is produced by National Geographic and BBC Studios, with  Joseph Litzinger and Kevin Tao Mohs servicing as executive producers for the series. ■

The Ron Howard documentary We Feed People, about a renowned chef who oversees a humanitarian aid operation feeding those in disaster-stricken locales, premieres on Disney Plus May 27. The chef is José Andrés and his aid operation is the nonprofit World Central Kitchen.

National Geographic is behind the film, and Imagine Documentaries produces. 

Howard directs, and he produces with Brian Grazer, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Meredith Kaulfers and Walter Matteson. 

Andrés‘s efforts have seen him deliver meals to Ukraine amidst the war, Puerto Rico after a hurricane, Kentucky after a tornado and Australia following bushfires, among many other locales.  

“Wherever there’s a fight so hungry people may eat, we will be there,” goes the World Central Kitchen motto. “We must be there.”

Andrés moved to the U.S. from Spain when he was 21. His restaurants include The Bazaar in Miami, Bar Mar in Chicago and Beefsteak in Washington, Miami, Pittsburgh and Chicago. 

In The New Yorker, he told Howard that World Central Kitchen is producing 350,000-400,000 meals a day in and around Ukraine. 

A review of We Feed People in the Washington Post said, “This divided country desperately needs someone to play the hero, and José Andrés is the right man for the job.” ■

National Geographic will profile Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. as part of the new season of its Genius scripted drama series.

The fourth installment of the Emmy-winning Genius franchise, which moves to Disney Plus from National Geographic, will for the first time profile two extraordinary individuals as it explores the formative years, pioneering accomplishments, dueling philosophies and key personal relationships of King and Malcolm X, said network officials. National Geographic had previously announced King as its lone fourth season subject.

Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince-Bythewood will serve as executive producers for the series along with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Raphael Jackson Jr., Damione Maceson, Francie Calfo, and Anna Culp also serve as executive producers.

The previous three Genius installments focused on Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and Aretha Franklin. 

“Malcolm and Martin are staggering icons, and we have been eager to explore the genius of these two very real men in a way that has not yet been seen,” said the Bythewoods in a statement. “We are excited to team up with Imagine Entertainment and 20th Television to reflect their amazing lives and contributions to civil rights and the urgency of today.” ■ 

National Geographic has tapped high-profile actors Will Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch to host new shows as part of the network’s development slate of new non-fiction and national history series for Disney Plus, the network announced Monday during its Television Critics Association Winter press tour presentation 

New shows highlighted include Pole to Pole, in which Smith (Nat Geo's Welcome to Earth) traverses from the South Pole to the North Pole; and Super/Natural, in which Cumberbatch narrates how super sensing animals and insects experience the national world, according to the network. 

Also on the docket is America the Beautiful, a national history series narrated by Michael B. Jordan that examines North America and its animals; Beyond Belief with David Blaine, in which the famed magician travels around the world to reveal closed guarded magic and cultures and We Feed People, from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer debuting May 27 on Disney Plus. 

Other shows in development include Great Migrations, which takes a fresh look at our planet on the move; Home, a definitive portrait of life on Earth from BBC Studios’ National History Unit; the Jon Favreau-produced Lion, which tells the profound story of one pride of lions from Jon Favreau; the James Cameron-produced Secrets of the Elephants and Secrets of the Octopus; Sentient, and The Biggest Little Farm docuseries. ■ 

Cable programmers and streaming services are commemorating Black History Month with numerous African American-themed original scripted series, movies, documentaries and specials. 

Here's a sampling of what's on tap for the first half of February (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):  

Feb. 4 – Phat Tuesdays

(documentary)

Prime Video

Feb. 5 - Single Black Female

(movie)

Lifetime

Feb. 6 -- Power Book IV: Force

(drama)

Starz 

Feb. 7 -- One Thousand Years of Slavery – The Untold Story

(documentary)

Smithsonian Channel

Feb. 8 -- The Loyola Project

(documentary)

CBS Sports Network

Feb. 10 -- Real Husbands of Hollywood More Kevin, More Problems

(special)

BET Plus

Feb. 11 -- Everything’s Gonna Be All White

(docuseries)

Showtime

Feb. 11 -- Clotilda: Last American Slave Ship

(documentary)

National Geographic

Feb. 12 -- Profiled: The Black Man

(documentary)

Discovery Plus

Feb. 13 -- Bel-Air

(drama)

Peacock

Feb. 14 -- Special Black History Month Roundtable

(special)

MSG Network 

Cable and streaming networks will enter the New Year with a light slate of original series and specials, highlighted by a spinoff series from Disney Plus's Emmy-nominated series The Mandalorian.

The new series, The Book of Boba Fett, debuts December 29 and follows legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand as they navigate the galaxy's underworld when they return the the sands of Tatooine to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt of Star Wars fame, said the streaming service.

Debuting on New Year's Day on HBO Max is Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, a special which reunites cast members from the Harry Potter film franchise. Among those slated to appear in the special are Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, and Evanna Lynch.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of December 27 to January 2 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

December 28 – The Super Bob Einstein Movie (documentary) – HBO

December 30 – Hilda and the Mountain King (animation movie) – Netflix

December 31 – Cobra Kai (returning series) – Netflix

December 31 – The Lost Daughter (drama) – Netflix

December 31 – Stay Close (drama) – Netflix

December 31 – Queer Eye (returning series) – Netflix

January 1 – The ‘80’s: Top Ten (docuseries) – National Geographic

January 1 – New York Homicide (docuseries) – Oxygen

The beleaguered Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced its 2022 Golden Globe Awards nominations Monday (December 13) as the organization continues to operate with no TV home for its January 9 awards ceremony and under a cloud of controversy that threatens to undermine its relevance

With Snoop Dogg reading the names of the nominees — often incorrectly, to humorous effect — the Golden Globes will forge ahead even as the HFPA continues to face criticism over the lack of diversity among its board members. In a release, the HFPA said it had admitted “their largest and most diverse class to date of 21 new members, all of whom are first-time Golden Globe voters.” Still, it’s unclear if the January 9 show will air on traditional television after longtime distributor NBC announced earlier in the year that it will not televise the Globes ceremony due to the controversy.  

