Planet Earth(2006 TV series)

This article is about the 2006 BBC TV series. For the 2016 sequel series, seePlanet Earth II.For the 2023 sequel series, seePlanet Earth III.For the franchise as a whole, seePlanet Earth (franchise).For the unrelated 1986 PBS TV series, seePlanet Earth (1986 TV series).

Planet Earth
Genre	Nature documentary
Narrated by	David Attenborough(Original Version) Sigourney Weaver(Discovery Channel Version)
Composer	George Fenton
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No.of episodes	11
Production
Producer	Alastair Fothergill
Cinematography	Doug Allan
Editors	Martin Elsbury Andy Netley
Running time	60 minutes
Production companies	BBC Natural History Unit Discovery Channel NHK CBC
Original release
Network	BBC One BBC HD
Release	5 March(2006-03-05)– 10 December 2006(2006-12-10)
Related
Planet Earth II The Blue Planet Frozen Planet Planet Earth: The Future Planet Earth III

Planet Earthis a 2006 British television series produced by theBBC Natural History Unit.Five years in the making, it was the most expensivenature documentaryseries ever commissioned by theBBCand also the first to be filmed inhigh definition.The series received multiple awards, including fourEmmy Awards,aPeabody Award,and an award from theRoyal Television Society.

Planet Earthpremiered on 5 March 2006 in the United Kingdom onBBC One,and by June 2007 had been shown in 130 countries. The original version was narrated byDavid Attenborough,whilst some international versions used alternative narrators.

The series has eleven episodes, each of which features a global overview of a differentbiomeorhabitatonEarth.At the end of each fifty-minute episode, a ten-minute featurette takes a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of filming the series.

Ten years later, BBC announced a six-part sequel had been commissioned, titledPlanet Earth II,the first television series produced by the BBC inultra-high-definition(4K). David Attenborough returned as narrator and presenter.A second sequel,Planet Earth IIIwas announced and aired in 2023.

Background

In 2001 the BBC broadcastThe Blue Planet,a series on the natural history of the world's oceans. It received critical acclaim, high viewing figures, audience appreciation ratings, and many awards. It also became a hugely profitable global brand, eventually being sold to 150 countries worldwide. Feedback showed that audiences particularly liked the epic scale, the scenes of new and unusual species and the cinematic quality of the series. Programme commissioners were keen for a follow-up, soAlastair Fothergilldecided that the Natural History Unit should repeat the formula with a series looking at the whole planet. The idea forPlanet Earthwas born, and the series was commissioned byLorraine Heggessey,then Controller of BBC One, in January 2002.

Afeature filmversion ofPlanet Earthwas commissioned alongside the television series, repeating the successful model established withThe Blue Planetand its companion film,Deep Blue.Earthwas released around the world from 2007 to 2009. There was also another accompanying television series,Planet Earth: The Future,which looked at theenvironmental problemsfacing some of thespeciesand habitats featured in the main series in more detail.

Broadcast

Planet Earthpremiered on BBC One on 5 March 2006 in the United Kingdom. On the same day or in the subsequent weeks or months, the series also began airing in several other countries.

International broadcasters carrying Planet Earth include Australia onABCandGEM,Canada onCBCandCTV,New Zealand onPrime,the Philippines onGMA NetworkandGMA News TV,the U.S. onDiscovery Channel,Velocity,Science,Animal Planet,Destination AmericaandBBC America.

British television

The episodes are each an hour in length, comprising the main programme and a 10-minute featurette calledPlanet Earth Diaries,which details the filming of a particular event. In the UK,Planet Earthwas split into two parts, broadcast in spring and autumn 2006. The first five episodes premiered onBBC Oneat 9:00 pm on Sundays, beginning on 5 March 2006. The programmes were repeated the following Saturday in an early evening slot onBBC Two.Along with its 2005 dramatisation ofBleak House,theBBCselectedPlanet Earthfor its trial ofhigh-definitionbroadcasts.The opening episode was its first-ever scheduled programme in the format, shown 27 May 2006 on theBBC HDchannel.

The first episode in the autumn series,Great Plains,received its first public showing at theEdinburgh International Television Festivalon 26 August 2006. It was shown on a giant screen in Conference Square.The remaining episodes were broadcast from 5 November 2006 in the same primetimeBBC Oneslot, following a further repeat run of the spring programmes onBBC Four.The autumn episodes were broadcast simultaneously onBBC HDand were repeated onBBC Fourthe following week.

Besides beingBBC One's featuredOne to Watchprogramme of the day,Planet Earthwas heavily trailed on the BBC's television and radio channels both before and during its run. The music that was featured in theBBCtrailers for the series is the track "Hoppípolla"from the albumTakk...byIcelandicpost-rockbandSigur Rós.Following the advertisements, interest was so widespread that the single was re-released.In the United States, the series was promoted using "The Time Has Come" fromtrailer musiccompany Epic Score,composed by Gabriel Shadid and Tobias Marberger.TheAustraliantrailers initially usedJupiter: The Bringer of JollityfromGustav Holst's orchestral suiteThe Planets,but later reverted to "Hoppípolla".

