An icy cold descended over the TV schedule on Wednesday evening as the BBC showcased its latest nature documentary series, the aptly named Frozen Planet.
Filmed in both Polar regions, the seven-episode series, which took more than four years to produce, opened with the icy wastelands of the south, moving through the seasons of the Antarctic landmass, from the dark protracted winters, to the 24-hour days of summer.
From polar bears mating, to a seal on an icepack being hunted for food, the film offered the drama of never-before-seen life in the frozen extremes.
The series was filmed at great expense and though Auntie wouldn’t be drawn on the exact costs, it will have been in the millions… which buys you a lot of beautiful footage.
The aerial shots of bison being herded by hunting wolves proved just one of the hour's many highlights, while the slow-motion shot of an owl flying towards the camera will have left many reaching for the rewind.
Reviews to Wednesday’s opener where universally positive.
"At first it was nothing new" said The Telegraph, it was Attenborough's famous formula of hushed tones over footage of natural wonders and beautiful landscapes. The latest offering from the BBC Natural History unit, however, was no ordinary Attenborough documentary, as it built up to "new, astonishing heights".
The Guardian found the spectacle "fabulous, beautiful, sumptuous", while The Metro approved, despite balking at the "gristle and gore in high definition".
One complaint was raised by The Telegraph, suggesting that by the end of the film, the audience was "almost worn out" with sheer "beauty fatigue".
The Beeb is known throughout the world for this type of series – nature presented with stunning camera shots and stirring music. Then there’s David Attenborough, wrapped in a huge coat, older but with the same enthusiasm that has become the hallmark of fifty years of broadcasting.
Frozen Planet is on BBC1, Wednesday at 7pm.