A New Venture for David E. Kelley
David E. Kelley, known for his extensive television career, is stepping into the world of nature programming with a new initiative called Live Migrations. The series, produced in collaboration with Norcross Productions, is described as a global live nature series that connects audiences with the world's great animal migrations. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kelley is executive producing the project alongside series creator Tucker Malarkey, an author and conservationist.
The series marks a departure from Kelley's usual material. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Kelley has produced more than 40 series in his TV career, and while Live Migrations is a new genre for him, his interest in wildlife—particularly marine life—is longstanding. The outlet reports that Kelley started an aquaculture business called Riverence, described as one of the largest producers of farmed rainbow and steelhead trout in the country, and serves as an executive adviser on the PBS series Hope in the Water.
Launching with 'The Great Sockeye Migration'
Live Migrations launches Wednesday, August 19, with its inaugural production, The Great Sockeye Migration, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. The livestream is available at livemigrations.com and on YouTube, and will follow sockeye salmon as they return to Bristol Bay, Alaska. The Hollywood Reporter describes the series as emphasizing the "live" aspect, with multi-hour programs showing single events at a leisurely pace. This format, the outlet explains, fits into the realm of "slow TV," a genre popularized by Norway's NRK.
Deadline's coverage highlights that The Great Sockeye Migration is set in the Bristol Bay watershed, home to the most abundant wild sockeye salmon runs remaining on Earth. The production follows the salmon through a landscape that has sustained Alaska Native peoples for generations, allowing the story to unfold at the pace of the animals themselves, according to the series' official description. Each livestream combines real-time observation with educational and cultural context, helping viewers understand the animals, ecosystems, and human communities connected to these journeys.
Voices Behind the Series
In a statement, Kelley explained his motivation for the series: "Live Migrations allows you to slow down and connect with nature and this extraordinary species. If people could only sit by a river and feel the salmon… watching a live migration is the next best thing."
Tucker Malarkey, the series creator, also shared the inspiration behind the project: "Live Migrations grew out of a simple idea: What if television, a medium built to capture our attention, could also return it?" The series, as reported by Deadline, acknowledges filming on ancestral lands of Alaska Native peoples and expresses gratitude for their stewardship. Malarkey added, "We are not the owners of these stories. We are their temporary stewards."
Future Installments
Both outlets report that future Live Migrations streams will follow sandhill cranes, whales, wildebeest, and monarch butterflies along their journeys. The shows will also include context and background on the animals and the challenges they face, according to The Hollywood Reporter.