best episodes of Human Planet poster

A cinematic experience bringing you the most amazing human stories in the world. Humans and wildlife surviving in the most extreme environments on Earth.

1 Seasons
8 Episodes
Ended
Documentary
Cast & Characters
episode image Jungles: People of the Trees
8.8/10 (451 votes)

#1 Jungles: People of the Trees

S1:E4

The rainforest is home to more species of plants and animals than any other habitat on the planet. For the humans who call this environment home, life requires skill, ingenuity, and sheer bravery.

episode image Arctic: Life in the Deep Freeze
8.7/10 (451 votes)

#2 Arctic: Life in the Deep Freeze

S1:E3

Welcome to the Arctic: months of darkness, frigid temperatures, little food to be found or grown. Despite this, four million people live their lives in this environment. Meet them and witness their remarkable tales of survival in the world's harshest climate.

episode image Oceans: Into the Blue
8.6/10 (535 votes)

#3 Oceans: Into the Blue

S1:E1

As an air-breathing animal, man is ill-suited to living in watery environments. Nonetheless, people in certain cultures have found ways to live an almost aquatic life in order to exploit the vast riches of the sea.

episode image Mountains: Life in Thin Air
8.6/10 (396 votes)

#4 Mountains: Life in Thin Air

S1:E5

From lush cloud forests to bare summits, many people make their homes in the extreme altitudes of the world's mountain ranges. Explore the extraordinary ways life is sustained in this world of thin air and few resources.

episode image Deserts: Life in the Furnace
8.5/10 (453 votes)

#5 Deserts: Life in the Furnace

S1:E2

While man can survive for weeks without food, he can survive mere days without water. Despite this, millions of people live in parched desert environments around the world. Discover the enormous challenges presented to man in the driest corners of the earth, and marvel at the ingenious solutions he has come up with to make life sustainable.

episode image Rivers: Friend and Foe
8.5/10 (378 votes)

#6 Rivers: Friend and Foe

S1:E7

Rivers provide the essentials of life: fresh food and fresh water. They act as natural highways and enable humans to live in just about every environment on Earth. Rivers are not to be taken for granted, however, as they freeze, flood, and sometimes dry up - disappearing entirely!

episode image Grasslands: Roots of Power
8.4/10 (381 votes)

#7 Grasslands: Roots of Power

S1:E6

Grasslands feed the world. Over thousands of years, humans have learned to grow grains on the grasslands and domesticate the creatures that live there, propelling our population to almost seven billion people in the process.

episode image Cities: Surviving the Urban Jungle
8.1/10 (373 votes)

#8 Cities: Surviving the Urban Jungle

S1:E8

A look at the man-made environment: the city. Over half of the world's population now lives in the urban jungle. The city is built to keep untamed nature out - but nature can't be pushed away. From bed bugs sucking blood at night to rats in our restaurants, many animals have adapted to a life in man's creation.

Cast & Chracters

character image Narrator (voice)

Narrator (voice)

Actor: John Hurt

The highest rated episode of Human Planet is "Jungles: People of the Trees" (S1E4) with a rating of 8.80.

This episode received 451 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Cities: Surviving the Urban Jungle" (S1E8) with a rating of 8.10.

This episode received 373 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Jungles: People of the Trees" (S1E4) with a rating of 8.80.

This episode received 451 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Cities: Surviving the Urban Jungle" (S1E8) with a rating of 8.10.

This episode received 373 votes.

Similar Shows You Might Like