Dull and dry is never a problem with David Attenborough. The BBC’s grandfatherly grandmaster, perhaps the world’s premier practitioner of pop-science storytelling, has a knack for making you feel the same joy of discovery that he so obviously does. His latest series is a 10-part companion piece to his stunning 1998 Life of Birds that takes him from New Zealand to the Arctic Circle to survey the furry creatures of the world. It’s full of arresting images—an orangutan paddles a canoe, an elephant swims, a grizzly snaps its jaws on a salmon while Attenborough calmly narrates from only a few feet away. His childlike joy at seeing a blue whale surface just yards from his boat is charming and utterly infectious. He doesn’t shy from the stark reminder of violence in the animal world—his 1990 Trials of Life infamously showed killer whales not merely hunting seals, but casually toying with them before the decisive strike. But with his gentle British lilt and creative presentation—and backed by the Beeb’s crack crew of wildlife cameramen—he makes it a pleasure to use your brain. Plus, there’s otters. Who doesn’t like cute, furry otters?
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