Wonderful world
Have managed to catch up a bit this week with the backlog of Interesting Telly I Haven't Got Round To Yet, starting with David Attenborough's completely wonderful Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life (still currently on iPlayer, catch it while you can!) which was originally on BBC1 on the 1st of February.
As ever, Attenborough's enthusiasm and love of his subject shone through - and while it was a lucid, considered and clear introduction to Darwin and his theory (it was pretty basic, but would be perfect for showing to a school class), it was at least as much a DA retrospective, since it was copiously illustrated with extracts from his vast back catalogue of wildlife programmes, from 1979's Life on Earth onwards, and reminiscences about his boyhood, his undergraduate days and his TV career.
I grew up watching Attenborough - to me that gentle, warm voice is wildlife programming - and it was amazing to flip back and forth from the boyish fifty-something of Life on Earth (who didn't look a day over 35) all the way to his more recent work. The moment (from, I think, Blue Planet) when, after years of tracking wildlife round the globe, he fulfilled a lifetime's ambition and had a close encounter with a blue whale, has always brought tears to my eyes and still does. At the same time, it did suddenly bring home to me that this humble, awed, inspired and inspiring man is 82, and that one day in the not-too-distant future he won't be with us any more, although I can't imagine the BBC without him.
I can't think of a better presenter to have made this; it made me thankful all over again both for Darwin, and for Attenborough, and for the incredible natural world they have both in their different ways helped us to wonder at.
As ever, Attenborough's enthusiasm and love of his subject shone through - and while it was a lucid, considered and clear introduction to Darwin and his theory (it was pretty basic, but would be perfect for showing to a school class), it was at least as much a DA retrospective, since it was copiously illustrated with extracts from his vast back catalogue of wildlife programmes, from 1979's Life on Earth onwards, and reminiscences about his boyhood, his undergraduate days and his TV career.
I grew up watching Attenborough - to me that gentle, warm voice is wildlife programming - and it was amazing to flip back and forth from the boyish fifty-something of Life on Earth (who didn't look a day over 35) all the way to his more recent work. The moment (from, I think, Blue Planet) when, after years of tracking wildlife round the globe, he fulfilled a lifetime's ambition and had a close encounter with a blue whale, has always brought tears to my eyes and still does. At the same time, it did suddenly bring home to me that this humble, awed, inspired and inspiring man is 82, and that one day in the not-too-distant future he won't be with us any more, although I can't imagine the BBC without him.
I can't think of a better presenter to have made this; it made me thankful all over again both for Darwin, and for Attenborough, and for the incredible natural world they have both in their different ways helped us to wonder at.