Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Morgan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Nature footage and storytelling like nothing seen before.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
America the Beautiful
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL is a nature docuseries narrated by Michael B. Jordan (of Black Panther) that utilizes brand-new methods of documenting Earth's richest and most diverse landscapes unique to North America. Broken down by region, each episode highlights the intelligent and courageous creatures that inhabit them and frames its featured animals as "heroes" that must be smart and brave to persevere.
Is It Any Good?
In an increasingly crowded field of next-generation nature documentaries, this stunning series stands out for a number of reasons. Unique for its unbelievable methods of obtaining footage, as well as its special brand of storytelling, America the Beautiful will leave you awe-struck. You can't talk about this docuseries without immediately marveling at the videography. With each new segment, you'll again ask yourself, "How could they have possibly gotten that footage?"
Jumping out first are the sweeping aerial views that allow the viewer to take in America's blending landscapes from a soaring bird's-eye perspective. These shots, along with what seem like impossibly close-up images of supercell storms and tornadoes, are the first ever in a natural history series to be obtained by fixing fighter jets with cinema-grade cameras. Equally as impressive are the use of state-of-the-art remote and gyro-stabilized cameras to frame complete "hero's journey" storylines for the animals featured. One of many gasp-worthy scenes takes viewers on a seamless progression from some of the ocean's smallest creatures to one of its largest. The creators even manage to weave in the rich diversity of the American peoples in meaningful ways, featuring Indigenous cultures both on-screen and throughout the soundtrack. The entire experience is nothing short of remarkable and one you'll want to share with the entire family.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how nature shows like America the Beautiful shape our view of nature. Do you think you understand nature better when you watch a show like this? What about North America surprised you?
This show often talks about the animals featured as being "heroes." Do you agree? What makes a hero? What is perseverance, and is it a trait that heroes often have?
Violence in the natural world is a survival situation. How does it differ from violence we see in the news today?
What's more exciting: the way the show looks, or the animal behavior it presents? Do the new ways that the show obtained the high-definition footage make that big a difference? Why?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 5, 2022
- Cast: Michael B. Jordan , Thao V. Tran
- Network: Disney+
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Science and Nature , Wild Animals
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
What to Watch Next
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate