In some respects, I hate Planet Earth (the programme, not the thing that we're ruining). With it's seemingly endless stream of mind blowing images, incredible facts and breath taking creatures, it seems that every single programme I watch in the future won't be as good. I'm serious. Planet Earth is the finest thing that has ever been shown on TV in it's entire history. No programme has ever come close to it's beauty, cinematography and weight. It's innovative, clever, cheeky and most importantly, groundbreaking. It captures images of animals we know nothing about, animals that have never been caught on film before. It's funny, sad, cute and cruel. If that doesn't sum nature up in it's most simple form, I don't know what does. Last night's showing was a perfect reflection continued to push the envelope.

If you missed the show without good reason, someone should come 'round your house and smash your TV up and make sure you're never allowed to own one again. Aside from the stunning images on show, Planet Earth makes you realise how incredible nature is. It also makes you understand just how delicately balanced our ecosystems are. Without preaching, or becoming some kind of hippie nonsense, the show slowly seeps the idea into your mind that we need to start looking after the world, or all these amazing things may be wiped out. Planet Earth almost seems like a swansong to nature. One last glorious look at our planet before it explodes (or something). One of the most important ecosystems on 'our' planet is the rainforest.

The rainforests cover roughly three per cent of our planet, and in that small space, they contain 50 per cent of the world's species, and 80 per cent of the world's insects. Incredible shots of various insects with super duper high definition cameras enable viewers (now flat on their backs) quite unbelievable views of what goes on in the jungle. It shows forest specialists going about their daily business, which include an incredibly evil parasitic fungi which infiltrate an insect host, feed on its insides and then burst out of its body. One segment showed an infected ant "showing worrying signs" (qouth the honeyed tones of Attenborough). The fungi gets inside it, and sends messages directly to its brain, making it climb higher and higher up into the higher reaches of the world's tallest trees, before dying, and giving birth to it's terrible host. Erupting from the back of the ant's head, the fungi (shot in super slow hi-def footage) appears horn like, and is something that the world's greatest sci-fi film makers wouldn't be able to conjure.

The birds of paradise were back with their psychedelic plumage, dancing around potential mates and in one case, one bird turned himself into an incredible dancing fluorescent blue and black mask with a huge grin and day-glo eyes. Incredible stuff. As ever with Planet Earth, it showed fascinating things, beautiful curious creatures... and then hit you with a reminder that nature is indeed a cruel beast.

Showing the largest recorded gang of chimps (150 strong) defending their territory was difficult, but essential, viewing. A neighbouring group of chimpanzees were attacked with great speed and fury, with very few escaping with their lives. Non were spared. One gruesome shot showed the killing of a baby chimp, then cannibalised by the aggressors. No one is quite sure if it's a simple case of getting the protein whilst you can, or a show of strength. Either way, it made for incredibly powerful television. Once again, Planet Earth wipes out the opposition with the greatest of ease, and continues to blaze a new trail for the rest of the programme making world. In more ways than one, Planet Earth really is the greatest show on earth. [Mof Gimmers]