Nat Geo unveils first Monroe slate

A one-off documentary about life before the 9/11 terrorist attacks leads the first raft of commissions by National Geographic Channel under new CEO Courteney Monroe.

9/10 The Final Hours will premiere on Sunday September 7 at 21.00 (ET/PT) and reflects on the time immediately before the attack on New York.

The two-hour doc speaks to those who worked inside the World Trade Center and who made snap decisions that resulted in them escaping the tragedy. It also speaks to waitresses and airline staff who dealt with terrorists Mohamed Atta and Abdulaziz Alomari immediately beforehand.

Director Erik Nelson said: “So many films have told the story of the unfolding tragedy of September 11 that we decided to explore what happened on the eve of that moment.”

The film is produced by Creative Differences Productions, with Erik Nelson and Kathleen Cromley executive producing.

The film was announced at the network’s annual TCA presentation in Los Angeles this week. Monroe took over following the departure of president Howard T Owens and CEO David Lyle in April.

The slate also includes Mapology (working title), a series produced and hosted by actor and former White House associate director Kal Penn that explores the hidden ways information, data and maps provide insight into our daily lives.

Pen has previously starred in House and How I Met Your Mother and hosted Discovery Channel series The Big Brain Theory.

The series is being produced by National Geographic Studios and will launch on the US channel in spring 2015 followed by a roll-out across Nat Geo’s international networks in 170 territories and 45 languages.

The network has also picked up Kickstarter-funded series Chug to air in the fall. The series follows host Zane Lamprey on a railway tour of the world designed to uncover international drinking traditions and cultures.

Lamprey raised funds for the series, produced by Inzane Entertainment, via the crowd-funding platform and executive produces the series with Mike Kelly.

Relativity Television is also working on Eric Greenspan is Hungry, a culinary US road trip series set to premiere in November fronted by the larger-than-life chef.

In related news, National Geographic Channel in South Korea has acquired a one-off doc about the country’s secretive northern neighbour from Hong Kong-based broadcaster Phoenix Satellite Television.

The Journey to North Korea 2013 (1×60’) has been given a tentative August premiere date by Nat Geo in South Korea. Phoenix has been producing documentaries about North Korea annually since 2009 and the latest visit reveals the changes under Kim Jong-un’s leadership.