Documentary AreaSimply the best Documentaries

No two islands in the Galapagos are the same. The imperceptible drift of a continental plate keeps each island biologically isolated. David Attenborough explores this evolutionary crucible, encountering tortoises that weigh up to half a tonne, finches that use tools and lizards that communicate using press-ups; for Darwin, this was all evidence for his theory of evolution. We see the final footage of the world famous tortoise fondly known as Lonesome George, the last survivor of his species. David Attenborough was the last person to have ever filmed with him. Darwin’s famous visit had a downside – the arrival of man. David investigates the impact we’ve had in these islands, as our influence is a double-edged sword. We’ve disrupted the natural balance but he also believes Darwin would be thrilled with the advances we have made in science. We’re also now uncovering evidence that evolution is more rapid than Darwin could ever have imagined. Whatever wonders the Galapagos Islands hold today, they are only a hint of what awaits them in the future.

Discover the authorized documentary about the career of the American rock group the Eagles. The film combines archive footage of the band with interviews with all the members of the band, as well as other people involved in the band history or who knew them. The first part chronicles the early life of band members and the founding of the band, the making of their albums and their rise to success.

Discover the story behind the scenes of the band's fifth studio album Hotel California, one of the best-selling albums of all time. Henley said about this work: 'They are the same themes that run through all of our work: loss of innocence, the cost of naiveté, the perils of fame, of excess; exploration of the dark underbelly of the American dream, idealism realized and idealism thwarted, illusion versus reality, the difficulties of balancing loving relationships and work, trying to square the conflicting relationship between business and art; the corruption in politics, the fading away of the Sixties dream of peace, love and understanding.

Fights within Eagles were common long before Hotel California. They started as four equal partners. Gradually the power shifted toward Henley and Frey, which Meisner and Leadon resented. Leadon left first because the band progressed from country to rock. He also wanted to live a healthy life in a band that lived extremely unhealthy. Even though they made many wonderful songs, things were far from smooth in the studio.

Last part of the documentary begins with the period following the breakup, with brief accounts of the careers of individual members of the band and by the reunion of the band in 1994, followed by the 1990s and 21st century phases of the Eagles. It documents their successful tours, the dispute with Don Felder and the period after his dismissal. It concludes with the band members looking back assessing their actions and career, with contributions from other people who knew them.

Ant colonies are one of the wonders of nature - complex, organised and mysterious. This programme reveals the secret, underground world of the ant colony in a way that's never been seen before. At its heart is a massive, full-scale ant nest, specially designed and built to allow cameras to see its inner workings. The nest is a new home for a million-strong colony of leafcutter ants from Trinidad. For a month, entomologist Dr George McGavin and leafcutter expert Professor Adam Hart capture every aspect of the life of the colony, using time-lapse cameras, microscopes, microphones and radio tracking technology.