International

TheBBCpre-sold the series to several overseas broadcasters,including theDiscovery Channelfor the United States, theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation,theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation,China Central Television,WDRfor Germany, Discovery Channel forIndia,Prime Televisionfor New Zealand, and C1R for Russian broadcasts. The series was eventually sold to 130 countries.

On 25 March 2007, the series began its run on American television on theDiscoverynetwork, premiering on theDiscovery ChannelandDiscovery HD Theater.There were a number of revisions to the original British programme. Actress and conservationistSigourney Weaverwas brought in to replaceDavid Attenboroughas narrator, as it was thought her familiarity to American audiences would attract more viewers. The Discovery programmes also used a slightly different script to the British original. The series was broadcast on Sundays in one 3-hour block followed by four 2-hour blocks. ThePlanet Earth Diariessegments were not shown immediately after each episode, but collectively inPlanet Earth: The Filmmakers' Story,a two-hour special which was broadcast after the series had finished its initial network run. Edited versions were later broadcast onThe Science Channel,Animal Planet,andPlanet Green.

In Canada, the series did not air on the Canadian Discovery Channel, as it is owned byCTVand theCanadianrights were exclusively sold to theCBC.

Episodes

"A hundred years ago, there were one and a half billion people on Earth. Now, over six billion crowd our fragile planet. But even so, there are still places barely touched by humanity. This series will take you to the last wildernesses and show you the planet and its wildlife as you have never seen them before."

