Series synopsis
National Geographic: Situation Critical is an American documentary television series that premiered on National Geographic on June 12, 2007. It ended on August 13, 2009. It stars Rufus Jones and John Benjamin Hickey.
In Situation Critical, we explore the unfolding action and the real people thrust into survivor mode by some of the most dramatic events in modern history.
This fast-paced series takes you inside the seemingly stable events that became headline disasters in a matter of minutes. Each hour-long episode combines archival footage, accurate re-enactments, advanced CGI and firsthand accounts from those at the centre of the action. Building suspense with each heart-pounding movement, we vividly break ...
Premise
In Situation Critical, we explore the unfolding action and the real people thrust into survivor mode by some of the most dramatic events in modern history.
This fast-paced series takes you inside the seemingly stable events that became headline disasters in a matter of minutes. Each hour-long episode combines archival footage, accurate re-enactments, advanced CGI and firsthand accounts from those at the centre of the action. Building suspense with each heart-pounding movement, we vividly break down the terrifying moments — outlining the life-threatening risks, daring decisions, frantic communications, evolving tactics and last-ditch efforts developing with each decisive tick of the clock.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Rufus Jones as Narrator
- John Benjamin Hickey as Narrator (US)
Guest cast
- Pablo Escobar as Self (archival footage)
- Jim Lovell as Self
- Fred Haise as Self
- Delno Ebie as John Aaron
- Yonathan Netanyahu as Self (archive footage)
- Steve Boyer as Self (as Dr Steve Boyer)
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 13 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 13 | June 12, 2007 | August 13, 2009 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
North Hollywood Shootout One of the most dramatic police gun battles ever waged on American soil took place in Hollywood in 1997. Go inside the violent stand-off as the bandits fire over 1,100 rounds of ammunition and shoot nine police officers and two civilians. |
June 12, 2007 |
| 2 |
Taliban Uprising In 2001 Afghanistan, at the start of the war on terror, a pro-American Afghan army double-crossed and imprisoned Taliban fighters. A violent uprising begins when the Taliban fighters overpower their guards, seize weapons and open fire. |
July 24, 2007 |
| 3 |
SAS Jungle Rescue In war-torn Sierra Leone in 2000, thousands of armed rebels lived in the jungle. When members of the Royal Irish Rangers were ambushed and taken hostage, the British government launched a risky and grueling rescue mission. |
July 17, 2007 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | National Geographic |
|---|---|
| First aired | June 12, 2007 |
| Last aired | August 13, 2009 |
| Runtime | 47 minutes |
| Status | Ended |