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"Henry David Thoreau" tells the life story of the influential 19th-century naturalist, writer and poet, who inspired Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr to change their respective nations forever via civil disobedience....
Traveling outside the U.S.? Don't miss the show back home. Simply download a VPN to stream the show from anywhere. We recommend NordVPN.
"Henry David Thoreau" premieres in the U.S. with Eps 1 and 2 on Monday, March 30 on PBS and Ep 3 on Tuesday, March 31, all at 9.00 p.m. ET. Also available via the PBS app.
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Born in Concord, Massachusetts, amidst the political and social turbulence of the mid-19th century, Thoreau wrote about the citizen's relationship with the state (and duty to oppose unjust laws), race (he was an abolitionist) and the human connection to nature.
Often referred to as the patron saint of the environmental movement and the father non-violent resistance, Thoreau's influence extends to the current day but many facets of his life are wrapped up in myth, conjecture and downright falsehood.
This three-part film, each episode lasting an hour, challenges perceptions and is narrated by George Clooney, featuring the voices of Jeff Goldblum (Henry David Thoreau), Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Tate Donovan (William Ellery Channing) and Meryl Streep (Lidian Emerson and others). Legendary documentarian Ken Burns directs.
Read our guide below for how to watch "Henry David Thoreau" online now, live and on-demand through PBS.org.
How to watch "Henry David Thoreau" for FREE in the U.S.
"Henry David Thoreau" premieres in the U.S. with Eps 1 and 2 on Monday, March 30 on PBS and Ep 3 on Tuesday, March 31 at 9.00 p.m. ET. Also available via the PBS app.
Don’t have cable? Stream your local PBS channel through the PBS website and PBS app.
Not in the U.S.? Don't worry — as we explain below, you can watch it when you download a VPN. We recommend NordVPN.
How to VPN 'Henry David Thoreau' from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching "Henry David Thoreau" on PBS? Luckily, you can still watch the show online thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where you are in the world. So it’s ideal for viewers who may travel a lot and don't want to miss their favorite shows.
Our favourite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market – and you can find out why in our NordVPN review.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.K. and want to view your usual U.S. service, you'd select U.S. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to PBS and stream "Henry David Thoreau" online.
Can I watch 'Henry David Thoreau' online in Canada?
At the time of writing, there is no release date for "Henry David Thoreau" in Canada. If that changes you'll read about it here first.
That said, it should be available on PBS Passport - in most areas. That’ll provide access to a range of the network’s channels, like PBS Life and PBS Masterpiece. Membership costs a suggested donation of CA$5 per month, although prices will alter depending on your local station.
Currently away from Canada? Download a VPN and connect to the services you enjoy free-of-charge back home, without having to register for any additional subscriptions. We recommend NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Henry David Thoreau' online in the U.K?
"Henry David Thoreau" has no confirmed release date in the U.K.. We'll let you know if that changes.
However, if you’re an American citizen in the U.K. right now and you want to use your usual domestic streaming platform, a VPN will allow you to stream "Henry David Thoreau" online by unblocking PBS. We recommend NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Henry David Thoreau' in Australia?
"Henry David Thoreau" is unavailable to stream in Australia at the time of writing but if that changes you'll read about it here first.
Out of the country? Connect to your home streaming services when you download a VPN and watch TV shows, films and documentaries no matter where you are in the world. We recommend NordVPN.
'Henry David Thoreau' - Need to Know
'Henry David Thoreau' - Contributors
- George Clooney (Narrator)
- Ted Danson (voice of Ralph Waldo Emerson)
- Tate Donovan (William Ellery Channing)
- Jeff Goldblum (Henry David Thoreau)
- Meryl Streep (Lidian Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Mary Merrick Brooks, and Maria Thoreau).
- OTHER CONTRIBUTORS
- Pico Ayer
- Douglas Brinkley
- Lois Brown
- Kristen Case
- Laura Dassow Walls
- Clay Jenkinson
- Robin Kimmerer
- J. Drew Lanham
- Bill McKibben
- Michael Pollan
- Rebecca Solnit
'Henry David Thoreau' - Episode Guide
Part 1: "Who Are We?" - Henry David Thoreau’s early life unfolds as a changing nation struggles to live up to its ideals, while industry threatens the landscape. After attending Harvard College, he was inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson to become a writer. Then, a family tragedy deepens his bond with nature, and, disillusioned with society, he builds a cabin in the woods to live simply, deliberately, quietly — and write.
Part 2: "Being Alive" - Living at his cabin at Walden Pond, Thoreau finds solace in "wild" nature and pours himself into his journal, laying the groundwork for one of two books he writes there. His two-year stay includes regular trips to town, a transformative journey to Maine, and a night in jail in protest of a government that permits slavery — experiences that redefine his understanding of freedom.
Part 3: "Several More Lives to Live" - After completing his two-year experiment at Walden Pond, Thoreau returns to society to test what he has learned about living responsibly. He undertakes new “experiments” as a surveyor, scientist, and abolitionist, and takes two more trips to Maine — uncovering even deeper truths about life and the world. He writes with a new urgency as a lifelong illness begins to catch up with him.
'Henry David Thoreau' - Official Trailer
What is Henry David Thoreau best known for?
His 1849 essay "Resistance to Civil Government" urging conscience over subservience to unjust laws (cited as an inspiration by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jnr.) and his 1854 book "Walden; or, Life in the Woods" - a social experiment and spiritual journey into independence and self-reliance.
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