Narrated by David Attenborough, the beauty and breath-taking span of diversity present on the Earth is observed. Segmented by area, eight vastly different world regions come to light, including deserts, the seas, jungles, the polar ice caps, forests, and more. Within each area, the native species are followed to better understand their lifestyles.

Amid the true beauty of nature, an abrasive examination of the footprint of man is made. From global warming to deforestation to poaching, the burden animals, plants, and the like bare at the expense of their human counterparts divulges itself in an uncomfortable light. It is with an uplifting message and an optimistic future that these comparisons are made.

The series exhibits these different animal species within their environments, ranging from the cold terrain of Antarctica to the dry heat of the Sahara. These remarkable animals show courage in the face of new enemies who threaten their own survival and that of their offspring. Natural predators invade their domain, as well as encroachment by humans into their natural habitats. Additionally, changes in weather, such as droughts, floods, and higher temperatures alter patterns of their behaviour and thus their natural instincts of survival.

This ocean exploration includes hard looks at the effects of human life on the world’s oceans. Plastic waste, including micro-plastics, and other pollution, are devastating marine life globally. The question remains whether these effects can be checked or reversed. The documentary does not flinch over the brutal reality marine life is facing. There is a world unto itself in the ocean’s ecosystems. Blue Planet II offers an opportunity to feel humbled and awed.

The series is a sequel to The Blue Planet (2001).

Planet Earth II also covers one particular habitat that no other nature documentary has tackled: the cities. Taking the perspective of the animals as well as wild foliage that finds its way in, the series shows just how resourceful and persistent life can be. It also displays how innovative and adaptive the ecological matrix is, no matter the obstacle.

The series is a sequel to Planet Earth (2006).

The film focuses on landscape art and artists’ careful arrangements of the natural world. To rekindle the connection between human existence and the earth, Dr. James Fox explores six unique British landscapes. With each spot a thoughtful discussion of the artist’s perspective is given, as well as a deep reverence for the feelings evoked.

One artist piece explored is David Nash’s Ash Dome, hidden away in a secure location near Snowdonia. In it, a living sculpture, planted in 1977 is unveiled. A circle, forty years in the making, is shown to made of twenty-two ash trees. Overhead, a dome of leaves and branches serve as a shade from the sun. Also included are stone sculpture from Andy Goldsworthy and sky spaces from James Turrell.

Chito’s fascination with crocodiles began on the banks of the Reventazón River in his home country. Whilst fishing, Chito came across a crocodile that a hunter had wounded. Nursing the crocodile back to full health, he bonded with the creature, naming it Pocho.

Ready to bid the creature farewell, Chito was surprised to find that the crocodile refused to leave his side. Their friendship continued to endure over the decades, with Chito gaining notoriety for being one of the few people in the world who has successfully tamed a crocodile.

On a quest to explore if crocodiles possess the ability to show emotion and form connections with human beings, documentarian and cinematographer Rodger Horrocks investigates the legend of Chito and Pocho’s relationship for himself.

Shown through a series of interviews with former SeaWorld trainers, animal expert and neuroscientist Lori Marino, and actual footage of captive orca attacks, Blackfish explains how the extreme stress caused by both the capture of orcas in the wild, and the separation of the mothers and calves after breeding in captivity is extremely harmful to these majestic creatures, and in some cases can drive them to kill.

Attenborough narrates the journey over a series of six episodes including Kalahari, Savannah, Congo, Cape, Sahara, and the Future. Each episode is a tour of a different region of Africa exploring its wild landscapes, geography, and animal life.

With weaving narratives that place the viewer in the middle of the action, Africa does not fail to stun with its imagery. Animal behaviours that have never before been caught on camera are highlights of the series. Never one to shy away from the real issues facing the world, Attenborough explores the challenges facing Africa today and the solutions to overcoming them.

Attenborough takes the time to wade through the history of these strange and enchanting islands. He starts with the volcanos that first formed the barren lumps of rock in the middle of the sea and traces the history of the islands through their life cycle as volcanic offshoots, the creatures that find a place to live in between the cracks, and the careful balance that each new species must strike between the hard rocks and the boundless, all-encompassing ocean that surrounds them.

Directors Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel spend two months on fishing ships off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Using Go-Pros, they focus on the minute details of contemporary seafaring: readying the equipment, sorting the catches, gutting the fish, and tossing waste into the sea. They peek into the dark recesses of the ship and plunge below the waves.

Adding to the unique visual aesthetic, the filmmakers linger on long shots, position cameras upside down, and utilize lower-quality lenses to produce obscured imagery. The result is a succession of shots that are simultaneously lyrical and blunt.

Leviathan lays bare the stark, often brutal, conditions that commercial fishers endure. It is also a meditation on nature and humankind’s place in the world.