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Episodes

12 seasons · 131 episodes · best: S4E12 "Temple of Blood" 7.9

Story

Satellites orbit Earth at 17,000 miles an hour, capturing images of our world that are breathtaking, but some are bizarre. This unique perspective reveals objects that seem to make no sense & phenomena that defy explanation. Such images force the question, what on Earth is that?

Feels like

Documentary Series
Satellite Imagery
Unexplained Phenomena
Global Mysteries
Visual Exploration
Scientific Inquiry
Curiosity-Driven
Earth Sciences
Educational Entertainment

Cast

1 of 1 · most episodes first

Andrew GoughSelf

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What on Earth?2015 · Show

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Open a page:Blue Planet II (2017)Africa (2013)Planet Earth II (2016)Life (2009)Through the Wormhole (2010)Ocean with David Attenborough (2025)Microcosmos (1996)Human Planet (2011)Planet Earth (2006)Frozen Planet (2011)Project Hail Mary (2026)Into the Inferno (2016)Explained (2018)Fantastic Fungi (2019)Tim's Vermeer (2013)Winged Migration (2001)MythBusters (2003)Life in a Day (2011)Oceans (2010)Apollo 11 (2019)Ancient Apocalypse (2022)Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)Charlie (2015)The Blue Planet (2001)My Octopus Teacher (2020)UFO (2018)Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016)Mars (2016)Kedi (2017)Chasing Ice (2012)Cosmos (2014)Dr. STONE (2019)March of the Penguins (2005)Chef's Table (2015)Our Planet (2019)The Year Earth Changed (2021)Encounters at the End of the World (2008)The Biggest Little Farm (2019)Helvetica (2007)Man on Wire (2008)Earth (2007)Man vs. Wild (2006)The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (2022)Patema Inverted (2013)Long Way North (2015)Cosmos: A Personal Voyage (1980)Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2010)Before the Flood (2016)Side by Side (2012)Never Cry Wolf (1983)3 Body Problem (2024)2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)Flight of the Navigator (1986)Scavengers Reign (2023)Long Way Round (2004)Paperman (2012)Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)The Game Changers (2019)Squid Game: Making Season 2 (2025)Deep Web (2015)Gravity (2013)20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)The Vast of Night (2019)Europa Report (2013)

Facts

February 10, 2015 · March 16, 2023 · Still running

First aired: February 10, 2015
Latest episode: March 16, 2023
Status: Still running
Length: 12 seasons · 131 episodes
Age rating: TV-14
Genres: Documentary
Original language: English
Also spoken: German, French
Made in: United States
Available in: 20 countries

Tropes

Translation Convention, Narrator, Disney Acid Sequence +5

Translation Convention
Narrator
Disney Acid Sequence
Big Honking Traffic Jam
Limited Animation
Hemisphere Bias
Mockumentary
Mistook the Dominant Lifeform

From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream What on Earth??"

Questions about What on Earth?

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream What on Earth??

In the United States, What on Earth? streams on HBO Max, Philo, Discovery+, Science, and Discovery +, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Spectrum On Demand, Plex, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Google Play Movies and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 17 other countries.

Is What on Earth? worth watching?

62

DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 62 (IMDb 5.9).

Does What on Earth? get better after season 1?

6.1S16.9S27.0S36.7S46.9S56.6S66.7S76.8S86.3S9

Yes: season 1 has an IMDb average of 6.1, and season 3 peaks at 7.0. The highest-rated episode is Temple of Blood (season 4, episode 12) at 7.9, and the lowest is Monsters of Diamond Desert (season 6, episode 2) at 5.6.

Is What on Earth? okay for kids?

TV-14

Yes: it's rated TV-14 in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

How long does it take to watch What on Earth??

96 h

About 96 hours: 131 episodes in 12 seasons of about 44 minutes each since 2015, and it's still in production.

Is What on Earth? plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly plot-driven: intrigue (8 of 10) and mystery (8 of 10) carry it more than its characters do.

Will I feel good after watching What on Earth??

BleakHopeful

Yes, it's an uplifting series: the title analysis rates it 7 of 10 for wholesome and 6 for hopefulness.