When Nature Calls with Helen Mirren

Mirren: The natural world.

Stunning in its beauty.

Staggering in its complexity.

And although these landscapes,

with their myriad of wild denizens,

may seem alien at first...

if we look closer, relatable truths are revealed.

For within this grandeur

resides a wealth of unexpected drama...

Leopard: Hey, stripe‐y!

Zebra: Uh, yeah?

I'm gonna mess you up. Wahhh!

We are now empowered

to explore this once mysterious world

and revel in the entirety of life on this planet,

an astonishing diversity of beings

each with their own fascinating story.

Gorilla #1: Jack, I want you to draw me

like one of your French girls.

Wearing fleas.

Gorilla #2: All right.

Wearing only fleas.

Let us venture beyond the protective canopy

of Earth's forests...

dive deep beneath its roaring seas...

traverse its austere desert landscapes...

and commune with fellow travelers

on this, our shared home.

Baboon: Errrr.... I don't know about this.

These animals ‐‐ vibrant, diverse, passionate ‐‐

are not so different from us.

And if we listened close enough...

what would we hear these noble creatures say?

Turtle: I don't want to be on reality TV!!

Ohh! Ugh! Ugh!

Prepare yourself for a truly unique journey...

and witness the beauty and wonder that can transpire...

Male stork: No, no, that's not right.

I said it's hit, boom, turn,

then shimmy, whack‐a‐mole, whack‐a‐mole,

then boom, unh, carrot stick, pop.

Lean with it. Rock with it.

Scoop, cat‐cat, then turn.

Giraffe neck. Eat the leaves from the tree.

Eat the leaves from the tree.

Then you stand on one leg. Got it?

Stork: No. Again.

Mirren: The animal kingdom stirs with wonder and possibility.

It is the very tapestry of creation itself.

Join me as we experience

this majestic orb in a new light.

I'm Helen Mirren.

Yeah, that Helen Mirren.

Legend of the stage and screen,

winner of an Oscar, four Emmys, one Tony,

four BAFTAs, which is like the British version

of the MTV Movie Awards.

But, you know, let's not make a whole thing out of it.

I'm ‐‐ I'm just a regular dame like you.

Our journey will touch upon the commonalities

that we, as humans, share with our brethren in the wild.

We all, animal and human alike,

live and work and love,

and, sometimes, we don't wear pants.

Tonight, we will focus on what we learn from our experiences,

how we grow, the life lessons.

Chief among these is how we master our environment.

And in the forests of Brazil, there is no greater example

than the crafty, tufted capuchin monkey.

Dad monkey: Okay. Gonna fix the HVAC.

Easy. Very easy. Mr. Fix‐It, that's me.

Is this thing ‐‐ Is this thing hollow?

Is this supposed to, uh ‐‐ Maybe if I...

Whoa. Shhhh‐ish kebab!

Dang it! That is not supposed to come off.

Mom monkey: Don, honey, I do believe you can fix it,

but it might be faster to call a handyman.

Oh, t‐there's no need, honey.

W‐We just have a problem with one of these, uh,

springy dealies. You gotta roll it out.

Handyman? I'm a handyman.

I'm a man. I have hands.

This'll do the trick. Just gotta...

This guy here, stick this into the, uh ‐‐

Fuuuuudge brownies.

Keep it together, Don.

Gah. Come on! Maybe if I just...

Don't know what I'm doing here.

Maybe I need a Phillips head?

Hey, honey! Can you bring me the Phillips head?!

That was the Phillips head!

I know! And now I need a flat Phillips head.

That's not a thing, Don.

Kid monkey: Want me to find you

a YouTube tutorial, Dad?!

A tutorial?! A‐Absolutely not!

I‐In fact, son, you should come down here,

learn a thing or two. It's a good teachable moment.

What am I talking about, "teachable moment"?

I have an art‐history degree.

I'm not a friggin' handyman!

Ugh. This is gonna end up costing us twice as much now.

Eric: Hey, neighbors! What's Don ‐‐

Hey! Don! You need a hand?!

Looks like you need a pipe wrench!

Dad monkey: I'm fine, Eric, but thanks!

I‐It's under control!

Hey, Siri.

Call handyman.

Mirren: While working with one's hands is a noble pursuit,

there are those, both human and animal,

who can coast solely on their looks...

...as we shall see on a visit to the island of Madagascar

to meet the fetching sifaka lemur.

Photographer: Models aren't born.

They're made!

Once in a blue moon, you capture a model

that defines beauty, style, and je ne sais quoi.

He...is...Serge!

Temperamental? Yes.

Serge: Unh! I'm starving!

But it is what you get when you work with living art!

Hey, everybody! I'm Serge! And I'm a model! Gah!

Oh. Okay. Uh, that's great. You look great, Serge!

But less of the talking.

Show me how much you love nature.

Okay. I'll lick the tree. I guess!

Yes. More of that. You love that tree, don't you?

I love you, tree. Yes.

Yes! Show me! Love that tree!

You are a sexy mistress of nature!

Keep going! You are on fire!

Look! I can almost turn my head all the way around!

Ow!

No, no.

Serge should be seen... and not heard!

Okay. I'll be real quiet then!!

Do you hear me?! I'LL BE REAL QUIET NOW!!

Ugh. Looks like a million bucks, but, boy, is this guy dumb.

Yes! That's it! Give me what I need!

Mirren: Many animals are not blessed with a partner ‐‐

one who can serve as an inspirational muse

or a hunting companion

or just a good hang you can crack a few beers with.

Solitary creatures must survive

by relying on their own unique abilities...

especially in the lonely depths of the mighty ocean.

Sea fairy: It is I, the mystical sea fairy..

who only visits but once a century!

Aren't I so very beautiful?!

Now, I'm ready to grant your greatest wishes!

Is anyone...?

Nobody's here.

I guess 2021 is going great.

No one needs a wish granted.

A hundred short years ago, people were stoked to see me,

wishing for stuff left and right.

Welp. I guess, uh ‐‐ I guess I'll just come back...later.

Mirren: Not all creatures toil in obscurity.

There are those who exist to make their presence known.

Yes, another life lesson our animal friends can impart

is the value in drawing attention to oneself.

Unless, of course, you're an antelope

and most of your day is spent trying not to get eaten.

But, still, there are the bold ones,

the brazen souls who dare to stand out from the crowd...

like these socially cunning Japanese squirrels,

who rule their corner of the Aokigahara Forest.

Narrator: And, now, grab a rainwater martini

and join the ladies of

"The Real Housewives of the Forest Biome."

Squirrel #1: Hey, Bev! Squirrel #2: Yes, dah‐ling.

Do you think I went a little overboard

on my cheeks this time?

Don't be silly! They're perfect!

Squirrel #3: Hey, Bev, what about me?

You couldn't look better if you tried.

Aww! You mean it?

I swear on my firstborn. And she's the normal one.

Bev, when are you getting your cheeks filled?

Why, I'm doing it right now.

Young squirrel: Excuse me, ma'am?

Did you just call me "ma'am"?

Squirrel #3: Oh, no, girl.

Young squirrel: Yeah, do you know where the nearest restroom is?

Oh, and now you assume I work here?

Squirrel #3: Ooh! That's strike two. Careful, now.

Young squirrel: I guess I wasn't thinking.

Exactly! Now get your tight fur out of my sight...

Okay, okay. Geez.

...before I lose my nuts!

Mirren: We can learn so much from the inhabitants