Planet Earth (1986 TV series)

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Planet Earth is a seven-episode nature documentary that aired on PBS in 1986. Narrated by Richard Kiley, it explores the Earth—from its origins and history to its structure, the forces that shape its surface, oceans, climate, natural resources, and the biosphere. It also covers life’s impact on the planet and how Earth relates to the Sun and the rest of the solar system, looking at what the future might hold as humanity grows.

Produced by WQED Pittsburgh for a college‑credit telecourse, it was made in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences and funded by the Annenberg/CPB Project and IBM. The series was filmed over four years across all seven continents and from the ocean bottom to space. It aired weekly on Thursdays from January 22 to March 5, 1986.

A companion book by Jonathan Weiner, also titled Planet Earth, was published in 1986. The show is sometimes marketed as Our Planet Earth to avoid confusion with the 2006 BBC series of the same name, which is unrelated. Some footage from the series later appeared in the 1992 PBS program Earth Revealed. The program was well received, with praise for its vivid filming, use of computer graphics, and its portrayal of ongoing scientific research. It co-won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series or Special in 1985–1986.