A new nature documentary series has arrived on Netflix as of Nov. 20. Titled “Our Oceans,” this five-part series focuses on our planet’s ocean life and the various ways that different species interact with one another. Produced by Freeborne Media and Wild Space Productions, each episode focuses on one of Earth’s oceans. This review concerns itself with the show’s first episode titled “Pacific Ocean.”
One of the most exciting parts about pressing play on “Our Oceans” is immediately obvious when the opening credits roll in — hold on, this nature documentary series is narrated by Barack Obama, the former United States president?
Obama immediately makes it clear as to why he’s the narrator, as opposed to the industry-standard David Attenborough. Obama’s voice is clear and calming, with just enough humor that pokes through during the episode’s lighter moments. Whether or not his viewers agree with his policies is irrelevant, because he’s bound to hook and reel them in with his narration.
Each episode of “Our Oceans” is themed around a different ocean, starting with the Pacific Ocean. The ocean is the largest on Earth and is teeming with life, as well as being the home to the planet’s circle of volcanoes known as the “Ring of Fire.”
In this episode, Obama discusses humpback whales, cuttlefish, volcanoes, seamounts, sea lions and more. Like most nature documentaries, the episode switches between various short stories about the lives of the creatures in question. There isn’t any common thread between each story aside from their shared location, but most focus on mating habits, food or both.
Half of the charm of “Our Oceans” comes from the animals themselves. Obama describes their actions and goals in very human terms, which instantly creates a connection between the audience and the various fish on their screen. Obama describes a cuttlefish looking for a mate as a “cuttlefish ball,” commenting on how important it is that the cuttlefish doesn’t lose his cool, despite how interested he is in the second cuttlefish. It’s cute, fun and surprisingly relatable. I hope he “got the girl” in the end.
The other half of the charm in “Our Oceans” stems from Obama himself. Despite his status as a prominent political figure, Obama has reached a level of familiarity with much of the American public. He’s the subject of countless online memes and doesn’t shy away from other projects outside of politics. His role in “Our Oceans” feels perfectly natural, more so than if President Biden or soon-to-be President Donald Trump tried docuseries narration.
The content of the show itself is also fun. Many documentaries play a trick on the audience where they get them invested in the life of an animal only for said animal to be eaten by a predator later on. “Our Oceans” doesn’t do that — at least, not in the first episode. The series allows itself to be a little silly, such as by playing surf rock music over a video of a sea turtle looking for food or by having Obama refer to a clownfish as a “little guy” trying to finish his housework.
Furthermore, “Our Oceans” has truly stunning visuals. The visuals captured are incredibly clear and capture even the most minute detail. The cinematography is simply perfect. For those who have an interest in photography and videography, this series shows off just how essential good visuals are.
Although “Our Oceans” doesn’t shy away from addressing the way humans affect our planet’s ocean environments, it also doesn’t pay much attention to it. Overfishing is touched upon and pollution is mentioned, but the series doesn’t make an attempt to investigate these issues further. However, it’s possible that the show addresses climate change in the “Arctic Ocean” episode.
Overall, “Our Oceans” is interesting and fun, but it could push the envelope a bit more when it comes to explaining the relationship between humanity and ocean life. Despite this, it’s still an enjoyable experience for anyone who wants to spend five hours learning about our planet’s more mysterious side.
Rating: 4/5