The Blue Planet

THE BLUE PLANET a natural history of the oceans The Blue Planet is the first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world's oceans. The extraordinary images of this marine epic reveal the sea at its most fearsome and alluring, exposing some of its best kept secrets. Enter a world of breath-taking beauty and discover new species, visit unseen habitats and witness stories of survival never before been caught on camera. Programme I: The Blue Planet The oceans remain in the most part an unexplored mystery. This episode introduces the viewer to the series. Touching on all aspects of the oceans it reveals the sheer scale, power and complexity of The Blue Planet. Programme 2: The Deep Of all the ocean habitats, the deep ocean remains the least known. An eerie world where animals play hide and seek. Predators with massive teeth and enormous mouths lurk like patient rat-traps, waiting for their prey to come to them. Programme 3: Open Ocean The search for life in the immense space of open ocean. Endless blue stretches in every direction. In this marine desert there is nothing accept the burning sun above and the blackened abyss below - yet here live many of the most spectacular predators in the ocean. Programme 4: Frozen Seas For the first time the bitter, frozen worlds of the Arctic and Antarctic are compared. Here the annual freeze and retreat of the sea ice governs the pace of life. With winter temperatures plummeting to 70C below freezing, relief only comes with spring - it is a brief respite. Programme 5: Seasonal Seas Following the seasons of the year, this programme explores the effects of the changing power of the sun on marine life in the richest of all the ocean's habitats, the temperate seas. Programme 6: Coral Seas Bathed in warm,clear tropical water and brilliant sunlight, coral reefs are the rainforests of the sea. An oasis amongst the desert of the ocean floor. This is the story of coral, from formation into a reef, to ultimate and devastating destruction. Programme 7:Tidal Seas Tides dominate marine life dictating precisely where and when many will breed. Tidal marshes are also one of the most productive parts of the world, yet life is not easy.... Programme 8: Coasts The world above the tide line is possibly the most dynamic habitat in the oceans. Constantly in flux, the coasts have few permanent residents but many must return from the open ocean to breed. Making Waves High adventure and stunning wildlife are combined with intimate and at times emotional studies of the characters who brought it to the screen. Deep Trouble For years man has ploughed the ocean in search of food and riches but now we may be about to lose this valuable asset, such is the intolerable strain we have inflicted. Discover even more about our Blue Planet at bbc.co.uk/nature © A BBC/Discovery Channel Co-Production (except Deep Trouble, a BBC/WW production).