Five years in the making with a budget of over $10 million, The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is a groundbreaking series that reveals some of the ocean's most guarded secrets. This breathtaking exploration captures the sea at its most fearsome and alluring, exposing stories of survival against the odds and unearthing new species, behaviors never before caught on camera. With the assistance of technological and photographic breakthroughs, the ocean and its inhabitants are brought to the screen in majestic fashion.
SYNOPSES:
Episode 1 - Ocean World
Learn how the sun and moon help control and tame the ocean. Travel far and wide - from the Eastern Pacific to Alaska, from the Bering Sea to the shores of Southern California - and begin to understand the complexity and power of our oceans. (Disc 1)
Episode 2 - Frozen Seas
An environment where only the toughest survive, the Arctic and Antarctic are unrelenting habitats. Only in the spring does life begin again. Plankton blooms and feeds vast hordes of migrating fish, walruses rake the seabed for clams, and minke and humpback whales gorge themselves on gigantic swarms of krill. But it is a brief spring feast - the ice soon returns and pushes life back into the ocean. (Disc 1)
Episode 3 - Open Ocean
In the immense space of the open ocean, the sea bed is a staggering five miles below the surface. Endless blue stretches in every direction. In this marine desert there is nothing but the burning sun above and the blackened abyss below-yet here live many of the most spectacular predators in the ocean. (Disc 2)
Episode 4 - The Deep
A place of mountain ranges, perpetual night, pressure extremes and cold and the weirdest life forms on our planet. Dive to the depths of the ocean, an eerie world where predators with teeth so large they can't even close their mouths chase bioluminescent creatures of the deep. Discover the spectacular smoking chimneys of the hydrothermal vents. (Disc 2)
Episode 5 - Seasonal Seas
As the days grow longer, billions of microscopic plankton bloom under the blazing sun. Here in the temperate seas, three-ton sharks graze among forests of giant kelp - the fastest-growing plant in the world. The forests harbor thousands of other animals, including sea otters, brilliantly-colored anemones, squid, and exquisite leafy dragons. But as the year wears on, storms rage in the icy sea creating a desperate challenge for the animals that remain. (Disc 3)
Episode 6 - Coral Seas
Bathed in bright sunlight and warm, clear water, the coral reef is a rich oasis of life - the rainforest of the sea. Bizarrely adorned harlequin shrimp carry off a starfish several times their size, while haunting songs reverberate around the reef, heralding the arrival of humpback whales. Shimmering schools of brightly colored fish battle for territory in this competitive world where you have to stand out to survive. (Disc 3)
Episode 7 - Tidal Seas
The sun and moon move billions of tons of water around the world with every turn of the tide. The strongest tides empty entire bays, smash trees on riverbanks, and strand sea creatures on suddenly dry land. Weaker tides control the movements of huge numbers of fish, coaxing schools of giant stingrays through astounding underwater arches. And as the water recedes, the tide can create unbelievable landscapes like a sparkling world of salt crystals inhabited only by tiny shrimp and bright pink flamingos. (Disc 4)
Episode 8 - Coasts
From rocky cliffs to gentle dunes, the coasts are always changing. Day in, day out, they are battered by crashing waves. Seabirds come here by the thousands to nest, while baby turtles hatch and race to the sea, pursued by hungry predators. Young sea lion pups are born and play on the sand until a killer whale attacks, crashing in on the surf. But when breeding season is over, life returns to the sea and the shores are empty once again. (Disc 4)
Deep Trouble
This documentary explores the impact of civilization on the oceans. The combination of overfishing and modern technology has depleted fish stocks across the world's oceans. The problems are profiled and several possible solutions are offered. (Disc 4)
Amazon Abyss
Follow a scientific expedition deep into the Amazon rivers - and encounter incredible creatures living in the depths of the Amazon along the way. (Disc 5)
Dive to Shark Volcano
In the eastern Pacific, encounter hundreds of sharks as divers explore two underwater volcanoes that have become magnets for a wealth of marine life. Both rise from the depths of the Abyssal Plain, forcing cold, nutrient-rich waters towards the surface. At Cocos Island, a young volcanic seamount breaks the skin of the Pacific, drawing an array of sharks and other predators to this oasis in the desert of the open ocean, which has earned it the nickname "Shark Island" by the few who have dived here. (Disc 5)
Being There: Antarctica
Survey the cold, desolate continent of Antarctica. (Disc 5)
Being There: Between the Tides
Explore the distinctive sights and sounds of an estuary in winter, featuring many natural spectacles caused by the tide. (Disc 5)
The Blue Planet: Seas of Life Special Edition DVD Extras:
— Eight 10-minute Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes (one for each episode)
— Interview with Cameraman Doug Allan [6:15]
— Interview with Researcher Penny Allen [8:15]
— Interview with Producer Alastair Fothergill [8:15]
— Music Video
— Photo Galleries
— Fact Files Buy the BBC's The Blue Planet: Seas of Life Special Edition DVD Now!