— David Attenborough's opening narration

No.	Title	Original air date	U.S. air date	UK viewers (millions)
1	"From Pole to Pole"	5 March 2006(2006-03-05)	25 March 2007	9.41
The first episode illustrates a journey around the globe and reveals the effect of gradualclimatic changeand seasonal transitionsen route.DuringAntarctica's winter,emperor penguinsendure four months of darkness, with no food, in temperatures of −70°C(−94°F). Meanwhile, as spring arrives in theArctic,polar bearcubs take their first steps into a world of rapidly thawing ice. In northern Canada, 3 millioncariboucomplete an overland migration of 3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi), longer than that of any animal, and are hunted by wolves during their journey. The forests of eastern Russia are home to theAmur leopard;with a population of just 40 individuals in the wild, it is now the world's rarest cat. This is primarily because of the destruction of its habitat, and Attenborough states that it "symbolizes the fragility of our natural heritage". However, in thetropics,the jungle that covers 3% of the planet's surface supports 50% of its species. Other species shown includeNew Guinea'sbirds of paradise,African hunting dogsin their efficient pursuit ofimpala,elephantsin Africa migrating towards the waters of theOkavango Delta,a seasonal bloom of life in the otherwise aridKalahari Desert,and 300,000 migratingBaikal teal,containing the world's entire population of the species in one flock. The episode ends with Antarctica where the male Emperor penguins nurture their newly young chicks after four months of the Antarctic polar night. ThePlanet Earth Diariessegment shows how the wild dog hunt was filmed unobtrusively with the aid of theHeligimbal,a powerful,gyro-stabilised camera mounted beneath ahelicopter.
2	"Mountains"	12 March 2006(2006-03-12)	25 March 2007	8.57
TheBaltoro Glacierin theKarakoram,Pakistan The second instalment focuses on themountains.All the main ranges are explored with extensiveaerial photography.Ethiopia'sErta Aleis thelongest continually eruptingvolcano—for over 100 years. On the nearby highlands ofSimien Mountains,geladas(the only primate whose diet is almost entirely grass) inhabit precipitous slopes nearly five kilometres (3 mi) up, in troops that are 800-strong: the most numerous of their kind. Alongside them live thecritically endangeredwalia ibex,the two species take turns to act as a lookout for predatoryEthiopian wolves.TheAndeshave the most volatile weather andguanacosare shown enduring a flash blizzard, along with an exceptional group sighting of the normally solitarypuma.TheAlpinesummits are alwayssnow-covered, apart from that of theMatterhorn,which is too sheer to allow it to settle.Grizzly bearcubs emerge from their den for the first time in theRockies,whileHimalayaninhabitants includeruttingmarkhorand the raresnow leopard.At the eastern end of the range, thegiant pandacannot hibernate due to its poor nutriment ofbambooand one of them cradles its week-old cub. Also shown is the Earth's biggest mountainglacier—theBaltoroinPakistan,which is 70 kilometres (43 mi) long and visible from space. The episode ends with the flock ofDemoiselle cranesflying across the Himalayan mountain peak to avoid the hostile air currents and predatoryGolden eaglesthat threaten their migration. Planet Earth Diariesexplains how difficult it was to get close-up footage ofsnow leopards;it was a three-year process and is the world's first-ever video footage of snow leopards.
3	"Fresh Water"	19 March 2006(2006-03-19)	15 April 2007	8.83
Thefresh waterprogramme describes the course taken byriversand some of the species that take advantage of such a habitat. Only 3% of the world's water is fresh, yet all life on land ultimately depends on it. Its journey begins as a stream in the mountains, illustrated byVenezuela'sTepui,where there is a tropical downpour almost every day. It then travels hundreds of kilometers before formingrapids.With the aid of some expansive helicopter photography, one sequence demonstrates the vastness ofAngel Falls,the world's highest free-flowingwaterfall.Its waters drop unbroken for nearly 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) and are blown away as a mist before they reach the bottom. In Japan, the water is inhabited by the biggest amphibian, the two-meter longgiant salamander,while in the Northern Hemisphere,salmonundertake the largest freshwater migration, and are hunted en route by grizzly bears. The erosive nature of rivers is shown by theGrand Canyon,created over five million years by theColorado River.Also featured aresmooth coated ottersrepellingmugger crocodilesand the latter'sNile cousinambushingwildebeestas they cross theMara River.East African Rift Valley holds three of the world's largest lakes:Malawi,Tanganyika,andVictoria.Lake Malawi contains 850 differentCichlidsthat originated from their same ancestors that were isolated thousands of years ago, along with nocturnal predatory dolphin fish. Deep in the dead zone of Malawi, swarms of fly midges emerge from larvae during the rainy season and begin their process of mating. In Lake Baikal of Eastern Siberia,Baikal sealand freshwater sponges thrive here despite the ice sheet that covers the lake. TheAmazon River,the biggest river in the world, flows from the Andes toward the Atlantic oceans carrying a billion tonnes of sediments. Its tributary,Rio Negro,contains a mixture of sediments and saltwater where it supportsbotosfeeding habit. Between the border of Brazil and Argentina liesIguassu Falls,which is the widest waterfall ever known. InPantanalwetlands, 300 species of fish breed here, including theRed-bellied piranhasandDorados.Along with fish,Roseate spoonbillsare numerous in thePantanaland are prey tospectacled caimanwaiting for the chicks to fall from the tree. InBangladesh,theGangesandBrahmaputrajoin together to form the world'slargest river deltaand create the largest mangrove forest known as theSundarbans.The mangroves ofIndonesiaprovide a home tocrab-eating macaquesfor their aquatic lifestyle. The programme ends in North America where 400,000 flocks ofsnow geesesettle in the estuaries to rest and refuel on their long migrational journey. Planet Earth Diariesshows how a camera crew filmed a piranha feeding frenzy inBrazil—after a two-week search for the opportunity.
4	"Caves"	26 March 2006(2006-03-26)	22 April 2007	8.98
TheLechuguilla Cave This episode explores "Planet Earth's final frontier":caves.At a depth of 400 metres (1,300 ft), Mexico'sCave of Swallowsis Earth's deepestpit cavefreefall drop, allowing entry byBASE jumpers.Its volume could containNew York City'sEmpire State Building.In this episode divers explore the otherworldlycenotesof theYucatán Peninsula,appearing to be flying in water (because it is so clear), allowing viewers a glimpse of the hundreds of kilometers of caves that have already been mapped. TheWaitomo Caveswith theArachnocampa luminosais also shown. Also featured isBorneo'sDeer CaveandGomantong Cave.Inhabitants of the former include three millionwrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat,which have depositedguanoon to an enormous mound. InGomantong Cave,guano is many metres high and is blanketed with hundreds of thousands ofcockroachesand other invertebrates. Also depicted are eyeless, subterranean creatures, such as theTexas blind salamanderand (bizarrely) a species ofcrab.Carlsbad Caverns National Parkis featured with its calcite formations. Mexico'sCueva de Villa Luzis also featured, with its flowing stream ofsulphuric acidandsnottiteformations made of living bacteria. A fish species, the shortfin molly, has adapted to this habitat. The programme ends inNew Mexico'sLechuguilla Cave(discovered in 1986) where sulphuric acid has produced unusually ornate,gypsumcrystal formations. Planet Earth Diariesreveals how a camera team spent a month among the cockroaches on the guano mound in Gomantong Cave and describes the logistics required to photograph Lechuguilla. Permission for the latter took two years and local authorities are unlikely to allow another visit.