This year’s Golden Globes nominations in the television categories featured more diversity than last year’s nomination class. Nods for Uzo Abdula (HBO’s In Treatment) and Michaela Jae Rodriguez (FX’s Pose) in the best actress drama category, as well as Issa Rae (HBO’s Insecure) and Tracee Ellis Ross (ABC’s Black-ish) for best comedy/movie actress, and Cynthia Erivo (National Geographic’s Genius: Aretha) for best actress in a television motion picture come one year after no actresses of color were nominated in any major TV category for 2021. That was despite industry recognized performances from Emmy-nominated actress Jurnee Smollett in HBO’s Lovecraft Country and Critics Choice Awards-nominated Michaela Coel in HBO’s drama series I May Destroy You.

Also, the HFPA recognized shows featuring people of color in lead roles such as Netflix’s Squid Game and Lupin as well as FX’s Pose (best drama series), Amazon’s The Underground Railroad (best television motion picture) and FX’s Reservation Dogs (best musical/comedy series). 

The HFPA gravitated to streaming services in a big way in its nomination choices. Hulu and Netflix were the big standouts with 10 nominations each — behind only the 15 nods from the combined HBO/HBO Plus — with Apple TV Plus coming in with eight nods. 

In addition, seven of the top 10 most-nominated shows were from streaming services, led by Apple TV Plus'sThe Morning Show and Ted Lasso with four nominations each, followed by three nominations each for Hulu’s Dopesick, The Great and Only Murders in the Building, HBO Max’s Hacks, and Netflix’s Maid and Squid Game.

Also, the HFPA has often been lauded — and at times criticized — for its penchant for nominating shows that are considered outside of Hollywood’s mainstream, but this year’s list of nominations seemed to have fewer surprise nominations than in previous years. With the exceptions of Netflix’s Lupin and Squid Game along with FX’s Reservation Dogs, many of its nominations were given to the industry’s most high-profile and most talked-about shows, from top-nominated series, HBO’s Succession, to Apple TV Plus's Ted Lasso.  ■  

National Geographic will bring back the images and sounds of the 1980s with a new countdown series, The 80s: Top Ten, which will stream first on Disney Plus New Year's Eve. 

Rob Lowe will host the six-part series, which will feature countdowns of the memorable moments, gadgets, toys, fast foods, commercials and streetwear made famous during the decade, said the network. 

Disney Plus will stream all six episodes on Dec. 31, with National Geographic launching the series in primetime on New Year's Day, according to the network. 

The 80's: Top Ten will feature interviews with iconic stars and industry mavens including Ridley Scott, Tony Hawk, Amber Riley, Kevin Smith, Joan Collins, Tiffani Thiessen and Meat Loaf, according to the network. ■ 

B+C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through Dec. 5.

A Hallmark Channel spot for its original movie Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday is No. 1, while Freeform takes second place to promote its 25 Days of Christmas programming marathon.

Event television dominates the ranking overall, with NBC singing the praises of its Annie Live! musical special in third place and ABC hyping its latest Live in Front of a Studio Audience special (featuring live stagings of episodes of The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes) in fifth.

The only regular series that gets some love in the top five: Ghosts, the CBS sitcom, in fourth place.

Notably, the Freeform spot has the week’s highest iSpot Attention Index (131), meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

Also: Holiday 2021 TV Premiere Dates

1) Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday, Hallmark Channel

Impressions: 349,233,415

Interruption Rate: 5.81%

Attention Index: 96 (4% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 97%, Local 2%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,790,406

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $208,998

2) 25 Days of Christmas, Freeform

Impressions: 310,795,495

Interruption Rate: 1.54%

Attention Index: 131 (31% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 97%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 0%

In-network Value: $1,745,727

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $298,034

3) Annie Live!, NBC

Impressions: 224,719,592

Interruption Rate: 1.99%

Attention Index: 109 (9% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 93%, Local 6%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,684,196

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $244,755

4) Ghosts, CBS

Impressions: 218,043,962

Interruption Rate: 1.14%

Attention Index: 93 (7% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 93%, Local 5%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $2,748,710

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

5) Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes, ABC

Impressions: 211,694,154

Interruption Rate: 1.12%

Attention Index: 114 (14% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 92%, Local 7%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,281,266

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $551,119

* Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands *

Impressions: The total impressions within all U.S. households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD plus OTT, and Local.

Attention Score: Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index: Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Impression Types: Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-Network Value: Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-Network Spend: The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live: A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local: A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD: This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load).

OTT: On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

B+C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through Nov. 28.

A Fox spot for College Football is No. 1, though last week’s chart-topper, Hallmark Channel, still makes a strong showing: The Christmas-obsessed network grabs third place and fourth to promote, respectively, The Christmas Contest and Christmas at Castle Hart — both Hallmark Channel original movies.

Even more event television rounds out the chart: NBC hypes its Annie Live! musical special in second place, and National Geographic promotes its six-episode, three-night anthology drama series The Hot Zone: Anthrax in fifth.

Notably, the Annie Live! spot has the week’s highest iSpot Attention Index (105), meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

Also: Holiday 2021 TV Premiere Dates

1) College Football, Fox

Impressions: 339,304,359

Interruption Rate: 0.73%

Attention Index: 75 (25% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $5,678,422

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

2) Annie Live!, NBC

Impressions: 305,300,931

Interruption Rate: 1.32%

Attention Index: 105 (5% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 96%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $5,403,079

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $202,051

3) The Christmas Contest, Hallmark Channel

Impressions: 304,139,796

Interruption Rate: 5.95%

Attention Index: 94 (6% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,421,056

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $299,043

4) Christmas at Castle Hart, Hallmark Channel

Impressions: 298,017,376

Interruption Rate: 4.66%

Attention Index: 103 (3% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 99%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 0%

In-network Value: $1,658,988

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $226,481

5) The Hot Zone: Anthrax, National Geographic

Impressions: 271,557,285

Interruption Rate: 1.69%

Attention Index: 104 (4% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 86%, Local 12%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $903,948

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $2,883,168

* Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands *

Impressions: The total impressions within all U.S. households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD plus OTT, and Local.

Attention Score: Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index: Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Impression Types: Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-Network Value: Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-Network Spend: The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live: A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local: A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD: This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load).

