"The Americas," a new nature series narrated by Tom Hanks and scored by Hans Zimmer, launches on Feb. 23 — and we have all the details on how to watch it.
► Watch in U.S.: NBC / Peacock
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The 10-part series is initially coming out on NBC in the U.S., but it was co-produced alongside the BBC so will be coming to the U.K. at some point in the future.
The series "takes us into the wildest and most remote areas of two continents that are seldom depicted on TV," according to NBC, marking "the first time North America and South America, home to the largest variety of life on the planet, are at the center of a wildlife documentary series."
Read on for all the details on how to watch "The Americas" online and on TV.
Watch 'The Americas' in the U.S.: TV & Streaming
"The Americas" will launch exclusively in the U.S. on Feb. 23 and will be available to watch on television on NBC or on-demand via the Peacock streaming platform.
NBC is a major TV network with local branches that are available on many cable TV packages. Peacock is NBC's primary streaming service.
All new episodes will premiere on NBC on Sunday evenings, starting with a double-header on Feb. 23, and they'll be made available to stream on Peacock the following day.
If you don't have NBC on your TV, you can still live stream the premieres, either by using a cord-cutting streaming service, such as Sling TV and Fubo, or by signing up to the Premium Plus plan with Peacock, which lets you stream your local NBC channel live.
When is 'The Americas' on? TV and streaming schedule in the U.S.
- Episode 1 – Premieres Sunday Feb. 23 at 7pm EST on NBC
- Episode 2 – Premieres Sunday Feb. 23 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 3 – Premieres Sunday March 2 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 4 – Premieres Sunday March 9 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 5 – Premieres Sunday March 16 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 6 – Premieres Sunday March 23 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 7 – Premieres Sunday March 30 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 8 – Premieres Sunday April 6 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 9 – Premieres Sunday April 13 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Episode 10 – Premieres Sunday April 20 at 8pm EST on NBC
- Bonus episode: ("The Making of The Americas") – Premieres April 21 on Peacock
Can I watch "The Americas" in the U.K.?
Not yet. "The Americas" is only launching in the U.S. initially, but it will be coming to the U.K. in the future.
The series was co-produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit and has been acquired by the BBC from NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution. The BBC has confirmed the series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer but hasn't confirmed when.
What is the release date for 'The Americas' on the BBC?
There is no confirmed release date for "The Americas" on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It's likely to be after the conclusion of the U.S. run in April and before the end of the year, but we'll update this page when we have confirmation.
Watch 'The Americas' from anywhere
If you're traveling overseas you can watch "The Americas" from anywhere using a virtual private network, or VPN.
Peacock, along with live TV streaming services such as Sling and Fubo, are geo-restricted, meaning they usually only work in the U.S. But a VPN is a piece of internet security software that can alter a device's IP address to make it appear to be in a different country.
"The Americas" – Trailer
'The Americas' – Episode guide
Each of the 10 episodes visits a different corner of the Americas. The episode titles are as follows:
Episode 1: "The Atlantic Coast"
Episode 2: "Mexico"
Episode 3: "The Wild West"
Episode 4: "The Amazon"
Episode 5: "The Frozen North"
Episode 6: "The Gulf Coast"
Episode 7: "The Andes"
Episode 8: "The Caribbean"
Episide 9: "The West Coast"
Episode 10: "Patagonia"
Bonus episode: "The Making of The Americas"
Why is Tom Hanks presenting The Americas?
You might be wondering what Tom Hanks is doing narrating a nature series — he is, after all, better known for his work on the big screen, starring in some of the biggest movies of the past 40 years, including "Forrest Gump," "Cast Away," "Apollo 13," "Saving Private Ryan," "Toy Story" and many more.
He might not have the naturalist credentials of David Attenborough, but the creators of the show believe he possesses a similar gravitas to the legendary British presenter.
"We asked ourselves, 'Who is the American version of David Attenborough?'" Toby Gorman, president of Universal Television Alternative Studio, recently said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "We agreed internally there was a list of one: Tom Hanks. What we didn’t know was if he would agree to do it. [But] it resonated with him."
Hanks himself has embraced the role, bringing his own sense of awe to the table, which perhaps contrasts with the more knowing gaze of Attenborough.
"A ton of it is also just me reacting to this footage. There are times where I cannot believe what I am looking at," Hanks said in a Today interview. "There is not a moment of artificiality in there. Nothing has been CGI'd ... [You ask yourself], 'How long is someone bent over an eyepiece of a camera, saying, I think the bee is going to land where the other bee is?'"
What to expect from 'The Americas'
The creators of "The Americas" claim it is "one of the most ambitious wildlife series ever produced," shining a light on two continents that "are seldom depicted on TV."
The series features some "iconic" U.S locations that viewers will "instantly recognize" but also heads to some of the most remote locations on Earth.
The series takes in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the tropics, subtropics and the equator, promising never-before-seen footage of the vast array of landscapes and animal behavior in the Americas.
"I had this idea for many years that there was one place on the planet that, for some reason, no one had ever really done a full job on, which is the whole of the Americas," said Mike Gunton, the show's executive producer who has worked on some of the BBC's most popular nature programs. "It’s all about the scale of the place. There is nowhere on Earth that has this range," he said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Spanning five years, 180 expeditions, and 87,000 miles, "The Americas" is billed as unprecedented in terms of its ambition.
"It was expensive. There were so many risks," Gorman said. "It is the most expensive, unscripted project in NBC's history, as far as I know. But we are confident it’s been worth it."
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