Africa (2013 TV series)
| Africa | |
|---|---|
BBC One HD | |
| Release | 2 January – 6 February 2013 |
Africa is a
Broadcast
As Africa was broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom, the six episodes are each an hour in length, comprising the main programme and a 10-minute featurette called Eye to Eye which details the filming of a particular event.
In the United States, Africa was broadcast as a seven-part series on the Discovery Channel starting from 8 January 2013. While the first five episodes are redubbed in the American version as Forest Whitaker gives narration, the sixth ("Africa: The Future") is left untouched as David Attenborough presents the episode on-screen. The seventh is a compilation of the Eye to Eye making-of featurettes.
In
In Singapore, only five episodes of Africa are broadcast on Mediacorp Okto on Animal Nights. The Animal Nights from 15 July 2013 to 24 July 2013 was used to broadcast the documentary. Each telecast was on the Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays of the week from 9pm-10pm.[1]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Kalahari" | 2 January 2013 | 8.52 million viewers[2] | |
|
The series opens in Africa's south west corner and features the wildlife and landscapes of the armoured bush crickets. Also, for the first time, cameras enter the world's largest underground lake in Dragon's Breath Cave and film the critically endangered golden cave catfish . Eye to Eye looks behind the scenes of the rhino and giraffe filming. | ||||
| 2 | "Savannah" | 9 January 2013 | 7.52 million viewers[2] | |
|
East Africa is the subject of the second programme, from the glaciated peaks of the Amboseli , the worst drought for 50 years claims the life of an elephant calf, one of hundreds which perish from starvation. Their resilience and adaptability is highlighted by the returning rains, which bring together large herds to socialize. In Eye to Eye, cameraman Mark Deeble discusses the ethics of filming the dying elephant calf. | ||||
| 3 | "Congo" | 16 January 2013 | 7.97 million viewers[2] | |
|
The third episode visits the hippo, elephants and red river hogs emerge from the forest to sunbathe and swim. Eye to Eye shows the difficulties of filming in the Congo. | ||||
| 4 | "Cape" | 23 January 2013 | 7.58 million viewers[2] | |
|
The fourth instalment shows how Southern Africa is influenced by two very different ocean currents. The warm green turtle hatchling's life, was constructed. | ||||
| 5 | "Sahara" | 30 January 2013 | 6.52 million viewers[2] | |
|
The penultimate episode opens in the cedar forests of the Atlas Mountains, where desert crocodiles, filmed hunting tilapia fish. Macro photography reveals the struggles of dung beetles and silver ants , the latter able to survive exposure to the brutal midday sun thanks to their reflective body coating. Eye to Eye shows how an 18-month time lapse sequence of Libya's sand dunes was filmed. | ||||
| 6 | "The Future" | 6 February 2013 | 6.58 million viewers[2] | |
|
The theme of the final programme is environmental issues affecting Africa's wildlife, including poaching, habitat loss, climate change and human population growth. Attenborough profiles the work of conservationists and scientists across the continent, drawing attention to projects which are helping to protect threatened species such as the black rhino and the mountain gorilla. He visits a Maasai tribe to feature a project which is helping to reduce human-lion conflict, an underpass used by elephants to move between feeding grounds and a sea turtle rehabilitation centre. A civil war ravaged Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique , but concerted efforts are now being made to restore the whole ecosystem. Eye to Eye follows Attenborough on his Africa shoot, culminating in an encounter with a blind baby rhino. | ||||
Reception
The series received critical acclaim.[citation needed]
Merchandise
DVD and Blu-ray
The series was released in the UK as a three-disc DVD (BBCDVD3741) and
Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray box sets of the Discovery series were released on 26 February 2013.Book
An accompanying hardcover book called Africa: Eye to Eye with the Unknown (
Soundtrack
A soundtrack (silcd1421) was released on 18 March 2013.
Calendar
An official 2014 calendar (
References
- ^ "Animal Night Blockbuster Documentary: Africa". Mediacorp. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "Weekly Top 30". BARB. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
- ^ "Africa (DVD)". bbcshop.com. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ "Africa (Blu-ray)". bbcshop.com. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ Africa: Eye to Eye with the Unknown, by Michael Bright. ASIN 1780879148.
External links
- Africa at BBC Online
- Africa at BBC Earth
- Africa at IMDb
