Rating: 
Summary: David Rules!!!!!
Review: I got the Blue Planet for Christmas, and when I saw the blue whale (Ocean World), the footage was phenomanal, as was the killer whales hunting the gray whale calf! I enjoyed the slow-motion-view of the emperor penguins slipping onto the ice (Frozen Seas). I thought that everything was cool on Open Ocean (for example, a striped marlin hunting for fish). I wouldn't say "The Deep" was the best one, but I did like the hairy anglerfish (only seen 1 time) and the sperm whale rising for a last breath for over an hour to dive 1000 meters down into the deep ocean. The grey seals were cool in "Seasonal Seas", as was the 3-ton basking shark. A giant whale shark and singing humpback whales made "Coral Seas" #3 in the 4. "Tidal Seas" was 100% awesome seeing 500 fin whales opening their giant mouths to filter-feed krill. "Coasts" was my least favorite, because, you know, they were usually shore animals except for the killer whale at the very end. I have 13 other films by David (the 12-set "Trials of Life" and "Survival Island." I think David is the best documentist ever.
Rating: 
Summary: Strangely dissapointed...
Review: I heard of this program long before I saw it. It was praised well above everything else--it was hailed a new landmark in nature documentaries. Saddly, I need to say I disagree. Why give it a 4 out of 5 then? It's still amazing. Still better than most anything coming out from PBC, BBS, Discover, whatever. But that doesn't mean it is up to the standards that Attenborough has set. Though someone correct me if I'm wrong, but is this even by Attenborough or just narrated by him?The reason I ask is because in almost all cases, Attenborough's 'Life' series (as it's come to be known) shows some sort of internal organization that becomes essential in keeping the gigantic series from turning into a big chaotic jumble. 'Life on Earth' used geological and evolutionary time to seperate its various episodes while 'Trials of Life' focuses on how the universal trials that all life faces are met. Elsewhere, Attenborough catagorizes his show in someway that you always have a sense of where you are within the epic work (I think only one of his programs is less than 6 hours, so 'epic' feels pretty appropriate.) This is precisely what 'The Blue Planet' is lacking and I'm surprised to see no other reviewers echoing this sentiment. There is simply a LOT of repetition. Poor sardines get killed over and over by hordes of dolphins, gulls, tuna, sharks and even whales that one begins to feel quite sorry for them. It was quite awesome to see it the first time, but these attacks show up in 3 or 4 programs as I recall. The lack of organization is even reflected in the absense of an episode number or previews for other episodes. In short, instead of 'The Blue Planet' being one complete work, it is instead 8 self contained episodes that do not feel compelled to contain exclusive material, themes, etc. Where 'the blue planet' stands out is (as stated elsewhere) the deep sea episode. This one is truly a keeper and will amaze everyone who sees it. The other episodes are also quite good, and cinematically they are staggering. What isn't here is a story--and let's be honest, that's what Attenborough does best, capturing our imagination with grand themes unfolding, giving us at last a greater world view than we had before. The Blue Planet however has no story, no greater message, no beginning nor culmination. It is 8 seperate installments about life in the sea...and I'm afraid, nothing more.
Rating:
Summary: must see documentary series
Review: I just received my copy of the collector's set today, so this review is just based on my impressions after having seen the first two episodes (Part 1). Maybe I'm biased from having grown up watching documentaries with him as narrator, but David Attenborough has to be the best narrator I've heard (with Avery Brooks coming in a close second). He does an excellent job in this series, and if you watch the "Making of" videos included on the discs you will even get to see him as he appears in the "Making Of" extras and is responsible for the narration in them as well. My only complaint related to the audio is that the narration is often separated by loud, overdramatic music. At times the score overlaps the narration and is sometimes loud enough that it is difficult to hear the Attenborough's voice. Also, the mix is slightly off and I often found myself turning the volume down during the dramatic music and back up when the narration continued. It did seem to get better as I got further into the disc, which may have been because I was so enthralled with the visuals... ...which have to be some of the best I've ever seen. The DVDs were excellently produced and are filled with the most vivid colors and sharpest images which are very comparable to those seen in the movie Baraka, which I also highly recommend. The excellent cinematography is evident throughout both episodes I have watched so far, although I did notice a speck or two of dirt on the waterproof camera casing in a few shots. There were also a few less saturated shots that didn't fit in as well with the rest of the footage. However, those are *very* minor flaws that will probably go unnoticed by the majority of viewers (I had to start looking for them to notice them at all). The first disc contains two "Making Of" videos which describe some of the issues that the film teams had in filming the subjects in the first two episodes. I found these to be highly entertaining, and well produced. As I mention above, Attenborough does the narration for these videos as well. The only problem I had with the "Making of" videos was that I wanted them to be much longer. The only 'gripe' I have with the DVDs (and the reason they get 4 stars instead of 5) would be the overall flow of the shows. They seem to jump from scene to scene with little to connect them. The overly dramatic music added to the feeling that I was being jerked around from animal to animal. Just as I would begin to be enthralled by the scene before my eyes, the score would rise to a crescendo and I was pulled on to the next scene. It's very similar to the start-stop feeling I had while being pulled from scene to scene in the recent Lord of the Rings DVD. If you couldn't already tell, I don't hesitate to recommend these DVDs very highly.
