There must be a rule printed on parchment somewhere at the BBC that says all big wildlife documentaries must feature a sweeping shot of the African savannah at the top of episode one. Wildebeest or buffalo must roam majestically across the grasslands in search of water, only for one of the herd to be brought down by a cunning lion or cheetah. The awe is bittersweet: sorry, big guy, but a cat’s got to eat.
This sappingly familiar narrative plays out in the opening instalment of Parenthood, a Sunday-evening naturefest narrated by David Attenborough, before we have blown the steam off our tea. It sets us up for a show that offers BBC One natural history in a cuter, less spectacular and groundbreaking mode than the channel’s classic shows – but the suspicion that it may not have anything fresh to impart is soon dispelled.