OTT: On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

 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. ■

The Thanksgiving holiday week will feature several high-profile series and documentary premieres for viewers.

Disney Plus on Nov. 24 will launch its latest Marvel Studios-produced original series,  Hawkeye.  Jeremy Renner reprises his Avengers superhero title role in the six-episode series, which also stars Hailee Steinfeld.

National Geographic on Aug. 28 will bring back its Hot Zone series franchise with a new installment focusing on the 2001 anthrax attacks. Hot Zone: Anthrax stars Daniel Dae Kim and Tony Goldwyn. 

On Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25) Disney Plus will debut the Peter Jackson-directed music documentary The Beatles: Get Back, while HBO will continue its Music Box series of specials with the documentary DMX: don't Try to Understand.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Nov. 22-28 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Nov. 23 -- Black and Missing (documentary series) -- HBO

Nov. 23 -- Klutch Academy (reality) -- BET

Nov. 24 -- Bruised (sports) -- Netflix

Nov. 24 -- Hanna (drama) -- Prime Video

Nov. 24 -- Saved by The Bell (returning series) -- Peacock

Nov. 24 -- True Story (drama) -- Netflix

Nov. 25 -- Ruthless (returning series) -- BET Plus

Nov. 25 -- South Park: Post COVID (animation) -- Paramount Plus

Nov. 25 -- Super Crooks (anime) -- Netflix

Nov. 26 -- How to With John Wilson (returning series) -- HBO

Nov. 27 -- Nash Bridges (drama) -- USA

Nov. 28 -- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses (game show) -- TBS

Nov. 28 -- The Toys That Built America (reality) -- History

Disney Plus has rolled out a first look trailer for its documentary series Welcome to Earth starring actor Will Smith.

The six-part series follows Smith on an adventure around the world to explore Earth’s greatest wonders and reveal its most hidden secrets, according to the streaming service.  Smith is guided by elite explorers as he gets up close and personal with spectacles on the planet — from volcanoes that roar in silence to deserts that move beyond our perception to animal swarms with minds of their own, said Disney Plus.

Welcome to Earth is Protozoa Pictures, Nutopia and Westbrook Studios, and executive produced by Smith, Jane Root, Peter Lovering, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, Matt Renner and Chris Kugelman.

National Geographic has signed actor Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios to a five-year, first-look deal to produce unscripted programming.

The deal, announced during National Geographic’s virtual TCA Summer session Wednesday, comes on the heels of Smith’s adventure series, Welcome to Earth, which will debut on Disney Plus next year. The series follows Smith as he embarks on an global journey to unlock the secrets of the most extraordinary and unexplained phenomena of nature, according to the network. 

“Having spent the past two years working with Will and the team at Westbrook Studios (along with Darren Aronofsky and Nutopia) on Welcome to Earth, we are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with them and entering into a long-term partnership to produce blockbuster nonfiction content,” said National  Geographic president Courteney Monroe in a statement.  “Will and Westbrook share our passion for telling bold, best-in-class stories that ignite curiosity and inspire people to explore and care about our world, and we can’t wait to see where our next adventures together take us.”

National Geographic has greenlit a third season of its unscripted series Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller in advance of its December second season premiere, the network announced Wednesday during its TCA Summer Press Tour presentation.

The Emmy-nominated series follows journalist Mariana van Zeller as she explores the underworld’s most dangerous black markets, according to network officials. The 10-part second season will explore such topics as the inner workings of romance scams, California’s black market for weed and investigating the dark corners of black market plastic surgery. 

In other TCA News, National Geographic announced it will launch a spinoff of its Life Below Zero franchise focused on Native Alaskans. The series, Life Below Zero: Native Alaskans, will offer viewers unprecedented access to Alaskan natives who are focusing on their right to preserve their  threatened ways of life, according to network officials. 

Also on the docket for Nat Geo is The 7 Toughest Days on Earth, which follows Dwayne Fields, the first Black British citizen to conquer the magnetic north pole, as he aims to survive the most extreme elements on the planet; and Appetite for Adventure, which follows pitmaster and U.S. Navy veteran Bib Moe Cason as he travels the globe to find the most mystical dishes cooked over an open flame, said network officials. 

Read Also: Observations From the 2021 Emmy Awards Nominations 

Disney Plus will chronicle the lives of animal mothers and their offspring in a new documentary series Growing Up Animal, premiering Aug. 18.

The six-part series from National Geographic -- narrated by Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)-- follows animal mothers and babies from the womb to the outside world as they face the triumphs and trials of nature, according to the streaming service.

Read Also: Disney Plus' 'What If ..." Series Reimagines the Marvel Cinematic Universe 

“Growing Up Animal movies an incredible up-close glimpse into the world of animal mothers and babies,” said Ross. “From the early stages of pregnancy to their adorable first helpless moments in the big wide world, it is remarkable to see how each animal’s unique instincts and adaptations help them endure the harsh realities of their environment.”

Growing Up Animal is produced by Wall to Wall Media for National Geographic, and is executive produced by Jeremy Dear, Dominic Weston and Pamela Caragol. Disney Plus will stream all six episodes on Aug. 18.

Read Also: National Geographic Sets '9/11: On Day in America" Documentary Series 

National Geographic’s ninth annual Sharkfest will continue to focus on the science of sharks but will add a few new wrinkles -- and a new distribution partner in Disney Plus -- to keep shark fans glued to the month-long programming event that kicks off July 5. 

“It’s the most ambitious Sharkfest we’ve done yet,” said National Geographic Partners senior VP of development and production Janet Vissering. “Like every year, shark scientists and oceanic experts have pulled out all the stops for this year’s Sharkfest.” 

Vissering said that viewers’ fascination with sharks has continued to grow over the decades since the 1970s hit movie Jaws debuted and as more publicity is given to shark sightings as well as the rare and unfortunate shark attacks on people. She added that she hopes the Sharkfest programming lineup brings greater understanding and information celebrating sharks.

