David Attenborough, as has been said many times, is wholly deserving of being called a national treasure, although it is a term he happens to not like. He has done so many treasures and even his lesser output of a long and consistently impressive career is still good.
'The Blue Planet' is one of my favourites of his. It leaves me in complete and utter awe every time, with how much is learnt about all the different seas and marine inhabitants and how it all looks visually. It is also one of his most ground-breaking, in that it's the first comprehensive series of oceanic natural history and including and exploring creatures and their behaviour that had never been seen before. As said in my reviews for the individual episodes of 'Frozen Planet', it is a shame that despite being one of IMDb's highest rated shows, the ratings here for each episode individually has such a wide divide between them and that for the show overall. To me, the series overall is wholly deserving of its acclaim and the individual episodes are rated far too low.
The sense of wonder seen in "Ocean World" can be seen just as much in "The Deep". Like "Ocean World" received two awards for cinematography and music, "The Deep" was nominated for two Emmys for Sound Mixing and Editing, both more than worthy nominations. 'The Blue Planet' is the perfect example of a documentary, or anything actually, that transfixed, fascinated, moved and educated me when first viewed and still does. All of that is present here in "The Deep".
Visually, "The Deep" is a wonder, same with all the series' episodes and Attenborough's work in general. It has gorgeous scenery and rich colours, while the animals and marine life are captured in all their glory. Standing out even more is the photography, never before or since 'The Blue Planet' has there been more stunning underwater sequences.
George Fenton's music score soars majestically, rousing the spirits while touching the soul. It not only complements the visuals but enhances them to a greater level. Some of my favourite work from him in fact, coming from someone who's liked a lot of what he's done. The main theme is unforgettable.
Can't fault the narrative aspects in "The Deep" either. There are things already known to me, still delivered with a lot of freshness, but there was a lot that was quite an education and after watching the full series it honestly felt like the series taught me a lot, especially with the never captured on film Dumbo octopus and the hairy anglerfish.
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.
Picking standout scenes is hard, but the abyssal plain/trenches stuff is fascinating (the DSV Alvin also provides interest) and the grey whale remains sequence is this episode's contribution to the emotionally shocking moments of the series.
Nothing episodic or repetitive here. Instead, it feels like its own individual story with real, complex emotions and conflicts. One roots for the animals, whether prey or predator.
In short, wondrous. 10/10 Bethany Cox
