User reviews

Lucky enough to have seen the first three (To date) episodes in this wonderful new BBC wildlife series I can safely say that the BBC still rules the genre. This series explores not just the wildlife, which it does with brand new spectacular scenes, but also the relationship of the ecosystem with the geology and unpredictable weather systems and natural events. The production team have taken extraordinary measures to provide us with breath-taking scenes and amazing footage, using the latest technology and techniques. So far this season has kept my family, including our 4yr old granddaughter fixed, silently to the screen! The addition of the "Eye to Eye" excerpt at the end of each episode goes a little way to help us understand how these production teams make these shows, and for me, I always look forward to seeing what they are prepared to do to get "the shot of a lifetime."

Wonderful stuff...

David Attenborough's wonderful voice narrates another incredible BBC nature series. Planet Earth, Life, Frozen Planet, and now Africa, each takes us on a High Definition trip to some of the most amazing places on Earth. If I had to choose one of these series as the winner for the most breath taking camera work, I would have to give the honour to Africa! If I had one grouch about most nature series it would be in the grisliness in showing predators bringing down and sometimes tearing apart their prey. Africa manages to show predators at work without the overt gore. The only thing that stymies me about all of these incredible series is why they felt it necessary to release an Americanized version of each with Sigourney Weaver, Oprah, Alec Baldwin and now Forest Whitaker narrating. Attenborough's narration is as clear and concise as ever, and I would think understandable by the American viewing public.

David Attenborough does it again.I personally have been hooked on his documentaries for more than a decade (pardon for being young) and I have to say no other man can come close to his interpretation of nature's wonders.Since the flawless "Planet Earth", David has continued to amaze with this interpretation and that certainly did not fail in "Africa".

Yes, we finally get to see more from Africa rather than just a big pile of desserts.The variety of climate changes,animal adaption and human construction at its peak is displayed in the most brilliant way you can describe.And of course the cruel fate of the residents due to climate change and increase number of predators really gives you a heart breaking image as to how bizarre and ferocious life can be when it's instinctively based on the three basic surviving methods, "Water,Food,Shelter".

In conclusion,I have to say that "Africa" ranks as one of the top documentaries ever done by BBC and that's saying a lot because BBC has done quite some documentaries which brought nature interpretation to a whole new levels.

Personal rank : 10/10.

Since the first episode to last - its an amazing ride , with vast scenery and good depth of knowledge of Africa. Not only it shows the wildlife but it shows how the change in climate and world population is affect each one of them. It also very elegantly shows the local people and how they are trying to help the biodiversity. David did very well on narrating and presenting the wildlife. The story of some animals really touch you heart.

An as a Bio scientist myself - its was amazing to see yet another making look of Africa it was time we just get to see Africa since it so vast.

The series director and producers and rest of the crew definitely did a master piece on this, i remember looking forward for each episode and truly sad its over...for now.

Its truly a beautiful series.. Deserves a title next to Planet Earth.

Planet earth has held the title for a long time as the best of Attenborough but ever since Africa has been released i personally have come to the conclusion of this series superiority, the updated camera work, the general renewal and new insights to animals behavior as individuals and as a society. Episode 4-Cape has raised the bar for all environmental/educational series to come, the diversity within each episode gives a viewer a sense of Range, scale and mass of the ecological system that is being reviewed and recorded. the variation from each environment allows a comparison to be made from Blue Whales to Monkey Beatles. the 'Eye to eye' segment of each episode allows the viewer to get an insight into the difficulty of the recordings and techniques used. The new best of Attenborough!

I wasn't going to review because the others nailed it, but I have to add that beyond this being an amazing series among multiple planet earth series, there is some heart wrenching. In one they show a baby elephant calf die and if that doesn't rip your heart out I don't know what will. I've watched almost all of the series and there is natural life and death, but the one with the elephant was probably the worst. No way I could have filmed it without helping.