5	"Deserts"	2 April 2006(2006-04-02)	1 April 2007	9.23
This instalment features the harsh environment that covers one-third of the land on Earth: thedeserts.Due toSiberianwinds,Mongolia'sGobi Desertreaches extremes of temperature like no other, ranging from −40 °C to +50 °C (−40 °F to 122 °F). It is home to the rareWild Bactrian camel,which eats snow to maintain its fluid level and must limit itself to 10 liters (2.6 U.S. gal; 2.2 imp gal) a day if it is not to prove fatal.Africa'sSaharais the size of the United States, and just one of its severedust stormscould cover the whole ofGreat Britain.While some creatures, such as thedromedary,take them in their stride, for others the only escape from such bombardments is to bury themselves in the sand. Few rocks can resist them either and the outcrops shown inEgypt'sWhite Desertare being inexorably eroded. The biggest dunes (300 m or 1,000 ft high) are found inNamibia,while other deserts featured areDeath ValleyinCaliforniaandNevada,theSonoraninArizona,the deserts ofUtah,all in the United States, theAtacamainChile,and areas of the Australian outback. Animals are shown searching for food and surviving in such an unforgiving habitat:African elephantsthat walk up to 80 kilometres (50 mi) per day to find food;lions(huntingoryx);red kangaroos(which moisten their forelegs with saliva to keep cool); nocturnalfennec foxes,acrobaticflat lizardsfeeding onblack flies,and duellingNubian ibex.The final sequence illustrates one of nature's most fearsome spectacles: a billion-strong plague ofdesert locusts,destroying all vegetation in its path. Planet Earth Diariesexplains how the hunt for the elusive Bactrian camels necessitated a two-month trek in Mongolia.
6	"Ice Worlds"	5 November 2006(2006-11-05)	1 April 2007	6.37
Theaurora borealisinAlaska The sixth programme looks at the regions of theArcticandAntarctica.The latter contains 90% of the world's ice, and stays largely deserted until the spring, when visitors arrive to harvest its waters.Snow petrelstake their place onnunataksand begin to court, but are preyed on bysouth polar skuas.During summer, a pod ofhumpback whaleshuntkrillby creating a spiralling net of bubbles. The onset of winter sees the journey ofemperor penguinsto their breeding grounds, 160 kilometres (99 mi) inland. Their eggs transferred to the males for safekeeping, the females return to the ocean while their partners huddle into large groups to endure the extreme cold. At the northern end of the planet, Arctic residents includemusk oxen,who are hunted byArctic foxesandwolves.A femalepolar bearand her two cubs head off across the ice to look for food. As the sun melts the ice, a glimpse of the Earth's potential future reveals a male polar bear that is unable to find a firm footing anywhere and has to resort to swimming—which he cannot do indefinitely. His desperate need to eat brings him to a colony ofwalrus.Although he attacks repeatedly, the herd is successful in evading him by returning to the sea. Wounded and unable to feed, the bear will not survive. Meanwhile, back in Antarctica, the eggs of the emperor penguins finally hatch while two adult Polar bear cubs from Arctic travels onward as they wander across vast track of frozen ocean independently from their mother. Planet Earth Diariestells of the battle with the elements to obtain the penguin footage and of unwelcome visits from polar bears.
7	"Great Plains"	12 November 2006(2006-11-12)	8 April 2007	6.72
This episode deals withsavanna,steppe,tundra,prairie,and looks at the importance and resilience ofgrassesin such treeless ecosystems. Their vast expanses contain the largest concentration of animal life. InOuter Mongolia,a herd ofMongolian gazelleflee abush fireand is forced to find new grazing, but grass self-repairs rapidly and soon reappears. Over Africa's savanna, a swarm of 1.5 billionred-billed queleasare caught on camera, the largest flock of birds ever depicted.On the Arctic tundra during spring, millions ofmigratorysnow geesearrive to breed and their young are preyed on by Arctic foxes. Meanwhile,time-lapse photographydepicts moving herds of caribou as a calf is brought down by a chasing wolf. On theNorth Americanprairie,bisonengage in the ritual to establish the dominant males. InVeldofSouth Africa,flowers began to openly bloom every summer allowingOstrichesandspringboksto thrive before nightfall. TheTibetan Plateauis the highest of the plains and despite its relative lack of grass, animals do survive there, includingyakandwild ass.However, the area's most numerous resident is thepika,whose nemesis is theTibetan fox.In tropical India, the tall grasses hide some of the largest creatures,such asIndian ElephantsandIndian rhinoceros,and also the smallest, such as thepygmy hogandLesser florican.The final sequence depictsAfrican bush elephantsthat are forced to share a waterhole with a pride of thirty lions. The insufficient water makes it an uneasy alliance and the latter gain the upper hand during the night when their hunger drives them to hunt and eventually kill one of the pachyderms. Planet Earth Diariesexplains how the lion hunt was filmed in darkness usinginfraredlight.
8	"Jungles"	19 November 2006(2006-11-19)	15 April 2007	7.04
A Costa Ricantree frog This episode examinesjunglesandtropical rainforests.These environments occupy only 3% of the land yet are home to over half of the world's species.New Guineais inhabited by almost 40 kinds ofbirds of paradise,which avoid conflict with each other by living in different parts of the island. Some of their elaborate courtship displays are shown. Within the denseforest canopy,sunlightis prized, and the death of atreetriggers a race by saplings to fill the vacant space.Figsare a widespread and popular food, and as many as 44 types ofbirdandmonkeyhave been observed picking from a single tree. The sounds of the jungle throughout the day are explored, from the early morning calls ofsiamangsandorangutansto the nocturnal cacophony of courtingtree frogs.The importance offungito theAmazon rainforestis illustrated by a sequence of them fruiting, including aparasitethat infested insects, calledcordyceps.InBorneo,nocturnalcolugois one of the rare species ever discovered and travels two miles while foraging for young leaves.The mutual benefits of the relationship between carnivorouspitcher plantsand redcrab spidersis also discussed. In theCongo,roamingforest elephantsare shown reaching a clearing to feed on essentialclayminerals within the mud. Finally,chimpanzeesare one of the few jungle animals able to traverse both the forest floor and the canopy in search of food. InUganda,members of a 150-strong community of the primates mount a raid into neighbouring territory in order to gain control of it. Planet Earth Diarieslooks at filming displaying birds of paradise, focusing mainly on the filming of thesix-plumed bird of paradise."Jungles" served as a major inspiration in developing the video gameThe Last of Us,which features a mutated strain of the cordyceps fungus infecting humans and almost destroying mankind.
