Human Planet : Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 11 Ratings

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8.3

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8.3	Your Score
8.3	User Score Universal acclaim based on 11 Ratings

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Human Planet

Now Playing: Human Planet

Season Details & Credits

Discovery | Discovery Channel | BBC One | Season Premiere Date: January 13, 2011

Summary: Utilizing similar high definition cameras used in Planet Earth and Life, the series explores how indigenous people live and work with the different environments on Earth.

Genre(s): Documentary, Science

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E8. Cities: Surviving the Urban Jungle
Air Date: April 24, 2011
tbd
S1:E7. Deserts: Life In the Furnace
Air Date: April 24, 2011
tbd
S1:E6. Jungles: People of the Trees
Air Date: April 17, 2011

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Tom Gliatto

Apr 8, 2011

The photography is sweepingly gorgeous--this must be the best of all possible planets. [18 Apr 2011, p.46]

Brian Lowry

Apr 8, 2011

Human Planet can't match the sweeping grandeur of the nature documentaries that preceded it under the same auspices, "Planet Earth" and "Life." But to paraphrase what a kindly farmer once said to his sheepherding pig, It'll do. Read full review

Verne Gay

Apr 11, 2011

Another Discovery/BBC beauty, but short on answering obvious questions. Read full review

Neil Genzlinger

Apr 8, 2011

Sure, it all makes for pretty filmmaking, but isn't not having to risk your life for a simple meal one of the benefits of civilization? There's something unsettling about glorifying subsistence living for the sake of our high-definition televisions. Read full review

User Score

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8.3

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User Reviews

Seriosity

Mar 20, 2013

The photography is simply beautiful: absorbing, stunning, and often times strikingly gruesome. The behind the scenes bit at the end of every episode also helps you appreciate how difficult to obtain a lot of the footage was. The only letdown is the final episode. As a standalone episode itThe photography is simply beautiful: absorbing, stunning, and often times strikingly gruesome. The behind the scenes bit at the end of every episode also helps you appreciate how difficult to obtain a lot of the footage was. The only letdown is the final episode. As a standalone episode it is solid, but feels out of place alongside the more memorable and enlightening ones before it. 9.6/10… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

ZenRobot

Apr 16, 2011

The BBC Natural History Unit never fails to impress. Photography is top notch and makes you frequently appreciate how difficult it must have been to get the footage. The narration flows beautifully in terms of both scripting and voicework by John Hurt. While Human Planet may be more offThe BBC Natural History Unit never fails to impress. Photography is top notch and makes you frequently appreciate how difficult it must have been to get the footage. The narration flows beautifully in terms of both scripting and voicework by John Hurt. While Human Planet may be more off putting to some due to its depictions of hunting and harsh life circumstances (harsh, here meaning difficult and occasionally gruesome), it excels at showing the grace, ferocity and inventiveness with which humans have approached the need to survive in different environments around the world. If you are a big fan of BBC Nature Docs then nothing should stop you from checking this one out. If you are on the fence and thus reading User Reviews on Metacritic, l strongly recommend you watch the series because you will undoubtedly see things that you will never forget. Guaranteed.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

jsous

Apr 20, 2011

Wonderful series, keep them coming! The cinematography is astounding as usual and the narration perfect. If you enjoyed Planet Earth and Life, you WILL enjoy this. However, for some reason, I thought Planet Earth and Life were slightly better.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

lightningtree

Apr 22, 2011

Another great documentary! The tone of the show is also quite upbeat, focusing more heavily on human achievement and ingenuity than on our collective record of destruction.
My only critique is that much of the show is seen through the eyes of a few individuals and, while I'm sure they wereAnother great documentary! The tone of the show is also quite upbeat, focusing more heavily on human achievement and ingenuity than on our collective record of destruction.
My only critique is that much of the show is seen through the eyes of a few individuals and, while I'm sure they were hoping this would make the programme more relate able overall, I found it gave it an overly provincial. It seemed particularly noticeable with the dialogue which was impossible to believe hadn't been scripted entirely by the production crew.
All in all though very enjoyable and, perhaps more importantly, educational.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

tallmanwriting

Nov 26, 2011

During each of the eight episodes of this sweeping documentary I found myself staring at the screen, mouth agape. There are moments in each of the realms that will take your breath away. Tells stories of life at the fringes of our planet's livability with grace and beauty. I'll admit that IDuring each of the eight episodes of this sweeping documentary I found myself staring at the screen, mouth agape. There are moments in each of the realms that will take your breath away. Tells stories of life at the fringes of our planet's livability with grace and beauty. I'll admit that I love documentaries in general, but this is a supremely watchable series for fans of all genres. Learn about your world. Well done.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

observant

May 13, 2011

Where are the women? I just watched the jungle/mountains/grasslands video, and noticed that all of the stories focus on men, with the exception of one story, which shows an old, blind woman who is saved by a visiting doctor. I was very disappointed to discover that even in the year 2011,Where are the women? I just watched the jungle/mountains/grasslands video, and noticed that all of the stories focus on men, with the exception of one story, which shows an old, blind woman who is saved by a visiting doctor. I was very disappointed to discover that even in the year 2011, male filmmakers continue to focus on the "heroics" of other men while ignoring or failing to explore the heroic contributions of women everywhere in this world. I'm surprised that nobody else has noticed this. Most of us have spent our entire lives learning about the contributions of men, while hearing or reading very little about women. Why can't the Human Planet series break through the old and predictable male perspective and produce work that encompasses everybody?… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

Seasons & Episodes

79

Series Overview
Season 1

79
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: January 13, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E8. Cities: Surviving the Urban Jungle
  Air Date: April 24, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E7. Deserts: Life In the Furnace
  Air Date: April 24, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E6. Jungles: People of the Trees
  Air Date: April 17, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E5. Grasslands: The Roots of Power
  Air Date: April 17, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E4. Arctic: Life in the Deep Freeze
  Air Date: April 17, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E3. Mountains: Life In Thin Air
  Air Date: April 10, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E2. Oceans: Into the Blue
  Air Date: April 10, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E1. Rivers and Oceans
  Air Date: April 10, 2011