Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2006
BBC Atlas of the Natural World
This is a nature show as the documentary gods intended. No gimmicks. No snake wrestling. The BBC's six-disc set, covering the Americas and Antarctica, is just a marvel of sumptuous footage. The most notable of the bunch is Life in the Freezer, a three-hour special on Antarctica that is presented in stately fashion by David Attenborough. Three years in the making, it tells a compelling visual story about life in one of the most inhospitable regions on earth. As a whole, the series — which clocks in at a whopping 17 hours — beautifully captures nature's cruelty and splendor.