All Episodes

There are more than 3000 species of snakes, and each one seems to scare man inordinately. For this rare, up-close look at the mysterious reptile, wildlife cinematographers traveled to the far corners of the earth to capture the serpent in its varied roles in the wild and in relation to men. Witness Burmese cobra charmers, the birth of a green tree python in the rain forest, the tagging of a deadly fer-de-lance in Central America and a Texas rattlesnake round up. It’s an exotic adventure that will bring new insight into the kingdom of the snake. As seen on ABC. Narrated by E.G. Marshall.

The Herbert’s house at 118 Green Street looks normal enough – a mom, dad, two kids, the family dog and a goldfish named Sushi. But look closer and you’ll see that the Herberts aren’t home alone – they’re surrounded – by billions of uninvited houseguests. This award winning film reveals the miraculous world that exists beyond the naked eye. Through groundbreaking magnification, time-lapse and slow motion photography you will discover a shocking, breathtaking and fascinating universe. It’s a rare look at the complex beauty of things we take for granted: the drip of a faucet, a man’s whiskers, the battle of two ant colonies or the birth of an ice cube. It’s also a look at things we are glad we can’t see: dust mites in the bed, billions of bacteria on our skin, and fungi eating our dining room table. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Buck Henry.

Imagine being surrounded by a vast and rugged wilderness. No town, no stores, no human contact – just you and your family plus 10,000 head of cattle. That’s life for the McBeans on the huge cattle ranch known as Bradshaw Station, one of Australia’s last bastions of unspoiled bush country. This documentary brings you twelve months in the hard-working life of this magnificent place. You’ll discover life much as it was during America’s frontier days. Breathtaking footage reveals the rough, rewarding adventures of a truly unique lifestyle. Narrated by Mel Gibson. As seen on ABC.

They’ve given us light, photographs, electricity, lasers,cars, movies, and videocassettes but we generally know the invention, not the inventor. This delightful program gives you a rare look at the wizards themselves – some of the greatest inventors in modern history. Meet the unchallenged father of invention, Thomas Edison, a brilliant man whose 1000 useful inventions remain a phenomenal legacy. Meet other inventors such as musician Stevie Wonder and Raymond Kurzweil as they collaborate on a synthesizer that believably recreates the sounds of musical instruments. Meet Paul Moller as his personal aircraft vehicle takes its first test flight. Enjoy this fascinating salute to the imaginative minds whose “better mousetraps” may make life more livable tomorrow. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Fred Gwynne.

Surrounded by centuries of myth and legend, the wolf has long been assumed to be a random predator, ruthlessly attacking its victims. Thewolf was so universally hated that it was intentionally pushed to the brink of extinction. Recently, wolf expert Jim Dutcher spent several years filming these magnificent creatures in a 20-acre enclosure located in Idaho’s remote Sawtooth Mountains. Remarkable footage allows us to see camera-shy wolves up close for the very first time. Dutcher’s findings dispel myths, answer questions and raise new issues. Why do wolves howl, bare their teeth and travel in packs? Should they be reintroduced in North America? Find out in this entertaining and fascinating breakthrough study. Narrated by Martin Sheen. As seen on ABC.

In the twentieth century earthquakes have killed hundreds of thousands of people and caused billions of dollars in damage. Seismologists predict the worst is yet to come. With the help of astonishing footage and interviews, the show reveals the shocking and frightening secrets of this natural killer. You’ll discover why New Yorkers and Bostonians should fear earthquakes just as much as Californians, why Tokyo could literally burn to the ground at any time, why Los Angeles could experience another major quake soon, and what will happen if the “Big One” hits. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Graham Greene.

The normal life cycle: we are born, we live and we die. But what happens when life’s unfortunate incidents cause loss of limb or control of our bodies? Technology is coming to the aid of people who have experienced these issues. Prosthetics have come a long way. With the use of electrodes, we are enabling people to walk, grasp and move under their own control. Advancements in science have put miracles within our reach – who is to say we cannot create a whole human being from a single limb? How far can technology take us? How far will we let it? See how science is making life better for so many and explore the incredible scientific potential of the next century. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Hal Douglas.

