Our Planet
Our Planet is a 2019 nature documentary series consisting of eight episodes. The series strongly focuses on climate change and human impact on the environment, and it explores some of the rarest habitats and species to show that impact truly. It was shot over four years in fifty different countries. The series is narrated by David Attenborough, an English biologist, author, natural historian, and broadcaster. It has an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Our Planet is streaming on Netflix.
Polar Bear
Catherine Keener, an actress, known for her work in Seinfeld, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Incredibles, and more, guides the viewers through the journey of a new mother and the challenges the mother faces as she raises her cub. Polar Bear is another documentary that highlights just exactly how climate change is damaging animals’ habitats and lifestyles. The documentary is not rated quite as highly as the others on this list, but it is still a documentary worth seeing. Polar Bear is streaming on Disney+.
Night On Earth
Night On Earth is a documentary series released in early 2020 that follows animals’ activities at night. It consists of 6 episodes, and Samira Wiley narrates the series. Samira Wiley is an actress best known for her roles in Orange Is the New Black and The Handmaid’s Tale. Its total runtime is four hours and fifty minutes. Night on Earth is streaming on Netflix.
Our Great National Parks
Our Great National Parks is a five-part documentary series that is narrated by former president of the United States, Barack Obama. The series focuses on some of the world’s national parks and the wildlife inside of them. It was released earlier this year. It’s currently nominated for two Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Barack Obama is nominated for Outstanding Narrator, and Christiaan Muñoz-Sala and Ignacio Walker are nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program. Our Great National Parks is streaming on Netflix.
Nature Shock
This documentary series takes a different approach than most on this list, and it focuses on animals behaving weirdly or strange things happening in nature. From an exploding snake to cannibal hippos and more, the series truly sheds light on the fact that life and the world are truly unpredictable. The series aired in 2008, and it has four seasons—nature Shock streams on Paramount Plus.
Welcome to Earth
Welcome to Earth is a series starring actor, rapper, and producer Will Smith. In this series, Will explores some of the world’s less-known and hidden areas. Some of the areas explored include the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu and the Namibian Desert. It is six episodes long. The series won a LifeArt Festival Award for Festival Selection in 2021 and was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing at the Golden Reel Awards. Welcome to Earth is streaming on Disney+.
March of the Penguins
Winning an Oscar in 2006 for Best Documentary Feature, March of the Penguins is definitely a solid choice for an interesting documentary to sit down and watch. The documentary follows a year in the life of the emperor penguins in Antarctica, taking viewers on a journey between ocean and land with the penguins. The documentary won other awards as well, including Best Documentary for Broadcast Film Critics Association, and it was nominated for numerous others. March of the Penguins is available to stream on HBO Max, and the sequel is available on Hulu.
