Ages of Ice

3 x 60 MIN |  2026 | PRODUCED FOR ABC & PBS

Narrated by David Tennant

From Antarctica to the Arctic, Ages of Ice is a high-stakes journey into the heart of our planet’s frozen wilderness, following researchers as they push the boundaries of exploration. Each mission is a step toward understanding how glaciers move, how oceans rise, and how the rhythms of the past compare to the quickening tempo of today. As the series moves from intimate wildlife moments to discoveries of global consequence, we witness the race to understand a planet in transition through the extraordinary people who go to the ends of the Earth to uncover what comes next.

Episode 1: The Frozen Heart

At our planet’s extremes, scientists venture into the ice to unlock the story of Earth’s climate. Scaling jagged peaks, skiing across frozen deserts and descending deep into the icesheet, scientists track how the polar world is transforming. 

US broadcast: 16 September at 10pm ET on PBS, the PBS App and the PBS YouTube Channel
Australian broadcast: 3 November at 8.30 pm on ABC and iView

Episode 2: Polar Seas

The polar seas are one of Earth’s great superpowers, helping to steady the planet’s climate. But polar oceans are getting warmer. Sea Ice is disappearing. Despite these changes, can polar seas continue to shield the planet? 

US broadcast: 23 September at 10pm ET on PBS, the PBS App and the PBS YouTube Channel
Australian broadcast: 10 November at 8.30pm on ABC and iView

Episode 3: The Incubator of Life

Beneath the polar ice, scientists are discovering lifeforms that are rewriting the rules of biology. As they study earth’s frozen realm, the search for life elsewhere in the cosmos suddenly feels a lot less like science fiction.

US broadcast: 30 September at 10pm ET on PBS, the PBS App and the PBS YouTube Channel
Australian broadcast: 17 November at 8.30pm on ABC and iView