I love documentaries. Simply adore them. If ever there was any constructive way to get kids interested in new subjects within today's school walls, it'd most likely be via the visual medium.
And let's be honest, when it comes to nature or animal documentaries, there have usually been two racehorses ahead of the pack at every turn: National Geographic and the BBC.
The latter has received many accolades since first airing this incredible series, which was filmed over the course of four years between 2002 and 2006. Shot in 204 locations in over 62 countries, the 11-episode series acts twofold, both as a learning tool about the planet we've slowly learned to take for granted in this electronic age, but also as an incentive to really get out there and see the world.
But first, a quick glimpse at what you can expect to see in these episodes, with some of the highlights to keep an eye for.
Planet Earth Blu-Ray Overview
The first episode, "From Pole to Pole", really acts as a primer for the episodes to come, as it moves all over the globe and gives us brief glimpses of each habitat, from the desolate deserts to the arctic wastelands, from the jungle canopy to the dark reaches of Earth's substrata.
"Mountains", the second episode, displays excellent photography from the BBC production team, as they perform impressive flyovers near some of the planet's most restrictive passages, such as the Andes, the Himalayan Range, even the Rockies.
"Fresh Water" explores the minimal amount of the planet's most abundant resource (the other 97% obviously being salt water), and its course through the rock formations it has shaped over millenia. Look for a series of mesmerizing camera shots of Angel Falls in Venezuela, the world's highest waterfall. Simply awe-inspiring. Oh, and the Grand Canyon sequence isn't too shabby, either.
"Caves" takes us into some of the darkest and most claustrophobic of areas, where animal and insect life has adapted to a complete absence of life. This episode is particularly interesting when it looks at the circle of life which includes cockroaches that live off the bat droppings of over three million of the flying rodents, showcasing how nature adapts to what is available.
"Deserts" is self-explanatory. We follow the daily routine of desert animals such as the dromedary, and we get to experience a powerful sandstorm first hand. Keep an eye out for the last few scenes, in which you can witness a swarm of destructive locusts. Again, creepy but scientifically stunning.
"Ice Worlds", the show's sixth episode, goes to the deep North and South, showing us the fleeting summer which exists in the frozen wastes of our opposite poles. You'll probably start rooting for some desperate polar bears who go hunting for food, while later on in the episode you'll find yourself a witness to the mating and incubation period of emperor penguins as they protect their eggs, as seen in the documentary March of the Penguins.
"Great Plains" takes a look at the grassy lands of our planet which are home to the most numerous species (given its availability as a renewable food source), while also examining how some other species live on very little of the green stuff, especially in some higher climates.
"Jungles" travels to areas like New Guinea and the Congo, where we get to experience the massive amount of wildlife which lives under the dense canopy above. Expect a variety of birds, insects, monkeys, and many more. Not the safest area for humans to travel at times, but an interesting look nonetheless.
"Shallow Seas" examines the existence of land and marine life near landmasses, and the interaction between species near reefs and other shallow areas. Points of interest in this piece include humpback whales and their incredible life traveling thousands of miles to feed, as well as one of the most impressive camera shots of a great white shark ever captured on film.
"Seasonal Forests" goes into the woods (literally) and explores the coniferous landscapes of the North American continent, the Northern woods of Belarus as well as their Southern counterparts in Chile and Madagascar.
Finally, "Ocean Deep" takes us to the depths of our world's oceans, where we get to see new types of sharks, dolphins, turtles, and other oceanic life. The money shot here lies in the exploration of an underwater volcano which has to be seen to be believed.
Planet Earth Blu-Ray Very Pretty But Incomplete
If, like me, you've seen some of these episodes on television or on DVD in years past, then you'll probably recall how each episode had a ten-minute segment called "Diaries" which showed just how difficult a process it often was for the documentary filmmakers in the field, as they tried to capture the stunning footage we see in this series.
Sadly, for some unknown reason (some rights issues, perhaps?), these segments are missing from this high-definition set altogether. If you already own a copy of this series on DVD and were going to decide to upgrade and dismiss the lesser resolution version, might I suggest you hold onto both, if only to retain those extra goodies?
Also, while I am a fervent admirer of the HD process, I found that this upgrade didn't bring as much improvement to the already marvelous photography provided in the series. In short, anyone looking to see this in either DVD or Blu-Ray formats is going to experience the same level of quality.
In any case, you're in for a definite treat. Planet Earth is aptly named, and will probably have you jonesing to go visit your nearest zoo or natural history museum. If so, then job well done, BBC!
3.5 out of 5
Dominic Messier - Dominic Messier is a Toronto-based Film & TV writer, Sci-Fi TV and Film Dramas Topic Editor, and creator of PopCultureLandscape.com
