As Earth Day marks its 50th anniversary, it seems there’s not much occasion to celebrate, as the world is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis. But with millions of people staying home because of the coronavirus outbreak, TV network programmers and streaming services are offering ways to travel the world without leaving your couch.
For Earth Day 2020, Disney Plus, National Geographic, Apple TV Plus, PBS and other platforms are providing ways to explore. From classic documentaries to new specials, the natural world is at the center of hours of programs.
Here’s a list of some of the ways TV and streaming services can take you away, at least for a while:
Disney Plus: The streaming service is home not only to Disney movies and TV series, but to highlights from the National Geographic archives. Among the choices from National Geographic are episodes from the series, “America’s National Parks,” including trips to the Olympic peninsula in Washington; Yosemite; the Great Smoky Mountains; the Grand Canyon; and Yellowstone.
(How to watch Disney Plus: The service is home to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, “Star Wars,” National Geographic content, and more. Go to the streaming service’s website to sign up. Disney Plus is $6.99 a month, with a 7-day free trial; a package that includes Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN+ is $12.99 a month, with a 7-day free trial)
Also streaming during “Earth Month” on Disney Plus are a new documentary film, “Elephant,” narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex; “Dolphin Reef,” narrated by Natalie Portman; “Penguins"; and other “Disneynature" titles, including “Wild Yellowstone,” “Planet of the Birds,” “Hostile Planet,” “Tree Climbing Lions” and “Kingdom of the White Wolf.”
National Geographic TV: The channel devotes all day Wednesday to natural history programs, and also spotlights two world premieres.
A mother lion and her cubs make their way through the plains of Masai Mara, Kenya. (Photo: National Geographic)National Geographic/Christian Onyando
“Born Wild: The Next Generation” premieres at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, on the National Geographic channel and Nat Geo WILD. The press release makes this sound like what everybody needs to watch right now: “Go on a journey into the most fascinating, breathtaking environments around the world to witness and celebrate the diversity and resilience of charismatic baby animals, their families, and habitats. Prepare for cuteness overload and a revealing look at Earth’s next generation of animals" with the show. As if baby animals aren’t reason enough to watch, actor Chris Hemsworth (“Thor") will also be on hand.
“Jane Goodall: The Hope” looks at Dr. Jane Goodall and her continuing efforts on behalf of wildlife and conservation. The special premieres on the National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD channels at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 22. The special will also stream on Disney Plus and Hulu.
BBC America: The channel is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with several programs, including a “Planet Earth II” marathon, beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 on BBC America. The series explores, as the press release says, “the islands, mountains, jungles, grasslands, deserts and cities of the world. Journey to the four corners of the globe to discover the extreme forces that shape life in each of these iconic landscapes and the remarkable ways animals manage to overcome the challenges of surviving in the wildest places on Earth.” Sir David Attenborough narrates. (Stream on fuboTV)
An image from the BBC America documentary, "She Walks With Apes." (Photo: Mark Starowicz/BBC America)
“She Walks WIth Apes” premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 on BBC America. Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”) narrates the documentary about the work of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey and Biruté Galdikas, who all pursued the study of Great Apes with passion and dedication.
A 12-hour marathon of “Dynasties” begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 23, and again features Sir David Attenborough as the host of a series that focuses on five of the world’s most endangered animals, their lives and their fights to survive.
PBS: The public television network will premiere a new documentary, “H20, The Molecule That Made Us,” at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 on PBS. The three-part series, which will air on consecutive Wednesdays, explores humans’ relationship with water, and promises to, as the press release says, “transport you from your living room on an around-the-world journey – from South Africa, where we see beautiful resurrection plans brought back to full bloom and color with just a few drops of water, to California, where a town that was once a booming vacation spot has simply run out of water.”
Discovery Channel: The network is offering Earth Day-friendly programming all day long. Highlights include “The Great Global Clean Up,” which premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, and features celebrities such as Zac Efron as the program spotlights efforts to clean up the environment, while also exploring innovations in recycling and waste management.
Apple TV Plus: The streaming platform’s animated short film, “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” features the voices of Meryl Streep, Chris O’Dowd, Ruth Negga and Jacob Tremblay, and is the story of a seven-year-old who spends Earth Day learning about the planet and exploring an exhibit at the “Museum of Everything.”
More of our coverage:
- Disney Plus: 8 great shows to stream when coronavirus concerns keep you at home
- New to streaming? What to know when you’re home watching TV, due to coronavirus concerns
- Beyond ‘Frozen II’: More TV and movies your kids can watch as coronavirus keeps them at home
-- Kristi Turnquist
kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist
Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.