Blue Planet III arrives on BBC One with Attenborough narrating, praised by producers and a reviewer
Blue Planet III, the BBC's third ocean series, starts on 1 November. Radio Times interviews its producers about David Attenborough and animal adaptation, and New Scientist reviews the first three episodes.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Blue Planet III, the BBC's third major ocean series, begins on BBC One on Sunday 1 November at 8pm and will also be on iPlayer. Radio TimesN “Blue Planet III is on Sunday 1 November at 8pm on BBC One.” Read at Radio Times ↗ New ScientistN “Blue Planet IIIBBC One/BBC iPlayer From 1 November” Read at New Scientist ↗ Centre · 1Radio Times says the series took four years to make and has six episodes. It reports that many sequences were filmed for television for the first time. Radio TimesN “Four years in the making, Blue Planet III comprises six episodes packed with astonishing underwater sequences, many filmed for television for the first time.” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 1David Attenborough narrates again. Executive producer Elizabeth White told Radio Times he "seems stronger and better with every project" and was "like an excited boy" when shown new footage, including the bottlenose dolphin and the swimming crabs. Radio TimesN ““Attenborough seems stronger and better with every project,” says executive producer Elizabeth White.”“he was like an excited boy.”” Read at Radio Times ↗
Centre · 1Episode one producer Yoland Bosiger told a New Scientist screening Q&A that Attenborough is still closely involved with the script and "basically changed every single line". New Scientist's reviewer Michael Le Page adds that Attenborough is "starting to sound his age", which brought "a tinge of sadness". New ScientistN “He basically changed every single line,” said Bosiger.”“But to me, he is starting to sound his age, so there's a tinge of sadness on hearing his changed voice.” Read at New Scientist ↗ Centre · 2Both pieces highlight a bottlenose dolphin in Western Australia's Shark Bay that uses a sponge. New Scientist says the team named the pregnant 40-year-old dolphin Gambara. It says she uses the sponge to block the entrance to a coral hiding place, trapping fish. The team filmed this with purpose-built cameras after off-the-shelf ones kept flooding. Radio TimesN “In Western Australia, bottlenose dolphins trap fish with sea sponges.” Read at Radio Times ↗ New ScientistN “Then, when the fish have left their hiding place, she blocks the entrance with the sponge.”“But off-the-shelf cameras kept flooding and didn't record for long enough. Instead, the BBC developed cameras especially for the task.” Read at New Scientist ↗ Centre · 2Technology features in both. Radio Times cites drone footage of a bowhead whale breaking Arctic ice and deep-sea cameras filming species down to 4,000 metres. Producer James Brickell says it does not replace "old-fashioned fieldcraft". New Scientist notes a drone shot of a sick humpback whale surrounded by sharks. White said remote working with local teams cut down on flights. Radio TimesN “Drone footage follows a bowhead whale using its reinforced skull to break through Arctic pack ice”“Technology does not replace “old-fashioned fieldcraft: reading the environment and animals, and drawing on local knowledge”, says James Brickell” Read at Radio Times ↗ New ScientistN “Where possible, producers worked remotely with local teams, cutting back on the need for flights.” Read at New Scientist ↗
Centre · 1Radio Times frames the series around climate change and adaptation. It says warming has intensified since Blue Planet II, citing polar bears hunting from the shore, a weakening Labrador Current and starving Maine puffins, and Great Barrier Reef bleaching. Even so, the series stays hopeful, with clownfish cleaning their anemones as one example. White said: "We deliberately avoided a sense of doom." Radio TimesN “Since then, global warming has intensified and further threats have emerged.”““We deliberately avoided a sense of doom,” says White.” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 2Both pieces recall the "Blue Planet effect" of Blue Planet II (2017), which Radio Times says reportedly reached 500 million people and helped lead to a 2019 UN pledge by 170 countries to cut single-use plastics. New Scientist predicts the new series will have a similar impact, calling it "a stunning triumph". Radio TimesN “The series reportedly reached 500 million people worldwide and helped spur international action.” Read at Radio Times ↗ New ScientistN “From what I have seen, this series will have a similar impact. It's a stunning triumph.” Read at New Scientist ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Radio Times runs a producer interview presenting the series as hopeful about animal adaptation despite warming. New Scientist runs a strongly positive review based on the first three episodes.
- Emphasis
- Radio Times stresses climate threats balanced by recovery stories, and Attenborough's enthusiasm. New Scientist stresses novel behaviour, the camerawork and the dolphin Gambara.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Radio Times has no critical assessment. New Scientist does not cover climate threats and has little on the final three episodes, which it had not seen.
- Charged language
- “game-changing hit”“stunning triumph”“excited boy”
- For example
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“The BBC has another game-changing hit in Blue Planet III” — New Scientist
“We deliberately avoided a sense of doom” — Radio Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Blue Planet III starts on BBC One on 1 November.
- David Attenborough narrates the series.
- Both pieces describe the sponge-using bottlenose dolphins of Western Australia.
- Both refer to the 'Blue Planet effect' of Blue Planet II.
David Attenborough person
Producers describe him as energised and closely involved in the script, while the reviewer notes his voice sounds older.
“His engagement astonished me — his humour, personality and love for the programme.” — Radio Times
“He adds so much personality and humour.” — New Scientist
Blue Planet III other
The production team presents the series as full of new behaviours and hopeful about adaptation. The reviewer calls it better than its predecessors.
“This series is bursting with novel behaviours, and even a few strange new animals.” — New Scientist
“Almost every story features a new behaviour or species” — Radio Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Blue Planet III producer: "Attenborough seems stronger and better with every project"
Sympathetic Producer interview that presents the series as optimistic about adaptation and warmly portrays Attenborough.
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New ScientistN · · Opinion
Blue Planet III is the best yet from the BBC and David Attenborough
Celebratory Opinion review calling the series the best yet, with a small note of sadness about Attenborough's ageing voice.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 26 Oct 17:00 First Radio TimesN Blue Planet III producer: "Attenborough seems stronger and better with every project"
- 28 Oct 18:00 +48h 59m New ScientistN Blue Planet III is the best yet from the BBC and David Attenborough Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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