It is an amazing documentary series with stunning shots and breathtaking scenes and filming. I have watched it several times and I still love to watch it again and again

Terrific 6 hour documentary mini-series on the land and (mostly) animals of Africa's various geographic regions; from the ocean waters off the Cape of Good Hope, to the stunning, endless Sahara desert. Fantastically photographed, as all these BBC nature series tend to be, and hosted with his usual humanity, passion and insight by David Attenborough. It's important to note that Attenborough is not just narrating, but he writes his excellent verbal sections himself. Also, as with other BBC nature series, each of the 6 sections is accompanied by a mini 'making of' documentary, which are often as fascinating and compelling as the main program.

Everything 'educational' television should be. Fun, moving, beautiful, full of new information and animals you haven't heard or seen before - even if you've seen a lot of these docs - and reminding us of how important it is to save the amazing animals and wild places that strain under the ever heavier pressure of the demands of the human species. Great for adults or any kids not too young to be frightened by occasional honest (and sometimes heartbreaking) examples of animal death in the wild. And a great ad for the visual splendor of blu-ray.

David Attenborough is nothing short of a national treasure. He may apparently dislike the term, but it is hard to not say that about such a great presenter who has contributed significantly to some of the best programmes (of the documentary genre and overall) the BBC has ever aired/produced.

It is really hard picking favourites, let alone a definite favourite, among what Attenborough has done because he has done so many gems, it is the equivalent of trying to choose your favourite ice cream flavour or your favourite operatic role (for examples) and finding you can't pick. 'Africa' to me though is right up there, so are the likes of both 'Planet Earth' series, 'The Blue Planet', 'Life' and 'Frozen Planet'. It has everything that makes so much of his work so wonderful and deserves everything great that has been said about it.

Once again, 'Africa' first and foremost is a wonderful looking series. 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 editing is always succinct and smooth and the scenery is pure magic, similarly really admired the wide-ranging diversity of the different landscapes rather than restricting it to just one habitat. The music score fits very well, never overly grandiose while never being inappropriate.

Along with so much of Attenborough's work, 'Africa' continually fascinates and illuminates, in terms of the facts there was a very good mix of the known ones and the unknown. Because there was such a large breadth and variety of habitats, wildlife and what it covered, it was so easy to learn so much more about the animals and Africa itself, portraying them in ways beyond how Africa is portrayed elsewhere. Attenborough's narration helps quite significantly too, he clearly knows his stuff and knows what to say and how to say it. He delivers it with his usual richness, soft-spoken enthusiasm and sincerity, never talking down to the viewer and keeping them riveted and wanting to know more. The "behind the scenes/making of" scenes too gave some humanity to the series and allowed us to get to know those behind the camera as well as in front.

The animals are big in personality and wide in range, they are a mix of cute and predatory, which helps give any conflict genuine tension, any fun moments their fun and the emotional moments pathos. How they adapt to their surroundings, why they behave the way they do, how nature works and how what the wildlife does affects the environments were all touched upon and made their points subtly, not hammering it home too much (a potential danger with documentaries). It completely succeeds, and brilliantly, at both educating and entertaining.

Many powerful and poignant moments, as well as suspenseful ones, while not trying too hard to evoke a viewer reaction. One really cares for what they're told and the wildlife. Like much of Attenborough/BBC's other work, each episode doesn't feel like an episodic stringing of scenes, but instead like the best nature documentaries each feels like their own story and journey, with real, complex emotions and conflicts and animal characters developed in a way a human character would in a film but does it better than several.

Altogether, a gem and sees Africa and its wildlife in all their splendour. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Like many of the BBC Natural History Unit documentaries, Africa portrays the diversity of wildlife in the African continent in spectacular fashion. With each episode focussing on a different region of the vast landmass, we get a glimpse into the local geographical, ecological and ecosystem features of that specific area. Not only are new and astonishing behaviours revealed, the adaptations that life can make and challenges it must overcome to survive and thrive in diverse (and often harsh) conditions are captured and described beautifully. We also get an insight into the practical difficulties in filming such captivating scenes in the end-of-episode 10-minute segments.

This series is a must-watch for any nature lover, especially those keen to learn more about the unique aspects of Africa.

As always, BBC Earth and Attenborough present a spectacular and awe-inspiring view of the natural world, this time covering the largest wilderness left on the planet. This series is one of their best so far, presenting all of the wonder, heartbreak, and inspiration that nature has to offer.