National Geographic and Screen Rant unveil character portraits for Nat Geo's new limited series Barkskins. While National Geographic is best known for its non-fiction content, focusing on nature, science, and everything in between, the network has begun to gradually shift towards scripted content. Last year, it found great success with the limited series The Hot Zone, which starred Juliana Margulies, the wonderful Mars series, and later this year, The Right Stuff is on the way. Now, Nat Geo is ready to present its next scripted show to the world.
Barkskins, which will premiere on May 25, is based on the novel of the same name by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx. It centers on a mysterious massacre of settlers in 17th century New France, a vast and unforgiving landscape. Barkskins was created by Elwood Reid (The Chi, The Bridge) and stars Marcia Gay Harden and David Thewlis as two of the settlers found in New France. Additional cast members include Aneurin Barnard, James Bloor, Christian Cooke, David Wilmot, Thomas M. Wright, Tallulah Haddon, Kaniehtiio (Tiio) Horn, Lily Sullivan, and Zahn McClarnon.
Ahead are the character portraits for Barkskins, giving the first glimpse at the full cast along with the setting itself, which promises to play a vital part in the series. Barkskins is an 8-part series that will run for four weeks, with two episodes airing each Monday. Check out the portraits in the space below:
At its core, Barkskins is "a primeval story of survival and the quest to build a civilization out of the endless forest," according to Reid. The harsh setting of New France - what is Quebec, Canada today - looks to provide some rich conflict for the large cast of characters to navigate. It almost seems like New France could double as an additional character, though Barkskins is hardly in need of that. Wonder Woman alum Thewlis plays Claude Trepagny, a wealthy landowner with big plans for the settlement, while Harden is Mathilde Geffard, the local innkeeper with a knack for secrets. Everyone has their own goals and dreams to be found in New France, and it's likely they'll work hard to get them, perhaps even at the cost of others.
Barkskins looks like an exciting miniseries that can also shed some light on a historical time period that not many people might be familiar with. To put it another way, it looks exactly like something National Geographic would be proud to air. For those eager for some new entertainment, Barkskins just might fit the bill. The mystery at the center of the series - who was responsible for the massacre - sounds compelling and can keep audiences invested through all eight episodes. In just a matter of weeks, viewers can see Barkskins for themselves.
Barkskins premieres on National Geographic on May 25, 2020.