January 14, 2026
Freddie Claire/National Geographic
Will Smith, right, treks across western Antarctica with polar explorer Richard Parks in the first episode of 'Pole to Pole.'
Will Smith kicked off his new National Geographic travel show with a journey to the southern-most point of the globe. Before he could reach the South Pole, however, he had to climb a wall of ice.
The West Philly native traversed the frigid grounds of Antarctica with polar explorer and former rugby player Richard Parks in the season premiere of "Pole to Pole," now streaming on Hulu and Disney+. To give Smith an added challenge, Parks brings him to an enormous ice wall reaching roughly 300 vertical feet. After scaling it himself, Parks dares the actor to follow.
"You know the wind is blowing now too, right?" Smith yells up to his guide as he begins his ascent. "There was no wind when you went, Rich!"
Despite the bad weather, Smith makes it to the top and wears his frosty "explorer beard" as a badge of honor. It's the first of many stunts the show, which also visits the Amazon rainforest and Himalayas, promises over seven episodes.
Smith, who is currently the subject of a wrongful termination lawsuit, tells viewers that he was compelled to make the show after the 2017 passing of his mentor Dr. Allen Counter. The Harvard neurobiologist and explorer — Smith dubs him "Black Indiana Jones" — had invited the actor on several expeditions, which he routinely missed. "Pole to Pole" was Smith's way of making up for it. The rugged exploration of all seven continents unfolds over 100 days, starting in the South Pole and ending at the North Pole.
The show pairs Smith up with guides like Parks and experts who explain the biological importance of the wild terrains he visits. In the premiere, climate science professor Heitor Evangelista breaks down the phenomenon of "atmospheric rivers," or trails of water vapor in the sky that can bring rain and snow to locales many miles away. He also explains how the ice around the South Pole contains nearly 1 million years of global history.
"Gases produced naturally and by humans make their way to Antarctica through the atmosphere," Evangelista said. "And the amazing thing is traces of those gases are captured in the ice as it forms over time. ... We can tell when a volcano erupted, when humans started to farm the earth and even when we detonated the first atomic bomb."
As a host, Smith alternates between an enthusiastic student of experts like Evangelista and merry jokester. It takes mere minutes for him to make a "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" pun in the premiere, and he also vamps with Parks about actors' stances in "map scenes" as they plot their trek at base camp. When he's reminded of the harsh conditions, however, he concedes it's time "to stop fooling around."
"Pole to Pole" will continue airing weekly on National Geographic, but four episodes are now available on Hulu. The entire first season is now streaming on Disney+
Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt
| @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Have a news tip? Let us know.
