Skip to main content Skip to footer site map
S44E8

Oceans | Parenthood

Premiere: 2/18/2026 | 0:30 |

Ocean parents must master dedication and intelligence to raise their young. In Australia, an orca mother teaches her young how to hunt blue whales, while in Indonesia, a Banggai cardinalfish protects his young inside his mouth.

Premiere: 2/18/2026
PBS   •   PBS App

About the Episode

Animal parents are just like us – they are fiercely protective of their young, raising them against all odds in a variety of environments. Witness amazing stories of dedication and sacrifice as animal parents embark on the greatest of all challenges. Parenthood premieres Wednesdays, February 4 – March 4 at 8/7c on PBS (check local listings).

Filmed over 3 years, on 6 continents, and in 23 countries, this five-part series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, tells the stories of astonishing animal behaviors shaped by the environments they inhabit. Each habitat has its own unique challenges, but as the world changes rapidly around them, some parents have to adapt to a world shaped by humans. The stakes couldn’t be higher – success for all parents ensures the future of life on our planet.

Parenthood is an extraordinary celebration of one of life’s great challenges: raising young,” said producer Jeff Wilson. “Working with the world’s best wildlife cinematographers and nature experts, we uncovered a huge number of fascinating and untold behaviors through incredible field craft and dedication. In an uncertain world, there are lessons to be learned from our animal characters that will resonate with all of us.”

SHARE
PRODUCTION CREDITS

PARENTHOOD “OCEANS”

NARRATED BY
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY
OLLY SCHOLEY

LINE PRODUCER
TARA KNOWLES

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
NICOLE HOBART

POST PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
SARAH MARLAND

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
DOUG ANDERSON
JEFF HESTER

PHOTOGRAPHY
RAYMOND BESANT
JOHN BROWN
ROGER HORROCKS
PJ KOTZÉ
GRACE RUSSELL
HARDUS VERMAAK

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
JACCA DEEBLE
TIM JANSEN VAN VUUREN
BLAIR RANFORD
RICHARD SHUCKSMITH
STEFAN VAN ZYL
KATIE WARDLE
JOE WOODYEAR

UNDERWATER CAMERA ASSISTANT AND TECHNICIAN
HOLLY TARPLEE

DIVE SAFETY
MEDHAT MOHAMED ELTABEY
CHELSEA KAROSAS
JOEL WILSON

FIELD CREW
STEVE BENJAMIN
ALAN DU PLESSIS
MARC FREI
JOLENE GALLET
BOB KENNEDY
SALEH LA LU
PANG QUONG
ACHO SARIPUDIN
TIAAN STRYDOM
BRYDON THOMASON
ALEX TONGUE

FILM EDITOR
DAN GLENDENNING

RESEARCHER
MAE DORRICOTT

JUNIOR EDITOR
EMILY POOLE

EDIT PRODUCER – ‘DIARIES’
MAE DORRICOTT

HEAD OF TECHNICAL OPERATIONS
DAN CLAMP

TECHNICAL AND DRONE MANAGER
DARREN CLEMENTSON

TECHNICAL LEADS
LAUREN CHILDS
DAN BEARE

EDIT ASSISTANT
OWEN JENKINS

TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS
SAM HOCKADAY
KORY LE MOORE
MOLLY PENNY

WORKFLOW SUPERVISOR
SEAN PEARCE

POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
EMILY LASCELLES

CAMERA TECHNICAL LEAD
MATT CHIPPENDALE-JONES

PRODUCTION KIT ASSISTANT
HAMISH GOUGH

FILMS AT 59 CAMERA DEPARTMENT
GORDON LEICESTER
GEOFF ROBBINS
LIAM HOUSE

CAMERA DEPARTMENT PROJECT MANAGER
PHIL BURT

PICTURE POST PRODUCTION
FILMS AT 59

POST PROJECT MANAGER
HAYLEY SHIPMAN

COLORIST
SIMON BLAND

ONLINE EDITOR
FRANZ KETTERER

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND VFX
HELLO CHARLIE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PAUL TIGWELL

VFX PRODUCER
TOM KNIGHT

VFX ARTISTS
TOM LEE
ANDY POWER
MICHAEL LUDLAM
BECKY SHAW

DUBBING MIXER
GRAHAM WILD

SOUND EDITOR
TOM MERCER
WOUNDED BUFFALO SOUND STUDIOS

FOLEY ARTISTS
RORY JOSEPH
MYLES ACKERMAN SMITH

FOLEY EDITOR
ELLIE BOWLER

MUSIC BY
TOM HOWE

MUSIC EDITOR
TONY LEWIS

SCORE RECORDED AT
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS

HEAD OF PRODUCTION FINANCE
RACHEL JAMES

PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANTS
KAREN KEAST
BEVERLEY BOOTH

