The Beauty of : Planet Earth
From the deep, blue oceans, to the wide, open sky and finally to the enriched land, life on our planet is simply sublime. Through this 17 episode series (11 episodes in Planet Earth and 6 in Planet Earth II) we explore the natural world and all the beings a part of its wildlife. Planet Earth is the most astounding documentary series which was first aired on BBC One (British Broadcasting Company) in the United Kingdom on March 5th in 2006 and it remains as one of the best nature documentary-series today. While each episode is an hour long, this television series is well worth the time.
When looking for an educational, cinematically appealing and a soothing narrator, Planet Earth is the go-to series. With a well-known narrator, Sir David Attenborough, he is the standard in speech etiquette with a tad bit of humour. In addition to his relaxing voice, the production is of the utmost quality with each video costing approximately $2 million. The cost of this show is conceived throughout the documentary where it is not just pictures on the screen, the audience is thoroughly transported into the cold antarctic or the tops of the wild rainforests. With high definition in quality, the audience receives the close ups of animals that they may never encounter in person. Furthermore, great footage comes with great music. While the sharks are swimming after a school of fish or a montage of pandas eating bamboo, the plethora of masterpieces composed by George Fenton renders each moment as if watching a high action scene in a movie. Altogether, each moment is visually appealing while being accompanied by harmonious music to set the atmosphere. All in all, Planet Earth brings the great outdoors onto the big screens, thus effectively teaching individuals how important the natural world is and what needs to be done to preserve wildlife.
It is much appreciated and needed in our generation that there exists a television series so thoughtfully created in a time where humanity is rapidly destroying the planet. Even after a decade since its original release, Planet Earth continues to dominate streaming platforms and the public's attention. In 2016, “Planet Earth II [went] head-to-head with the X Factor Results programme at 20:00 on Sunday evenings. In total, The X Factor Results show [was] watched by around 7 million people per week, while Planet Earth II [attracted] more than 12 million” (BBC NEWS, 2016). This is proof that a nature documentary has the capability to steal the hearts of younger audiences even more so than a competition show that is generally targeted for this very same audience.
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Although Planet Earth is highly praised, there is a flaw that must be recognized. The goal of Planet Earth is to promote awareness of the natural world and why it must be protected. While Richard Beck, an American author agrees the importance, he points out a valid clincher as he believes that Planet Earth is not depicting the Earth in the way it is set out to do. He states that “Planet Earth laments the disappearance not of animals, but of animals as visual entertainment” (JSTOR DAILY, 2019). In other words “the BBC documentary [has] more appreciation for HD television than it [does] for engaged environmentalism” (JSTOR DAILY, 2019). Although this may be true to a portion of the audience, the other portion may feel inspired or appreciative. Essentially, it depends on how each individual appreciates this series whether it be the cinematography or the environmentalism it is set out to advertise.
Overall, Planet Earth is a high quality nature documentary series that shows the wonders of the world. I would highly recommend giving at least one of these episodes a try. When an escape from the bustling city life is needed, this is the perfect option to do so. As a result, this series deserves a solid rating of 9.5/10.
#PlanetEarth #SirDavidAttenborough #Nature
Sources
BBC. “Planet Earth II more popular than X Factor with young viewers.” BBC, 1 December 2016, https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38170406 Accessed 5 June 2022.
Bryant, Charles W. “How 'Planet Earth' Works | HowStuffWorks.” Entertainment | HowStuffWorks, 16 December 2007, https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/planet-earth.htm Accessed 3 June 2022.
Gifer. “Jungles bbc lizard GIF on GIFER - by Thodi.” Gifer, 2022, https://gifer.com/en/1uzM Accessed 17 June 2022.
Mohammed, Farah. “What’s Wrong with Planet Earth?” JSTOR DAILY, 22 April 2019, https://daily.jstor.org/whats-wrong-with-planet-earth/ Accessed 5 June 2022.
Strauss, Gary. “USA Today.” USA Today, 21 March 2007, https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-03-21-planet-earth-cover_N.htm Accessed 3 June 2022.
Thomas, William. “Planet Earth Review | TV Show - Empire.” Empire Online, 27 October 2006, https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/planet-earth-review/ Accessed 5 June 2022.
Bryant, Charles W. “How 'Planet Earth' Works | HowStuffWorks.” Entertainment | HowStuffWorks, 16 December 2007, https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/planet-earth.htm Accessed 3 June 2022.
Gifer. “Jungles bbc lizard GIF on GIFER - by Thodi.” Gifer, 2022, https://gifer.com/en/1uzM Accessed 17 June 2022.
Mohammed, Farah. “What’s Wrong with Planet Earth?” JSTOR DAILY, 22 April 2019, https://daily.jstor.org/whats-wrong-with-planet-earth/ Accessed 5 June 2022.
Strauss, Gary. “USA Today.” USA Today, 21 March 2007, https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-03-21-planet-earth-cover_N.htm Accessed 3 June 2022.
Thomas, William. “Planet Earth Review | TV Show - Empire.” Empire Online, 27 October 2006, https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/planet-earth-review/ Accessed 5 June 2022.