Planet Earth II

Planet Earth II
Show name	Planet Earth II
Caption	Title card
Genre	Nature documentary
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Executive producer	Mike Gunton
Producer	BBC Natural History Unit
Company	BBC Studios
Network	BBC One
First aired	2016

Planet Earth II Planet Earth II is a 2016 British nature documentary series produced by the BBC Natural History Unit for BBC One and narrated in its original UK broadcast by Sir David Attenborough. The series, a sequel to the 2006 Planet Earth (TV series), showcases wildlife and habitats across islands, mountains, jungles, deserts, grasslands and cities with high-definition cinematography and innovative camera techniques. With filming that spanned several years and continents, the series received widespread critical acclaim and multiple awards for its technical achievements and conservation messaging.

Overview

Planet Earth II presents six themed episodes that explore distinct biomes and the species adapted to them, using location filming from places such as the Galápagos Islands, the Himalayas, the Sahara Desert, the Amazon Rainforest, and urban centers like New York City and Tokyo. Building on the legacy of the original Planet Earth (TV series), the series employed new technology including stabilized aerial platforms and ultra-slow-motion cameras to reveal behaviors previously unseen in documentaries about species like the snow leopard, komodo dragon, Macaw, red kangaroo, and urban fox. The programme situates natural history storytelling within global contexts familiar from coverage by outlets such as National Geographic and productions by Discovery Channel, while remaining grounded in the traditions of the BBC Natural History Unit.

Production

Production was overseen by executive producer Mike Gunton and produced by the BBC Natural History Unit in collaboration with BBC Studios and international partners including Silverback Films personnel and freelance cinematographers. Filming took place over three years across continents including South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Europe, and involved coordination with institutions such as Zoological Society of London researchers and local conservation groups like World Wildlife Fund. Innovative camera systems included gyro-stabilized aerial rigs similar to those used by film units in productions for BBC Two and high-frame-rate cameras used in wildlife segments comparable to techniques in Blue Planet II. The team negotiated access to remote locations such as the Svalbard archipelago and the Andes and engaged specialists in telemetry and field biology from institutions like University of Oxford and Cambridge University.

Episodes

The six episodes—Islands, Mountains, Jungles, Deserts, Grasslands, and Cities—each focus on emblematic species and ecological interactions. "Islands" features endemic species from the Galápagos Islands and the Maldives; "Mountains" highlights fauna of the Himalayas and Andes, including the elusive snow leopard; "Jungles" covers the Amazon Rainforest and Southeast Asian rainforests with species such as the harpy eagle and orangutan; "Deserts" examines survival strategies in the Sahara Desert and Australian outback, including the dingo and camel; "Grasslands" explores the Serengeti and North American prairies with migrations of zebra and bison; "Cities" documents wildlife adaptation in megacities such as New York City, Tokyo, Mumbai and Buenos Aires with urban-dwelling species like rock pigeon and red fox. Each episode weaves observational sequences with expert commentary from ecologists affiliated with organizations like RSPB and academic departments at Yale University and University of California, Berkeley.

Narration and Music

Narration in the UK broadcast was performed by Sir David Attenborough, whose voice has been associated with landmark BBC natural history projects including Life on Earth and The Blue Planet. For the US broadcast, narration was provided by Zachary Quinto for the Discovery Channel airing. The musical score was composed by Hans Zimmer collaborator Jacob Shea and produced by the team at Bleeding Fingers Music, incorporating thematic motifs that echo work on other flagship projects such as Planet Earth (soundtrack). The soundtrack mixes orchestral arrangements with regional instrumentation recorded on location, aligning audio design with the high-resolution visual storytelling techniques pioneered by units like BBC Natural History Unit.

Reception and Impact

The series was praised by critics in outlets including The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Telegraph for its cinematography, storytelling, and conservation emphasis. It won awards from bodies such as the Royal Television Society and received nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards. Conservation organizations including WWF and Conservation International cited sequences in the series to illustrate human impacts on habitats featured in campaigns and policy briefings to institutions like the United Nations Environment Programme. Audience ratings for the premiere on BBC One rivalled other high-profile documentaries, and the series influenced subsequent commissioning decisions at broadcasters including PBS and National Geographic Channel.

Broadcast and Distribution

The series premiered on BBC One in 2016 and was subsequently broadcast internationally through partners such as Discovery Channel in the United States, ZDF in Germany, and NHK in Japan. Distribution included a companion feature-length documentary and a soundtrack release through labels aligned with Decca Records and digital platforms. Home media releases were issued on Blu-ray and DVD with additional behind-the-scenes material produced by the BBC Natural History Unit and distributed via global distributors like BBC Worldwide.

Category:BBC television documentaries Category:2016 British television series debuts