9	"Shallow Seas"	26 November 2006(2006-11-26)	8 April 2007	7.32
This programme is devoted to the shallow seas that fringe the world'scontinents.Although they constitute 8% of the oceans, they contain most marine life. Ashumpback whalesreturn to breeding grounds in the tropics, a mother and her calf are followed. While the latter takes in up to 500 litres of milk a day, its parent will starve until it travels back to the poles to feed—and it must do this while it still has sufficient energy left for the journey. The coral reefs ofIndonesiaare home to the biggest variety of ocean dwellers, including thePygmy seahorses,andfile clam.Other ocean dwellers such as banded seakraits,which ally themselves withgoatfishandtrevallyin order to hunt. Beyond the coral stretches the world of shifting sands, ocean dwellers, such asGurnard,Jawfish,Green sea turtle,andWonderpus octopus,are forced to cope with their environment through crucial camouflage and foraging where they have nowhere else hide. InShark BayofWestern Australia,Dugongsforage across the largest aquatic grassland eating tons of seagrasses a day whilebottlenose dolphinsperform their "hydroplane" in the shallowest waters to catch a meal. Meanwhile in the desert shores ofBahrain,100,000Socotra cormorantsrely onshamalsthat blow sand grains into the nearbyPersian Gulf,transforming it into a rich fishing ground. The appearance ofalgaein the spring starts a food chain that leads to an abundant harvest ofSalps,Krills,andcomb jellies.As shoals of migratory fish feasts on the krills,sea lionsanddusky dolphinsare among those taking advantage of it. Within the coastline ofCalifornia,Giant kelpsfertilizes algaes making them the tallest kelps ever recorded which causes group ofSea urchinsto infest them creating urchin barrens. Within the urchin barrens, group ofstarfishes,sand dollars,andbrittle starsscavenge across the barrens while facing against their fierce predator,Sunflower sea star.InSouthern Africa,aschokka squidare preyed on byshort-tail stingrayandsand tiger shark,theCape fur sealsthat share the waters are hunted by the world's largest predatory fish—thegreat white shark.OnMarion Islandin theIndian Ocean,a group ofking penguinsmust cross a beach occupied by neighboringElephant sealsthat are harmless and predatoryFur sealsthat do not hesitate to attack them. In spring, The humpback whales ended their winter migration as they travel to the polar seas of theBering Seaalong with five millionshearwaters,migrated from Australia, as they flourish across the shallow waters for krills. The programme ends with the mother and calf, who is now old enough to separate with its mother and continues its epic journey across the ocean. Planet Earth Diariesshows the difficulties of filming the one-second strike of a great white shark, filmed bySimon King.
10	"Seasonal Forests"	3 December 2006(2006-12-03)	22 April 2007	7.42
A stand of giantredwoods The penultimate episode surveys theconiferousanddeciduousseasonalwoodlandhabitats—the most extensive forests on Earth. Conifers begin sparsely in thesubarcticbut soon dominate the land, and thetaigacircles the globe, containing a third of all the Earth's trees. Few creatures can survive the Arctic climate year round, but themoose,capercaillie,andwolverineare exceptions. 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) to the south, on thePacificcoast of North America, conifers have reached their full potential. These include some of the world'stallest trees:theredwoods.Here, apine martenis shown stalking asquirrel,andgreat grey owlchicks take their first flight. Further south still, inChile'sValdivian forests,a population of smaller animals exist, including thepudúand thekodkod.During spring in a European broad-leafed forest, amandarin duckleads its day-old family to leap from its tree trunk nest to the leaf litter below. TheBialowieza Foresttypifies the habitat that characterised Europe around 6,000 years ago: only a fragment remains inPolandandBelarus.On a summer night on North America's east coast,periodical cicadasemerge en masse to mate—an event that occurs every seventeen years. After revisiting Russia'sAmur leopardsin winter, a time-lapse sequence illustrates the effect of the ensuing spring on the deciduous forest floor. In India's teak forests, alangur monkeystrays too far from thechitalthat act as its sentinels and falls prey to atiger.InMadagascar,mouse lemursfeed on the nectar of floweringbaobabtrees. Planet Earth Diariesexplains how aerial shots of thebaobabwere achieved by the use of a cinebulle, an adaptedhot air balloon.
11	"Ocean Deep"	10 December 2006(2006-12-10)	25 March 2007	6.02
The final instalment concentrates on the least explored area of the planet—thedeep ocean.It begins with awhale sharkused as a shield by a shoal ofbait fishto protect themselves fromyellowfin tuna.Also shown is anoceanic whitetip sharktrailing rainbow runners. Meanwhile, a 500-strong school ofdolphinshead for theAzores,where they work together to feast onscad mackerelalong with a flock ofshearwaters.Down in the ocean's furthest reaches, some creatures defy classification. Beneath the dark seafloor,Deep sea creaturessuch as thesea spiderfiltering on marine snow,sawtooth eelgazing upward for prey shimmering from above the surface,Dumbo octopusroaming through the dark void,Vampire squidperforming a special display of defense and predation,Monkfishluring prey for necessities, and thespider crabbid their time, awaiting carrion from above along with eels andwoodlices.The volcanic mountain chain at the bottom of theAtlantic Oceanalso sustains life through the bacteria that surround its sulphide vents which allows shrimps to feed. Within the Western Pacific borderingJapanlies the Dragon chimneys erupted from thermal vents where different forms of baterias thrives. InAtlantic,Squat lobsterssettle near the hydrothermal vents grazing on bacterias. From the depths of Galapagos Island at the site of the Nine North, the chimneys provides energy fortube wormsto grow and support settlement, but after nine months the chimneys turns cold causing the tube worms to wither and extinguished. There are thought to be around 30,000undersea volcanoes,some of them taller thanMount Everest.Their sheer cliffs provide anchorage for several corals and sponges. Nearer the surface, the currents that surround theseseamountsforce nutrients up from below and thus marine life around them is abundant, which allows theNautilusto forage freely before retreat to the depth. Thirty miles away, the shoal of squids jets upwards to the stream to hunt small fish and planktons while avoiding thepacific spotted dolphinsas they use sonar to confuse their prey. The giantMola Molasettle at reef for cleaning viabutterfly fishfeeding parasites and cool temperature.Ascension Islandis a nesting ground forfrigatebirdsandgreen turtles.Off theMexicancoast, a large group ofsailfishfeed on another shoal of bait fish, changing colour to signal their intentions to each other, allowing them to coordinate their attack. The last sequence depicts the largest animal on Earth—theblue whale,of which 300,000 once roamed the world's oceans with 3000 individuals roam the planet which they are now fewer than 3% remain. Planet Earth Diariesshows the search in theBahamasfor oceanic whitetip sharks.