The air is heavy with anticipation as an entire country awaits their lifeblood – the inundating rains of the Monsoon. After months of sweltering heat it arrives with lightening, thunder, storm-force winds and heavy, warm rain. Beginning in the village of Trivandrum, the Monsoon runs its jagged course through India, affecting a variety of cultures and tripping a waterfall of celebrations. Follow the path of the legendary Monsoon. Join in the celebrations at the coming rains and share the relief when the deluge turns fears of drought into shouts of joy. The songs, thoughts, laughter and tears of India are all guided by the life-giving force of the Monsoon. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Richard Crenna.

Come aboard The Danmark, one of the world’s foremost sailing ships and the pride of Copenhagen, for a remarkable journey across the stormy North Atlantic. Eighty cadets – young men and women – have signed on for this four-month training expedition, documented by Emmy Award-winning producer James Lipscomb and his crew. Witness the drudgery and discipline of life at sea, the fear of high-sea gales and the sheer danger of 13-story high masts: experience the thrill of a lifetime on this high sea adventure. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Jason Robards.

Until recently, the extraordinary phenomena of Russian parapsychology have been hidden from the eyes of the West. Now the icy veil of secrecy has melted and we can finally investigate their powerful and mystifying work in telekinesis, ESP, levitation, psychic healing, mind control and clairvoyance. Scientists and researchers reveal the amazing results of decades of work of advanced physic studies and psychics themselves demonstrate their unbelievable powers in never before seen footage. As seen on ABC. Narrated by John Rhys-Davies.

In the late 1930′s, the Empire flying boats of Imperial Airways linked the British colonies of East Africa from Egypt to South Africa. They carried passengers in country-club comfort on a five-day journey featuring luxury accommodations and five-star service. A half-century later, journalist Alexander Frater, producer/director David Wallace and a camera crew made a harrowing attempt to recreate the trek over present-day Africa – across what had become five independent states and two war zones. Through remarkable vintage footage of the original flights and the fascinating film of the modern-day trip, you’ll enjoy a rare glimpse of a bygone era and an inside look at the new Africa, a continent of diversity, strife and transition. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Roy Scheider.

Didi is a seven-year-old living with her family in a high-rise apartment building in Taipei. Like others her age, she likes it here, but there’s a hitch: Didi is an orangutan. Illegally smuggled into Taiwan as an infant, Didi is like thousands of orangutans who have been sold as luxury pets. Snatched as babies from the forests of Indonesia, many of these wild beasts perish outside their native surroundings. But Dr. Willie Smits, an official of the Indonesian Forestry Department, is trying to stop this cruel practice. Didi’s touching personal story is an amazing journey from the comfort of civilization back to her native home in the trees of Indonesia. This remarkable, emotional tale is a heart-tugging adventure of one animal’s struggle to become wild again. As seen on ABC. Narrated by James Brolin.

Beautiful, majestic, powerful and deadly, the tiger has thrived on earth for countless centuries. But the numbers of these great beasts have recently dwindled to precious thousands in the forests of India, Nepal, Siberia, and Southeast Asia and the tiger’s shrinking domain is causing chaos in the natural world. Sanctuaries designed to preserve the animal have resulted in fatal human attacks and the severely reduced tiger population has caused frequent inbreeding. In addition, a hugely profitable worldwide black market for everything from tiger skeletons to tiger skin has emerged. Stunning up-close photography takes you into the tiger’s realm where you can witness, first-hand the great cats in their struggle for survival in the wild. As seen on ABC. Narrated by James Brolin.

For more than sixty million years the rhinoceros has roamed the earth. It is a stubborn “tank” of a beast whose nose-mounted weaponry and armor of thick skin are links to its prehistoric past. Once hundreds of thousands roamed freely in the forests and plains of Africa and Asia, but in just the past twenty years poachers seeking the Rhino’s horn have hunted, trapped and killed eighty-five percent of the wild population. Soon, the wild Rhino may be gone forever. This thoughtful film takes you behind the battle lines in Africa, as radical solutions are employed in an effort to protect the remaining population. It will also take you to nature reserves around the globe as scientists strive to understand the animal’s basic biology and reproduction. The race is on to save the Rhinoceros, as we look at the forces that have caused their decline, and uncover the courageous efforts of those who hope to save them. As seen on ABC. Narrated by James Brolin.

