Two decades after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, National Geographic is reflecting on the human cost and systemic failures that followed with Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time, a five-part documentary series from Oscar®-nominated director Traci A. Curry and Proximity Media’s Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian.
The series premieres July 27 with three episodes airing back-to-back at 8/7c on National Geographic. All five episodes will be available to stream July 28 on Disney+ and Hulu.
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, unleashing devastation that would become one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. While the storm itself was catastrophic, the widespread destruction and loss of life were intensified by the failure of New Orleans’ levee system and the breakdown of government response at all levels. More than 1,800 people died, entire neighborhoods were submerged, and hundreds of thousands were displaced — many never able to return home.
Race Against Time revisits this pivotal moment in American history not as a disaster story, but as a human one. Told directly through the experiences of residents, first responders, and officials, the series brings to light voices often overlooked or misrepresented. With rare archival footage and newly recorded testimony, it sheds new light on both the personal and political aftermath of Katrina.
“This is far more than a story about a storm,” said Simon and Jonathan Chinn of Lightbox, who executive produced the series alongside Curry and Proximity. “It’s a look at the decisions that failed a city and the people who refused to be defeated by them.”
Ryan and Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian added: “These are stories of courage and survival. It’s about witnessing truth and confronting a legacy that still shapes lives today.”
Under Curry’s direction, the series re-centers the narrative around the people of New Orleans — not as victims, but as protagonists in their own story. Their firsthand accounts reveal not only the chaos of those days but also the strength and ingenuity that emerged in response.
Episode Guide:
- Episode 1: The Coming Storm – New Orleans braces for Katrina. Delayed evacuation orders leave many trapped as the storm barrels in.
- Episode 2: Worst Case Scenario – The levees fail. As floodwaters rise, locals and first responders take rescue into their own hands.
- Episode 3: A Desperate Place – Conditions at shelters deteriorate. Media narratives shift focus from survival to disorder.
- Episode 4: Shoot to Kill – Military presence escalates. Residents face not only disaster, but criminalization and suspicion.
- Episode 5: Wake Up Call – Katrina’s displaced begin life elsewhere. As the city rebuilds, questions remain: who gets to come back—and on what terms?
Produced by Lightbox and Proximity Media for National Geographic, Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time is executive produced by Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Myles Estey, and Ted Skillman (Lightbox); Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Peter Nicks, and Kalia King (Proximity Media); with Traci A. Curry directing and Kelli Buchanan as co-executive producer. National Geographic’s team includes executive producers Sean David Johnson and Carolyn Payne, with Tom McDonald serving as EVP of Global Factual and Unscripted Content.