Also Read: National Geographic Sets '9/11: One Day in America' Documentary Series

Streaming service Disney Plus will join National Geographic in streaming this year's Sharkfest programming beginning July 9. The service will also premiere National Geographic Documentary Films’ Playing With Sharks on July 23. Vissering said the inclusion of Sharkfest content on Disney Plus helps expand the reach of the event to audiences that might not be familiar with the network’s annual programming stunt.

This year’s Sharkfest lineup on Nat Geo launches July 5 with Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth, which is a slight departure from the network’s traditional scientific-themed shark programming. The television and film star will team with shark conservationist Valerie Taylor to explore the sharks that have led to an increase in shark attacks along the east coast of Australia.

“We always have celebrities who want to do a shark show,” said Vissering, adding that Hemsworth brought to the table an affinity for and appreciation of sharks, as well as a desire to seek better understanding on how to stave off and eventually co-exist with the predators. 

Below are Sharkfest shows, descriptions and premiere dates per National Geographic. Dates are subject to change.

WHEN SHARKS ATTACK

National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 8/7c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 2, at 8/7c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

The world’s beaches quickly turn deadly in this terror-filled deep-sea saga when sharks descend, shocking the local community and sending scientists reeling. What causes these spikes in activity? And how can they be prevented?

SHARK BEACH WITH CHRIS HEMSWORTH

National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 9/8c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 2, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

Chris Hemsworth is on a mission to uncover the science of shark behavior and discover how humans and sharks can safely coexist. After an increase in local shark attacks along the east coast of Australia, Hemsworth seeks to understand different species of sharks and their behaviors while also exploring new preventative measures and the latest technology to help stave off shark-human encounters. The special from Nutopia (“One Strange Rock”) also features underwater conservationist and legend Valerie Taylor.

ROGUE SHARK?

National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 11, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

In October 2018, the remote islands of the Whitsunday in Australia were rocked by a series of shark attacks. Incredibly, all the victims were attacked in the same small patch of ocean, no larger than four football fields. Was a rogue serial killer on the loose? Or was something new drawing sharks and humans into conflict?

ORCA VS. GREAT WHITE

National Geographic — Premieres July 6, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 3, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

Off the coast of South Africa in 2017, orcas began hunting and killing great white sharks. Now, researchers in New Zealand set out to discover if it could happen again. Diving with several shark populations along New Zealand’s southern coast, they investigate this murder mystery and seek answers to this burning question: have their local orcas developed a taste for great white sharks?

SHARK GANGS

National Geographic — Premieres July 7, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 12, at 8/7c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

For years sharks have been viewed as solitary predators, but scientists have recently discovered a surprising new behavior. In this special, we reveal how this apex predator likes to hang out in gangs. So what is behind this behavior? Do sharks enjoy a social life, or are they working together to become even more effective hunters?

CROC THAT ATE JAWS

National Geographic — Premieres July 8, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 4, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

From mysterious severed heads and ambush attacks to mob hunts and stand-offs, what happens when two of the deadliest predators on the planet go head-to-head?

WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS SHARK?

National Geographic — Premieres July 9, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 5, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

The great white has a reputation for being the scariest in the sea, but Explorer Jacques Cousteau called the oceanic whitetip “The most dangerous of all sharks …” Two teams of experts dive deep into the world of the oceanic whitetip to reveal what makes this species a top contender for the title of “world’s most dangerous shark.”

SHARK ATTACK FILES

National Geographic — Premieres July 12, at 9/8c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 9, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

This action-packed series is an investigation into bizarre and fascinating shark behavior. Featuring footage from actual attacks, interactions and behavior captured by both professionals and observant bystanders, every twist and turn leaves viewers sitting on the edge of their seats. Scientific experts and investigators dive deeper into the mystery of these unexplained behaviors and come to a stunning revelation that ties these extraordinary events together.

SHARK ATTACK INVESTIGATION: THE PAIGE WINTER STORY 

National Geographic — Premieres July 12, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 6, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

Paige Winter was only 17 years old when she lost a leg and portion of her hand to a shark. Experts unpack the details of Paige’s attack to determine what kind of shark is responsible and what can be done, if anything, to avoid this happening again. Despite all Paige has lived through, this inspirational teen remains an advocate for sharks and, with the guidance of professionals, takes brave steps to overcome her greatest fears.

WORLD’S BIGGEST BULL SHARK?

National Geographic — Premieres July 13, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 10, at 9/8c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

It was a freak encounter that broke all the records. In 2012, off the coast of Florida, shark scientist Dr. Neil Hammerschlag caught the mother of all bull sharks—it stretched more than 10-feet long and weighed over 1,000 pounds! They named her Big Bull and set her free. Bull sharks in Florida patrol the beaches, terrifyingly close the swimmers, and feast on seasonal migrations of baitfish. Many long thought these sharks were just well-fed, but now some scientists believe that Big Bull is the matriarch of a unique population of giants. There is only one way to find out ... and you gotta get close.

KILLER SHARK VS. KILLER WHALE 

National Geographic — Premieres July 15, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 11, at 9/8c

Disney+ — Beginning Aug. 6

The mystery of orcas attacking great white sharks for their livers leaves scientists baffled. This unusual predatory behavior has been witnessed in three parts of the world: California, South Africa and Australia. But the most shocking outcome is the disappearance of the other sharks after the event. How are they communicating with their kin and getting out of dodge when the killer whales move in?

PLAYING WITH SHARKS

Disney+ — Premieres July 23

A true pioneer in both underwater filmmaking and shark research, Valerie Taylor is a living legend and icon in the underwater world whose life’s work has become the basis for much of what we know about sharks today. Through remarkable underwater archival footage, along with interviews with Valerie herself, PLAYING WITH SHARKS, from National Geographic Documentary Films and twice Emmy®-nominated director Sally Aitken, follows this daring ocean explorer’s trajectory from champion spearfisher to passionate shark protector. From the birth of cage diving to “Jaws” hysteria to the dawn of cageless shark diving, Valerie became a trailblazing advocate for the ocean’s most maligned and misunderstood creatures.

National Geographic will mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. with a six-part documentary special debuting in August.

The series, 9/11: One Day In America, debuts Aug. 29 will chronicle the events of that day through first-person narratives of the first responders and survivors who were there, said the network. 

Nat Geo will air 9/11: One Day In America over four consecutive nights with limited commercial interruption, said the network. Episodes will be made available the next day on Hulu.

