An Optimist's Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

A Canada-United Kingdom co-production produced in association with Bloomberg Media, the series follows the Emmy® nominated actor and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Development Program as he journeys around the world, discovering innovative and inspiring initiatives that could help the Earth. 

With an emphasis on transforming environmental pessimism into hope, climate angst into optimism, and human disconnection into engagement, An Optimist's Guide to the Planet captures Coster-Waldau's world-wide search for people-led ideas, traditions, and attitudes helping drive humanity toward a brighter, more sustainable future. The series travels to countries including Greenland, Australia, Mexico, Vietnam, Germany, The United States, The  Netherlands, Spain, Japan, St. Vincent, Vietnam, and Kenya, uncovering initiatives such as sustainable food growth, carbon neutral jet fuel, tiny worms that can break down plastics, and more. Each episode of the series is structured as an organic exploration focused on a broad theme – Shelter, Regenerate, Nourish, Move, and Transform. Covering three to four different stories, characters, and cultures per episode, the series premiere, Dusk or Dawn, explores the difference between the coming of darkness and the beginning of new light in locations Greenland, Australia, The United States, and Japan.

Series details

• Title: An Optimist's Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
• Format: Documentary
• Language: English
• Genres: Travel
• Premiere date: 2024-02-09
• Final broadcast date listed: 2024-03-14
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: Crave
• Network country: Canada
• Typical episode runtime: 48 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 74233
• IMDb ID: tt27096916
• TVDB ID: 445940

Cast and credited roles

• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau — Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2024-02-09; final listed air date 2024-03-14; episode order: 6.

Source and licence

Adapted from An Optimist's Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.