Le règne animal

The episodes that focus on less species are the ones that thrive, rather than trying to pack several animals in a single episode. I always enjoy watching animals, but this documentary is better suited to a first time watcher of nature topics; I didn't hear much that hasn't already been told by better writers and shown with better camerawork. It's an interesting twist to switch the narrator with each episode, but ultimately provides nothing except a little excitement if you know the actor (which, as someone who doesn't keep up with actors, I only knew one). Every episode slips in a mention of how destructive humans are, and yet there is still an encouraging scene of a lady feeding urban foxes in the UK.

This is as good as it gets with just amazing photography. How the videographers and sound people got this level of detail and intimacy is almost unbelievable. The hunting scenes leave nothing out so be prepared. I watched "Big Cats". The writers tell the stories perfectly and Rashida Jones's narration is wonderful.

This show is a little jumpy, and I personally would have preferred a slower pace. At the same time though, it offers images that are unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Netflix is slowly improving its nature documentary capabilities, and this is one of the best shows it's made so far. But this is a genre where they still need a lot of work, and Night on Earth is the only one so far that really competes with the old pros (BBC, NatGeo, etc).

The footage is great, but the editing could use some work. All of the somber moments are glossed over too much, either by cutting away way before a kill (so early that you are still unsure whether or not the hunter was successful) or by not giving the audience enough time and/or visual cues to allow the seriousness to settle in.

The information is good, but there is nothing presented here that hasn't already been shown in numerous other and more popular documentaries.

The voice acting is very hit and miss. Jones and Cranston do well in their episodes. Mackie isn't terrible, but his attempt at sounding mysterious comes off very dry. Wilson is horrendous to the point where the whole episode would have been better on mute.

*EDIT*: After watching season 2, I've bumped my rating up 1 star because the film and shot quality has vastly improved even from the previous year's season. In particular, some of the raptor episode's scenes were so stunning and unique that they made my jaw hit the floor. Serkis is the only voice actor this season to put some real enthusiasm into his narration, but none of the 4 narrators are bad.

Growing up with shows like Jacques Couseau and Mutual Omaha's Wild Kingdom I love animal shows. I just wish there were more of them. I hope this series has a season 2. Not for younger children because of the gore.