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'Barkskins' Episode 1 Preview: National Geo's historical series delves into the ecological costs of progress

Set in Wobik, which is now the Canadian province of Quebec, we follow the lives of several people at different rungs of the social order as they fight every day to survive

It is the 1690s and our story begins with the massacre of settlers living in the vast, unforgiving wilderness in New France. This deadly massacre has pretty much put the entire region on the brink of a long-overdue war - this is only going to be the final straw. And there are not one but many suspects.

This, however, is only one part of National Geographic's series with a colossal plotline. 'Barkskins' sees Rene Sel (Christian Cooke) and Charles Duquet (James Bloor) as two immigrants who arrive in New France from France. They are to work as woodcutters - barkskins - for a wealthy French landowner Claude Trepagny (David Thewlis), who one day, simply put, wishes to be a builder. A wealthy landowner, Trepagny has grand visions for New France, wishing to completely convert forestland to settlements filled with his children. Indentured servants such as Rene and Duquet must fulfill three years of work for Trepagny after which, they are told they will get their freedom.  

Set in Wobik, which is now the Canadian province of Quebec, we follow the lives of several people at different rungs of the social order as they fight every day to survive. Along with the barkskins, arrive the 'Filles Du Roi' or 'Daughters of the King' - young, beautiful women from the homeland who must be virgins to be married off to husbands, start families and help the colonies prosper by helping to populate the territory. Melissande (Tallulah Haddon) and Delphine (Lily Sullivan) might be clueless when they first arrive, but they have made some promises to themselves that they must fulfill. 

Keep a lookout for Marcia Gay Harden's Mathilde Geffard, who is not just an innkeeper in this dirty town. She can command an army of men with that intense gaze. Early on in the series, her inn sees visitors Hamish Goames (Aneurin Barnard) and Yvon (Zahn McClarnon) who are investigating a missing person from the Hudson's Bay Company. Of course, there are larger things at play though. 

National Geographic's 'Barskins' is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx's 2016 bestselling novel of the same name. Deemed to be a "towering work of environmental fiction", the book chronicles the deforestation of North America's forests over a span of 300 years. The story traces the deforestation through Rene, Duquet and their descendants, but needless to say, they don't have complete say in their fate - war and rich powerful men get to decide a lot more than the two would like. 

'Barskins' is an ancient tale of survival and building a civilization that is told via a strong narrative and intriguing set of characters. 

'Barkskins' will premiere on National Geographic on May 25, 2020, at 9/ 8c.