Washington, D.C. / Los Angeles, California – National Geographic Channel (NGC) has received the most Emmy Award nominations in the network’s history with 18 nominations, including 12 with FOX for Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.
With 12 nominations, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey tied such buzz-worthy shows as HBO’s True Detective and Netflix’s Orange is the New Black in nominations.
Additionally, NGC’s second foray into original scripted programming, Killing Kennedy garnered three nominations, including outstanding television movie, outstanding cinematography and outstanding sound mixing.
Nat Geo WILD also scored two nominations for outstanding narrator for Jeremy Irons for Game of Lions and Daniel Craig for One Life.
“We are incredibly honoured for the recognition this year, especially for Cosmos and the great collaborative effort that series marked between Cosmos Studios and our partners at FOX,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO of the National Geographic Channels. “Additionally, as we continue to explore opportunities in the scripted world, to receive a nomination for only our second movie is a thrill.”
See the full list of NGC nominations below:
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (NGC & FOX)
• Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction Series
• Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Art Direction for Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Programme
• Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Main Title Design
• Outstanding Music Composition for a Series
• Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
• Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming
• Outstanding Special and Visual Effects
Cosmos (NGC)
• Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Programme: Cosmos: A National Geographic Deeper Dive
Killing Kennedy (NGC)
• Outstanding Television Movie
• Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Movie
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie
One Life (Nat Geo WILD)
• Outstanding Narrator: Daniel Craig
Game of Lions (Nat Geo WILD)
• Outstanding Narrator: Jeremy Irons
About Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (Cosmos Studios):
The critically acclaimed Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, from executive producer/writer/director Ann Druyan and executive producer Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted) and hosted by renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, premiered its 13-episode run in the U.S. with a historic partnership between a broadcast and cable network, airing on NGC and FOX each week. The series was promoted equally between the networks.
Globally, Cosmos reached a massive audience of 135 million viewers worldwide, including the U.S., across its 13-episode run. Internationally, the series attracted 90 million viewers on NGC, while in the U.S., Cosmos reached more than 45 million viewers on FOX and NGC. The series received an unprecedented rollout, premiering on all 90 National Geographic Channels in 180 countries, as well as 120 FOX-branded channels in 125 countries, making this the largest global launch ever for a television series. Additionally, in the first-ever multi-network launch for Fox Networks Group, Cosmos debuted simultaneously across multiple U.S. Fox networks including Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), NGC, FX, FXX, FXM, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo and FOX Life.
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey is produced by Cosmos Studios, the Ithaca, N.Y.-based company Ann Druyan co-founded in 2000, and Fuzzy Door Productions, MacFarlane’s company. Druyan and Steven Soter are the series’ writers. Druyan, MacFarlane, Cosmos Studios President Mitchell Cannold and Brannon Braga (the Star Trek franchise, 24) executive-produce the series. Jason Clark (Ted, 42) co-executive produces.
About Killing Kennedy (Scott Free):
Killing Kennedy set record ratings for NGC when it premiered in November, timed to the 50th anniversary of the assassination, averaging a 2.8 HH rating — the second-highest HH in network history — and a 1.1 P25–54 on November 10, at 8 pm ET/PT. Killing Kennedy also averaged 3.4 million persons 2+ over the entire two-hour premiere, the highest total viewership in NGC’s history.
Killing Kennedy stars Rob Lowe (President Kennedy) and Will Rothhaar (Lee Harvey Oswald), with Michelle Trachtenberg (Marina Oswald) and Ginnifer Goodwin (Jackie Kennedy). Produced by Scott Free Productions, directed by Nelson McCormick (The West Wing, ER, Southland, The Good Wife, The Closer), with a teleplay by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Kelly Masterson (Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead), the stellar cast also includes Jack Noseworthy (Robert F. Kennedy), Francis Guinan (Lyndon B. Johnson) and Richard Flood (Kenneth O’Donnell).
About Game of Lions (National Geographic Television)
From acclaimed filmmakers and National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert comes their next feature film, exclusively for Nat Geo WILD. There are 20,000 lions left on Earth. Only 3,500 of those are males. Although they are born at a 50/50 ratio, by the time they reach maturity, only one in eight male lions survive. The Jouberts take an unflinching look at what happens to the rest in this spirited, moving and heartbreaking film.
About One Life (BBC Earth):
One Life is produced by BBC Earth. For BBC Earth, executive producers are Amanda Hill, Neil Nightingale and Joe Oppenheimer. For NGC, senior vice president of production and development is Janet Han Vissering and general manager is Geoff Daniels.
