As Planet Earth II proved for the zillionth time, Sir David Attenborough is an absolute master when it comes to nature documentaries.
But incredible as he is, his talents fall short of being able to turn into a secret robot full of hidden cameras.
Believe it or not, that’s the premise of new BBC nature show Spy in the Wild.
The makers of the series have created several robotic animals designed to infiltrate the social circles of elusive creature and capture them in their natural state.
While the robots themselves are more or less the stuff of nightmares (we’re not at a Westworld stage of realism yet), the footage they collect is remarkable.
There are brand new crocodile hatchlings emerging from the sand, prairie dogs that keep kissing each other, and hyenas who seem fascinated by the sudden appearance of a new puppy.
Best of all are the Langur monkeys, who accidentally drop their robo-monkey from a distance – and freak out after thinking they’ve killed it.
What follows is bizarre and touching, as they seem to grieve and pay tribute to the fallen youngster.
Narrating the whole thing is David Tennant – whose soft Scottish tones are a welcome addition to a slightly odd but hugely watchable show.
BBC One, 8pm