The series is produced by 72 Films and executive produced by Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin (LA 92, Undefeated).

“We all remember exactly where we were on Sept. 11, 2001. Amidst the tragedy, chaos and sadness, what we also remember are the incredible feats of heroism, selflessness and humanity on display that day,” said Courteney Monroe, president, National Geographic Content in a statement.. “With this series, we aim to immortalize these stories and continue National Geographic’s legacy of authentic, powerful storytelling that provides deeper meaning around important historical events.”

The six-part series spans seven hours, with the first episode of the series -- which premiered June 11 at the Tribeca Film Festival -- running approximately two hours.

Read also: 'Sharkfest' Starts on National Geographic July 5

National Geographic airs the ninth annual Sharkfest starting July 5. The event starts with When Sharks Attack and then Shark Beach With Chris Hemsworth, as the movie star investigates how people can live more harmoniously alongside sharks. 

National Geographic promises 21 hours of new premieres and 60 hours of “enhanced content” over six weeks. 

Corporate sibling Disney Plus runs Sharkfest programming starting July 9, and features highlights from previous seasons beginning June 25. Disney Plus premieres Playing With Sharks, which sees conservationist Valerie Taylor offer a close examination and explanation of shark life, July 23. 

Hulu will stream the six previous seasons of When Sharks Attack. Nat Geo Wild airs Sharkfest content, too.  

“The mysteries of the ocean’s most iconic predators are so vast, even with eight years of shark-focused content under our belt, there still remains more to be discovered,” says Janet Vissering, senior VP of development and production, National Geographic Partners. “Like every year, shark scientists and oceanic experts have pulled out all the stops for this year’s Sharkfest, revealing new discoveries, shocking revelations and bizarre shark behavior never seen before. It’s going to be jaw-some!”

Other Sharkfest specials include Rogue Shark?, Orca Vs. Great White, Croc That Ate Jaws, World’s Most Dangerous Shark? and Killer Shark Vs. Killer Whale. 

Discovery hosts Shark Week and has not yet shared the date for the summer stunt. 

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the 7-day period through May 30.

On the strength of 312.6 million TV ad impressions, NBC's promo for the summer return of America's Got Talent takes first place. Two other competitions of sorts also make the cut: Fox hypes Lego Masters in third place while Country Music Television gives some love to the 2021 CMT Music Awards in fourth.

Rounding out the ranking are promos for two personality-driven shows: HGTV's Home Town Takeover, led by husband-and-wife reno team Ben and Erin Napier, in second place, and Nat Geo’s Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, starring the celebrity chef/adventurer, in fifth.

Notably, the Uncharted spot has this week’s highest iSpot Attention Index (132), meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

1) America's Got Talent, NBC

Impressions: 312,560,529

Interruption Rate: 1.46%

Attention Index: 109 (9% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 95%, Local 4%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,934,780

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $455,803

2) Home Town Takeover, HGTV

Impressions: 242,887,209

Interruption Rate: 1.54%

Attention Index: 112 (12% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,120,660

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $847

3) Lego Masters, Fox

Impressions: 240,676,028

Interruption Rate: 1.23%

Attention Index: 98 (2% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 93%, Local 6%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $462,134

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $1,357,801

4) 2021 CMT Music Awards, Country Music Television (CMT)

Impressions: 221,018,850

Interruption Rate: 1.68%

Attention Index: 117 (17% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 96%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,179,558

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $7,450

5) Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, National Geographic

Impressions: 184,616,127

Interruption Rate: 2.21%

Attention Index: 132 (32% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 87%, Local 12%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $511,577

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $677,323

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

National Geographic Tuesday released a first look trailer for its upcoming series The Hot Zone: Anthrax, set to debut Nov. 28. 

The follow-up to Nat Geo's 2019 limited series The Hot Zone -- the network's most watched scripted series ever -- The Hot Zone: Anthrax follows the 2001 wave of deadly anthrax letters mailed to journalists and politicians.

The six-episode series stars Daniel Dae Kim as FBI Special Agent Matthew Ryker, who sets out to track down the killer while finding himself ensnared in an unstable web of psychological warfare, said network officials. Tony Goldwyn also stars in the limited series.

National Geographic will launch a new series on National Parks while bringing back several series including Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted and Running wild with Bear Grylls as part of its 2021-22 programming season. 

The network has tapped Garth Brooks to narrate its National Parks history-themed series which will showcase the grandeur of America’s national parks, said the network during its upfront presentation Tuesday.

The network also announced that it will launch its 10th annual Sharfest event, which will take place in summer of 2022. Also on the network’s schedule is the November return of The Hot Zone scripted series franchise. The six-part The Hot Zone: Anthrax will focus on the events around the 2001 anthrax letters attack. The series stars Daniel Dae Kim and Tony Goldwyn.

New shows include The 80’s Top Ten focusing on the decade’s top pop culture events, and Brain Games on The Road, an extension of the network’s Brain Games franchise that will originate from different venues, giving average Americans the chance to test their brainpower. 

Nat Geo series renewals include Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, Running Wild With Bear Grylls, Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller and Life Below Zero.  The network will also bring back Explorer as a series of specials in partnership with ABC News, featuring Good Morning America co-anchors Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan. 

On the Nat Geo Wild front, the network has renewed six series as part of its 2021-22 programming season, including The incredible Dr. Pol, Critter Fixers: Country Vets, Dr.Oakley, Yukon Vet, Heartland Docs, DVM, Secrets of the Zoo Columbus and Secrets of the Zoo Tampa, according to network officials.

In addition, the network also announced Vet Appreciation Week, a week-long event dedicated to the professionals improving the health and welfare of animals. 

National Geographic has set a June 18 date for the premiere of its documentary film Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer,  the network said Monday.

The documentary focuses on the two-day Tulsa Massacre in 1921 that led to the murder of hundreds of Black people and left thousands homeless and displaced, said network executives. 

The film, produced by Dawn Porter (Good Trouble: John Lewis), reveals insights into racial conflict incidents that erupted in the early 20th century. It also follows the decades-long effort by descendants and community members to find victims' bodies and unearth truths that have been suppressed for nearly a century.