"Our planet is still full of wonders. As we explore them, so we gain not only understanding, but power. It's not just the future of the whale that today lies in our hands: it's the survival of the natural world in all parts of the living planet. We can now destroy or we can cherish. The choice is ours."

— David Attenborough, in closing

Planet Earth: The Future

Main article:Planet Earth: The Future

The latter episodes were supplemented byPlanet Earth: The Future,a series of three 60-minute films that highlight the conservation issues surrounding some of the featured species and environments. The programmes are narrated by Simon Poland and the series producer wasFergus Beeley.The series began transmission onBBC Fourafter the ninth episode, "Shallow Seas".

Feature film

Main article:Earth (2007 film)

Alongside the commissioning of the television series,BBC Worldwideand GreenLight Media secured financing for a US$15 million film version ofPlanet Earth.This followed the earlier success ofDeep Blue,the BBC's 2003 theatrical nature documentary which used re-edited footage fromThe Blue Planet.The film was co-directed byAlastair FothergillandMark Linfieldand produced by Alix Tidmarsh and Sophokles Tasioulis. Only 30% of the footage shown inEarthis new, with the remainder being reworked from the television series to suit the narrative of the film.David Attenborough was replaced as narrator by high-profile actors:Patrick Stewartfor the UK market andJames Earl Jonesfor the United States.

