Plot Synopsis

IN THEIR OWN WORDS profiles key figures in history by using their most memorable quotes to frame their life stories, as chronicled by re-creations and first-person interviews with family members, friends and colleagues. Each one-hour episode features a different historical figure, including: Queen Elizabeth II, from her youth to her uncle's abdication, her father's coronation as King George VI, her experience during World War II, her sudden ascension to the throne and her eventful reign of more than 60 years; Muhammad Ali, from a gym in Louisville to boxing successes, conversion to Islam, opposition to the draft, exile from the ring, comeback fights, Parkinson's disease and his inspirational re-emergence at the Atlanta Olympics; and Jim Henson, from his early television work with the Muppets in the 1950s to his commercial work and network appearances, his breakthrough with SESAME STREET and THE MUPPET SHOW, his fantasy films and his sudden death in 1990.
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IN THEIR OWN WORDS returned for its second season on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, with three specials during Summer 2021 and three more specials during Fall 2021. The first three specials include:

"Pope Francis" (Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 8pm): On March 13, 2013, at the age of 76, the Argentinian cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was named the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He made history by being the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit priest to be named to the office and the first to take the name Francis. Diving into Pope Francis's personal story, this episode reveals the experiences and influences that led him from Buenos Aires to the Vatican and the highest office of the Catholic church -- and made him one of the most popular and progressive popes of recent times. Featuring interviews with Austen Ivereigh, author of The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope, NBC's Anne Thompson, Vatican officials and more.

"Chuck Berry" (Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at 8pm): Chuck Berry's incredible life story spans more than seven decades, beginning in the clubs and bars of a deeply segregated St. Louis. In 1955, his "Maybellene" rose to #1 on the R&B chart. It then miraculously crossed over, reaching #5 on the top 100 Pop chart, ultimately birthing a renaissance in popular music we now call rock and roll. To his family, Berry was a sensitive poet and devoted family man. To others, he was a demanding and difficult artist, a "diabolical genius" driven by a voracious appetite for money and a deep desire for respect and control. Abstaining from drugs and alcohol, he had a weakness for women. This episode takes a riveting ride on the Chuck Berry train, exploring the life, the legend, the music and the man. Featured are interviews with his widow, son and grandson, along with colleagues and musicians who idolize him, including Keith Richards, Robert Cray, Slash, Darius Rucker and more.

"Diana, Princess of Wales" (Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 8pm): This unique exploration of Diana's life looks back through a contemporary lens that credits her choices, her suffering and her triumphs as the ultimate disrupter for a generation of women across the globe. Through interviews with many who knew her personally, a picture of Diana emerges that reveals what drove her to challenge the restrictions of her personal life -- marriage to a man who loved another woman and a royal family that attempted to mold her in its image. When her marriage dissolved, Diana could have stepped off the world stage and created a quiet, private life. Instead, driven by a need to help others, she chose to use her celebrity to change lives. The story of a woman who defied expectations and evolved into one of the most impactful icons of our time, the program features interviews with John Travolta, biographer Andrew Morton, several close friends and more.