Blue Planet II
A viewer’s post
I just finished watching the last episode of Blue Planet II. The Radiohead’s “Ocean” song is still playing through the headphones and I am urged to write this post about this masterpiece — Blue Planet II by BBC One.
What is it?
Blue Planet II is a seven part series about Oceans. With the heavy trustworthy voice of David Attenborough and mesmerizing soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, it is a series that takes you on a journey like never before.
For those, who haven’t seen the series. Pause and think from the director’s view. If you were to make series on oceans, what six parts could you think of one which you could base every 50 minutes episode?
“Oceans are all the same. Large big bodies of water. A documentary series on them would be boring. Seven hours of blue waters. Who would wanna watch that?”
- me while watching first episode
Why watch it?
This series gave me a new found perspective on the oceans and life. I may not remember the dramatized stories of different organisms featured in this series. I may forget the names of organisms too. But the appreciation for life and the overall sense of wholeness will stay. Life is so much more than about me. About us. There is so much of life on our planet.
When I read, our oceans are dying in school textbook. I understood and remembered it.
After watching this series, reading the same line again, gives me this metaphysical emotion of feeling the weight of oceans and how we are affecting them and the planet.
So, if you are watching this series look out for :
- Music
- Narration
- Outlook shift
Setting the stage…
Couldn’t describe better,
“Intimidating is the right word…
The visuals are so stunning. Attenborough’s narration is so colorful and heart-warming. Everything is done so well up to the point music comes into picture. Its icing on the cake!”
This is what you will hear in the following video.
Contents of the series
1. One Ocean
The pilot episode covers pinch of every thing. Open oceans, coasts, deep seas, ocean beds and the Arctic. It’s in the first episode that you realise the Blue Planet title on the poster and the prequel video with Earth in the background is actually lit by the Sun!
2. The Deep
See a wall of ice in Arctic. Imagine taking a sub down that wall into the water, deep.
3. Coral Reefs
The cities of oceans…
4. Big Blue
Remember, Life of Pi. That’s pretty much it. No islands. No coasts. Just water everywhere.
5. Green Seas
Imagine plants from the bed of the ocean to all the way up to the surface. Never seen before? Never imagined. Prepare to be dazzled.
6. Coasts
The meeting of two great ecosystems. Only the one who can take advantage of both survives.
7. Our Blue Planet
Farewell with a call for conservation.