Bravo, Food Network, National Geographic and Travel Channel were among viewers’ favorites during the pandemic, according to a study by Beta Research.

Viewers between the ages of 25 and 56 were asked what network they especially liked to watch during the pandemic, and 57% said NBCUniversal’s Bravo, with 56% naming Food Network, National Geographic and Travel Channel. 

Also named by more than 52% of those asked were Discovery Channel, CNN, Oxygen, Hallmark Channel, CNBC, ESPN, MSNBC and MTV. 

Also Read: Fewer Ad Execs Expect Increased Spending on Cable Networks: Beta

The broadcast networks averaged 44%.

The list was different when Beta asked viewers 18 plus about their favorite channels. 

Investigation Discovery was the network most named, followed by Hallmark Channel, National Geographic, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. They were all cited by more than 48% of respondents.

The big broadcast networks were named on average by just 37% of cable subscribers.

Asked which network was most valuable, 60% of respondents replied Weather Channel. 

Weather Channel was followed by National Geographic, CNN, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, ID, CNBC, MSNBC and History.

The average broadcast network was named by 40% of respondents. 

Beta’s 2021 Brand Identity Study was conducted online in January, with a national sample of 3,510 cable subscribers. The study measured 56 basic or digital basic cable networks and the Big 4 broadcasters.

Show promos are a staple of TV advertising, helping networks to soak up excess ad inventory and ensuring a drumbeat of viewer awareness for current and upcoming series. But TV screens are just one way to reach audiences — as people spend more time in front of their computers and phones, networks are leveraging social video as well. 

Using insights from Tubular Labs and iSpot.tv, we examined three shows — Clarice, Rock the Block and Genius: Aretha — that networks have recently been promoting on TV to see how they’re being advertised on social video.

Clarice, the new CBS series based on the novel The Silence of the Lambs, is the No. 1 TV show promo so far in 2021, with 2.8 billion TV ad impressions, 449.5 million of which have occurred in March, per iSpot. CBS has taken a multi-pronged approach on social video: The show has its own Twitter and Facebook accounts, and CBS has also promoted it through the parent account. 

The initial promotions for Clarice came from the main CBS YouTube account, with two videos uploaded on May 19, 2020: “First Look at the New 2020-2021 CBS Primetime Schedule,” with just a brief mention of the show, while “Clarice - New Drama Coming Soon to CBS,” featured co-creators and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet talking about the genesis of the series. But most of the action is taking place on the Clarice-specific accounts.

Also Read: Watch-Time for Social Videos Around Gaming Sees Explosive Year-Over-Year Growth

Twitter has been the main vehicle for official promotional videos around the show, with 99 posted so far. The first Twitter video to go live was the same version of the teaser that was posted to YouTube. Leading up to the premiere, the Clarice Twitter account posted additional short clips, all highly stylized to give a creepy vibe, much in line with the show’s aesthetic. 

The most-viewed Twitter video, with 4.3 million views, was a Jan. 11 clip encouraging users to like the tweet for a reminder about the Feb. 11 premiere, while the second-place Twitter video by views (1.3 million), was a much more traditional promo akin to what you see on TV. Since then, Clarice has released short clips from the show, as well as cast and crew commentary, on Twitter.

In the cable world, HGTV has been putting major muscle behind season two of Rock the Block, which premiered March 8. It’s appeared in iSpot’s Promo Mojo ranking each week so far this month. 

According to iSpot, Rock the Block promos have racked up 686 million TV ad impressions in March alone, making it the No. 2 most-seen TV promo for the month overall.

HGTV has also uploaded 19 season two-related Rock the Block videos to its parent account on Facebook. The first, posted on Oct. 6, revealed the talent lineup with a typical COVID-era virtual video call. It’s generated 94.8K views, almost all of which occurred in the first week, according to Tubular. The next Facebook video, which went up on Feb. 13 and has 38.2K views, feels more like a traditional TV promo, complete with the lower-third promoting the premiere date. 

In March, HGTV used Facebook to reveal sneak peeks, advertise the premiere, engage fans and share clips from the show. The most-seen Facebook video for season two is “Rock the Block: Team Brian and Mika,” with 263K views, 231K of which occurred in the first week, per Tubular.

Finally, a look at National Geographic’s Genius: Aretha, which premiered on March 21 and is the third in the network’s Genius anthology. According to iSpot, TV promos for the limited series racked up 588.7 million TV ad impressions in March, and 844.7 million in total so far this year. 

Nat Geo has taken a somewhat modest approach on social video, with a few videos uploaded across YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. YouTube has the most clips (eight), and the most-viewed one is the initial trailer, posted June 25, 2020, with 653K views, nearly all of which occurred in the first month, per Tubular.

Of the top five most-watched Genius: Aretha YouTube videos, four are trailers with view counts ranging from 110K to 653K, while No. 5 is a behind-the-scenes look posted in August, with 73.7K views.

A recent video takes a different route: In mid-March, Nat Geo uploaded “All Hail the Queen: HBCU Band Tribute,” hosted by Lance Gross and presented by Genius: Aretha. 

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through March 21.

On the strength of 273.9 million TV ad impressions, a two-minute episode of Disney Channel’s comedy short series Random Rings — that doubles as a promo for Big City Greens — takes first place. Cable networks dominate our chart, with Disney joined by National Geographic, which hypes its Genius anthology series in second place; Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, which gives some love to Mystery 101 in fourth; and HGTV, which builds excitement for Rock the Block in fifth.

CBS, the sole traditional broadcaster in our ranking this time, promotes the 2021 NCAA Basketball Tournament in third place.

Notably, the Mystery 101 spot has the highest iSpot Attention Index (124) in our ranking, meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

1) Random Rings/Big City Greens, Disney Channel

Impressions: 273,880,086

Interruption Rate: 5.23%

Attention Index: 103 (3% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 99%, Local 0%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $2,130,988

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

2) Genius: Aretha, National Geographic

Impressions: 269,635,349

Interruption Rate: 1.46%

Attention Index: 111 (11% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 88%, Local 11%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,226,535

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $766,871

3) 2021 NCAA Basketball Tournament, CBS

Impressions: 224,227,457

Interruption Rate: 2.75%

Attention Index: 75 (25% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 81%, Local 18%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $577,559

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $2,273,138

4) Mystery 101, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Impressions: 212,111,306

Interruption Rate: 4.18%

Attention Index: 124 (24% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,096,368

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

5) Rock the Block, HGTV

Impressions: 208,998,416

Interruption Rate: 1.31%

Attention Index: 118 (18% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $832,742

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $154,382

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

National Geographic and Disney Plus will roll out highly-anticipated, scripted drama series during a week that features several marquee new shows and movies.

