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.
"Ocean World" and "The Deep" were both wonderful episodes. So is "Open Ocean". It contains everything that makes 'The Blue Planet' as a series so transfixing, educational, moving and fascinating. It may not have won or been nominated for awards like "Ocean World" and "The Deep" were or have scenes as memorable as the two shocking and emotionally devastating scenes in "Ocean World", this doesn't matter and neither makes the episode any less inferior.
Visually, "Open Ocean" 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 "Open Ocean" 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.
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.
Particularly liked the feeding frenzy, the hunting/attack (particularly concerning the plankton) and dolphin scenes. The volcano under the sea fascinated too.
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.
Overall, wonderful yet again. 10/10 Bethany Cox
