Netflix’s Our Planet says what other nature series have omitted
Onscreen eagles lock talons in aerial combat, and humpback whales engulf herring by the shoal. Birds of paradise, hunting dogs, leafcutter ants—they’re all there. This is Our Planet—Netflix’s new, big-budget nature documentary—and, without the sound on, viewers could easily think that they’re watching Planet Earth III.
The resemblance to the oeuvre of the BBC’s renowned Natural History Unit is striking. But this time, the messages delivered by that familiar voice are different. Here, much of the awe is tinged with guilt, the wonder with concern, the entertainment with discomfort.
Repeatedly, unambiguously, and urgently, Our Planet reminds its viewers that the wonders they are witnessing are imperiled by human action. After seeing a pair of mating fossas—a giant, lemur-hunting, Madagascan mongoose—we’re told that the very forests we just saw have since been destroyed.
It does what no other natural-history documentary has done. It forces viewers to acknowledge their own complicity in the destruction of nature, in the moment. It feels sad, but also right.
That’s not to say that Our Planet is a dour, finger-wagging downer—far from it. It is hard not to cheer as an initially incompetent Philippines eagle takes her first flight, or laugh as a tree shrew uses a pitcher plant as a toilet, or marvel at two Arabian leopards meeting and mating—1 percent of the species’ surviving individuals, perhaps creating a few more. Most of the series is still joyful, but it is never allowed to be naively so.
Netflix：奈飞、网飞
Drama/tv series:电视剧
Nature series：自然纪录片
Omit /əˈmɪt/，v. 疏忽，遗漏
英文释义：to fail to include or do something
搭配短语：omit sth./sb. 疏忽某事/某人
搭配短语：omit to do sth. 忘记做某事
例句：She omitted to mention that she would be away next week.
Onscreen，/ˌɑːn ˈskriːn/，adv. 在屏幕上
词性拓展：onscreen（adj. 屏幕上的）
搭配短语：onscreen violence 影视暴力
例句：Most text editing is now done onscreen.
大部分的文字编辑工作在屏幕上(adv)完成。
Lock:（两样东西）纠缠在一起、困在一起
Lock talons：鹰爪相扣
Lock horns：(公羊)犄角顶在一起角力
Aerial /ˈeriəl/，adj. 空中的
拓展发音：US·/ˈeriəl/，UK·/ˈeəriəl/
搭配短语：aerial photography航拍
词根词缀：aero-
派生词：aeroplane（n. 飞机）
humpback（whales）：座头鲸
engulf，/ɪnˈɡʌlf/，v. 吞没；吞噬
英文释义：to surround and cover something or someone completely
例句：The flames rapidly engulfed the forest.大火很快吞灭了那片森林。
Herring：鲱鱼(单复数同形)
Shoal，/ʃoʊl/，n. 鱼群
英文释义：a large number of fish swimming as a group
例句：In the summer, tourists visit Shanghai in shoals. 夏天大批游客参观上海。
By shoal 按群
（by:以…单位）
如：to sell by the kilo: 按公斤销售货物
Birds of paradise：极乐鸟
Hunting dogs：猎犬
Leafcutter ants: 切叶蚁
big-budget：高预算的
nature documentary：自然纪录片
Resemblance：(n)相似性
The resemblance to sth: 与某物的相似性
Oeuvre，/ˈɜːvrə, ˈuːvrə/，n. 全部作品，作品全集
近义词：works
搭配短语：Picasso’s oeuvre毕加索的作品
renowned：著名的=famous
striking：鲜明的
the messages delivered ：所传达的信息
be tinged with 使略带…感情（或性质）
英文释义：to contain a slight amount of; to be slightly influenced by
例句：The music is tinged with sorrow and bitterness. 音乐带有一丝伤感和怨恨。
Awe：(n)敬畏、崇敬
Discomfort: (n)不安
Wonders: (n)奇观
ten natural wonders: 十大自然奇观
unambiguously，/ˌʌnæmˈbɪɡjuəsli/，adv. 不含糊地
相关词汇：ambiguous（adj. 模糊的，模棱两可的）
词根词缀：un-（表否定）
相关词汇：unambiguous（adj. 明确的，直观的）
例句：Spring has arrived, unambiguously.很明显春天到来了！
imperil/ɪmˈperəl/，v. 危及，使陷入危险
相关词汇：peril（n. 重大的危险）=danger
词根词缀：im-（表进入）
近义词：endanger
例句：A high-sugar diet imperils your health. 高糖饮食危及健康。
Mate，/meɪt/，v.（使）交配
搭配短语：a mating season 交配的季节
Fossas：马达加斯加长尾狸猫
lemur-hunting：以猢猴为食的
complicity/kəmˈplɪsəti/
n. 同谋；共犯
英文释义：the fact or condition of being involved with others in an illegal activity
例句：The suspect denied his complicity in the murder.那名嫌疑犯否认了他是谋杀的帮凶。
the destruction of nature：自然的破坏
Dour /ˈdaʊər/,adj. 冷峻的，阴沉的
英文释义：unfriendly, unhappy and very serious
例句：He looks so dour and humorless.
downer：(n)让人难过或扫兴的事情
finger-wagging/ˈfɪŋɡərwæɡɪŋ/
adj. 斥责的，警告的,指手画脚的
相关词汇：finger（n. 手指）；wag （v. 摇动）
a pitcher plant : 猪笼草
marvel at sth: 为…而惊叹
Arabian leopards：阿拉伯豹
surviving individuals：存活的个体
Naïve：幼稚的、天真的
Naively：天真地
