Review: "Secrets of the Penguins" Provides an Awe-Inducing Look at a Documentary Fan-Favorite
Secrets of the Penguins, the newest edition of National Geographic documentary anthology series, seems like an obvious one. Penguins have been the cornerstone of nature documentaries for years. From March of the Penguins to Disneynature’s Penguins, they have often taken center stage as filmmakers work tirelessly to bring their remarkable living conditions to the big screen. I have to admit, when I heard that penguins were to be the next creature featured, I did respond with an audible “no, duh." It seemed a bit obvious for the series that had previously premiered episodes on elephants and octopus.
Color me thrilled to find out that Secrets of the Penguins is not a retread of the often documented creature, but something richer. Across three episodes, the series travels the globe featuring not just the beloved Emperor penguins that call Antarctica home, but also the Southern Ocean and Galapagos Islands. Through showing a wider breadth of the penguin species, viewers are able to get a greater grasp on the intelligence, stability, and tenacity of these adorable creatures.
Even though the first episode focuses on the aforementioned Emperors, it never comes across as a situation where the series is phoning it in. Quite the contrary, as the astounding technology in use (which filmed for over two years) helped cinematographers and scientists discover new quirks within the penguin community. A shot and explanation of how the penguins’ huddle during bad snow storms can help create temperatures of up to 90 degrees was a stunning piece of documentary filmmaking.
Where the series rises above other nature filmmaking is its peek behind-the-scenes throughout the series’ runtime. While others (Disneynature included) would tend to have commentary from the filmmakers separate from the rest of the film, Secrets of the Penguins revels in highlighting cinematographer Bertie Gregory’s work. Gregory is regularly brought forward to show how he’s acquiring these magnificent shots, along with providing live commentary on the penguins’ activity. It’s like a live newscast for a nature documentary.
For a lot of nature documentaries, a lot rides on the narrator. In recent memory, the role of a voice over artist has been unfortunately usurped by actors. In some cases, this works great (Tina Fey for Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom). In others, not so much (Tim Allen for Disneynature’s Chimpanzee). Now, this is not the fault of the actor, but mostly the casting team for thinking someone without documentary narrating experience can succeed. However, Blake Lively takes the reins for Secrets of the Penguins and is revelatory. She perfectly adds the right amount of inflection, pathos, and wonder when describing these creatures. Again, not every celebrity can do well in this type of role, but Lively really succeeds. In the often forgotten Best Narration category at the Primetime Emmy Awards, I’m really hoping Lively can get herself a well-deserved nomination.
With Earth Day just around the corner and the known stress about the effects of climate change filling the world's anxieties, Secrets of the Penguins is a beautiful ode to some of the Earth’s most beloved and adaptable creatures. No matter where they are on the planet, they are working together to remain a strong community, all the while people are on the sidelines doing their own work to help fix their habitats. Let it be a wonderful slice of edutainment that also doubles as a hopeful omen for the future: if we work together, even under the toughest of circumstances, anything is possible.
Secrets of the Penguins debuts April 20th on National Geographic. It will stream the following day on Disney+ and Hulu.