Last Sunday our family watched the final episode of David Attenborough’s latest series Planet Earth II. It was a stunning showcase of wildlife around the world. It was impossible not to be gripped, for example, by the baby iguanas running the gauntlet of the racer snakes, or baby turtles being caught by crabs or crushed by traffic. The programme attracted an audience of 12 million, with over 40% of viewers tuning in to watch.
Unlike earlier Attenborough series, such as the seminal Life on Earth, the programme felt somewhat episodic and lacked any coherent overall narrative. With the exception of repeated references to the dangers of global warming and human development there was no attempt to explain the natural world, or to put the animals that were showcased into a broader context. It was more like the animal equivalent of a celebrity chat show, albeit highly entertaining.
However despite all the stunning photography the programme attracted considerable criticism for revealing the reality of nature. Numerous viewers complained that its scenes were "too brutal," especially those of mating snow leopards which were described as "rape." The BBC justified the programme on the grounds that it had to compete with other intense emotional dramas.
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