National Geographic has a way of connecting audiences with corners of the world they would not normally get to see. Sometimes that’s a remote part of the world where incredible animals have found a way to survive against all odds, and sometimes it’s a high school where brilliant students are trying to change the world.
National Geographic’s new series Science Fair: The Series gives viewers a glimpse at the next wave of scientific discoveries as they follow brilliant teenage minds from around the globe. Inspired by the Sundance Festival favorite and SXSW Audience Award-winning documentary, the three-part series showcases students working to solve the world’s most complex and pressing issues using science, while competing for a coveted spot at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the most competitive science fair on the planet.
Right from the beginning Science Fair: The Series is absolutely gripping. While you may think you know what you’re getting into as you sit down to watch, these students and the level of competition deliver so far beyond anything you could possibly expect. The amount of work and the level of science being executed by these 14 to 17-year-old kids is astounding and you can’t help but instantly become invested in each and every one of their stories.
And as you become more and more wrapped up in those stories, the series only gets more and more emotional. Watching these students pour every ounce of their hearts and brilliant minds into their work, knowing there is a very slim chance they can actually win at ISEF, is nerve-racking. And with every obstacle and heartbreaking result, you can’t help but feel as though you are right there with them on this journey.
Another great and unexpected element to this series is the way in which it inspires optimism. You don’t exactly need to be a news junkie to know that there are a lot of problems facing our planet today and it’s easy to get bogged down by all the negativity. However, when you see that there are 17-year-olds out there who are building more sustainable electric motors and making strides in cancer research, it reminds you there is hope out there, and that makes everything feel just a little bit better.
In addition to all of those real-world factors that make this series so great, the level of storytelling is also incredible. There’s a level of drama to this series that is so expertly handled, the audience can’t help but watch from the edge of their seat. What seems like it would be such an incredibly straightforward story, ends up loaded with twists and turns and surprises around every corner.
Overall, Science Fair: The Series is a must-watch. It’s inspiring and uplifting in a very real-world way, but it’s also simply captivating and entertaining at the same time. The storytelling is expertly handled and the subjects of this docuseries, the incredibly brilliant students, are so charming and likable that you will find yourself completely invested in their paths to ISEF. This is easily something that could fly under the radar for a lot of people, but it shouldn’t be. This series will be one of the best things to hit Disney+ this year.
Science Fair: The Series premieres December 10 on National Geographic and will be available December 13 on Disney+ and Hulu.