"Tom Hanks brings his trademark gravitas to a definitive retelling of the war that shaped the modern world."
History’s World War II with Tom Hanks represents a definitive pivot back to prestige non-fiction for the network. By pairing the voice of Hollywood’s unofficial historian with restored archival footage, the series moves beyond mere chronology to explore the human cost of global conflict. This is not a dry lecture; it is a meticulously paced examination of leadership and sacrifice. The weekly airing schedule creates a collective viewing experience reminiscent of event television from decades past. Each episode deepens the context of the Greatest Generation, ensuring that the lessons of the 1940s remain sharp and relevant for a modern audience. As the stakes of the conflict escalate through the winter, viewers should prepare to track Season 1 for its unparalleled historical clarity.
| Watched? | # | Air Date | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | May 25, 2026 | The Beginning | |
| E2 | May 25, 2026 | Blitz | |
| E3 | May 25, 2026 | Barbarossa | |
| E4 | Jun 01, 2026 | Pearl Harbor | |
| E5 | Jun 01, 2026 | The War at Sea | |
| E6 | Jun 08, 2026 | Guadalcanal | |
| E7 | Jun 08, 2026 | Darkness Falls | |
| E8 | Jun 15, 2026 | Operation Torch | |
| E9 | Jun 15, 2026 | Secrets and Lies | |
| E10 | Jun 22, 2026 | Stalingrad | |
| E11 | Jun 22, 2026 | Italy | |
| E12 | Jun 29, 2026 | Battle for the Skies | |
| E13 | Jul 06, 2026 | Overlord | |
| E14 | Jul 06, 2026 | Episode 14 | |
| E15 | Jul 06, 2026 | Episode 15 | |
| E16 | Jul 13, 2026 | Episode 16 | |
| E17 | Jul 13, 2026 | Episode 17 | |
| E18 | Episode 18 | ||
| E19 | Episode 19 | ||
| E20 | Episode 20 |
Production Type: Limited Series
World War II with Tom Hanks is a standalone Limited Series that concluded its 10-episode run in December 2024. This production serves as a comprehensive visual record of the global conflict, utilizing restored footage and expert testimony to provide a definitive chronological overview. Narrated by Tom Hanks, the series was designed as a singular educational journey rather than an ongoing franchise, ensuring that every major theater of war was covered within its set duration.
The scale of the project involved extensive archival research and the integration of personal stories to humanize the massive geopolitical shifts of the 1940s. Because the narrative follows the historical timeline from the rise of the Axis powers to the eventual Allied victory, the series reaches a natural and absolute conclusion. There are no plans for additional seasons, as the production was specifically curated to stand as a complete historical document for future generations.