The latest documentary series by National Geographic, Welcome to Earth, stars Will Smith as he teams up with the world’s greatest explorers to uncover this planet’s greatest wonders. The series is a new addition in the genre of “mega-docs” with action-driven drama, epic cinematography, and A-list talent.
While most viewers will know Will Smith from his many portrayals of a brave, adventurous hero, in Welcome to Earth we get to see the real Will, who makes for a great lead for audiences to follow, especially as he challenges himself to go through these once-in-a-lifetime experiences. He is humbled, vulnerable, and open to expressing his fears and concerns.
Guiding Will and audiences around the Earth include explorers such as:
- Dwayne Fields, a polar expeditionist, was the first Black Briton to reach the North Pole and has dedicated his life to helping urban youth by focusing on outdoor activities, such as walking and climbing.
- Erik Weihenmayer is the only blind person in history to climb Mount Everest, has kayaked the entire 277-miles of the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River, and is an internationally recognized speaker who brings his message of living a “no barriers life” to audiences worldwide.
- Dr. Diva Amon, a marine biologist focused on the little-known habitats and creatures of the deep ocean and has ventured 2.6 kilometers below the ocean’s surface.
- Dr. Albert Lin is an engineer with a Ph.D. in materials science who has hosted several documentary series.
The six-part series does a great job of balancing the focus on Will Smith’s adventures along with a look at other explorers tasked with examining the Earth in a thematically similar lens, but independently and without one of Hollywood’s icons sharing screen time. This pacing and format works well to reward viewers with a variety of filmed experiences that keeps our attention and focus.
The series is available today on Disney+.
