Life manages to make you feel insignificant as a human. The 10-part nature series crisscrosses the world to reveal a stunning array of animals and their particularly clever survival skills. Deciding whether or not to get the H1N1 flu shot seems puny by comparison. Life (Sunday, 9 p.m., Discovery, Discovery HD) features an intoxicating blend of majestic high-definition footage, with a narrator (David Attenborough) gifted in the art of storytelling. Orchestra swells every time a beastie shows a feat of ingenuity ramp up the drama like it's a Stephen King thriller; there's the capuchin monkey who wields a rock like a hammer, the seal who must outwit a pod of whales, the baby penguin about to meet its maker and the terribly seductive Venus flytrap - each drama draws you in with its ruthless life and death consequences. Filmed over four years, the cinematic feel of this documentary series is breathtaking, and that's after watching it on a computer screen - watching Life on a large TV in high definition should be something else. Repeats Thursday at 8 p.m. and Friday at 3 p.m.
Also airing this week
Inside the Saudi Kingdom, Passionate Eye (Sunday 10 p.m. on CBC News Network). Made for the BBC, this is a rare inside look at the slow changes occurring in Saudi Arabia. A candid interview with a prince from the royal ruling family and an invitation to follow him around and hang out with his family give Westerners a fascinating taste of a very different world.