As Attenborough says in the final frame of the series, "We can now destroy or we can cherish - the choice is ours."

The Blue Planet: Seas of Life

With Planet Earth being a tough act to follow, The BBC Natural History Collection features a series entirely dedicated to the deep oceans of the earth. The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is a five-disc set originally from 2001. Put together by Planet Earth producer Alistair Fothergill and his BBC team, this series grabbed two Emmy Awards.

Like the organization of Planet Earth, this set places its footage within geographical regions. Episodes are dedicated to “Frozen Seas,” “Coral Seas,” and “Coasts.” The underwater photography on this set is extraordinary, featuring distinct images of some of the strangest creatures from the deepest parts of the ocean. The footage on The Blue Planet is second to none and serves as a reminder of the importance of our oceans.

The set features an all-new fifth disc featuring bonus material not available on the original release. With four specials (“Amazon Abyss,” “Between the Tides,” “Antarctica,” and “Dive to Shark Volcano”), the bonus disc fleshes out the series.

The photography here is up to the usual BBC standards, employing landmark techniques to capture particularly rare footage. The footage of the penguins in the “Frozen Seas” episode is dramatic, as the journey of the Emperor penguin is depicted with exquisite detail and animation. Other episodes feature similar adventures, each narrated excitedly by David Attenborough.

The Life of Mammals

The third series featured in the anthology is The Life of Mammals, a four-disc look at the 4000 species that have outlived dinosaurs. This series, originally from 2002, is organized somewhat differently than the other two. The episodes focus on a slightly chronological element, featuring an agenda of design with the first introductory episode “A Winning Design” and building that theme through the subsequent nine episodes.

Again featuring never-before-seen footage, The Life of Mammals is an incredible sight. The series takes us from the largest mammal, the blue whale, to the smallest, the pygmy shrew. The journey from land to land is colossal in scope and provides a priceless educational tool for all ages. The multiplicity of mammals is given major attention, with loads of detailed narration from Attenborough and over 500 minutes of footage.