“We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery.”
—H.G. Wells
When the extraordinary Planet Earth series debuted on TV in February 2007, it grabbed attention around the world. 65 million of us had a regularly scheduled date in the living room for 11 weeks in a row, and sat riveted by breathtaking photography and the miracle of nature. Shot in the fairly new medium of HD, it took us to places and allowed us to bear witness to things we’d never seen before. Everyone everywhere was talking about it — at the dinner table, via e-mail and around the water cooler (imagine, no one was tweeting yet!).
Starting this Sunday, March 21, Discovery Channel and the producers of Planet Earth bring us a new series called LIFE. Last night I was invited to watch a screening of the first episode, Challenges of Life, at the Landmark River Oaks Theatre, hosted by Target and BBC. It is a particularly dramatic theme: The instinct to survive inherent in all living things and their ability to adapt to sustain the species.
LIFE, Discovery Channel's new series to begin this coming Sunday night
Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, the visuals remain spectacular, the stories engaging and the educational value excellent. With this first ep covering foxes, whales, seals, reptiles, insects, plant life, primates, octopi, big cats, hippos and more, there is something for everyone. Standouts to me were the way a small population of common bottle nose dolphins have learned to teach fish to jump right into their mouths, the lengths that a strawberry poison dart frog mother goes to ensure her babies grow and thrive, and how a primate species use tools. With the latter, it’s at once uncanny and unsettling to see their arms and legs making the exact same motions as our own, and their faces frown and show the same exasperation as we do in learning how to wield a large rock as a hammer.
This strawberry poison dart frog is an immensely dedicated mother
All show considerable intelligence and drive that can only encourage new or heightened respect for the creatures we share the planet with. While these examples take place in exotic locales, it can’t help but remind us that to those who take the time to look, there is drama and spectacle going on all around us, all the time — in any tree or on a simple blade of grass.
It makes you think twice about burying yourself in your hand held device 24/7. Hopefully.
Overall, the subject matter is nothing short of motivating. Simply by making it this easy and appealing to explore the world we live in at a deeper level, the conclusion is this: We live in a gorgeous, fantastic, miraculous, wonder filled world. As the dominant species, we should and must do everything in our power to conserve and preserve it and all that lives. There is nothing like the awe inspired by a show like LIFE to jolt us awake to this fact, and fuel a passionate desire to honor and protect our forests, oceans, plains, and mountain ranges, and all of their inhabitants.
Now there’s something to tweet about.
So clear your schedule to again be enchanted, amazed and inspired, brought to you by mother nature… and the producers at BBC and Discovery Channel!
LIFE starts this Sunday, March 21, on Discovery Channel. It runs through April 18 and treats us to double episodes each time (8-10PM ET/PT). And stay tuned after the final show on April 18 for a special called, The Making of LIFE at 10 PM.
Written by Rochelle Joseph. Visit me at my animal and nature blog at:www.naturegirrrl.blogspot.com
Thank you to Discovery Channel and BBC for all photos but the dart frog from Michigan Science Art.
Rochelle, As you write, you bring the reader into the scene, and one can actually see what you describe… I, for one, certainly plan to be rivited to my couch on Sunday.. that’s my plan… but if I can’t, my DVR will be set, just in case.
Thanks for this reminder.
Thanks so much for this heads-up. I hadn’t heard of this yet. This sounds like something not only I will enjoy, but will enjoy watching with my grandson. He is fasinated by the human body and how it works. This sounds like a wonderful way to get him interested in the animal world as well. And if there’s something icky and gross, so much the better! He’ll be glued to the TV.
We will certainly be recording it, especially after reading your review. I just wish it was narrated by James Earl Jones!
Sounds amazing. In our glass and concrete world, we don’t often get a view of what is out there in nature. The animals we see day-to-day are either domesticated or have adapted to living around our own civilization. Seeing them in a more natural setting, especially some of the beautiful ones these programs seem to highlight is always a treat. Thanks for the heads up!
I can’t wait to watch this new series. The last one came out in DVD and was my hanuka\xmas gift to every child I know. I was very popular during the holiday season with both parents and kids. The photo’s look amazing. Thanks soooo much for the heads up.
