David Attenborough's best episodes and moments

Polar bear vs. walrus from "Ice Worlds,"Planet Earth (2006)

Planet Earth itself is filled with dazzling imagery — and never-before-seen footage of our home — that has charmed audiences since it first aired in 2006.

In the episode, "Ice Worlds," a desperate polar bear searching for its "first meal in months" comes head to head with a herd of walruses. The ensuing battle is tense and features incredible narration from Sir David Attenborough. "There must be a chink in the armor somewhere," he narrates as the largest land carnivore looks for a weak spot in his prey.

Where to watch Planet Earth: Max

Orcas from "To the Ends of the Earth," Frozen Planet (2011)

As fans were treated to a 2022 installment of Frozen Planet, the fight between orcas and a single minke whale in the episode "To the Ends of the Earth" from the original series is told with dramatic flair and stupendous writing by Attenborough. The whole series is a wonderful look at the incredible poles of the Earth and the extraordinary life that survives and thrives there.

Where to watch Frozen Planet: Max

"Zoo Quest for a Dragon," Zoo Quest (1954)

A young Attenborough went to Indonesia to capture a Komodo dragon in one of his first series, Zoo Quest, a collaboration with Jack Lester and the London Zoo that features stunning early wildlife videography. The capture of a curious and rather cute lizard unfolds with suspense and drama, an early foray into the engaging documentary career that has continued on for decades.

Where to watch Zoo Quest: Plex TV

Protecting leatherback turtles from "Our Blue Planet," Blue Planet II (2017)

While his voice may be the most recognizable, and important, element of his career, Attenborough makes an instantly iconic physical appearance in an episode of Blue Planet II, as he's sprawled out in the sand next to a leatherback turtle.

On a Trinidad beach, one man, Len, changed public opinion and educated people about the importance of saving the turtles in a feature that puts not only the incredible species in the forefront, but also the heroic people around the globe helping conserve endangered species. "Good luck little leatherback," Attenborough says as he places a baby turtle onto the sand to start its perilous journey into the ocean.

Where to watch Blue Planet II: Max

"Antarctica," Seven Worlds, One Planet (2019)

From the first episode of the BBC's Seven Worlds, One Planet, Attenborough takes us into the unbelievable continent of Antarctica, "where life thrives against all odds." The whole series is a breathtaking look at each of the seven continents, but it's the in-depth scenes in the frozen world of Antarctica that stand out.

With close-up looks at Weddell seals giving birth, noisy colonies of penguins hunted by every large predator, and sea anemones rooted to the colorful ocean floor, Seven Worlds is an important series, one that focuses on the significance of diversity in our ecosystem by showing how the effects of climate change will impact us all beyond the borders of Antarctica.

Where to watch Seven Worlds, One Planet: Max

The Lost Gods of Easter Island (2000)

Attenborough takes to Easter Island in this investigative documentary about the history of the remote locale. After he purchased a wooden figurine in New York in the 1980s, he sets off in search of the higher meaning and power that the carving came from in a documentary that combines mystery with art, anthropology, and history.

Where to watch The Lost Gods of Easter Island: Documentary Tube

"Jungles," Our Planet (2019)

In this episode from Netflix's Our Planet, the sequel series to Planet Earth, audiences are treated to wonderful images from expansive jungle canopies to the most minuscule insects on the jungle floor, reminding us of the beauty we can find over every inch of the world. "Jungles" features glimpses of intelligent orangutans and a shocking high-definition look at an ant falling prey to a parasitic fungus that is shown with incredible detail and Sir Attenborough's storytelling flair that makes it look right out of a sci-fi movie.

Where to watch Our Planet: Netflix

"New Worlds," The Living Planet (1984)

In the final installment of this 12-episode series about how organisms adapt to the world, Attenborough steps foot in Jordan, a place where, millenniums ago, humankind made "a crucial step" when we started to shape the world around us by domesticating animals and plants.

In the 1980s, an in-depth look at the way humanity shaped the past and how it continues to shape the future was all too important to overlook. Attenborough's narration and the hands-on approach in filming the episode accentuate how dire the situation was and maintain its relevance in the 21st century.

The Living Planet is not available to watch or rent.

"Arriving," The Trials of Life (1990)

The 1990 miniseries The Trials of Life aptly starts where life begins. The camera pans to the rocky, desolate shore of Christmas Island where Attenborough stands haphazardly, introducing the red crab and the "thousand million lives" that they will deposit into the crashing sea. The episode sets a tone of awe at the natural world with incredibly close-up videos of the beginning of life that the rest of the series would dazzle and amaze with.

The Trials of Life is not available to watch or rent.

"First Steps," Life Story (2014)

"This is the story of life, and for these little creatures, it's just beginning," Attenborough says, laying next to a burrow with baby meerkats chirping away. His passion and excitement for the animal kingdom is on full display. Life Story takes a look at the infancy, the first steps of many animals, including the long-eared jerboa — a species never before captured on camera.

Where to watch Life Story: Max

Bears catching salmon from "The Great Salmon Run,"Nature's Greatest Events (2009)

"This is going to be the end of the road for a lot of salmon." Attenborough's moving writing combined with incredible video footage of grizzly bears catching salmon in a waterfall on their pilgrimage upstream is some of the most iconic wildlife recordings and impossible to look away from. The somber music adds to the tone of life and death that makes the natural world even more fascinating.

Where to watch Nature's Greatest Events: Max

Interaction with a sloth from "Plant Predators,"The Life of Mammals (2002)

After slowly rising up the steps into a forest tree, Attenborough chirps a playful "boo" at an unsuspecting sloth in the tree, startling nothing except our hearts into more joy.

From his pronunciation of the word "sloth" to comparing his day to that of the slow mammal, this segment is endearing and a testament to the filmmaker's deliberate and thoughtful choices in crafting a story. And even Attenborough acknowledges the limits of our grasp on nature, as he notes that no one knows why the sloth risks danger to relieve himself in the same spot on the forest floor once a week.

The Life of Mammals is not available to watch or rent.

"Congo," Africa (2013)

The world is sometimes too big to capture in its glory. In the 2013 miniseries Africa, Attenborough takes us on a journey through the most diverse place in the world. The third episode in the series, "Congo" — a place with a greater concentration of animals than anywhere in the continent — features breathtaking close-ups of the beautiful insects, dangerous plants, and even the "sexual fury" of elephants that lurk in every corner of the densely populated jungles.

Where to rent Africa: Amazon Prime Video

Life on Earth (1979)

The first in many series where Attenborough traces the evolution of life on our planet, Life on Earth helped establish Attenborough's credibility and cultural significance.

The series takes the biologist around the globe with impressive 20th-century filming techniques and some iconic sequences. Perhaps the most memorable of these is Attenborough on all fours coming face to face with a female gorilla, a mother who would remember him the next day and groom and play with him.

Life on Earth is not available to watch or rent

"The Deep," The Blue Planet (2001)

The deepest, darkest trenches of the ocean may be even more terrifying than outer space. In the episode "The Deep" from 2001's The Blue Planet, Attenborough investigates the otherworldly creatures that lurk in the corners of the ocean. Yet the bioluminescence and colorful sea creatures are so undeniably beautiful that it's wonderful to view them through the narrator's characteristic awe and passion.

Where to watch The Blue Planet: Max