Night on Earth

Night on Earth, a nature documentary series released on Netflix in 2020, is a revolutionary television event that takes viewers on an awe-inspiring journey through some of the planet’s most stunning landscapes under the cover of darkness. This unique six-part series harnesses cutting-edge technology to illuminate the hidden side of our planet's wilderness areas and animal inhabitants that have remained largely unknown and unexplored until now.

Each of the hour-long episodes explores a different kind of ecosystem after sunset. Places that may seem familiar during daylight transform into completely new worlds as the sun goes down, brimming with unexpected wonders, conflicts, and dramas. By shifting our perspective to the nighttime, Night on Earth invites the audience into an entirely different dimension of the natural world that we have virtually had no access to before.

The series opens in the moonlit plains of Africa, where animals such as lions, elephants, and hippos adapt their survival strategies to the darkness. From nocturnal hunting expeditions to nighttime migrations on a gigantic scale, the first episode sets the stage for the enlightening explorations to come. Across the rest of the series, we journey to every corner of the globe, plunging into sun-deprived underwater abysses teeming with bioluminescent creatures, soaring along with bats using echo-location to maneuver through the Mexican desert, treading lightly in the shadows of jungle-dwelling jaguars in South America, and observing the enchanting winter nights of Arctic wilderness. Nocturnal creatures foreign and domestic are presented in their unseen habitats, engaging in behaviors unseen by human eyes.

One of the hallmarks of Night on Earth is its innovative filming technology. The creators used state-of-the-art light-sensitive cameras, thermal imaging, and other cutting-edge techniques to record stunning high-definition footage in near-total darkness. This advanced technology makes it possible to see the night as the animals do, exposing an entirely new realm of behavior and interactions. The filmmakers spent hundreds of nights on location in remote areas around the world, dedicated to capturing on camera the untold stories of nighttime wildlife behavior.

But it's not just the technology that makes Night on Earth an eminently watchable series; it's also the narrative storytelling aspect that turns each episode into a captivating saga. Just like the most compelling narratives in nature shows, Night on Earth tackles all the themes of survival, conflict, danger, adaptability, kinship, and resourcefulness that we associate with the animal kingdom's laws. Yet, the twist here is the subversion of our expectations due to the night's mystery veil and the transformation that darkness imposes on all living creatures.

Samira Wiley, famous for her roles in The Handmaid's Tale and Orange Is The New Black, lends her voice as the narrator of the series. Her soothing, resonant tones provide a compassionate and engaging commentary, guiding the viewer through the mysterious worlds unraveling on the screen.

Night on Earth has an important subtext that is hard to miss. As we progress through the series, gradually unveiling the secrets of the night, we are reminded about the remarkable resilience and adaptability of mother nature, persisting against all odds in every imaginable habitat. From this perspective, the show invites us to ponder our human actions on the planet – our impact on these habitats and the creatures that call them home.

The series is visually staggering, thought-provoking, and thoroughly captivating. Night on Earth is a tantalizing showcase of what can be achieved with innovative technology, patient and dedicated fieldwork, thoughtful and empathetic storytelling, all combined to shine a light on a side of our planet that has remained in the dark for too long. By turning our gaze to the world's shadowy corners, it encourages a broader understanding and appreciation of the complex, delicate ecosystems right beneath our noses.

Those who are intrigued by the mysteries of the natural world and are interested in environmental conservation, or anyone looking for a visually stunning, narratively engaging and educational series, will find Night on Earth to be a must-watch. It's more than just a nature documentary. It's an intimate look into a world we almost never see, and an invitation to appreciate and care more deeply about our environment.