Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Tom Hanks Revisits World War II in 20-Part Docuseries
Tom Hanks made a 20-part series about World War II.
He narrates the show and helped produce it.
The series uses old wartime footage and interviews with historians.
It discusses major events in Europe, North Africa and the Pacific.
These include Pearl Harbor, the Holocaust, D-Day and Japan’s surrender.
The show began on 25 May and ended on 27 July.
Some reviewers thought it was interesting, informative and easy to follow.
Others thought it covered such a huge subject too simply.
Some viewers also felt it focused too much on the United States and overlooked Canada’s contribution.
Tom Hanks narrated and executive-produced a 20-part World War II documentary for the HISTORY channel.
The series covers the war from Germany’s invasion of Poland through Japan’s surrender and the emergence of the Cold War.
Episodes examine events including the Blitz, Pearl Harbor, the Holocaust, Stalingrad, D-Day and resistance movements.
The series premiered on 25 May, with its final two episodes released on 27 July; an audio podcast followed.
Reviews praised its archival footage and accessibility, but some critics and viewers found it too basic, scattered or focused on the United States.
- Who
- Tom Hanks, historians and the HISTORY channel.
- What
- A 20-part documentary series revisiting World War II and its aftermath.
- When
- It premiered on 25 May, with the final two episodes released on 27 July; an audio version was later released.
- Where
- The series examines the war across Europe, North Africa and the Pacific.
- Why
- To revisit the major events and broader history of World War II using archival footage and expert interviews.
Supportive Assessments
Critical Assessments
Accessibility and entertainment
Supportive Assessments
The Wall Street Journal called the series ambitious, informative and entertaining, while Decider said even viewers familiar with the war might learn from it.
Critical Assessments
The Guardian awarded three out of five stars and said the treatment was too basic for a subject as extensive as World War II.
Value for experienced viewers
Supportive Assessments
Some viewers found the series compelling and easy to follow, and said it encouraged further reading or introduced unfamiliar parts of the war to family members.
Critical Assessments
Other viewers called it very surface-level or too scattered, arguing that enthusiasts might already know much of the material.
Balance of coverage
Supportive Assessments
The series presents the conflict across Europe, North Africa and the Pacific and covers numerous major events.
Critical Assessments
One viewer criticized its focus on the United States and said Canada’s contribution had been overlooked.
- Series
- World War II with Tom Hanks
- Format
- 20-part documentary series
- Broadcaster
- HISTORY channel
- Premiere
- 25 May
- Final episodes
- 27 July
- Critics’ score
- 54 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, based on four reviews
- IMDb rating
- 8 out of 10