Everyone knows the joke “What's black, white, black, white,
black, white, black, white?” It’s of course a penguin rolling down a hill. You’ll
see a lot of that happening along with many more comic as well as inspirational
moments in the three part series Penguins: Spy in the huddle.
Termed as “nature’s most devoted parents” penguins are a unique species that go through tremendous difficulties year after year to reproduce and raise their newborns. Narrated David Tennant, the series follows three types of penguins out of a total 17 that are found all around the world. Here we get another glimpse into the harsh realities faced by the Emperor penguins who live in the Antarctic, something that was beautifully depicted in the documentary March of the Penguins. Penguins: Spy in the huddle goes two steps ahead and also takes an in-depth look at the Rockhopper found in the Falklands Islands and the Humboldt of Peru, both with an equally interesting story.
Penguins as a species have a certain charm. Watching penguins waddle along in a line in the freezing cold, or trying to climb up steep mountains and falling in comical fashion, leaves the audience in a dilemma; is it okay to smile and laugh at the penguins as they face such fierce hardships, or should we be in awe of the dedication they depict towards each other and especially towards their children? Herein lays the beauty of this flightless bird, for even in its tragedy there is an abundance of comedy.
The most life
broadening aspect of the series comes from witnessing the journey that these
penguins take year-after-year. Each year is like an entire lifetime with
momentary joyous spells followed by sadness and victories walking hand-in-hand
with defeats. Penguins: Spy in a huddle captures the essence of this journey by
being right down smack in the middle of it all.
The most interesting aspect of the series has to be the spy cameras that have been ingeniously devised and placed amongst the penguins to capture their most intimate and special moments without disrupting their environment. From the “Penguin Cams” which are a series of cameras fitted inside robotic penguins to an “Egg Cam” and even a “Rock Cam”, there are surprises round every corner. It’s the very moment the audience sees the Emperor penguin jumping out of the water onto the ice, from a beautiful camera angle, they know that they are about to enter a world that has never been seen in such a manner before; up-close and very very personal.
Full of cheeky humour, penguin “cat-fights”, surprisingly familiar male-female dynamics, and moments that simply make you go “Awwwww!” Penguins: Spy in a huddle is a must-see informational and entertaining series for all ages.
DVD Information: Release Date: 8th April 2013 Certificate: E Running Time: 180 minutes (3 episodes)
