Harpoon Hunters

Stacey Dooley investigates the controversial world of whale hunting. This contentious practice has hit the headlines around the world, as whaling countries defy international pressure to ban the practice. Whalers argue it’s just food like any other meat. Campaigners call it barbaric and outdated. With rare access to a Norweigen commercial hunting vessel, Stacey witnesses the killing of a Minke whale. And, on the remote Faroe Islands modern day hunters defend their tradition of whale slaughter for food, while activists from around the world say they’ll keep coming to the island until they stop.

The BBC version of Life arrives with an at-times breathtaking, altogether stunning 1080p/VC-1 transfer; one that boasts gorgeous colors and remarkable detail, and puts most other nature documentary presentations to shame. Still, comparisons to the series' 1080i Discovery Channel release are the most inevitable and the most unavoidable. Simply put, the differences between the two aren't earth shattering – in some instances, our beloved little "p" may as well stand for "placebo" – but they are notable. There are plenty of scenes and shots in which the tiniest strands of animal hair are crisper, distant foliage is more refined, and the craggly crevices of rocky ravines are more revealing.

Embark on a journey into the world's most unforgiving arctic zones, where land and ice are inseparably joined. Swim through the mammoth Mackenzie Delta, or explore the great tundra of Nunavik. These hostile regions yield little for the hardy wildlife and local Inuit tribes that wait patiently for an all-too-brief summer.