This is the gold standard of nature documentaries—the kind of content you actually want your kids watching. The cinematography is so extraordinary that even screen-addicted teens will watch in awe. Attenborough's narration strikes the perfect balance between educational and accessible.

The safety caveat is real: nature is beautiful but also brutal. Snakes chase iguanas in heart-pounding sequences, predators hunt, and not every baby animal makes it. These aren't gratuitously violent, but they're filmed with cinematic intensity that can surprise younger or sensitive viewers. Co-viewing is ideal, especially for first-time nature doc watchers.

That said, this is genuinely enriching content that builds scientific literacy, environmental awareness, and wonder about the natural world. It's the rare show that's both educational AND entertaining enough that kids won't feel like they're being fed vegetables. If you're looking to balance screen time with something meaningful, Planet Earth II is about as good as it gets.