World War II with Tom Hanks
| World War II with Tom Hanks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary History War |
| Presented by | Tom Hanks |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | History Channel |
| Release | May 25 – July 27, 2026 |
World War II with Tom Hanks is a docuseries about the timeline of World War II, with Tom Hanks as its main narrator.[1] The series spans 20 episodes, with each focusing on a unique milestone or period of time during the war.[2]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Original release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Beginning" | May 25, 2026 |
| 2 | "Blitz" | May 25, 2026 |
| 3 | "Barbarossa" | May 25, 2026 |
| 4 | "Pearl Harbor" | June 1, 2026 |
| 5 | "The War at Sea" | June 1, 2026 |
| 6 | "Guadalcanal" | June 8, 2026 |
| 7 | "Darkness Falls" | June 8, 2026 |
| 8 | "Operation Torch" | June 15, 2026 |
| 9 | "Secrets and Lies" | June 15, 2026 |
| 10 | "Stalingrad" | June 22, 2026 |
| 11 | "Italy" | June 29, 2026 |
| 12 | "Battle for the Skies" | June 29, 2026 |
| 13 | "Overlord" | July 6, 2026 |
| 14 | "Long Road to Tokyo" | July 6, 2026 |
| 15 | "Home Front" | July 13, 2026 |
| 16 | "Resistance" | July 13, 2026 |
| 17 | "No Surrender" | July 20, 2026 |
| 18 | "Last Days of the Reich" | July 20, 2026 |
| 19 | "Endgame" | July 27, 2026 |
| 20 | "Fallout" | July 27, 2026 |
Reception
The Decider wrote on STREAM IT: "As comprehensive as World War II With Tom Hanks seems it will be, even people who consider themselves experts in World War II might learn some new information about the massive conflagaration [sic] during the show's 20 episode[s]."[5]The Guardian scored the series three out of five, criticizing the "monotonous rhythm" of academics and popular historians giving "takes that rarely contain major insights", concluding: "If your knowledge is sketchy, a 20-hour investment in this programme will provide you with the basics. It does feel basic, though: the war is too big for it."[6]
References
- ↑ Seale, Jack (May 26, 2026). "World War II with Tom Hanks review – one of the largest documentaries in human history". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ Sancton, Julian (May 25, 2026). "Tom Hanks Just Can't Quit World War II (and It's Keeping Him Up at Night)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Watch World War II with Tom Hanks Full Episodes, Video & More". HISTORY.com. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ↑ "World War II with Tom Hanks, a Titles & Air Dates Guide". Epguides.com. TVMaze. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- ↑ Keller, Joel. "Stream It Or Skip It: 'World War II With Tom Hanks' On History, Where The Oscar Winner Produces And Narrates A 20-Part Look At The Largest Global Conflict To Date". The Decider. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- ↑ Seale, Jack (May 26, 2026). "World War II with Tom Hanks review – one of the largest documentaries in human history". The Guardian. Retrieved July 2, 2026.