If there was ever a prescription for HDTV envy, it’s watching the amazing BBC/Discovery Channel mini-series Planet Earth. Shot entirely on HD over a five year period, the series documents the familiar and very un-familiar variety of life on our planet. More importantly, it gives us an up-to-date status on how various habitats are dealing with the effects humans are having on the planet. I would challenge anyone to watch it and not, even for a brief moment, be captured by the passions of environmentalism.
I was reminded of my odd fascination with ocean-floor tube worms, as shown in The Oceans which is my favorite episode to date. However, Pole to Pole has some of the best scenes I have ever seen in the genre of nature films. Not that Youtube videos could ever do them justice:
After watching these clips, I have to say that I prefer David Attenborough’s narration for the original UK series over Sigourney Weaver’s narration for the US series. If Discovery had to change it, I suppose the choice for Sigourney is appropriate; Gorillas In The Mist, anyone?