FINANCE COORDINATOR
JUDI OBORNE

FINANCE TEAM
SARAH GARNER
BEV ASPINALL
LISA BALDWIN
LUCY MATTOCK

SCIENTIFIC ADVISERS
DR. ZANRI STRYDOM
JOHN TOTTERDELL
ANGELA ZILTENER

ARCHIVE
ATLANTIC EDGE FILMS
BBC MOTION GALLERY / GETTY IMAGES
COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA
DAVID BARLOW PHOTOGRAPHY
DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
JAIMEN HUDSON
MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES
ROGER MUNNS
NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY
POND5

FILMING ASSISTANCE FURNISHED BY
NEIL BROCK

LOCATION ASSISTANCE FURNISHED BY
CAPE NATURE
CAPTAIN AND CREW OF M/Y AMELIE
DR. JOSE MANUEL GUERRA GARCIA
CYNTHIA C. HEHANUSSA
BILLY AND SUSAN MAIL
RICHARD O’DWYER
SANCCOB
SANPARKS
THE SCUBA DOCTOR
TRANSNET AND PORT OF SALDANHA
TOM WADSWORTH

SPECIAL THANKS
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES, RSA
CHARLIE HAMILTON-JAMES
LINI FOUNDATION
DR. MEREDITH MCPHERSON
SEA SEARCH BREMER BAY
DR. ALEJANDRO VAGELLI
WHALE WATCH WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ORIGINAL EPISODE PRODUCTION FUNDING PROVIDED IN PART BY
BRADLEY L. GOLDBERG FAMILY FOUNDATION

ORIGINAL SERIES PRODUCTION FUNDING PROVIDED IN PART BY
ARNHOLD FOUNDATION
SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III
THE FAIRWEATHER FOUNDATION
CHARLES ROSENBLUM
KATHY CHIAO AND KEN HAO
SARAH AND SANDRA LYU
LILLIAN GOLDMAN CHARITABLE TRUST
DR. GEORGE STANLEY AND SANDRA CARUSO
COLIN S. EDWARDS
KATE W. CASSIDY FOUNDATION
FILOMEN M. D’AGOSTINO FOUNDATION
GREGG PETERS MONSEES FOUNDATION
KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN
SETON J. MELVIN
SANDRA ATLAS BASS

FOR SILVERBACK FILMS

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
JANE HAMLIN

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
ELLY SALISBURY

PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE
JENNI COLLIE

HEAD OF BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS
ANNA KEELING

SERIES PRODUCER
JEFF WILSON

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
KEITH SCHOLEY

FOR THE BBC

COMMISSIONING EDITOR
JACK BOOTLE

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER LYNCH

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAMES F. BURKE

LEGAL COUNSEL
BLANCHE ROBERTSON

DIGITAL LEAD
DANIELLE BROZA

DIGITAL PRODUCER
AMANDA BLOOM

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
KAREN HO

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
CHELSEY SAATKAMP

BUDGET CONTROLLER
JAYNE LISI

OFFLINE EDITOR
PATRICK KRASS

ONLINE EDITOR
STACEY DOUGLASS MOVERLEY

RE-RECORDING MIXER
JON BERMAN

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A PRODUCTION OF SILVERBACK FILMS IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL, BBC, THE WNET GROUP AND PBS

THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY SILVERBACK FILMS, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

DISTRIBUTED BY ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

© 2024 BORN FREE PRODUCTIONS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL © 2026 THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

FUNDING

Support for Nature: Parenthood is provided in part by the Bradley L. Goldberg Family Foundation. Series funding for Nature is made possible in part by The Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, The Fairweather Foundation, Charles Rosenblum, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, Sarah and Sandra Lyu in memory of Seung and Dorothy Lyu, Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Dr. George Stanley and Sandra Caruso, Colin S. Edwards, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Gregg Peters Monsees Foundation, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Seton J. Melvin, Sandra Atlas Bass, and public television viewers.

TRANSCRIPT

- Next time, meet the parents in our oceans.

(orca whistling) (water gushing) Discover the extraordinary ways they raise and provide for their young in the largest habitat on Earth.

This is Parenthood.