Premieres Wednesdays, Oct. 25 - Nov. 15, 2023 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS App + Encores Sundays, Oct. 29 - Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. on KPBS TV and 8 p.m. on KPBS 2
The ocean depths are full of mysteries, but luckily there are intrepid spies up to the task of discovering them for us. Go on a mission deep beneath the waves in SPY IN THE OCEAN, A NATURE MINISERIES.
John Downer Productions created dozens of new waterproof animatronic spy cameras for this latest installment of the popular SPY IN THE WILD series, including a whale calf, shark, dolphin, manatee, cuttlefish, octopus, seal, crab and many more.
Utilizing the latest subsea technology, these uncanny robot lookalikes venture to the depths of the ocean floor to interact with their animal counterparts, communicating with them and mimicking their patterns.
Watch as they swim, float, paddle, waddle, drift and fly into every nook and cranny to film rarely seen behavior that reveals how ocean animals possess emotions and behavior similar to humans – including the capacity to love, grieve, deceive and invent.
Witness Thailand macaques catching fish with their bare hands, one of the many firsts caught on camera. Spy Coconut Octopus gives a helping tentacle to a new octopus friend. Spy Seal joins a gang of young fur seals on an emotional rollercoaster ride to safety.
The sophisticated Spy Cuttlefish replicates the changing patterns of real cuttlefish to disentangle itself from the complexities of courtship. In a rarely captured moment, watch as a group of sperm whale families join together in a close and intimate gathering to socialize.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1: “Deep Thinkers” Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV - Spy creatures reveal an ocean full of startling ways of thinking, including large-brained whales, smart octopi, diving monkeys, creative fish and other intelligent animals.
Episode 2: “Deep Feelings” Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV - Spy creatures explore animal emotions and the deep feelings we share. With surfing dolphins, kissing manatees and sensitive cuttlefish, witness the emotional rollercoaster of life in the sea.
Episode 3: “Deep Relationships” Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV - Spy creatures uncover surprising undersea relationships as sharks befriend fish, whales play with dolphins, and lobsters do the conga in seas where even spider crabs have friends.
Episode 4: “Deep Trouble” Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV - Spy creatures showcase the challenges of ocean life. From a baby whale in danger and marine iguanas battling storms, to a mantis shrimp’s knockout punch, the spies are never far from trouble.
Watch On Your Schedule:
SPY IN THE OCEAN, A NATURE Miniseries premieres Wednesdays, Oct. 25 – Nov. 15, 2023 at 8/7c on PBS, pbs.org/spyinthewild, YouTube and the PBS App.
Join The Conversation:
NATURE on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok #NaturePBS
Credits:
NATURE is a production of The WNET Group. Fred Kaufman is executive producer. Bill Murphy is series producer. Janet Hess is series editor. Danielle Broza is digital content & strategy lead. A John Downer Production for BBC, PBS and The WNET Group. With John Downer as creative director, the miniseries is produced by Matthew Gordon and Huw Williams. For John Downer Productions, Philip Dalton is executive producer. Jayce Bartok narrates the miniseries
“Creating spies capable of exploring the depths of the sea provided the greatest challenge yet for the producers,” said Fred Kaufman, executive producer for NATURE. “What they were able to capture was remarkable. The ocean is a harsh place, but these spy cameras reveal that it is also full of beauty and wonder, and that the creatures who call it home are full of intelligence and emotion."