Earthhad its worldwide premiere in September 2007 at theSan Sebastián International Film FestivalinSan Sebastián,Spain, inBasque Country.Lionsgatereleased the film in several international markets over the following year. In the United States, it became the first film to be released byDisneynature,theWalt Disney Company's new nature documentary arm.When released onEarth Day2009 it set the record for the highest opening weekend gross for a nature documentary, and went on to become the third highest grossing documentary of all time.It has grossed more than $108 million worldwide; in the nature documentary genre, onlyMarch of the Penguinshas achieved greater box-office success.

Reception

Critical reception

Planet Earthreceived widespread critical acclaim. On review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes,the miniseries has an approval rating of 100% based on 21 reviews, with an average rating of 9.8/10. The critical consensus reads "Planet Earthweaves innovative camera techniques and patient observation to deliver viewers an astounding glimpse of the world's perils and wonders, capturing jaw-dropping scenery and animals on both an epic and intimate scale. "Timemagazine'sJames Poniewoziknamed it one of the Top 10 New TV Series of 2007, ranking it at No. 4.In 2019,Planet Earthand its sequel were ranked 72nd onThe Guardian's list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.As of 2023,Planet Earthis ranked third onIMDb's Top 250 TV Shows.

Accolades

Jeff Hasler at the 67th Annual Peabody Awards forPlanet Earth

Planet Earth: From Pole to Polewon the Science and Natural History award at theRoyal Television SocietyProgramme Awards in 2007.The RTS also awarded it a Judge's Award and a Photography Award at its Craft and Design Awards.The series picked up two awards from theBroadcasting Press Guildfor Best Documentary Series and Innovation in Broadcasting,and won Best Documentary Series at the 2007 Broadcast Awards.At the 2007BAFTA Television Awards,Planet Earthwas nominated in the Specialist Factualand Pioneer Audience Award categories, but lost out toNuremberg: Goering's Last StandandLife on Marsrespectively.It received three nominations at the BAFTA Television Craft Awards later the same year. George Fenton's original score won him Soundtrack Composer of the Year at the 2007Classical BRIT Awards.Planet Earth was also nominated for the NTA for Most popular Factual program but lost toTop Gear(SupernannyandBad Lad's Army: Officer Classwere also nominated).

Planet Earthwas recognised by the American television industry, collecting the award for Nonfiction Series at the59th Primetime Emmy Awardsin September 2007 and winning a further three prizes in technical categories at theCreative Arts Emmy Awards.It also collected two awards from theTelevision Critics AssociationinLos Angelesin July 2007and aPeabody Awardin April 2008.

The series was also fêted at wildlife film festivals around the globe, collected multiple prizes at theWildscreen Festival2006, the International Wildlife Film Festival 2007 and the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival 2007.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref.
2006	Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards	Lighting, Photography and Camera - Photography (Documentary/Factual & Non Drama Productions)	Photography Team(for "From Pole to Pole" )	Won
		Sound - Entertainment & Non Drama Productions	Andrew Wilson, Graham Wild, Kate Hopkins, Tim Owens	Nominated
		Judges' Award	Planet Earth	Won
2007	Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series		Won
		Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program	Doug Allan,Martyn Colbeck, Paul Stewart, Simon King, Michael Kelem and Wade Fairley(for "Pole to Pole" )	Won
		Outstanding Music Composition for a Series	George Fenton(for "Pole to Pole" )	Won
		Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program	Andy Netley(for "Mountains" )	Nominated
		Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)	Kate Hopkins(for "Pole to Pole" )	Won
		Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)	Graham Wild(for "Pole to Pole" )	Nominated
		Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Programming	Vanessa Berlowitz and Gary Parker(for "Mountains" )	Nominated
	British Academy Television Awards	Best Specialist Factual	Planet Earth	Nominated
		Audience Award		Nominated
	British Academy Television Craft Awards	Best Original Television Music	George Fenton	Nominated
		Best Photography: Factual	Camera Team	Nominated
		Best Sound: Factual	Andrew Wilson, Kate Hopkins, Tim Owens, Graham Wild	Nominated
	Saturn Awards	Best DVD Television Release	Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series	Nominated
	Peabody Award		Planet Earth	Won
	Producers Guild of America Awards	Best Non-Fiction Television		Won
	Royal Television Society Programme Awards	Science & Natural History	"From Pole to Pole"	Won
	Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards	Photography - Documentary/Factual & Non-Drama	Camera Team(for "Ice Worlds" )	Nominated
	Television Critics Association Awards	Program of the Year	Planet Earth	Nominated
		Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials		Won
		Outstanding Achievement in News and Information		Won

Audience response

The credentials of the filmmakers, the size of the production, a high-profile marketing campaign and a primetime BBC One timeslot all resulted inPlanet Earthattracting large audiences when it debuted in the UK in March 2006. The first episode, "From Pole to Pole", was watched by more people than any natural history programme since Attenborough and Fothergill's previous series,The Blue Planet,in 2001.The first five episodes drew an average audience of 11.4 million viewers, including the early evening repeats, outperforming evenThe Blue Planet.When the series returned to British screens after a six-month break, it remained popular but viewing figures did not reach the same levels. The final six episodes attracted an average audience of 6.8 million viewers, appreciably lower than the spring episodes, but still higher than BBC One's average for the timeslot.The BBC's 2007 Annual Report revealed that the series "received the highest audience appreciation score of any British programme on TV this year".

