Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Each episode is equally amazing! This mini-series if packed with spectacular images of insects (and arachnids, worms and other tiny animals). The camera gets such detailed, close-up views of these creatures that it feels fascinating rather than gross or creepy. The enthusiasm of the narrator (the ever excellent Attenborough) helps grant the viewer an appreciation of this minuscule world that you might not otherwise have. If you like animal documentaries like 'Planet Earth', I think you'd find this a great addition to the typical set of mammals and reptiles. It's unusual in focus, but brilliantly done. Lovely and educational.

Attenborough's commentary seems a little unnecessary at times, however, I cannot praise the fine camera work enough, just so beautifully done and so wonderful in capturing the luscious colours of The Undergrowth. Each segment is wonderful yet I yearned for more. If you love colour and form this will amaze you. The sound track, too is very fine, gorgeous. I had no real idea that the plant and insect kingdoms were so interlocked, the scientists that. I assume, provided the technical data must be congratulated. Had my lessons in Biology been this interesting I might've paid more attention. If you get the jitters looking at bugs, then this probably will upset!

I've seen several of David Attenborough's documentaries and have always found myself describing them with many superlatives. Whilst this documentary presented some marvellous filming and was quite informative, I was very disappointed with David's direct interaction with our fellow creatures in the undergrowth. I believe the most important tenet in documenting wildlife is to take a purely observational role without interacting. If something cannot be shown without interfering then it should not be shown. Yet in this documentary we have David picking up a horseshoe crab, touching insects with pins, picking up worm cocoons. I expected much better.

I am not much into this kind of stuff: worms, snails,spiders etc. but "Life in the undergrowth" has really enchanted me! A superb, captivating and informative storytelling,breathtaking scenes of a world beyond our natural perceptions and the genius of Attenborough: this is what the 5 episodes are about. It is astonishing how the new technologies can reveal the everyday life of creatures that we usually think of being too primitive to deserve our attention and interest. However, the actors in this series have roles in the complex interplay called life as important as ours or maybe even more. The solutions they found regarding their survival, reproduction and adaptation are really amazing, though in many senses completely different to what we are accustomed to in the macro-world.