You would need to be extremely optimistic to believe that in twelve months 'The Year the Earth Changed Back' isn't documenting a return to lessons unlearned - but we live in hope. This brief but beautiful insight into animal reclaim should leave us under no illusion of the adverse affect we have on the ecosystems of everything around us, including us - here's to spot changing miracles, ideally before the spots are wiped from the surface by agents of change that are out of our control and influence.
36 Reviews
A Short Glimpse Of What Could Be
joebloggz9 May 2021
A delightly-photographed but all too short documentary about the amazing way Nature & the animals that live in man's ever-encroaching shared space have responded in the 'time of shutdown' - an ultra-rare chance for us to see how they should fare in a world free (or at least minimised) by the presence of man. As someone who works in the COViD frontline it's so nice to see some positive in the face of all this depressing worldwide news...for the negative reviewers on here - seriously? Just enjoy it for what it is...not pointless propaganda, just Nature doing what it does best.
Proof of Better world due to small human changes.
cgtam6 May 2021
If one has any doubts Re climate change or how humans continue to destroy our only home in the universe, then watch this film. Sir David narrates beautifully, teaching without preaching the quick recovery from devastation this living planet & many of its species makes in under 1 year, incl some endangered species. All it takes are RAPID minor changes.
With us only modifying our lives due to COVID, not spreading every type of pollution from noise to toxic, this earth & ultimately humans are the big winners.
If one plans to live for another day, this is a must see, as it shows the little things we CAN do add up globally. Beautiful camera work & sound like most BBC nature shows.
With us only modifying our lives due to COVID, not spreading every type of pollution from noise to toxic, this earth & ultimately humans are the big winners.
If one plans to live for another day, this is a must see, as it shows the little things we CAN do add up globally. Beautiful camera work & sound like most BBC nature shows.
A Must Watch for Nature Lovers as well as anyone that lives on the Earth!
rannynm19 April 2021
Perfectly timed for Earth Day, The Year Earth Changed is a mesmerizing portrait of the natural world in a year of lockdowns and quarantine. It's a must-watch for nature lovers, and even if you aren't a nature lover, you'll love the cinematography!
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, The Year Earth Changed is a documentary featuring exclusive footage from five continents that shows you a silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic - the planet was given a much-needed break! The BBC Natural History Unit compiled film from Jalandhar, India of the Himalayas on the horizon, of clear skies in polluted places like Los Angeles and China, of birdsongs in San Francisco, of whales in Glacier Bay and of hippos walking to the gas station in South Africa, among many others. The crew even got the chance to film a leopard, which adapted from its nocturnal routines to hunting in the daylight, within feet of their camera.
The Year Earth Changed is a beautifully constructed film, and the care taken in creating it and obtaining accurate facts is evident. There's little I can mention that would detract from the glory of elephants and humans living side-by-side, of Japanese deer running across the city to their old grazing patch, and of capybara finding new pastures in the homes of Argentina's suburban families. This is simply an amazing family watch.
The Year Earth Changed puts forth perhaps the most convincing argument that the pandemic has actually had an upside to it, showing real evidence of natural change and organisms thriving in their habitats, unbothered by humans. The message of the 48-minute film is to respect nature and recognize that after this pandemic, we need to do all we can to be kinder to the Earth.
I give The Year Earth Changed 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for kids age 7 to 18, plus adults. You can watch it now on Apple TV+!
Reviewed by Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, The Year Earth Changed is a documentary featuring exclusive footage from five continents that shows you a silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic - the planet was given a much-needed break! The BBC Natural History Unit compiled film from Jalandhar, India of the Himalayas on the horizon, of clear skies in polluted places like Los Angeles and China, of birdsongs in San Francisco, of whales in Glacier Bay and of hippos walking to the gas station in South Africa, among many others. The crew even got the chance to film a leopard, which adapted from its nocturnal routines to hunting in the daylight, within feet of their camera.
The Year Earth Changed is a beautifully constructed film, and the care taken in creating it and obtaining accurate facts is evident. There's little I can mention that would detract from the glory of elephants and humans living side-by-side, of Japanese deer running across the city to their old grazing patch, and of capybara finding new pastures in the homes of Argentina's suburban families. This is simply an amazing family watch.
The Year Earth Changed puts forth perhaps the most convincing argument that the pandemic has actually had an upside to it, showing real evidence of natural change and organisms thriving in their habitats, unbothered by humans. The message of the 48-minute film is to respect nature and recognize that after this pandemic, we need to do all we can to be kinder to the Earth.
I give The Year Earth Changed 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for kids age 7 to 18, plus adults. You can watch it now on Apple TV+!
Reviewed by Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
Humans are the only bad animal on earth
laikangbamroshan11 May 2021
I love this documentary film "The year Earth change" it's gives us so many important messages to the whole people of the World but I would like to say that..
Our planet is sick and humans are the virus, it is undeniably we as a species have destroyed this beautiful planet at an alarming rate. Putting aside global warming and climate change, no species is as greedy as the human race, we take more than we need and leaves a trail of destruction.
There is a saying, everybody wants to change the world but nobody is ready to change themselves for the world. Perhaps it is time for us to reflect on ourselves and ask, what have I done for mother nature? Do you really need to use that much plastic bag? Will you walk to the nearby shop instead of driving? It is all the little things that matters, and if everyone contributed indirectly, the planet will be a beautiful place to live it less resources needs, less destruction and better environment.
There is a saying, everybody wants to change the world but nobody is ready to change themselves for the world. Perhaps it is time for us to reflect on ourselves and ask, what have I done for mother nature? Do you really need to use that much plastic bag? Will you walk to the nearby shop instead of driving? It is all the little things that matters, and if everyone contributed indirectly, the planet will be a beautiful place to live it less resources needs, less destruction and better environment.
Moving ...Moved!
johnwwwatson17 April 2021
Thank you David Attenborough!
Something good has happened as a result of the lockdowns, the planet is better. Imagine if the future young people making decisions were able to have "Time-Outs" on our planet wherein everyone everywhere stopped for 3 months.
Something good has happened as a result of the lockdowns, the planet is better. Imagine if the future young people making decisions were able to have "Time-Outs" on our planet wherein everyone everywhere stopped for 3 months.
I was misty eyed within minutes
uniquename76-690-98424217 April 2021
The scale our human encroachment and destruction of our own beautiful world is soul crushing. This documentary puts a glorious 4K UHD beam of white light on our disgusting mistakes. We need to change. All of us. Been needing to change for a few centuries now.
Change is possible!
betbull821 April 2021
I can see why some reviews focus only on the negative impact humans have on the nonhuman world around us. I can see how people got that from this documentary, but I completely disagree with it.
I saw that all of the gloom and doom we constantly hear about, about how screwed Earth is, isn't yet etched in stone! One year of radical human behavior change, showed us that we CAN effect change! We might not see change that drastic, but our change can improve the world and the nonhumans we share it with. We just have to recognize that it's possible. Change is Possible and that is what this documentary showed me!
I saw that all of the gloom and doom we constantly hear about, about how screwed Earth is, isn't yet etched in stone! One year of radical human behavior change, showed us that we CAN effect change! We might not see change that drastic, but our change can improve the world and the nonhumans we share it with. We just have to recognize that it's possible. Change is Possible and that is what this documentary showed me!
Animal Planet
southdavid16 December 2021
I'm not sure that 48 minutes really qualifies as a feature, but Apple TV had this documentary in their Feature Films section so, dutiful to the last, I watched it. I don't particularly enjoy animal documentaries (which is a problem seeing Apples output has so many) but the particular theme of this one made it much more interesting.
As the lockdown response to Covid 19 begins in March of 2020, the reduction of traffic, trade, manufacturing and vacations has a positive effect on many aspects of the animal kingdom. Turtles and penguins, who usually find their beach nesting activities interrupted by humans are able to rear in greater number than they have in years. Whales and Cheetah's are able to hunt over further distances, safe in the knowledge that, for once, they will be able to hear if their offspring is in trouble. Is there more that humans should be doing, to live in greater harmony with animals?
In some ways, my overall feeling about the documentary is that it's depressing. Depressing because I'm sure that we won't learn anything. We could let the turtles have that beach entirely during breeding season, but we won't because the next beach is an inconvenient 5 minutes' walk away. We could let that cheetah call its cubs and watch a family survive from a respectful distance, but we won't because we might miss the best shot filming something we're never going to look at again.
Naturally though, it's beautiful to look at and the pandemic was a unique opportunity to get shots of these animals in the habitats that we've taken from them. A jaguar patrolling around a luxury resort or deer roaming a usually busy road. David Attenborough is the undisputed king of nature commentary and he's on his usual form here.
It'd be nice, or perhaps informative, to revisit these scenes again in a few months and see what, if any, improvements were maintained, but I fear I already know the answer.
As the lockdown response to Covid 19 begins in March of 2020, the reduction of traffic, trade, manufacturing and vacations has a positive effect on many aspects of the animal kingdom. Turtles and penguins, who usually find their beach nesting activities interrupted by humans are able to rear in greater number than they have in years. Whales and Cheetah's are able to hunt over further distances, safe in the knowledge that, for once, they will be able to hear if their offspring is in trouble. Is there more that humans should be doing, to live in greater harmony with animals?
In some ways, my overall feeling about the documentary is that it's depressing. Depressing because I'm sure that we won't learn anything. We could let the turtles have that beach entirely during breeding season, but we won't because the next beach is an inconvenient 5 minutes' walk away. We could let that cheetah call its cubs and watch a family survive from a respectful distance, but we won't because we might miss the best shot filming something we're never going to look at again.
Naturally though, it's beautiful to look at and the pandemic was a unique opportunity to get shots of these animals in the habitats that we've taken from them. A jaguar patrolling around a luxury resort or deer roaming a usually busy road. David Attenborough is the undisputed king of nature commentary and he's on his usual form here.
It'd be nice, or perhaps informative, to revisit these scenes again in a few months and see what, if any, improvements were maintained, but I fear I already know the answer.
Goverment has to...
drenbedra28 September 2021
Governments in all countries has to rethink and put as amendment (rule) to close the every cities in the world for 2 months in the year. It can be 1 month during the summer and another month during the winter. And I think everything would be ok, and our children will be more thankful for that, because we builded a better world for them to live.
See what we did
ks-6050013 May 2021
Human have affected the wild life in the past til the lock down in 2020. This documentary demonstrated how animals life been better after the human footage disappeared. It just dawn on me how to respect and coexist with living creatures in this planet. Just imagine how irritating when someone play video on bus without headset, chatting loudly in public area without consideration. Wild animals are distributed by human beings the same way, even more severe.
Lost my trust after misleading footage
tlhaloso-4470418 April 2021
I was really enjoying the show with my daughter until they showed a video of a hippo walking down the street in South Africa. That did happen, except it had nothing to do with COVID. The hippo managed to escape from a nearby zoo.
How this footage made it onto a documentary about the effects of Covid on nature makes me wonder what other footage in the documentary is misleading. I couldn't watch beyond that point.
How this footage made it onto a documentary about the effects of Covid on nature makes me wonder what other footage in the documentary is misleading. I couldn't watch beyond that point.
Sir David Attenborough Makes Another, And Topical, Must Watch Documentary. It Shows Just How Much Humans Have Frakked Up This Planet!
silicontourist9 February 2022
The only good news thing to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic...so far!
While humanity has been forced to stay inside, and kept the hell away from their daily abuse of the planet, the Earth's air and animals have benefited in leaps and bounds. Places in the world that were constantly filled with heavy smog in the air - such as China, India, Los Angeles etc, etc - have seen it clear away and, views that have not been seen for 30 years, or more, are visible to the human eye once again! Animals have benefited in many ways such as in the birth of more offspring and more of their babies are surviving!
Everyone would benefit from watching this (except for the usual worldwide group of selfish, numb-nut and corrupt people etc) as, it will help many to see how they can live alongside the animals of the earth; instead of destroying their hunting and breeding lands etc. You will also see some spectacular views that many, especially city dwellers have never ever seen, and probably never will again ever get to see; completely empty cities, empty beaches, clear air sights and much more. Well worth a watch seeing as how you are on lock-down!
While humanity has been forced to stay inside, and kept the hell away from their daily abuse of the planet, the Earth's air and animals have benefited in leaps and bounds. Places in the world that were constantly filled with heavy smog in the air - such as China, India, Los Angeles etc, etc - have seen it clear away and, views that have not been seen for 30 years, or more, are visible to the human eye once again! Animals have benefited in many ways such as in the birth of more offspring and more of their babies are surviving!
Everyone would benefit from watching this (except for the usual worldwide group of selfish, numb-nut and corrupt people etc) as, it will help many to see how they can live alongside the animals of the earth; instead of destroying their hunting and breeding lands etc. You will also see some spectacular views that many, especially city dwellers have never ever seen, and probably never will again ever get to see; completely empty cities, empty beaches, clear air sights and much more. Well worth a watch seeing as how you are on lock-down!
Fills up heart with pure joy, a meditational experience
samabc-319524 September 2021
Nature has always let us live in peace but have we ever let her?
As the longest and darkest shadow descended over the human race, it occluded the light entering in to our homes ,it filled up our lives with a dread, it made the air around us thinner to breathe and we witnessed it making our planet a deserted one ... but then there were flickers of light at the end of the dark tunnel... This is a story of that light and positivity during those challenging darkest lockdown times .. the times when nature finally was able to breathe freely...Jaw-dropping photography, spectacular cinematography, an eye opener...a movie that will bring a smile to you and fill up your heart with pure joy, a meditational experience .. a MUST MUST watch...
As the longest and darkest shadow descended over the human race, it occluded the light entering in to our homes ,it filled up our lives with a dread, it made the air around us thinner to breathe and we witnessed it making our planet a deserted one ... but then there were flickers of light at the end of the dark tunnel... This is a story of that light and positivity during those challenging darkest lockdown times .. the times when nature finally was able to breathe freely...Jaw-dropping photography, spectacular cinematography, an eye opener...a movie that will bring a smile to you and fill up your heart with pure joy, a meditational experience .. a MUST MUST watch...
Its good that this pandemic situation came.
thapliyal24 June 2021
I know many people will get offended by the title. But let me first put some thinking which I have, according to me there is no difference between human and animal in perspective of "life". There are many factors in which they are different but they both have same right over "life".
I felt soo good after watching this documentary, it gave some positive vibes and first time I felt good that this pandemic situation came, corona virus came. Many of people died but many life were formed as well. First I was sad about the deaths but now I am happy about these life's.
This documentary doesn't just showed how we effect animals life but also told the solutions that we can come with.
I really liked the steps taken by villagers of Assam, in a world where everyone wants to find solution by violence, they gave us message that without violence and with proper strategy we can change things around us. Salute to them.
I don't know how much ideas will get implemented which were told by the experts in the end of the video, but I hope someone will change something somewhere after getting inspiration from here.
Thanx for showing us this analysis. Thankyou so much to the whole team.
I felt soo good after watching this documentary, it gave some positive vibes and first time I felt good that this pandemic situation came, corona virus came. Many of people died but many life were formed as well. First I was sad about the deaths but now I am happy about these life's.
This documentary doesn't just showed how we effect animals life but also told the solutions that we can come with.
I really liked the steps taken by villagers of Assam, in a world where everyone wants to find solution by violence, they gave us message that without violence and with proper strategy we can change things around us. Salute to them.
I don't know how much ideas will get implemented which were told by the experts in the end of the video, but I hope someone will change something somewhere after getting inspiration from here.
Thanx for showing us this analysis. Thankyou so much to the whole team.
Watch this and act
ieohmingpeijj24 April 2021
The subject matter is too vast to cover everything but what was covered was both eye-opening and terribly sad. Sad because despite this knowledge too few of us will adapt/change to embrace nature and this earth as being part and parcel of our lives, and that without taking the measures to become as one we will destroy not only ourselves but much of what exists around us. I hope I am wrong and that everyone could watch this and take away positive lessons and then act on them. Another reviewer mentioned he wept - I join you my friend but, God willing, we may yet come to our senses.
Beautiful Earth
mailwindroid23 April 2021
Mother nature is making a comeback
drddladia24 April 2021
Truth of the Nature
noamanjuvekar17 April 2021
One of the most wonderful documentary i have ever. Experienced most wonderful life can be if we follow the nature's laws.loved to see our earth is getting better and is in healing mode. This documentary is a clear vision to see our planets beautiful side😍😍
Good Documentary.
genisis_tp3 June 2021
Penguins peacefully walking around the place with no human presence,
BBC " hold my GoPro hero 7 camera on your back"
Seriously guys leave them alone, shoot from a distance, dont just poke your cameras and mics into those poor animals.
Money making lie on cost of animals
postalisches24 April 2021
This is crap. The truth is way different. If you go to Africa and search for wild animals, you have to search intensively. They are a rare find and this documentry does suggest humans, the world can be a better place for animals, what in fact is not suppose to happen, never. Just impossible. Humanity grows even more with the Virus, as it is not deadly enough to give animals more place. We already took it and for millions of species it is too late as they have disapeared from our planet forever. This documentry is like a Disney movie and made for money making, nothing else. Shame on Attenborough, as this makes people think we just saved the planet for the next 100 years. For example 8000 cheetahs left worldwide, do you see one walking in a city because it is quiet there and that makes the planet wonderful, common!, No one can be that stupid no?
Stunningly Beautiful
eugenelevine18 April 2021
Stunningly beautiful, warm, humane, filled with hope. A fact-based reminder of the resiliency of our biosphere. This is education, not indoctrination - the pandemic provided the medium for the largest, most comprehensive, well-organized, all-humanity experiment ever conducted.
Gorgeous.
I hope Apple will see fit to do a universal limited release to allow the pictures to reach all of humankind -- most especially including the vast majority of people who do not have access to Apple TV+
Gorgeous.
I hope Apple will see fit to do a universal limited release to allow the pictures to reach all of humankind -- most especially including the vast majority of people who do not have access to Apple TV+
Fascinating
jdzacpt29 April 2021
A solid documentary
leonhinz28 April 2021
If you watched blue planet and other familiar documentaries and enjoyed them, you will not regret watching this too.
Overall this documentary gives you a short glimpse of what the impact of mankind on nature is.
The cinematic techniques are impressive, new technologies like cameras that capture more of the night allow you to get a new impression of wildlife.
To add the narrator David Attenborough is as always on fire.
Overall this documentary gives you a short glimpse of what the impact of mankind on nature is.
The cinematic techniques are impressive, new technologies like cameras that capture more of the night allow you to get a new impression of wildlife.
To add the narrator David Attenborough is as always on fire.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