In 1946, the United States ordered the 167 inhabitants of Bikini, a coral reef in the Marshall Islands of Micronesia, to evacuate their ancestral home. The United States government had chosen Bikini as the test site to measure the devastation of an atomic bomb explosion. Now, over 40 years later, we return to Bikini for a remarkable look at the extremely dangerous underwater wreckage – including the United States aircraft carrier Saratoga and the Nagato, flagship of the Japanese Imperial Navy. The filmmakers also visit the exiled Bikinians, and return with them for a poignant visit to their home where the lush vegetation remains poisonous. Through fascinating underwater photography, rare historic footage, and the eyes of the survivors, you will experience the beauty and tragedy of Bikini: Forbidden Paradise. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Linda Hunt.

In 1922, the world was electrified by the discovery of the sealed tomb of King Tutankhamun in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. Now, archaeologist Ken Weeks has located KV-5, Tomb #5, whose buried doorway in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings reveals what is by far the biggest and most intriguing tomb in Egypt. Long hidden under the stalls of souvenir vendors, pillaged by robbers and filled with debris, KV-5 still mystifies. Join Weeks as he makes sense of the scene and recreates the world of Ramses the Great from its remnants. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Hugh Downs.

Al Giddings, the legendary filmmaker, has undoubtedly spent more time in the water filming sharks than any man alive. This action-packed profile follows Giddings from his production facilities to the exotic oceans of the world, where he captures sharks – on film – as no man has ever before. As seen on ABC. Narrated by James Coburn.

It weighs 300,000 pounds. It can measure over 100 feet in length. Its powerful 20-foot jaws take in 16,000 gallons of water in one gulp. It is the blue whale, nature’s largest, most astonishing, and until now, most mysterious creature. James Brolin narrates an expedition filled with spectacular sights and sounds. Asseen on ABC.

The swamps, rivers and marshes of Australia’s northern region are home to the world’s largest and most dangerous reptile: the salt-water crocodile. Close to extinction just decades ago, this fearless predator is back…with a vengeance. Stalking and attacking anything – including man — the “croc” is an amazing physical specimen. Measuring up to 21 feet and weighing 3000 pounds, he can submerge for two hours and re-emerge to attack his victims without making a sound or a ripple. Fascinating footage captures the salt-water crocodile in his native environment. You’ll see how man and man-eater share a nervous co –existence. Visit with a real life “Crocodile Dundee” and meet the lucky survivors of crocodile attacks. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Patrick Horgan.

Fearsome, fascinating and immensely powerful, polar bears spellbind us with their massive size, voracious appetite and social behavior. These bold rulers of the north can grow 10 feet tall and weigh 1500 pounds, dominating everything in their habitat, including man. Each autumn, people from around the globe make the difficult trek to the remote Canadian town of Churchill, Manitoba, for a wild, up-close look at polar bears in their native surroundings. But as both locals and tourists discover, proximity offers both reward and danger. Take a visually stunning trip to the frozen north and come face to face with the world’s largest land carnivore. It’s a rare glimpse at the real life of one of the animal kingdom’s most magnificent creatures. As seen on ABC. Narrated by John Mahoney.

In the wild, the killer whale is dangerous to all prey. In captivity, however, it is a source of great wonder and joy to man. An Orca is often essential to the success of a marine park. Veteran filmmaker Nicolas Noxon (Secrets of the Titanic) takes a fascinating underwater look at this beautiful creature in both its native habitat off the coast of British Columbia and in the captive environment of theme parks and aquariums. Witness the killer whales’ beauty, grace and intelligence, and explore the ongoing controversy involved in keeping them captive. As seen on ABC. Narrated by Richard Crenna.