National Geographic, Morgan Freeman team up for 'Story of Us'

At a time when current events seem to be driving world cultures apart, a new documentary series premiering on National Geographic looks at the forces that bind all of humanity together.

In “The Story of Us,” a six-part, six-hour series that premieres Wednesday, Oct. 11, the team responsible for last year's Emmy-nominated “The Story of God” — executive producers Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary and James Younger — take viewers on a global journey to meet with people of different cultures and home in on the fundamental forces and commonalities that hold our societies together.

Each hourlong episode focuses on a single topic: common beliefs, power, war and peace, rebellion, freedom and love. Along the way, host, interviewer and guide Freeman meets with activists, political prisoners, journalists, world leaders and others to hear their stories and explore our common humanity.

The opener, titled “The March of Freedom,” heads to New York City, where viewers are introduced to Shin Dong-Hyuk, believed to be the only prisoner to escape from a North Korean labor camp.

Later in the series, Freeman meets politicians and those involved with the political process, including former President Bill Clinton and Jack Abramoff, the former lobbyist who served more than three years in prison for mail fraud and conspiracy to bribe public officials.

“He's seen how the system now breaks down,” Younger says of Abramoff, “and really when he was in jail he really actually kind of ... had an epiphany that he really wanted to try and make things better ...”

And, according to Freeman, he was very eager to talk about it.

“That was fascinating,” Freeman says with a laugh, “and he was one of those people who is easy to interview because all that's happening is you're turning on a switch and letting it happen.”