With National Geographic Channel’s (NGC) ratings growth in 2012, NGC Chief Executive Officer David Lyle and President Howard T. Owens revealed a broad upfront slate with several new and returning series, and a mix of events and specials.

The network will be bringing in a new series Die Trying, which features men and women pushing the limits of adventure, endurance and possibility, as well as a new genre pilot Building Wild – an extreme do-it-yourself series to reconstruct America’s last frontiers. 

“This is National Geographic Channel at its best,” said Lyle. “It’s original, authentic programming that embodies exploration and the unexpected. We’ve got it all in this year’s upfront slate, from scripted thrillers to smart twists on beloved genres.” 

Franchise hits Doomsday Preppers, Wicked Tuna and Diggers have also been renewed for another season. Scripted thrillers Killing Kennedy, based on the events leading up to former U.S. President John F. Kennedy assassination, and Miracle of the Hudson on Captain Sully’s heroic landing on the Hudson River, are also slated to premiere within the next year.