Nat Geo on March 21 will debut Genius: Aretha, it’s eight-part series based on the life of R&B soul singer Aretha Franklin. The third installment in the network’s Genius franchise will air across four consecutive nights.

March 19 will mark the premiere of Disney Plus’ Marvel-based series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The series stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprising their respective roles from the Marvel Avengers films. The six-episode series will stream weekly.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Feb. 22-Feb. 28 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

March 15 -- Bloodlands (drama) -- Acorn TV

March 16 -- Mayans MC (returning series) -- FX

March 17 -- Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (documentary) -- Netflix

March 18 -- Zack Snyder’s Justice League (movie) -- HBO Max

March 19 -- Calls (anthology drama) -- Apple TV Plus 

March 19 -- Cypher (drama) -- Roku

March 19 -- Country Comfort (comedy) -- Netflix

March 19 -- Formula 1: Drive to Survive (sports reality) -- Netflix

March 21 -- Q: Into the Storm (documentary) -- HBO Max

March 21 -- The Gloaming (drama) -- Starz

National Geographic continues its Genius franchise with a focus on the life of R&B music legend Aretha Franklin.

Much like its first two Genius projects about Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, Genius: Aretha is defined by the excellent performance of its lead star, Cynthia Erivo. It doesn’t take long for Erivo to embody the look and aura of the legendary singer. It also doesn’t take long for Erivo to deliver her well-established musical vocals to Aretha’s biggest and well-known hits, opening the series with a rendition of Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” during a live 1967 concert performance. 

The series also doesn’t wait long in delving into Franklin’s personal life, which has been mostly private and undisclosed to most observers. In just the first episode, viewers will learn of Franklin’s initial experiences with racism as a child; her complicated relationship with her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin (Courtney B. Vance), a well-known Detroit Baptist minister nicknamed “The Man with the Million Dollar Voice;” her often-turbulent early marriage; and her experiences as a young mother.

Also Read: Networks Look Overseas for Their Next Big Series

Viewers will also get a glimpse of Franklin’s grit and determination to be a star, as well as her natural musical abilities. Franklin was a self-taught pianist, and in one scene depicting a recording session, she explains to a group of musicians her vision of how a song should sound not through intricate musical terminology but through her own language and vibe. The mostly white musicians quickly pick up on Franklin’s cues, resulting in one of her biggest hits. 

The eight-episode series will take viewers through Franklin’s life and career, from her chart explosion and literal coronation as the “Queen of Soul” at a concert, to her unabashed support for the Civil Rights Movement, to her awkward but eventually successful transition through several changes in musical styles and trends. Fans of Franklin as well as of the Genius franchise will certainly not be disappointed in Genius: Aretha. 

National Geographic will air all eight episodes of Genius: Aretha across four consecutive nights beginning March 21.

New Disney Plus Superhero Series Is Marvel-ous

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, a Marvel Studios project with Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes and The Winter Soldier, premieres March 19 on Disney Plus. 

Those characters, and actors, are well-known in the Marvel movie universe, appearing in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame. (What they weren’t in — 1985 espionage movie The Falcon and the Snowman.) 

“Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan are spectacular actors and we felt like we hadn’t explored their stories or their backstories or their personal stories enough as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes,” said Kevin Feige, president, Marvel Studios and chief creative officer, Marvel. “So it was always the thought that we wanted to learn more about both of them.”

The characters “team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities,” said Disney Plus, “and their patience.”

Feige has long sought to put the characters center stage. “We thought if we ever had that opportunity, we’d watch a whole show with the two of them,” he said. “And Disney Plus finally gives us that opportunity.”

Nat Geo Remembers the Queen of Soul 

On March 21, National Geographic begins Genius: Aretha. It is the third installment of Genius, after series dedicated to Einstein and Picasso, and Nat Geo was eager to showcase a woman. “This felt the most exciting to us,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive VP of global scripted content at Nat Geo. “Aretha [Franklin] embodies all the different elements of what we look for in a show.”

That includes a body of work that any reasonable person would consider genius, and an array of “obstacles and pressures and conflict,” said Bernstein. 

There are eight episodes. The series explores “Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career, as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world in the first-ever, definitive and only authorized scripted limited series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul,” according to Nat Geo. 

Suzan-Lori Parks is the showrunner, and executive produces alongside Anthony Hemingway. Fittingly, Parks has received a MacArthur grant, known as a “Genius” grant. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard of Imagine Entertainment exec produce as well. 

Cynthia Erivo plays Franklin, who died in 2018. Courtney B. Vance plays her father, C.L. 

Bernstein feels Erivo nailed the challenging role. “She delivers both incredible musicianship and first rate acting chops,” she said. “She brings a tremendous amount of soul to the project.”

Vance wasn’t bad either. “He’s just spectacular,” Bernstein said.

National Geographic will develop a documentary that examines the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 that will premiere in June.

The Red Summer documentary focuses on the 100th anniversary of the two-day Tulsa Massacre that led to the murder of as many as 300 Black people and left as many as 10,000 homeless and displaced, according to the network. Washington Post journalist and Tulsa native DeNeen Brown is at the heart of the film, reporting on the search for mass graves in her hometown, said network executives. 

Nat Geo will premiere Red Summer in June, commemorating Juneteenth when the last Black slaves in the U.S. heard of their emancipation. The documentary is produced by Dawn Porter’s (Good Trouble: John Lewis) Trilogy Films and Trailblazer Studios in association with National Geographic Studios. 

National Geographic has set a March 21 date for the debut of its Genius: Aretha mini-series profiling the life of legendary R&B singer Aretha Franklin.

