The BEST episodes directed by David Johnson
#1 - Miracle in the Marshes of Iraq
Natural World - Season 29 - Episode 9
It's the largest and most ambitious habitat recreation project ever known: to bring back to life one of the world's greatest marshlands. And it's happening in Iraq. Considered to be the original Garden of Eden, the marshes were once Iraq's wildlife jewel, where man and nature thrived for 5,000 years. But in the 1990s, Saddam Hussein drained these gigantic wetlands and turned them into a desert, destroying a home to thousands of people and millions of birds. Donning his body armour, filmmaker David Johnson travels to the Mesopotamian Marshes to follow the work of Azzam Alwash, the visionary Iraqi engineer at the centre of this extraordinary scheme to re-flood hundreds of miles of desert and bring back life to the sands. This is a view of Iraq the world never sees, a world of huge reed beds and vast flocks of birds that fill the sky. But nothing ever quite goes to plan in Iraq.
Watch Now:Amazon
#2 - Wild Swimming With Alice Roberts
BBC Documentaries - Season 2010 - Episode 75
Alice Roberts embarks on a quest to discover what lies behind the passion for wild swimming, now becoming popular in Britain. She follows in the wake of Waterlog, the classic swimming text by the late journalist and author, Roger Deakin. Her journey takes in cavernous plunge pools, languid rivers and unfathomable underground lakes, as well as a skinny dip in a moorland pool. Along the way Alice becomes aware that she is not alone on her watery journey.
#3 - Beavers Behaving Badly
Natural World - Season 33 - Episode 8
Who are you going to call when beavers are behaving badly? Well, if you live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Drew Reed is the go-to 'beaver buster'. Drew works as a wetland conservationist, helping to keep the peace between beavers and people. These busy rodents are incredibly industrious - felling trees and building dams are two of their favourite occupations. This can be good news in the wild, helping create rich habitats for a variety of wildlife, but in backyards it can spell disaster. A beaver is more than capable of bringing down a tree large enough to damage property and their dam building can result in flooded homes. Drew must do what he can to steer beavers away from trouble and stop their so-called bad behaviour.
Watch Now:Amazon
#4 - Pugin: God's Own Architect
BBC Documentaries - Season 2012 - Episode 15
Augustus Northmore Welby Pugin is far from being a household name, yet he designed the iconic clock tower of Big Ben as well as much of the Palace of Westminster. The 19th century Gothic Revival that Pugin inspired, with its medieval influences and soaring church spires, established an image of Britain which still defines the nation. Presenter Richard Taylor charts Pugin's extraordinary life story and discovers how his work continues to influence Britain today.
#5 - Solos
Blindspot - Season 2 - Episode 17
[L] Jane and her new flame Oliver find themselves in a dangerous situation that exposes the secrets they've both been keeping. Uncertain if they can trust each other, the couple must stay alive while Weller and the team race to save them.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
#6 - Borneo Jungle
Man vs. Wild - Season 6 - Episode 4
In Borneo, Bear heads directly into the wild jungles. Without a place to land his helicopter, he is forced to rappel into the treetops. As the heli peels away, Bear is 100 feet up in the canopy. After finding his way down to the jungle floor, Bear tackles raging waters, big mudslides and deep caves as he fights his way through this impenetrable place.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
#7 - Braving Iraq
Nature - Season 29 - Episode 4
As recently as the 1980’s, Iraq’s Mesopotamian Marshes were reminiscent of the Garden of Eden – indeed, many biblical scholars believe they are one and the same. Fed by the combined waters of the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, this enormous marshland of over 6,000 square miles dominated southern Iraq. For more than 7,000 years, these wetlands provided a bountiful home for both wildlife and humans. A large population of indigenous people, the Ma’dan Tribes known as Marsh Arabs, had thrived there for centuries. But in the 1990’s, due to political conflict, Saddam Hussein attempted to eradicate them – not through systematic extermination, but by destroying the marshes on which they depended for survival. Massive canals were dug, diverting river water away from the wetlands and towards the Persian Gulf. Huge embankments were built to prevent water from entering the marshes. What had been a green paradise twice the size of the Everglades shrank to less than 10% of its original size. Most of it was transformed into a parched, lifeless desert. The wildlife and the people were forced to leave.