When it comes to nature/wildlife documentaries, David Attenborough (still going strong with no signs of tiring for such an amazingly long career) is tough to beat. Everything he's done (some of it ground-breaking or the quintessential documentary on the subject in question) is so well made, educational, always compelling and have always felt a lot of emotion from a vast majority of them. The best documentaries are landmarks and some of the best ever produced, nature or not.

As far as celebrity filmographies go, Attenborough's filmography is one of the best and most consistent. It is a very, very rare case of even the more flawed work being decent and not a dud in the lot. 'Dynasties' is not one of his very best, but again only because the gems are so many, but it is yet another treasure and has everything that makes his work so great. The animals covered are familiar ones, but actually the approach 'Dynasties' takes is for an Attenborough documentary not one done much before if ever. In that it follows specific families within specific species with a tighter focus than one expects.

"Chimpanzee" started 'Dynasties' off amazingly. This second episode "Emperor" is a strong contender for the best of the series, it is the one that emotionally connected with and inspired me the most, and when it comes to documentaries on penguins it's really quite special.

It looks amazing for starters. The Antarctic scenery takes the breath away but it is more than just beautiful scenery, the habitats in 'Dynasties' also have unforgiving natures and the Antarctic in "Emperor" is the most unforgiving of all as one does feel the penguins' struggles to survive. The scenery is complemented by photography of quite cinematic quality, not just a gorgeous feast for the eyes but it is also expansive and intimate in equal measure, enhancing the impact of the emotional and tense scenes. Likewise with the music which never came over as intrusive.

"Emperor's" narration is very thought-provoking and never rambles or speculates, as to be expected. The Antarctic and penguins are familiar subjects, but the approach and tighter focus that they are explored in feels fresh, one seeing an emotional and at times resourceful side to them other than cute and playful. "Emperor" feels like its own individual story rather than just an episode of a series. Really did like the hilarious scene showing how penguins are not the best at mating, but it was the more emotional elements that stuck out more. With such a cruel environment and such struggles, some of the episode is distressing, with one of the series' most heart-wrenching moments being with the chick stuck in the crevasse and its struggles for safety.

The portrayal of the penguins is reassuring and cute in places, but there are also moments of uncompromising complexity. The Antarctic landscape has more than looking glorious and nothing feels sugar-coated or over-humanised. A lot of information is covered but felt properly explored and not rushed or disjointed, and the facts educate and illuminate while not being compromised for the emotionally complex storytelling.

Once again, Attenborough's narrative delivery is sincere, enthusiastic as well as understated, delivered in a voice that one can recognise from anywhere. One can listen to him for hours and not tire of him, no other nature/wildlife documentary narrator/presenter has made me feel this way. All five episodes of 'Dynasties' had fascinating and emotional behind the scenes footage, but if there was a prize for the episode with the most fascinating and emotionally impactful behind the scenes footage it would belong to "Emperor", because what they do here is really inspiring and brave and demonstrative of how they really cared for the animals.

In conclusion, something of a special episode. 10/10 Bethany Cox

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Documentary following endangered species fighting for their survival. A colony of emperor penguins try to keep themselves and their chicks alive through the winter.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Emperor

Episodes

Photos4

Top Cast4

User reviews4

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed