Saturday, April 3, 2010

BBC "Life" Series

OK, a quick rant.  Is anyone watching the fine BBC series "LIFE" on the Discovery Channel?  I don't have cable so I am not, but I have seen clips, and was horrified to see that the US version has replaced the UK narration by David Attenborough with...Oprah Winfrey. 
Now I like Oprah as much as the next guy, but although she is a fine actress, here she always seems to be reading a script, not talking about something for which she has passion - or knowledge.  Does Discovery think we can't understand a refined British accent like Attenborough's?  Few narrators have his sense of timing, or enthusiasm, but Oprah doesn't even come close. 
( By the way, they did the same thing with "PLANET EARTH" a few years ago, replacing Attenborough with Sigourney Weaver.  Great in Alien, but dull as dishwater as a narrator.)
Anyhow, I managed to find a copy of the British version of Planet Earth on DVD, and will wait for the British version of LIFE as well.  
OK, rant over.  

2 comments:

  1. I will be doing the same thing. I got the Planet Earth with Attenborough and will get the Life one with him as well. The series is pretty dang good. We are watching it down here.

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  2. Okay, I'm on board with this too! Somehow I can't help but think they threw in OPRAH to increase awareness and viewership. Nobody can come close to Attenborough when it comes to narration. And, Sigourney Weaver on Planet Earth----Planet Mars is more appropriate! You can pre-order "Life" (D.A. Narration) on Amazon and receive it on June 1 (the scheduled release date).

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