National Geographic Announces Slate of New Unscripted Series Underpinned by Unique Access, Untapped Archive, and Emotional Storytelling and Eye-Witness Testimony

National Geographic’s newest franchise INSIDE THE FBI (w.t.) begins with THE ’70s, in an all-new docuseries exposing the organization’s untapped archive from the most notorious cases of that turbulent decade. From executive producer Idris Elba, THE COLOR OF VICTORY: HEROES OF WW2 (w.t.) reveals the true stories of soldiers of color who were integral to four of the greatest battles of World War II. WAKING THE DEAD (w.t.) follows investigative organization The DNA Doe Project as it uses cutting-edge techniques to discover the identities of those whose bodies lie unclaimed and forgotten around the nation.

“At Nat Geo, we’re drawn to stories and ideas which combine deep insight with incredible emotion,” said Tom McDonald, executive vice president, Global Factual and Unscripted Content, National Geographic. “These new greenlights epitomize that – whether it be WWII, cutting-edge genetic detective work or the history of the FBI – these are documentary series underpinned by privileged access, packed full of revelation and told in a gripping, edge-of-your-seat way. It’s thrilling that incredible talent like Idris Elba are joining us as we tell stories that have global significance and resonance.”

These new greenlights demonstrate National Geographic’s dedication to groundbreaking storytelling that informs and inspires global audiences. In its more than 135-year history, it remains the brand of record for retelling events that forever changed the shape of history with breadth and depth.

New content includes the following:

INSIDE THE FBI: THE ’70s (w.t.)

In a transformative and revolutionary decade that reshaped America, the FBI is faced with some of the greatest challenges in its history. From the Watergate scandal and the bureau’s own internal corruption to a shocking escalation in domestic terror, the birth of alarming cults and the proliferation of serial killers, each new threat drives the FBI to adapt or die in a country undergoing a rapid and profound evolution.

Featuring in-depth access to the agents at the heart of each case, INSIDE THE FBI: THE ’70s examines the successes and failures of these investigations as the organization fights new and emerging threats at every turn. With a nation reeling from Vietnam and Civil Rights clashes, the FBI confronts a new generation that refuses to adhere to the rules. Utilizing untapped revelatory FBI archive and unique eyewitness testimony from the FBI agents and their adversaries, this series is not only a white-knuckle ride through the criminal cases that defined America, it also exposes an American society in turmoil. INSIDE THE FBI explores how this once proud law enforcement agency had to rebuild itself and its reputation under the onslaught of relentless crimes – the truths they uncover have shocking legacies that still reverberate throughout the U.S. to this day.

INSIDE THE FBI is produced by October Films. For October Films, Johanna Woodford Gibbon, Jos Cushing and Matt Robins are executive producers. For National Geographic, Josh Cole is executive producer; Charlie Parsons is senior vice president, development; and Tom McDonald is executive vice president, Global Factual and Unscripted Content.

THE COLOR OF VICTORY: HEROES OF WW2 (w.t.)

Over 10 million people of color fought on the Allied side – but their achievements have largely been airbrushed out of traditional narratives. Empathetically narrated by Idris Elba, whose own grandfather served in the war, this premium box set series turns the lens on global history.

The series focuses on three unsung heroes in each episode, true-life soldiers and sailors hailing from India to Idaho. Through premium dramatization, mixing war sequences with deep character portraits, the stories of these men and their units will be told for the first time, highlighting the roles they played in epic theaters of war – Dunkirk, Pearl Harbor, D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Intercut with powerful testimony from our core characters’ descendants, insight from specialist historians and meticulously sourced archive of the soldiers themselves, THE COLOR OF VICTORY restores the stories of these men and their units to their rightful place in the narrative of WW2.

This series not only enriches our understanding of these battles, it also reveals how the war experiences of people of color directly inspired post-war movements for freedom that swept the globe, from Civil Rights in America to colonial independence in India, Africa and beyond – global movements and a continuous fight for freedom that still resonate today.

THE COLOR OF VICTORY: HEROES OF WW2 is produced by Green Door Pictures and October Films. For Green Door Pictures, Idris Elba, Jamilla Dumbuya and Khaled Gad are executive producers. For October Films, Johanna Woodford Gibbon, Jos Cushing and Matt Robins are executive producers. For National Geographic, Sean D. Johnson and Simon Raikes are executive producers; Charlie Parsons is senior vice president, development; and Tom McDonald is executive vice president, Global Factual and Unscripted Content.

WAKING THE DEAD (W.T.)

Today, throughout the United States, 50,000 bodies lie unidentified, unable to be named, mourned, and brought home. Each of these was a person with a family, an identity, a story. Until recently there had been no way to find out who they are. Now the work of the DNA Doe Project (DDP), trailblazers in investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), is helping to change all that. With unprecedented access to this groundbreaking organization, Waking the Dead (wt) will follow DDP investigators in emotionally charged real-life cases as they use cutting-edge techniques to identify John and Jane Does from around the nation. Fusing new DNA technology with genealogical detective work and focusing on one case per episode, Waking the Dead follows the investigation from start to finish – from initial mystery, through DNA extraction and painstaking genetic investigation, to discovery of the person’s identity and story, culminating in a resolution for families, investigators and communities who have carried the emotional burden of these cases, sometimes for decades. From the unnamed victims of notorious serial killers to those consigned to unmarked graves, Waking the Dead unlocks a secret history of America as each identified Doe is finally laid to rest – and given back his or her name.

WAKING THE DEAD is produced by Wall to Wall. For Wall to Wall, Leanne Klein and Jeremy Dear are executive producers. For National Geographic, Simon Raikes is commissioning editor; Charlie Parsons is senior vice president, development; and Tom McDonald is executive vice president, Global Factual and Unscripted Content.