Wonderful article! It has me even more excited to see Life. I’m really looking forward to watching this series, I know it will be amazing! I only wish we could get the real British version narrated by David Attenborough. I’ll be watching the American version but when it comes out on Blu-Ray I’ll be picking up the original. He did such a good job on Planet Earth.
Hi, Rochelle–
Thanks for such an informative post. If this series is even half as good as the Planet Earth series was it will be a real treat. We’ll definitely be watching.
As a parent I cannot thank you enough for giving me the head’s up. I’m giving everyone a head’s up. Your review was so enticing I cannot wait to see it. Thanks again Rochelle for the passion you put into your writing on behalf of all animals.
ANY show about animal awareness is OK by me ! I loved Plant Earth .. amazing stories and INCREDIBLE photography. Thanks for the blog !!
Can’t wait to see the show tonight. Thanks for the heads up and the quick preview. Like you said, miracles are everywhere, we just have to open our eyes to see it.
Great article, to be honest though I loved Earth when I saw it I hadn’t been paying much attention to Life. I’ll try to watch it for certain! I still remember how amazing Earth was to watch, and I’m not a documentary sort of person normally.
Rochelle, thanks so much for your contributions to planet conservation by writing in this way! If we could all do something! I will be sure to tune in once again to what these amazing folks have accomplished. It’s so true – miracles in things as simple as a little blade of grass. And I’m so glad you included mentions of our modern communication implements – they are definitely here to stay & help us, yet folks need to also know about their electro-field dangers, and how they can be mitigated. If we could look at things like those little blades of grass & the birds whose feathers are lifted by the breeze just a little more, without having our devices tethered to our bodies at the same time, how much more simple & pure we would be able to make more moments in our day! Thank you so much for the TV-alert . . . see you there!!
What a lively, full of life description about a series called LIFE! I am not a TV watcher, but I will surely tune in to see this series. Thank goodness for TIVO and DVR. No matter what my schedule, I know I will be able to savor what sounds like an incredible documentary, full of secrets of nature we could otherwise not have known. I have always been in awe of the scientists, cinemetographers, and photographers (among many other talented categories of professionals) who allow us a peek, and now it sounds like an in-depth view of parts of our world about which we are only slightly aware.
Thank you for this vivid review BEFORE we miss it!
Thanks so much for this post Rochelle. I’m so excited to tune in tonight; you’ve made this first pre-viewed episode sound so engaging and educational. We’d all be foolish to miss it! Great post!
Can’t wait to see it! I read this to my kids and they told me to DVR it…interesting to think about the technology today bringing us closer to the world of nature! Thanks for bringing the show to my attention!
Kristi J.
rochell , you’ve done it again ! your note was complete , well written and highly convincing . congratulations not only on this latest accomplishment , but also on your consistently fine work . we’ve all benefited from your expertise and creativity . i hope we will enjoy many more years to come . every good wish to both you and the houston zoo . best , david hume .
What an interesting series! My son will love the poison dart frog. I’ll have to start taping it.
I have seen the commercials and I am SO excited to watch it. Unfortunately I think I missed the first one but the pictures and slow motion look amazing.
Rochelle,
You are a great writer and truly have the gift for the written word.
I’m in a rush and even getting to this late, or I would write a longer comment but I just wanted
to say that I saw it and loved it and thank you for writing about it.
bj
Dear Rochelle,
I did watch LIFE this past Sunday in Miami with my son and it was more than
enjoyable for both of us. We were fascinated by how much commitment was put in it to reveal to us the life of even tiny insects and frogs and so on. We loved it and we will continue to do so every Sunday until April 18. I also enjoyed reading your article. You transport us to the scene.
Thank you so much.
love, heloisa
Thank you so much, Rochelle. Your article was so engaging and informative. I can’t wait to set my recordings to capture such a rich program. Your article has reminded me of how blessed we truly are. Thank you for sharing.
Love
Lucinda
Rochelle,
Thank you for the terrific review! As always, your words bring LIFE to your subject matter – Cannot wait to watch, and my DVR will be set to capture the action. Just home from Maui where I had the privilege of participating in multiple whale watch cruises, and the experience was absolutely amazing!
Love your updates -
dla
Thanks for reminding us about this new Series …We loved the Planet Earth series and have been looking forward to this Life Series. ANd I couldn’t agree more with blogger…we should stop and observe what an amazing planet we live on and do more to protect it.