Breakthrough: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 5 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 4 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 4 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

National Geographic | Season Premiere Date: November 1, 2015

Summary: The six-part series features focuses on the latest scientific research on such topics as pandemics, aging, robotics, the brain, energy and water. Peter Berg, Brett Ratner and Adrien Brody, Paul Giamatti, Ron Howard, Akiva Goldsman and Jason Bateman, and Angela Bassett are some of the directors and actors involved.

Genre(s): News/Documentary, Health & Lifestyle, Documentary, Science, Tech & Gaming

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E11. OSIRIS-REx: The Return
Air Date: November 30, -0001
tbd
S1:E10. The Great Seaweed Invasion
Air Date: October 23, 2023
tbd
S1:E9. Forecasting the Big One
Air Date: November 30, -0001

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Mark Dawidziak

Oct 29, 2015

Much of this sounds grim, but Breakthrough is anything but depressing in its overall tone. After putting towering problems into chilling perspective, the series humanizes the issues, keeping the focus on individual stories. Read full review

Dorothy Rabinowitz

Oct 29, 2015

The breakthroughs described in National Geographic Channel’s ambitious six-part series aren’t all equal in promise or tone. Read full review

Neil Genzlinger

Oct 30, 2015

Prominent entertainment figures direct programs on six scientific challenges facing the world, and the results are interesting enough. They’re just not especially revolutionary, unlike some of the work they document. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Oct 29, 2015

As the introductory hour demonstrates, there’s only so much a director can do with this kind of material, and certain efforts to make it more accessible risk becoming risible. Simply put, it’s hard to make some of this stuff exciting, no matter how beautiful the animation is, or how artfully one shoots the drips of blood generated by an outbreak of Ebola.... Judged strictly on its merits, the hours are perfectly respectable. Read full review

Daniel Fienberg

Oct 30, 2015

When the filmmakers get to showcase a true personal investment in the subject matter, the episodes really shine. When the directors approach the subject from a distance, what you get is a by-the-numbers NatGeo special, which isn't a bad thing, but plays as really disappointing given the names involved here. From this batch, examples of the latter outnumber the former, with only one installment that's truly worth seeking out. Read full review

User Score

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8.5

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User Reviews

GeorginaBatt

Apr 17, 2016

Excellent series with top production values. Every film is different in style and tone. Fighting Pandemics is a scary medical story, More Than Human is warm and funny, The Brain is a humanist science film. Nice to see this kind of thing on TV.

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Kaleeshi

Nov 12, 2015

Saw only two episodes. Probably not made to provide answers or overview as this is more a collection of anecdotes and incidents. In a way rather humble and modest approach. More like people in the field would experience it. Refreshing in a world where we get bombarded with opinionated pretSaw only two episodes. Probably not made to provide answers or overview as this is more a collection of anecdotes and incidents. In a way rather humble and modest approach. More like people in the field would experience it. Refreshing in a world where we get bombarded with opinionated pret a consumé pieces.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Seasons & Episodes

66

Series Overview
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: December 5, 2019
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: December 5, 2019
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: May 2, 2017
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: May 9, 2017
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: October 19, 2019
Season 1

66
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: November 1, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E11. OSIRIS-REx: The Return
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E10. The Great Seaweed Invasion
  Air Date: October 23, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E9. Forecasting the Big One
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E8. Mars InSight/T-Rex Timeline
  Air Date: November 13, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E7. Fusion: Harnessing the Power of Stars
  Air Date: November 6, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E4. The Age of Aging
  Air Date: November 29, 2015