Did you see the stars come out during the eclipse? Did the colors change in a Magic Hour kind of way? Did darkness fall without long shadows, and do you miss the experience already? I’m here to tell you there’s another way to see that, and you get Tom Hiddleston in with the bargain.
Growing up, I would watch nature programs with my father. If the film crew got really fancy, they might include an infrared camera shot of an oasis at night. Blurry animal shapes hunkered down next to the water, lifting their snouts warily in search of lions. It was a thrilling glimpse into a hidden world.
Now, with low-light cameras, it is possible to see nocturnal animals in action with full detail and color—drawing only on starlight and moonbeams—and I’m realizing how much of the world’s fauna I’ve never really met before. The show I’ve been watching is Earth at Night in Color (Apple TV+).
I recommend in particular the Tarsier episode. If you’ve only seen still images of this Indonesian primate, you are in for a real treat when you see how they move. From the way they park their babies on high branches, to the full sizeways head swivel they use to gauge distance before they leap, to the sound they make when they eat a cricket, I was in love by the end of the episode.
Hiddleston does a decent David Attenborough impression, and each episode closes with a techie, behind-the-scenes segment. The gadgetry of the filmmaking reminds you how hard this all is—especially lugging gigantic low-light lenses that were originally built for star-gazing while dealing with whatever challenge comes with the remote terrain.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been moved by a nature show. I hope you feel it too.
Almost makes me want to learn how to find pirated TV series again. Is there any way to get this other than giving money to Apple?