BBC and Sir David Attenborough’s Planet Earth in 2006 was undoubtedly one of the greatest documentary series ever created. It took the camerawork, technology and insight of docos to the next level at the time, which is why the world was so stoked to hear it would be back this year for a second incarnation.
The first episode of Planet Earth II screened yesterday in Britain, and in case you were worried that it wouldn’t shape up to the original masterpiece, rest assured it was every bit of a roller coaster as it was 10 years ago.
The harsh reality of nature’s early dangers are portrayed spectacularly in Planet Earth II, the first episode screening a nail-biting chase scene between a newborn goanna and an army of snakes.
The clip that has the world talking is shows a baby goanna’s run-in with an army of hungry snakes. You can watch the video below thanks to Twitter user MrLukeJohnston, but probably avoid it if you have any existing heart conditions.
Possibly the greatest scene in documentary history. Incredible. #PlanetEarth2 pic.twitter.com/01dDjDJcdX
— ✏️ (@MrLukeJohnston) November 7, 2016
Attenbro went on record a few weeks ago to describe the tech that had been invented for the series, including a host of low-noise, hard to detect drones that gave the filmmakers unprecedented access into the everyday lives of animals. This clip certainly shows the fruits of that labor, with some crazy tracking shots and close ups that capture the players in amazing detail.
The first episode screens to the rest of the world next week (but shh… you can probably find a copy elsewhere if you can’t wait that long).
