Fearless Planet (Discovery Channel/Image Entertainment Blu-ray Set)

 

Picture: B     Sound: B-     Extras: D     Episodes: B-

 

 

Simon Kerr narrates all six installments of The Discovery Channel’s science mini-series Fearless Planet, now out as a double Blu-ray set from Image Entertainment.  The episodes are as follows:

 

Sahara Desert

Hawaii

Alaska

Grand Canyon

Great Barrier Reef

Earth Story

 

 

An ambitious series, the real life footage is what makes this work, so why there is constantly zippy, loud music and flashy editing along with more dated-on-arrival computer animation is more annoying than anything else.  Science sells itself just fine without the bells and whistles here, but expect to dodge the unnecessary to get the most out of this set.

 

The 1080i 1.78 X 1 image is a little softer than I would have liked for even that kind of older HD and we have seen better reproductions of such HD, but there is still some very good footage for the most part, but it does take some adjusting to at times and is not up to the likes of the BBC’s Planet Earth.  However, there is some footage that stands out in all the episodes.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is better than the Dolby 2.0 Stereo, but is still on the flat and dull side.  There are no extras.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo