I love science. I love Will Smith. I love the original content that Nat Geo is producing these days. That’s why “One Strange Rock” is shaping up to be an epic series that I can’t wait to see.
Will Smith revealed the news that he will be hosting the new 10-part Nat Geo series with a brief teaser video on his Facebook page. The premise of the series is to provide viewers with a thrilling and unique perspective on planet Earth, and how this particular rock hurtling through space happens to be brimming with wonderfully diverse life.
As awesome as Will Smith is as both an actor and a musician, what will really make ‘One Strange Rock’ remarkable is the unique perspectives provided by a roster of elite astronauts. ‘One Strange Rock’ leverages a cast of astronauts to bring their insight and emotion into the story and share their personal experiences as they explore themes such as the genesis of life, death, cosmic violence, human intelligence and more.
It is more important than ever that people have a deeper understanding of the history of our planet, and insight into some of the imminent challenges we face. Regardless of race, creed, nationality, sexual orientation or political affiliation, this is the only planet we have (right now), and we need to figure out how to protect and share it until or unless we can find a suitable alternative. Astronauts have celebrity status to most people, and they have a unique point of view and set of experiences to draw from to help shed light on the subject.
The astronauts include people like Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian astronaut to command the International Space Station (ISS) and author of “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth.” He established a following while he was on the ISS, but is probably most well-known for the video he made covering the song Space Oddity before he left the station.
Other astronauts in the lineup include Mae Jemison and Peggy Whitson. Jemison was the first African-American woman to go to space, and a consultant for the phenomenal Nat Geo series Mars. Whitson recently completed her third journey to space and set a NASA record for the most days in space with 665.
“Our goal here is to reimagine factual programming and give viewers a cinematic spectacle like they have never seen before,” says Jane Root, executive producer of the show. “We’ll unpack the science behind our marvelous planet, and provide stories that are entertaining and provocative; and who better to do that with than the visionary Darren Aronofsky and his partners at Protozoa Pictures, the incomparable Will Smith and our team of legendary astronauts?”
The series claims to redefine both the natural history and science genres, taking viewers on an epic journey that spans 45 countries, six continents, and even outer space. ‘One Strange Rock’ will premier on Nat Geo in March of 2018 in 43 languages across 172 countries.
