Planet Earth (BBC One) Season 1: Watch & Track Episodes

#	Air Date	Episode Name
E1	Mar 05, 2006	From Pole to Pole
E2	Mar 12, 2006	Mountains
E3	Mar 19, 2006	Fresh Water
E4	Mar 26, 2006	Caves
E5	Apr 02, 2006	Deserts
E6	Nov 05, 2006	Ice Worlds
E7	Nov 12, 2006	Great Plains
E8	Nov 19, 2006	Jungles
E9	Nov 26, 2006	Shallow Seas
E10	Dec 03, 2006	Seasonal Forests
E11	Dec 10, 2006	Ocean Deep

Production Note - Limited Series

Production Type:

Limited Series

Planet Earth is a standalone Limited Series that concluded its 11-episode run in December 2006. This landmark production represented an unprecedented collaboration between the BBC and Discovery Channel, taking five years to complete across sixty-four different countries. The series was designed as a comprehensive survey of the worlds diverse habitats, utilizing high-definition photography to capture natural behaviors that had never been filmed before.

The decision to structure the project as a finite series allowed the creators to provide a definitive portrait of the planet at a specific moment in time. While later installments like Planet Earth II and III eventually followed, the original 2006 production remains a self-contained narrative achievement with its own distinct production cycle and thematic closure. Its conclusion marked the end of a singular, massive undertaking that redefined the standards for natural history broadcasting.

Produced by the BBC Natural History Unit, Planet Earth was the most expensive nature documentary series ever commissioned by the BBC at the time of its production. It was the first series of its kind to be filmed entirely in high definition, requiring over 2,000 days in the field and the use of specialized technology like the Heligimbal to capture stable aerial shots of wildlife. The series was narrated by Sir David Attenborough for the original BBC broadcast and by Sigourney Weaver for the United States Discovery Channel version.

Confidence: 100% Last Refined: March 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Planet Earth is a standalone limited series that concluded after its initial run, so there will not be a second season of this specific production. While follow-up series like Planet Earth II have been released, they are treated as separate anthology installments rather than a direct continuation of the 2006 series.

The series is an original documentary production created by the BBC Natural History Unit to showcase the diversity of the natural world. It is not based on a book or fictional story, but instead documents real-life natural phenomena and animal behaviors through scientific observation.

The series was filmed in over 60 countries across all seven continents to capture a truly global perspective of nature. Crews spent five years in remote locations ranging from the deep ocean and polar ice caps to the highest mountain peaks.

The complete limited series consists of 11 episodes, with each installment exploring a different habitat such as deserts, caves, or jungles. Each episode typically runs for about 50 minutes and is often followed by a short behind-the-scenes segment.

Planet Earth is classified as a limited series because it was designed with a specific, finite narrative arc covering the Earth's primary biomes. Once all 11 episodes were completed and aired, the production reached its definitive conclusion as a complete work.

The original BBC version of the series features narration by Sir David Attenborough, who is a world-renowned naturalist. An alternative version was produced for North American audiences with narration provided by actress Sigourney Weaver.

FAQs Updated: March 2026