Planet Earth and Life: best nature documentaries ever

As I have said, it is my goal to identify and review all the gems I find throughout my research. Those two guys, Planet Earth (2006) and Life (2009) need no introduction and in the unlikely case you haven’t seen already them, quit what you’re doing and start watching! They are the best, most critically acclaimed, multiple times awarded TV mini series from BBC, about 10 one-hour episodes each. Narration is done by my long time favorite David Attenborough, who recently turned 90. This man was born for this job. I am so jealous. He has been to the most amazing and exotic places on Earth. He has witnessed and capture on camera events that no one has seen before. If I had a grandpa, I would like to be like him.

From David Attenborough’s closing remarks: “Our planet is still full of wonders. As we explore them, so we gain not only understanding, but power. It’s not just the future of the whale that today lies in our hands: it’s the survival of the natural world in all parts of the living planet. We can now destroy or we can cherish. The choice is ours.”

Regarding the documentaries, for Planet Earth  we are going to visit all the exquisite places from the Pole to Pole as the first episode quotes. We are going to enjoy unique and rare phenomena from massive animal Caribou migrations to lonely whale journeys.  I used to adore the jungles since my National Geographic tapes childhood and that hasn’t changed. Number two are the deserts. For some strange reason I am not getting terribly excited for the snow, but I realize it is extremely hard to film in those settings and I deeply respect that now. The title of each episode is self-explanatory:

1. From Pole to Pole
2. Mountains
3. Fresh Water
4. Caves
5. Deserts
6. Ice Worlds
7. Great Plains
8. Jungles
9. Shallow Seas
10. Seasonal Forests
11. Ocean Deep

Regarding Life, which I slightly prefer over Planet Earth, the focus is shifted more on the animal side rather than the actual environment. It’s very hard to pick a favorite, however I’ll stick again with my kindergarten choice reptiles and birds. Without wanting to spoil anything, I’ll just mention one instance that is inindelibly written in my memory despite the fact that I have seen the documentaries quite a while ago. It’s none other than the birds of paradise and the way they build their homes, astonishing! Nevertheless warning, this series can become pretty emotional occasionally. The titles go as follows:

1. Challenges of Life
2. Reptiles and Amphibians
3. Mammals
4. Fish
5. Birds
6. Insects
7. Hunters and Hunted
8. Creatures of the Deep
9. Plants
10. Primates

This is by no means a comprehensive review, it’s more like a teaser or the declaration of dedication from an adamant fan. There numerous unbelievable little details depicted in the two documentaries and you simply have to watch them by yourself. In any case, I can not stress enough how wonderful the shows are and I believe you will definitely agree once you get to see them. I might just see them again myself after all this recollection.

Α.Δ.