tags: Life, Discovery Channel, Challenges of Life, Cheetas Hunting Ostrich, animals, mammals, birds, television, BBC, streaming video
Gail Weiswasser at the Discovery Channel emailed a few days ago to tell me about the upcoming March 21 premiere of BBC's LIFE, the 11-part follow up to PLANET EARTH (the most successful natural history documentary of all time). While PLANET EARTH told the story of the natural world through the framework of our planet's ecosystems and regions, LIFE takes us on a more intimate journey, introducing different animal and plant groups, using the latest in HD filming techniques to show jaw-dropping behaviors never witnessed before. Narrated by Oprah Winfrey and spanning all seven continents, LIFE took over four years to produce and every minute of footage in the series is new. Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions, I am unable to watch the youtube "sneak peeks" in Germany, but at my request, Gail kindly emailed the youtube embed codes so my American and UK readers can watch them:
From Challenges of Life (Premiering March 21 at 8 PM ET/PT)
Cheetahs Hunting Ostrich
So I have to ask you, dear readers, to be my eyes: what happened?
Life Science
Education
Comments
Fantastic footage, unless of course you are an ostrich.
Posted by: Rob | March 18, 2010 8:51 AM
Oprah Winfrey?? The BBC series was narrated by the inimitable Sir David Attenborough. Why rework it with Oprah? Is it being dumbed down?
Posted by: Adrian | March 18, 2010 9:00 AM
The narrator switch is not that surprising. For Planet Earth, they had Sigourney Weaver do the narration when it was aired on the Discovery Channel.
Posted by: Kierra | March 18, 2010 10:06 AM
Yeah, it's not unusual with these co-productions. Just like TV aderts being dubbed into the local accent.
It'd be interesting to know if it's the same script, but if not I doubt that there'd be much difference.
I didn't think the series was as good as some of the earlier BBC documentaries, but it has some fantastic photography.
Posted by: SimonG | March 18, 2010 10:34 AM
well, thanks, rob. you peeps in the states are soooo lucky! now i am going crazy to see this series.
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | March 18, 2010 10:56 AM
Cheetahs 1; Ostrich 0
Posted by: lectric lady | March 18, 2010 12:26 PM
Not available in my country. Can anyone share a link to .flv file?
Posted by: Alex Besogonov | March 18, 2010 1:12 PM
Have you considered satellite TV? I'm not sure whether you could pick up BSkyB's UK programming but if not you could practice your German.
Posted by: SimonG | March 18, 2010 3:10 PM
I hate cheetahs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Poor ostrich i feel so sad....This is Oprah!!!!!!This is so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But this is life!!!!!!!!!!:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(
Posted by: Diana | March 19, 2010 3:23 PM
I've already watched this series, though the miracle of BitTorrent.
Posted by: joshua | March 20, 2010 1:20 AM