The eight-episode series stars Cynthia Erivo as the Queen of Soul. Nat Geo will air two episodes each week over four consecutive nights beginning March 21, with episodes appearing on Hulu the day after airing. All episodes will be available for streaming on March 25, Franklin’s birthday. 

The network also announced four new unscripted projects from Free Solo producers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.

The deal includes two feature documentaries, a 10-part series and a one-hour pilot. The projects includes the feature documentary Thai Cave Rescue that chronicles the 2018 rescue of a boys’ soccer team trapped inside a flooded cave in Thailand. Another project profiles conservationist Kristine Tompkins, while Into the Unknown focuses on elite athletes, and Photographer profiles Nat Geo photographers. 

“Chai and Jimmy are masterful storytellers who bring unparalleled artistry and distinctive vision to everything they do,” said Carolyn Bernstein, EVP of scripted content and documentary films for National Geographic in a statement. “We are proud to continue our partnership with them to tell these profound stories in an authentic yet innovative way.”

A trio of ABC-owned TV stations is teaming up with National Geographic to air California Dreaming: The Future of the Golden State, a five-part series (plus a special) on the future of California.

National Geographic was one of the assets ABC owner Disney got with its purchase of 21st Century Fox.

The series will air Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. during the newscasts of KABC-TV Los Angeles (4 p.m. PST), KGO-TV San Francisco (6 p.m. PST) and KFSN-TV Fresno, Calif. (6 p.m. PST) followed by a 30-minute special airing Feb. 6 at 9 p.m. PST, with a re-airing on all stations at 9 p.m. Feb. 13.

The series, including an extended version, will be available for streaming via the station's connected apps (on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV) and on Hulu.

Each episode will look at issues like cost of living and the threats of wildfires and earthquakes, but also highlight the "inescapable beauty, allure and one-of-a-kind opportunities" the state offers.

B+C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through Dec. 6.

On the strength of 335.1 million TV ad impressions, a Freeform promo for its continuing 25 Days of Christmas movie marathon takes first place.

NBC, the sole traditional broadcaster in our ranking, grabs second to promote new medical drama Nurses, while MTV hypes reality competition The Challenge: Double Agents in third, plus the MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time in fourth. Finally, in fifth, National Geographic gives some love to Trafficked, a new documentary series hosted by investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller.

Notably, the Freeform spot has the highest iSpot Attention Index (115) in our ranking, meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

1) 25 Days of Christmas, Freeform

Impressions: 335,111,169

Interruption Rate: 2.24%

Attention Index: 115 (15% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 95%, Local 4%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $3,091,171

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $112,236

2) Nurses, NBC

Impressions: 304,714,106

Interruption Rate: 2.57%

Attention Index: 78 (22% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 90%, Local 9%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $6,739,398

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $633,935

3) The Challenge: Double Agents, MTV

Impressions: 230,186,730

Interruption Rate: 3.57%

Attention Index: 103 (3% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 83%, Local 16%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $3,109,106

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $1,003,324

4) MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time, MTV

Impressions: 185,633,523

Interruption Rate: 3.55%

Attention Index: 105 (5% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 88%, Local 11%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,198,356

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $991,539

5) Trafficked, National Geographic

Impressions: 173,376,404

Interruption Rate: 2.44%

Attention Index: 105 (5% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 91%, Local 8%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,548,096

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $417,949

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

A mix of new series, documentaries and new episodes from two Emmy award winning shows help usher in the month of December on cable and streaming services.

Hulu will debut its adaptation of the classic franchise The Hardy Boys on Dec. 4, while Showtime on Dec. 6 will premiere Your Honor, starring Emmy-award winning actor Bryan Cranston in his first series role since Breaking Bad.

On the sports documentary front, Showtime on Dec. 4 will explore the career of former boxing champion Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho in Macho: The Hector Camacho Story.

HBO on Dec. 6 will debut a special episode of its freshman series Euphoria, which stars Emmy-winning actress Zendaya, while the same night Showtime will premiere the 11th and final season of its Emmy-winning comedy series Shameless.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 6 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Dec. 2 -- Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller (reality) -- National Geographic

Dec. 3 -- Anything for Jackson (horror) -- Shudder

Dec. 3 -- Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults (documentary) -- HBO Max

Dec. 4 -- Small Axe: Red, White and Blue (drama) -- Prime Video

Dec. 4 -- Big Mouth (returning series) -- Netflix

Dec. 4 -- Earth at Night in Color (documentary) -- Apple TV Plus

Dec. 4 -- Selena: The Series (drama) -- Netflix

Dec. 4 -- Stillwater (animation) -- Apple TV Plus

 National Geographic will bring back its drama series The Hot Zone for a sophomore campaign, the network said Wednesday.

The six-hour series, from Touchstone Television and Scott Free Productions, will focus on the anthrax attacks of 2001, according to network officials. The first season of The Hot Zone, which debut in May 2019 and starred Julianna Margulies, finished as the most-watched scripted series in network history.

“The gripping, propulsive story of the hunt for the anthrax killer who terrorized the country in the dark days that followed the Sept. 11 attack couldn’t be more timely,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president, Global Scripted Content and Documentary Films in a statement.  “As the world battles COVID-19, another deadly and mysterious virus, The Hot Zone: Anthrax is a scientific thriller for our time.”        

National Geographic will air the five-part documentary series City So Real commercial-free on Oct. 29, the network said Thursday.

The series, from filmmakers Steve James and Zak Piper, focuses on Chicago, offering a complex portrait of the city set against the backdrop of the 2019 mayoral election, said the network. 

During the unprecedented telecast, National Geographic will offer PSAs encouraging viewers to vote in the upcoming election as part of a new partnership with the I am a voter organization. 

National Geographic is also launching an educational campaign, which will provide City So Real to classrooms across the country through virtual screenings to help further the dialog, voter resources and a voter guide to highlight the importance of local elections.

Disney Plus Wednesday released a video trailer for its new original series Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which debut Sept. 25.

The eight-episode series, produced by National Geographic and narrated by actor Josh Gad, explores nature within Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT, said service officials.

The episodes dive into the details of animal care and conservation, and showcases the parks’ more than 300 species and 5,000-plus animals and the tasks animal care experts undertake to keep things running day and night, said Disney Plus.