#59 Planet Earth: Shallow Seas

#58 Planet Earth: Jungles (2006)

#56 Planet Earth: Great Plains (2006)

#51 Planet Earth: Ice Worlds (2006)

The sequences of both the female polar bear with her cubs and the male out on his own comprise such wonderful filmmaking. The story of the desperate male bear deciding to try and attack the herd of walruses is about the most heart-wrenching story I've seen this month. Even just thinking about the poor bear now as I write is so sad, and I'm about as big of a realist when it comes to nature and the fight for survival and understanding that mother nature has no sympathy and that's just the way of the world. Again, another episode in this documentary series that should be seen by anyone and everyone.

#49 Planet Earth: Deserts (2006)

#48 Planet Earth: Caves (2006)

I wanted to remember that this episode introduced me to the Lechuguilla caves in New Mexico, an incredible and fabulous story by itself, which were only discovered in 1986. The Planet Earth crew is likely to be the last ones who were able to get permission to film in this geological marvel for quite some time, I would guess.

                               Despite what it seems, those are not ice crystals...

#44 Planet Earth: Fresh Water (2006)

Angel Falls, Venezuela – the highest waterfall in the world

#43 Planet Earth: Mountains (2006)

#42 Planet Earth: Pole to Pole (2006)

Narrated by David Attenborough. (I just realized that the "US version" of the series is narrated by Sigourney Weaver, and am thankful that we have the non-"US version," because watching any of the BBC planet earth/life series without him just wouldn't be the same.)

We are also huge fans of the Life (2009), Life in the Undergrowth (2005), Life in Cold Blood (2008), and Frozen Planet (2011) series — all BBC and David Attenborough productions. So, we thought we should try out this series of nature documentaries. This is a good introductory episode highlighting a number of species across the planet including polar bears in the north and emperor penguins in Antarctica. Of special interest were the segments on the caribou herd in Canada and their predators, the wolves, and the African hunting dogs and their prey, the impala. The images of the great white sharks rising out above the surface of the ocean entirely in pursuit of prey are incredible, and there is a great sequence of a huge number of species migrating to the Okavango Delta in Africa for the seasonal arrival of water. The story of the journeying elephants is the best, both sad and redeeming when they finally do arrive at their destination.