Synopsis: Henry David Thoreau examines the life and work of the 19th-century writer in the context of antebellum New England and the larger United States, as well as through the universal themes he focused on in his writings: an individual’s relationship to the state, how to live an authentic life, our connection to nature, and the impact of race on American life. Set against the political and social tensions of the mid-19th century, the film traces Thoreau’s journey from his early days in Concord, Massachusetts to his deep engagement with the moral crises of his time, including industrialization, slavery, war, and environmental degradation. Through his essays, journals, and landmark works such as Walden and Civil Disobedience, he became an inspiration for generations of writers, thinkers, and activists. The film draws on a rich collection of archival materials, newly filmed cinematography in Concord and beyond, and interviews with scholars, writers, and environmentalists. (Courtesy, PBS, 2026)
The Cast:
George Clooney as Narrator
Ted Danson as Ralph Waldo Emerson
Tate Donovan as William Ellery Channing
Jeff Goldblum as Henry David Thoreau
Meryl Streep as Lidian Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Mary Merrick Brooks, and Maria Thoreau
Production Credits:
Henry David Thoreau is a Ewers Brothers Production, in partnership with Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C. Directed by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers. Written by David Blistein. Produced by Julie Coffman and Susan Shumaker, Producers Christopher Loren Ewers and Erik Ewers. Director of Photography Christopher Loren Ewers. Edited by Erik Ewers and Ryan Gifford. Co-Produced by Cauley Powell. Original Music Score by David Cieri. Narrated by George Clooney. Voice of Thoreau by Jeff Goldblum, and other voices by Ted Danson, Meryl Streep and Tate Donovan. The executives in charge for WETA are John F. Wilson (posthumously) and Kate Kelly. Executive Producers are Ken Burns and Don Henley.
The Episodes:
Episode One: Whop Are We?--03/30/2026
A young Thoreau pursues a career as an author. Disheartened, he retreats to a cabin in the woods to live simply, deliberately-and write.
Episode Two: Being Alive--03/30/2026
Thoreau lives at Walden Pond for two years, where he writes two books, travels to Maine, and gets arrested in an act of civil disobedience.
Episode Three: Several More Lives To Lead--03/31/2026
After Walden, Thoreau works as a surveyor, scientist, and abolitionist, and travels to Cape Cod and Maine as a lifelong illness catches up with him.