Wild China

Very Good Series. As a great fan of the BBC Natural History Unit series like Planet Earth I only came across this recently and it surprised me greatly in that I never realized China is so varied and full of amazing natural wonders. As with most Westerners my idea of China was just what we see on news channels with the background pictures of Beijing and the Great Wall. What was particularly good was the way the filmmakers include something of the life of local people in each episode. So many interesting local cultures exist in pockets each with a rich cultural tradition going back centuries. It is great that something is being done to record this before they disappear under the pressure of modern ways. The filmmakers also (quite carefully given the sensitivity of the Chinese government to perceived criticism) point out the huge problems for wildlife from human pressure for land taking the habitat for animals and birds and also the fact that in some parts of China they eat everything leading to rare animals being hunted for profit. For the first time ever I felt I would visit China to see its natural history and peoples.

I've seen this documentary series several times on Netflix, and it has become one of my favorites to watch when I feel worried about the state of the world!

Most of the current events part of this series are no longer current at all but that doesn't diminish its quality.

I don't know as much as I would like about China, and Wild China does a wonderful job of showing its many beauties, both natural and built by humans. From long-settled fishing villages on China's increasingly prosperous eastern coast to the icy reaches of Manchuria to the sunbaked deserts of Xinjiang, this series shows off a beautiful and wild China.

(I have watched this series several times, mostly recently on August 25 2017)

Wow. To be fair, I watched this on a huge television with surround sound...other may not have the same experience, it may or may not have lessend their enjoyment,..But simply, WOW. The scenery, the greenery, the mist rising off the mountains, the panoramic views, the insight into both different regional cultures and the wildlife that surrounds and shapes them, is so exciting and fresh. The only drawback is that is seems to drag a bit in certain spots, but that may just be my lack of interest in certain animals, and it's not that bad. The narrator is both informative, leading and yet unobtrusive during the spectacular panoramas and minutiae the camera exposes and lets speak for itself. Watch this, if you need some green and travel, you don't have to pay attention to every second, but you won't be sorry. Let it take you someplace else.

This is by far the moat self serving "nature documentary" that i have ever seen. When i watch a nature documentary that is exactly what i want to see.... the animals and land of the region, but this documentary was just as much about the religion and beliefs of the people of China than it was about nature. The Tibet episode was almost entirely about the beliefs of the people. It seems as if the people of China have already killed off all of their animals so they couldn't fill 6 full episodes with nature. How can you make a nature documentary called "Tibet" and in that episode only mention Mt Everest in passing? I do not recommend these shows if you are looking for a good nature documentary. Maybe the last episode, because i didn't bother to watch it.

Am a big fan of nature documentaries, especially the work of David Attenborough. Having been recommended 'Wild China' through Amazon and here, it was instantly put down on my list as a must see. Also heard nothing but praise for it, which has nearly always been a good sign, so that further sparked interest.

'Wild China' is as good as others have said and there is not much to add, actually feeling much more than just a documentary. Throughout it's an awe-inspiring, utterly transfixing experience where one forgets they're watching a documentary and instead feeling like they're watching art. This may sound like extreme hyperbole, but to me 'Wild China' is completely deserving of its praise and even deserving of more.

It is hard knowing when to start with the praise. 'Wild China' for starters looks amazing, reasons enough to make book a trip to see the more naturalistic parts of China. It is gorgeously filmed, done in a completely fluid and natural, sometimes intimate (a great way of connecting even more with the animals), way and never looking static. In fact much of it is remarkably cinematic. The scenery and habitats are some of the most breath-taking personally seen anywhere, whether in visual media and real life. The rich colours just leap out and the scenery from this part of the world has rarely looked more beautiful. The music here is a remarkably good fit, throughout it not only complements the visuals but enhances them and there is an authentic flavour to it.

What of the narrative and information aspects? Can't fault 'Wild China' in this aspect either. The narration has a great well-balanced mix of facts that will be familiar to the viewer and others that will induce the right amount of surprise. In short, it's just fascinating, informative and thoughtful.

From start to finish, 'Wild China' managed to intrigue and illuminate, and there is a freshness to the material, not feeling derivative of anything. The narration is delivered articulately by Bernard Hill, there's an enthusiasm and precision about the delivery and it never feels preachy and always lets the scenery and such speak for itself.

The wildlife themselves are a wonderful mix of the adorable and the dangerous, and one actually finds they're rooting for them in exactly the same way they would a human character. Not just that we also see how humans interact and adapt which was just as great and interesting to watch. There is a good deal of suspense and emotional impact. There are some scenes where one is amazed that they managed to be filmed in the first place, like with the snakes.

In all the six episodes, 'Wild China' feels much more than a series and it doesn't feel episodic or repetitive. The episodes instead feel like their own story, without being too reliant on that approach, with real, complex emotions and animal characters developed in a way a human character would in a film but does it better than several.

Overall, wondrous in every regard. Not to be missed. 10/10 Bethany Cox