We've seen the toughest among us survive without food, clothing or shelter. But can they survive without light? Discovery Channel, a pioneer of the survival genre, announced today it has ordered DARKNESS, an all-new series featuring one of the most advanced and comprehensive tests of mental and physical survival ever captured on television. Inspired by extreme training scenarios conducted by the U.S. Military, Department of Defense, and NASA, three strangers each episode will push themselves to their absolute limits in complete darkness - enduring days buried UNDERGROUND while navigating prehistoric cave systems, ancient subterranean cities and centuries-old abandoned mines.
"This is a series that will look and feel like nothing else on television," said Denise Contis, Executive Vice President of Production and Development at Discovery. "It is the next iteration of the survival genre that could only belong on Discovery."
Exploring a wide range of locations, while deprived of their most valuable sense, participants will attempt to locate each other, find and ration food and water as well as explore and map the darkness and find a way out. But can they battle against the intense mental and physiological effects of prolonged light deprivation and make it through?
The participants - who have never seen each other in the light of day - will need to become intimately familiar as they work together in confined spaces with no privacy, struggling to combine their diverse skill sets as they attempt to escape from the darkness. They'll need to work together as a team to overcome the risk of hallucination, sleep deprivation, spatial and temporal disorientation as well as extreme social tensions and environments.
If successful, they'll re-emerge to the surface and see each other for the first time. But only the toughest will have what it takes to make it through. "Our fear of the dark is primal and universal, and never before have we tested its incredible power for a television audience," said Electus CEO, Chris Grant. "DARKNESS is a new evolution in the survival space, and we honestly do not know how this will turn out, which makes it a must-watch show and makes Discovery the perfect partner."
Documenting a project like DARKNESS has only become possible in recent years thanks to the latest advances in infrared, thermal and remote imaging technologies. DARKNESS will be produced by a highly-specialized team specifically trained to shoot in extreme environments with minimal interference. In order to keep the experience as immersive as possible, participants will also be outfitted with specialized custom-designed camera equipment enabling them to document their own experience without any exposure to light.
DARKNESS is produced for
Discovery Channel by Electus. For Electus, Executive Producers are Christopher Grant, Drew Buckley, Rob Buchta and Max Levenson. For Discovery Channel, Joseph Boyle is Executive Producer and Greg Wolf is Associate Producer. To learn more, go to www.discovery.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/discovery and on Twitter @Discovery.
About
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including,
Science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com
About Discovery Communications Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the leader in global entertainment reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery satisfies curiosity, entertains and inspires viewers with high-quality content through global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet,
Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
