National Geographic produced the series as a streaming exclusive for Disney. Before the showed premiered in July 2022, Disney announced that they would be working with V/SPEED Films on the series, who supplied footage that was captured using cinema-grade cameras mounted to fighter jets, which is a first for the industry.[9]Joe Trapanese composed the score of the documentary.[10][11]
Episodes
No.
Title
Original air date
1
"Land of Heroes"
July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)
Meet the untamed heroes of the wildest, most beautiful continent on Earth.
2
"Waterland"
July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)
Animals must master both water and land in the beautiful southeastern USA.
3
"Northland"
July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)
Witness epic winters and spectacular summers, where timing is everything.
4
"Wild West"
July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)
Wild heroes forge a living in the deserts and coasts of the American West.
5
"Heartland"
July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)
In the most extreme place on Earth, animals must seize every opportunity.
6
"Brave New World"
July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)
Witness the heroes fighting to preserve America's wildlife and wild places.
Release
The series was released on July 4, 2022, coinciding with Independence Day in the United States.[12][13] It consists of six episodes.[14][15]
Reception
Critical response
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.90/10, based on 5 critic reviews.[16]Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 84 out of 100 based on 4 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[17]
Joel Keller of Decider wrote, "Despite the series' scattershot focus, America The Beautiful has more than enough spectacular footage to satisfy fans of nature docuseries."[18] John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal said, "It's a feel-good physical exam of the third largest and "most diverse" continent, environmentally speaking, and while there's no voice saying, "I'm North America and I approve this message," if a place could run for president, this show could be the campaign ad."[19]
Stephanie Morgan of Common Sense Media gave America the Beautiful a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, praised the presence of educational value, and complimented the positive messages and role models, writing, "Nature footage and storytelling like nothing seen before."[20] Aimee Mills of Collider included America the Beautiful in their "10 Best Wildlife Documentaries On Disney+ Right Now" list, saying, "With stunning shots of nature at its finest, it's a great new series to get stuck into if you're in the mood for beautiful landscape visuals from the Arctic to the deep South."[21]