Spy in the Ocean

Editorial

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

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Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Go deep beneath the waves – on a spy mission to the depths of the ocean. 

Go deep beneath the waves – on a spy mission to the depths of the ocean. Amazing hidden cameras give incredible perspectives on the ingenious creatures that call it home.

Series 1

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David Tennant

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Spy in the Ocean: Series 1: Deep Feelings

Deep Feelings

BBC One - Spy in the Ocean, Series 1, Deep Feelings

Spy Creatures dive into the emotions we share with the animals of the ocean.

Spy Creatures explore animal emotions, showing the deep feelings we share. With surfing dolphins, kissing manatees and sensitive cuttlefish, it’s an amazing, emotional rollercoaster.

Our spy creatures dive into the world of animal emotions by befriending the most complex minds in the ocean and gaining insights into their innermost feelings. Bottlenose dolphins are famed for their intelligence, but Spy Dolphin is on a mission to find out what they really feel. Spy Dolphin is prepped and ready to join a pod of thrill-seeking dolphins surfing the waves. Kitted out with extra thrust, it gets a lesson in having fun from the experts. Riding the surf, fin to fin, Spy Dolphin’s camera eyes see the dolphin’s moods soar with an endorphin hit, jumping, leaping and playing tricks in the waves with their friends, until… wipe out!

Spy Cuttlefish takes the title of the most sophisticated spy ever made. Its integrated screen can replicate the changing patterns of real cuttlefish. Giant cuttlefish wear their emotions on their sleeve, or skin to be more accurate, and so does our spy. When Spy Cuttlefish shows the patterns of a male, it is treated with hostility and rivalry, yet when it switches to the patterns of a female, it becomes an object of desire among the males. Spy Cuttlefish must rely on its in-built communication skills to disentangle itself from the complexities of cuttlefish courtship. In the process, Spy Cuttlefish gains an insight into what both male and female cuttlefish really feel.

Cuttlefish aren’t the only sea creatures to wear their feelings on the outside, but none have mastered the art of disguise better than the mimic octopus. Spy Octopus sets out to observe mimic octopus behaviour, but first it has to find one! In a truly mesmerising display of skill, the mimic octopus shows off its shape-shifting repertoire. From poisonous flatfish, to dangerous lionfish and even a venomous sea snake, no impersonation is too great a challenge. It even manages a credible impression of our very own spy!

Spy Dolphin’s next mission is to French Polynesia in search of more fun-loving friends. But it gets more than it bargained for when approached by a boisterous baby humpback whale, five times its size. However, there is a spy for every occasion and joining Spy Dolphin is a 3.5 metre-long Spy Humpback Calf, fitted out with five multi-angled 4K cameras. Our spy is an instant hit with the baby humpback, and through its camera-eye, we witness an emotional connection starting to form.

In New Zealand, Spy Seal joins a group of fur seal pups as they face the most emotional moment of their young lives – their mothers have gone fishing. For the first time, the pups are left to fend for themselves, but at least they have each other… that is until a storm hits, and the youngest seal pup finds itself left behind as the other seals head for the hills. For this young pup, an extraordinary journey lies ahead as it tries to catch up with those seeking safety inland. When emotions get too much, Spy Seal’s presence gives the young pup the morale boost it needs.

The manatees of the Caribbean are mysterious creatures, but they too show a strong emotional side, especially when hanging out together among the beauty of the coral reefs. To discover more, Spy Manatee is perfectly designed to fit in. Being infant-sized increases its chances of being accepted. It moves and swims like the real thing too. Patience pays off, and Spy Manatee gains a privileged view into their complex relationships. It even experiences first-hand just how affectionate manatees can be. In the ultimate sign of acceptance, it receives a manatee kiss!

In Japan, a competition breaks out as mudskippers try to win a female’s favour. Spy Mudskipper turns on the charm, using its flag-waving fins and its programmed leaping function. Its larger size is appreciated by the female, but when the two other frontrunners fight it out among themselves, will his jump measure up?

Back in New Zealand, after an emotional journey helped by Spy Seal, the seal pup joins his lost friends in a beautiful pool beneath a waterfall. As we found with all the animals our spies encountered, their feelings are startlingly similar to our own.

Spy in the Ocean: Series 1

BBC One

Go deep beneath the waves – on a spy mission to the depths of the ocean.

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