Miniseries · BBC One
Life
Four years, 3000 filming days, ten part blockbuster.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Life actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Life reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Emotional Weight.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The story
What it's about
David Attenborough looks at the extraordinary ends to which animals and plants go in order to survive. Featuring epic spectacles, amazing TV firsts and examples of new wildlife behaviour.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E09
Plants
A look at plants and the ingenious and manipulative ways they counter life's challenges.
S01E01
Challenges of Life
A look at how some animals and plants go to extremes to give themselves a chance to breed.
S01E08
Creatures of the Deep
A look at marine invertebrates, including Humboldt squid, starfish and giant octopuses.
S01E10
Primates
Primates are just like humans - intelligent, quarrelsome, family-centred.
S01E04
Fish
A look at various fish species including sea dragon, fringehead and Hawaiian goby.
S01E05
Birds
A slow-motion camera captures the unique flight of the Marvellous Spatuletail Hummingbird.
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Mike GuntonExecutive Producer
- Martha HolmesProducer
- Susan WinslowExecutive Producer
- Paul SpillengerProducer
- Catherine McCarthyExecutive Producer
Writing
- Paul SpillengerWriter
Direction
- Stephen LyleDirector
- Martha HolmesDirector
- Simon BlakeneyDirector
Music
- George FentonOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- HBO Max Amazon ChannelStreaming
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Discovery+ Amazon ChannelStreaming
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- YouTube TVStreaming
- HBO MaxStreaming
- Discovery +Streaming
- Planet Earth Amazon ChannelStreaming
If you liked this
Similar Series
Series that share this one's texture, not just its genre tags.
Planet Earth
2006
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
The Blue Planet
2001
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Our Planet
2019
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Mammals
2024
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Parenthood
2025
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Kingdom
2025
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
The Secret Lives of Animals
2024
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Nightmares of Nature
2025
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Planet Earth II
2016
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Asia
2024
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Night on Earth
2020
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Earthsounds
2024
Non-fiction storytelling · Similar storytelling style
Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
Planet Earth II
2016
Step from fiction into the real events that inspired it.
Life on Our Planet
2023
The true story version, told with the same rigour.
Cosmos
2014
Step from fiction into the real events that inspired it.
Mr. Scorsese
2025
The true story version, told with the same rigour.
Prehistoric Planet
2022
Step from fiction into the real events that inspired it.
Testament: The Story of Moses
2024
If the world-building is what held you, this is the next map to walk.
Never stop watching
Related Collections
No related collections yet
This title isn't in a published Nutevio collection yet. It will appear here automatically as soon as it is.
Join the conversation