# What is the best David Attenborough documentary series?

> From the frozen poles to the deep ocean, spanning four decades of landmark series that forever changed how we see the natural world. Which Attenborough masterpiece deserves the crown?

*By YPB Team · Published May 7, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-david-attenborough-documentary-series*

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## Current results (0 votes)

1. **Life on Earth**
   The landmark 1979 BBC series that catalogued 500 species across 40 countries and redefined nature television.
2. **The Living Planet**
   The 1984 BBC sequel exploring the habitats of Earth and the adaptations of life in every ecosystem.
3. **The Trials of Life**
   The 1990 series documenting animal behavior across all phases of life, from birth to reproduction.
4. **The Blue Planet**
   The groundbreaking 2001 BBC series hailed as the most ambitious ocean documentary ever made at the time of its release.
5. **Planet Earth**
   The revolutionary 2006 BBC series that set a new benchmark for wildlife filmmaking with HD footage from remote wildernesses.
6. **Life**
   The 2009 BBC series showcasing extraordinary survival behaviors of animals and plants across ten episodes.
7. **Frozen Planet**
   The 2011 BBC series documenting life and climate change at the Earth's polar extremes, North and South.
8. **Africa**
   The 2013 BBC series revealing the hidden stories and survival struggles of Africa's most iconic wildlife.
9. **Planet Earth II**
   The acclaimed 2016 sequel filmed in Ultra HD, with the urban episode featuring city-adapted animals becoming a viral sensation.
10. **Blue Planet II**
   The 2017 sequel that sparked global awareness of ocean plastic pollution and won multiple BAFTA and Emmy awards.
11. **Dynasties**
   The 2018 BBC series offering intimate portraits of individual animal families — chimpanzees, lions, penguins, tigers, and wild dogs.
12. **Our Planet**
   The Emmy-winning 2019 Netflix series combining stunning cinematography with an urgent message about preserving natural habitats.
13. **A Perfect Planet**
   The 2021 BBC series exploring how Earth's natural forces — volcanoes, ocean currents, weather, and solar energy — shape life.
14. **Planet Earth III**
   The 2023 BBC series examining human impact on wildlife alongside breathtaking footage from the world's wildest places.

Tags: nature, life, documentary, classics, british