Rating:
Summary: the best nature documentaries I have seen
Review: I recently watched all 8 segments of this series and found them far more riveting than I thought I would. Each one was excellent. I am a biologist, but I have to admit, some nature documentaries can be a bit dull, or they try too hard to be exciting by editing unrelated footage together and end up being silly or unrealistic. This BBC series of documentaries was outstanding in every way - even if the footage had been poor, Sir Attenborough's narration is elucidating and interesting and completely worth watching the series for; and if the narration had been dull, the footage is simply stunning and completely worth watching the series for. Together they are outstanding and I found myself often saying "holy cow - that's amazing!" Even as a biologist myself, I learned much watching these. I can't recommend these highly enough for everyone - kids, adults, nature buffs, non-nature-buffs, divers, non-divers, non-documentary-buff... even people who don't usually like documentaries or nature stuff can't help but have their interest piqued (as recently proved by my in-laws!).
A note to the sensitive or squeamish - the series doesn't gloss over the reality of sometimes grizzly deaths in nature. The pod of orcas hunting a grey whale and her calf, or snatching sea lion pups from the beach or polar bears ambushing belugas at their only breathing hole may be particularly disturbing. It's real, but not always pretty.
Some high points of the series: underwater footage of polar bears (who can swim hundreds of kilometers); a swirling school of mackerel being simultaneously attacked by dolphin, diving birds, tuna and marlin; bizarre hunting methods of alien animals from the very deep ocean; dolphins driving mullets out of the water to snatch them in mid-air or driving their heads into seafloor to catch buried razorfish; and the endless incredible facts about these creatures delivered by Sir David.
Not to be missed - the extra features ("The Making of" for each episode, fact files and photo galleries) are every bit as cool as the actual series'.
Kudos to the BBC for their huge effort and a truely excellent series.
Rating:
Summary: WOW! Amazing.
Review: I saw most of this series on the Discovery Channel and bought the DVD's later. I brought them to my friends house to watch on their big screen HDTV with their children and the kids were amazed. You actually felt like you were there. The most amazing ocean footage ever shot. I am thinking about the "Life of Mammals" series now. Every kid should see Blue Planet.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I spent a weekend completely mesmerized by this series. This is an incredible journey through the oceans of the world. From the freezing poles to the warm water tropics, you meet numerous species and observe them and their habits in incredible detail. There are times when you can't tell if what you're looking at is full size or microscopic, were it not for the narrative. You learn about breeding, defense, hunting tactics, feeding, and migration. From majestic giants like whales, to the tiny plankton so many ocean species live on, there's a lot to learn, and many surprises. It's an 8-part series:
"Ocean World," "Frozen Seas," "Open Ocean," "The Deep," "Seasonal Seas," "Coral Seas," "Tidal Seas," and "Coasts"
Each episode stands alone, concentrating most on details pertaining to its title. Where Frozen Seas concentrates more on severe weather conditions and the amazing species that can tolerate it, and how they do it, the Tidal Seas episode offers insight to the moons effect on our oceans, and the species that rely on tidal conditions to survive. In The Deep episode, you go to incredible depths, where no sunlight can penetrate and see footage of entire ecosystems that have somehow evolved and survived without the sun. Some of the species in The Deep could easily have been inspiration for many horror film monsters. Clear, spectacularly vivid imagery, and an excellent narrative by David Attenborough make this series a must see. I love the ocean, and being at the beach, and have always been curious and cautious about it's inhabitants. Some things I've learned here will not be forgotten. For instance, even the most likable species has to eat, which means it has to hunt and kill. All survival tactics are clever, and necessary, but some are rather cruel. And we certainly can't do more than speculate as to the reasons. The more we learn about our oceans, the better able we are to respect and appreciate its riches. (and beware it's predators)!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and informative.
Review: I stumbled into watching this show while channel surfing, and was amazed by the quality of it. The narration is subtle, the sound quality even on the tv showcased the sounds of ocean near perfectly, abd the cinematography is better than in most films...
Rating:
Summary: The Blue Planet
Review: If you love the Earth, and you want to see and understand its oceans, then you must see this DVD set. What has been captured on video here is breath taking. You will walk away with a new perspective on the Earth and the order of nature. David Attenborough is the icing on the cake with his wonderful narration.
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: It has been no surprise that the naturalist Sir David Attenborough and the authoritative BBC have produced such an excellent documentary about the undersea nature. The first one has already shown his competence in previous documentaries such as "The Living Planet", "Trials of Life", "Life of Birds" and "The Private Life of Plants". He is able to provide scientific information as if you are listening to a captivating story. The BBC is also responsible for high quality and famous documentaries such as "The Human Body", "The Planets" and "Walking with Dinossaurs". The images of never-seen-before creatures provided by the Blue Planet are scientifically valuables but they also can be enjoyed through a cinematographic point of view: there are beautiful and breathtaking shots. This DVD will surely be a precious addition to your DVD collection.
Rating:
Summary: david is the best
Review: no one does documentary like David Attenborough PERIOD
It's truly a shame that more of his series aren't available for purchase in the US. For anyone seeking out truly informative and stunningly beautiful footage about our amazing earth look no further than DAVE
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