Unsere wunderbaren Nationalparks

As someone who can't concentrate on anything unless there's animal visuals on in the background, I have seen more than a hundred nature documentaries. The cinematography of Our Great National Parks is absolutely breathtaking, but that's the case for many other docs as well. What makes this one unique is that it zooms in on lesser known facts about animals, facts that even I --as a self-proclaimed connoisseur-- was flabbergasted by. On multiple occasions during each episode, the documentary tackled the animal protagonists from angles that I have never seen before. Plus, despite loving the big five, it's nice watching something that's not constantly about them, but about less common critters as well.

Sir David Attenborough is and will always remain the ultimate nature doc narrator but Barack Obama has made a solid impression and I'm eager for more.

I don't understand why Our Great National Parks has such a low rating but don't let it fool you. It's an absolute must watch. I've rated it 9 stars, the same rating I gave to Planet Earth I & II, Chasing Coral and Blue Planet I & II.

This having a 6.5 rating can ONLY be a political thing....this show is objectively EXCELLENT. If you love nature docs, you will love this...unless you can't get past the Obama thing I guess? No matter what you think about the man, Barrack Obama is very articulate and really has a great voice for this kind of thing. Now, to be clear, i watch nature documentaries for the scenery and the wonderful plants and animals. The voice is important to an extent, but I'm not focused on it. My score is based on the absolutely amazing footage! The lemurs jumping around in Madagascar was spectacular! Hippos in the Atlantic....penguins...crocodiles...all of it! Please do yourself a favor and either put your politics aside (watch it on mute if you must...it'll still be good) or ignore all the bad scores....this is really great stuff.

But still a nice watch, each episode offering stunning footage of animals in their natural habitats. President Obama narrating is a provocative choice (read some of the negative reviews here as proof) but he does have a voice made for narration. The only documentary you can imagine the Former Guy narrating is one on how to hunt and kill all of the creatures featured in this documentary for profit.

The documentary is rated TV: PG for "fear." Nature can be cruel, as evidenced in nearly every installment. Every installment also stresses the need to protect existing parkland on every continent (and yes, negative reviewers here; there are National Parks in other countries besides the U. S.) and mentions climate change. So in the end, the documentary is preaching to the choir, as a certain segment of the population will shut the program off at the very first mention of the term "climate change" and change the channel back to Fox Nation.

Ken Burns' extensive National Parks documentary series focused on U. S. National Parks so this shorter series is a nice complement. And broadcasting it during the month of Earth Day makes this a perfect viewing choice for those who truly care about the future of our planet.

I immensely enjoy watching nature shows. I just wished the governments throughout the world would make it a priority to save and restore such vital habitats. Not to mention, void desert expansion. Isn't that what governments are for, governing society and environments?

If you are looking for something new to watch, I highly recommend Our Great National Parks, narrated by President Obama. The nature scenes are amazing the music is soaring and Obama's voice will calm and soothe your soul...I promise.