Nature is an institution—40+ years of PBS documentary excellence that's educated generations about the natural world. The educational and enriching value is off the charts: this is how you build scientific literacy, ecological awareness, and wonder about our planet.

The problem? It's a 40-year-old series, which means quality is all over the map. Recent episodes can compete with anything BBC puts out. But those 1980s-90s episodes? Slow, dated, and genuinely hard for modern kids to sit through. The pacing feels glacial compared to what they're used to, and production values scream "educational video from the school library."

If you've got a kid who already loves animals and nature, this is a fantastic resource—just curate which episodes you watch (newer is generally better). If you're trying to spark interest in a reluctant viewer, you might have better luck with more modern nature docs first, then circle back to Nature's deep archive once they're hooked.

Also: yes, animals eat other animals on screen. It's nature. If your kid can't handle the circle of life, stick to animated animal content for now.