Parents' Guide to

Our Planet

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Gorgeous docuseries features animal life, nature's wonders.

TV Netflix Educational 2019
Our Planet Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 11 parent reviews

Rebeca
Rebeca Parent of 12 and 14-year-old
April 5, 2022
age 14+

Amazing but...

This show/documentary is truly amazing, inspiring, great message but...was it really necessary to show the same images of the walruses falling off a cliff and hitting boulders on their way down to their very certain death over and over again? I am a wildlife biologist and a science teacher and I have seen wild animals die with my own eyes, but I felt there was something dark in showing these images repeatedly. Whatever audience they thought they were reaching by this overly graphic and human caused violence, I like to think I am not part of.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Too much violence
vclarke
vclarke Adult
February 7, 2022
age 8+

I do not agree with the majority of reviews!

I absolutely love this documentary. A lot of the reviews were shocked by the walruses, the penguins, the polar bears and other animals eating prey but that is life. The documentary is honest about climate change and the realities on our changing world. There are a lot of fun, positive moments that kids would love along with learning the realities of our environments and animals. I believe it would spark a conversation about climate change and various animals around the world. I would recommend for everyone to watch it.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 11 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In OUR PLANET, renowned naturalist David Attenborough narrates a sweeping tour of Earth's natural diversity and explores how climate change is affecting different species' efforts to survive. From the frozen Arctic tundra to the lush rainforest to the vast African deserts, this production from the creators of Planet Earth celebrates the marvels of nature, the interconnectedness of animal species, and the responsibilities and hazards of a growing human population's effect on the planet.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (11):
Kids say (8):

Predictably gorgeous and awe-inspiring, this expertly produced nature docuseries turns thousands of hours of videography into eight episodes of captivating, compelling, and sometimes emotional drama. Life, death, feast, famine, and the eternal struggle to survive and reproduce lay the foundation for the show's content. Attenborough sets the scene by asserting the following statistics: As the human population has grown over the past 50 years, wildlife numbers have decreased by an average of 60 percent. From there, he extrapolates that as humans have contributed to nature's increased instability, we alone can help ensure its recovery.

The trouble is, it's an argument that gets swept aside as Our Planet treats viewers to stunningly beautiful scenes of nature and wildlife. Only occasionally does Attenborough return to the topic of climate change and conservation. It does nothing to detract from the impressive presentation of the world's wonders, but it gives the series a slightly indecisive purpose overall.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Our Planet intends to teach viewers. Is its goal to expose them to nature and its inhabitants or to inspire behavior of some kind?

  • What examples of instinct do you see in this show? How does instinct help animals survive? To what degree do people use instinct for the same purpose?

  • What big and small changes can you and your family make to be better stewards of natural resources? What responsibilities do we have to protect nature? What are the risks to humans of not doing so? Is it difficult to keep a positive attitude in light of worrisome news about the environment and the world?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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