planet earth

Those of you who are lucky enough to own an HDTV should check out Planet Earth tonight on Discovery Channel. I keep seeing previews for it today as I absent-mindedly watch a marathon of Deadliest Catch and it looks stunning. The series is basically Earth Science, featuring all sorts of unique animals and plants, and examining various landscapes.

Besides the fact that it looks beautiful, the story behind it is almost as impressive. The miniseries took five years to make and photographers put their lives on the line more than once to document the extreme living conditions on this planet.

Ah, technology. No longer will you have to go outside to appreciate the wonders of nature. Instead, the Discovery Channel is going to bring you the wonders of the natural world in glorious high definition starting March 25 with an eleven-part series, Planet Earth.

The program, created by the same people behind Blue Planet, is the result of 70 camera operators working for 2,000 days in 2000 locations using advanced techniques and technology. Discovery will also air behind-the-scenes footage after each episode and will provide extra content online. I'm guessing that after seeing the world in high definition your only recourse will be to track down Mother Nature and spit in her face in disgust.

As if Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's death hasn't raised enough ire thanks to the "too soon to joke" camp versus Bill Maher and South Park, Irwin's former BBC boss has added more fuel to the fire.

Executive producer of BBC's Planet Earth Alastair Fothergill must have had it with the Irwin-as-saint treatment when he stated to the press that he didn't have much sympathy for Irwin because he believed Irwin was more interested in his own stardom than animals.