In the United States,Planet Earthdrew equally impressive ratings when it premiered on Discovery and Discovery HD Theater on 25 March 2007. The first three episodes (screened back to back) averaged 5.72 million viewers with a peak of 6.07 million viewers, giving the network its third highest audience ever. It was also the most watched Discovery programme sinceThe Flight That Fought Backin 2005.

Sequel

Main article:Planet Earth II

In February 2016, the BBC announced a six-part sequel had been commissioned, titledPlanet Earth II,for release in late 2016, with Sir David Attenborough returning as narrator and presenter.As with the 2006 series, the trailer features the track 'Hoppípolla' by Sigur Rós.

Merchandise

The popularity of the television series around the world translated into strong sales of associatedPlanet Earthmerchandise. In the United States, it became the fastest and bestselling documentaryDVDin Discovery Channel's history, and thehigh-definition(HD) discs generated US$3.2 million in sales in just two months.By the end of 2007, U.S. sales had topped 3 million units, making it the highest-grossing HD title and one of the top ten DVD titles of the year.

In addition, the brand was licensed to other companies to produce children's books, calendars, a board game,jigsaws,stationery, cards, and more.

DVD

A five-disc DVD box set of the complete series (BBCDVD1883) was released in the UK forRegions 2 and 4(PAL) on 27 November 2006 by2 entertain.It is presented in 5.1-channelDolby Digitalsurround soundand16:9 widescreenvideo. The bonus features includePlanet Earth Diaries(presented immediately after each episode as for the original TV broadcast) andPlanet Earth: The Future.In the United States, two versions of the same five-disc set were released as aRegion 1(NTSC) DVD on 24 April 2007. TheBBC Warnerrelease retained David Attenborough's narration from the original British television broadcasts, but the Discovery Channel edition used the alternative Sigourney Weaver voice-over. Even in the United States the Attenborough version was much the better for sales.

HD DVD and Blu-ray

Except for a small amount of extremely hard-to-obtain footage,Planet Earthwas filmed entirely inhigh-definition,and consequently became one of the first television series to take advantage of the new HD disc formats.

The series was released in bothBlu-rayandHD DVDformats as a five-discRegion Bbox set on 12 November 2007. On the fifth disc, the bonus features from thestandard-definitionDVD set were replaced by two episodes from the BBC'sNatural Worldseries, "Desert Lions" and "Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth", both also presented in high-definition.

In the United States, the series was released as a four-disc set in both high-definition formats,the Blu-ray version onsingle-layer BD-25discsand the HD DVD set ondual-layer HD DVD-30discs.The first U.S. high-definition releases omitted the extra disc of bonus features from the standard-definition boxed set, though these extras were included with new material in a special-edition Blu-ray released in 2011.

Books

Four official tie-in volumes were published byBBC Booksin 2006 and 2007:

• Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before,written by Alastair Fothergill with a foreword by David Attenborough, was published in hardback on 5 October 2006 (ISBN978-0563522126).
• The paperback titlePlanet Earth: The Futurewas also published on 5 October 2006 (ISBN978-0563539056). It was edited by Fergus Beeley and Rosamund Kidman Cox with a foreword by Jonathon Porritt.
• A second paperback volume revealed some of the tales from the field during filming expeditions.Planet Earth: The Making of an Epic Serieswas written by David Nicholson-Lord and published on 9 March 2006 (ISBN978-0563493587).
• A collection of still images from the series was published in a hardcover volume asPlanet Earth: The Photographson 7 October 2007 (ISBN978-1846073465).

Soundtrack album

Main article:Planet Earth (soundtrack)

On 20 November 2006, a two-discsoundtrackCDwas released with a compilation of theincidental musicspecially commissioned forPlanet Earth.The award-winning score was composed byGeorge Fentonand performed by theBBC Concert Orchestraand has been performed during "Planet Earth Live" events in the United States and the United Kingdom.

See also

• The Blue Planet
• Frozen Planet
• 9° North
• Our Planet

Further reading

• Alastair Fothergill discussesPlanet EarthinThe Times.
• Text at Universal Librarydiscussing thePlanet Earthseries and the technological background.

External links

• Planet EarthatBBC Online
• Planet EarthatBBC Earth
• Discovery Channel website
• Planet Earthon theEdenwebsite
• Planet EarthatIMDb