Blue Planet, The

2 0 0 1 (UK)
8 x 50 minute episodes

The Blue Planet may last only 400 minutes in total, but it took five years to make – a mammoth undertaking of exploration by the filmmakers.

Filmed at a cost of £7 million, its eight episodes covered every aspect of marine life, from the tiny krill to the gigantic blue whale, taking in creatures such as turtles, dolphins, penguins, albatrosses, and every form of fish and marine invertebrate. They included some creatures never before caught on camera, and some that had not been known to exist.

The cinematography was stunning – viewers could watch the series with the volume turned off and still be enthralled.

Each episode had a different focus: The unexplored deep; predators; the Arctic and Antarctic; the seasons; coral reefs; tidal seas; and coastal ecosystems.

Sir David Attenborough’s narration (some of which he wrote) provided that final seal of quality that an undertaking of this nature requires.

The series showcased exactly why the BBC is still the best in the world at depicting our natural world. The patience and skill on show in bringing these sometimes beautiful, sometimes grotesque creatures to the screen is breathtaking.

There have been other documentaries tackling similar marine subjects, but The Blue Planet remains unmatched for sheer scale and beauty.

Attenborough and producer Alastair Fothergill went on to make Planet Earth and Frozen Planet to a similar template.

Narrator
Sir David Attenborough