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I get very excited over things, and I am one to announce to the world that these things play such a vital role in my life that I am not only amazed and astonished by them, but I truly can’t live without them.  Here’s something I love and why I love it.

Day 4: Planet Earth (TV Series)

When I was younger and was asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, the answer, for a long period, was become a zoologist.  I loved animals and thought the idea of playing with them, studying them and working to better understand them was incredibly fascinating.  Unfortunately, once I realized that part of being a zoologist meant dealing with sick and dying animals and not just cute and cuddly baby animals, I lost my interest and never really pursued it again.

The first time I saw Planet Earth all of those feelings came rushing back.  I spent about a full week watching all of the P.E. episodes on DVD my senior year in college after finishing the grueling task of writing my thesis.  I needed an escape and the DVDs, and David Attenborough’s soothing narration, did the trick.  I immediately rediscovered my passion for animals in their environment and the amazing evolution that exists around us.  Check out some of the birds in the first few minutes of “Jungles” and try and tell me that evolution isn’t real… It is absolutely mind blowing.

Recently P.E. has returned to my life weekly on the Discovery Channel, one of my favorite stations on TV.  (Note: If you’re looking for great TV check out their shows: Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs, Man Vs. Wild and of course their Shark Week coverage!)  But what makes P.E. more than just a National Geographic issue shown on TV, is the incredible cinematography mixed with extraordinary storytelling.  Some of the images that they capture are absolutely unreal.  For instance, to better understand, and share with the audience, how male penguins survive the freezing arctic winter, while protecting the egg with their child in it, filmmakers watched a group of emperor penguins for one full year.  And in the end, the footage and the story is amazing.

I think the show really helps shed light on the world in a new way.  And most importantly, they do it without being too political or preachy.  Even though there are scenes of stranded polar bears unable to make it across the semi-frozen ocean, you don’t feel like you are watching the WWF, wildlife, not wrestlers, commercials and feeling obligated to donate money.  They are educational but they are also entertaining, and they are beautiful to boot.

Now all of this is not to say that I am going to quit my day job and begin my quest of becoming a zoologist, but it is impressive and comforting to know there are still television stations out there that are informative and entertaining all in one, and that are truly inspirational.  For other great shows check out the Travel Channel, my boyfriend loves Samantha Brown’s whirlwind adventures, the History Channel, who doesn’t love the Modern Marvels series that covers all things from Disney to LSD, and the National Geographic Channel with my favorite show Locked Up Abroad.  I would say these shows, and a healthy dose of Sesame Street growing up, had a ton to do with how I think, what I think about, and what things I am excited to learn about!