Netflix’s Our Planet was visually spectacular, bringing one close to the hidden qualities of nature, all while blending in a powerful and important message about climate change. There was a certain impactful quality to the documentary that was brought about through the coupling of visually stunning aspects of nature, followed by brief, yet concise, imagery of how these wonders are already lost or nearly gone. These moments left me feeling melancholic due to the severity of the issue of climate change and excessive human destruction wrought upon the Earth, but at the same time, seeing these upsetting truths reinvigorated the urgency inside of me to take action. Seeing what we’re losing in nature every day was upsetting and motivational, and it made this documentary extremely impactful in its message and influence.

Aside from the important commentary in this documentary, the actual visuals it was composed of were stunning! All throughout the episode, the shots were so incredibly perfect, it nearly felt staged. And as I continued to reflect, I built a greater and greater respect for the entire team behind the series. The amount of time, effort, and skill required to produce what they did is mind-boggling, and I feel motivated to watch through the rest of the episodes they painstakingly produced.