(this review relates to the English DVD version of Life, as shown on UK and Canadian television during last year - NOT the American version, which features the same footage but with a different episode format and narration by Opera Winfrey) Life is the latest in a line of spectacular offerings from the BBC's natural history department. It seems that whatever might be going wrong in other areas of the BBC's original programming areas, this is one which seems to go from strength to strength. This might in part be due to the successful collaborations - in this case with the Open University (which I'm sure brings not only a hefty wadge of funding but also a gaggle ...  Read the complete review

This BBC boxset currently costs about £20 on amazon on DVD. The blu-ray version is £30 but I don't have that - I assume it's the same but nicer looking. This is the most recent big nature documentary series from the BBC, which aired in autumn 2009. Although the legendary David Attenborough has retired from actually going out and prodding animals in their natural habitats, he is still doing narration. Frankly, without his soft, authoritative voice a nature documentary doesn't feel genuine, and they'll have a tough job replacing him when he's not around anymore. (Actually, they almost certainly won't bother. The kind of shows Attenborough became famous for ...  Read the complete review