Watchin' The Detectives

       Today I am going to review a series from another documentarian that has changed my life and the world: Sir David Attenborough. We're going to look at a few of his lesser know documentaries that have been repackaged for rebroadcasting. The series was put together by using archival footage from earlier series and reworked for a new generation. (and to honor Sir David's 90th Birthday in 2016) It worked exceedingly well, in my opinion. It's a four part series, at about an hour/hour-ten mins per episode, and it touches on some of the more intimate interests of Sir David  himself.  Episode 1: A Blank on the Map   Sir David travels to Papua New Guinea in search of the Biami tribe, which at that point, (1971) were uncontacted. He hires some ten and hundred men to be porters, guides and most importantly: cultural liaisons. They trek through uncharted territory for days, up and down mountains, across rivers (the porters make a suspension bridge with ...

     So, for my first review I'm going right to the heart of the matter: the presenter that got me interested in documentaries in the first place, and with one of his (and possibly of all-time) best documentary series.  (my father also played a big part in my love of documentaries as well)   I'm talking about the maestro himself: Michael Wood.   Besides David Attenborough, Michael Wood was absolutely instrumental in fostering my love for documentaries. He weaves an incredibly compelling tale and has a sense of wonder and compassion that most lose in their childhood. His passion for his subjects and the way he has a reverence for the cultures he's visiting (without getting too preachy) puts him in the running for one of the best documentary  presenters of all time. I'd watch him read a phone book; and in some instances it's come very close. Going through 400 yr old tax records while looking for any written record of William...