Skip to main content Skip to footer site map
S42 Ep4

Deep Relationships | Spy in the Ocean

Premiere: 11/8/2023 | 00:00:30 |

Spy creatures uncover surprising undersea relationships as sharks befriend fish, whales play with dolphins, and lobsters do the conga in seas where even spider crabs have friends.

About the Episode

The ocean depths are full of mysteries, but luckily there are intrepid spies up to the task of discovering them for us. Go on a mission deep beneath the waves in Spy in the Ocean, A Nature Miniseries, premiering Wednesdays, October 25 – November 15 at 8/7c on PBS (check local listings), YouTube and the PBS App.

John Downer Productions created dozens of new waterproof animatronic spy cameras for this latest installment of the popular Spy in the Wild series, including a whale calf, shark, dolphin, manatee, cuttlefish, octopus, seal, crab and many more. Utilizing the latest subsea technology, these uncanny robot lookalikes venture to the depths of the ocean floor to interact with their animal counterparts, communicating with them and mimicking their patterns. Watch as they swim, float, paddle, waddle, drift and fly into every nook and cranny to film rarely seen behavior that reveals how ocean animals possess emotions and behavior similar to humans – including the capacity to love, grieve, deceive and invent.

Witness Thailand macaques catching fish with their bare hands, one of the many firsts caught on camera. Spy Coconut Octopus gives a helping tentacle to a new octopus friend. Spy Seal joins a gang of young fur seals on an emotional rollercoaster ride to safety. The sophisticated Spy Cuttlefish replicates the changing patterns of real cuttlefish to disentangle itself from the complexities of courtship. In a rarely captured moment, watch as a group of sperm whale families join together in a close and intimate gathering to socialize.

SHARE
PRODUCTION CREDITS

SPY IN THE OCEAN
DEEP RELATIONSHIPS

NARRATED BY
JAYCE BARTOK

PHOTOGRAPHY
ALFREDO BARROSO
MATTHEW GOODMAN
AUDITA HARSONO
JAIMEN HUDSON
DIDIER NOIROT
FREDERIQUE OLIVIER
PANG QUONG
ANDY WHEATCROFT
HUW WILLIAMS
RICHARD WOLLOCOMBE

EDITORS
JESSIE CLAYTON
ROBIN LEWIS
SOPHIE ALARD

ADDITIONAL EDITING
SIAN GIMSON

MUSIC BY
WILL GREGORY

PERFORMED BY
BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES
BBC SINGERS

CONDUCTED BY
BEN FOSTER

SOUND EDITORS
PAUL COWGILL
DOOHEE RHEE

RE-RECORDING MIXER
PETER DAVIES

CAMERA ASSISTANTS
KARL PAPENFUSS
RORY DOWNER
LIISA JUUTI
MAJIK MASWANDI
DAVID PALFREY
PIERRE VIDALOT

COLORIST
DAN GILL

POST PRODUCTION PRODUCER
JAMES JEFFERIES

POST PRODUCTION MANAGERS
JAMES LENNOX-GORDON
JEN POWELL

POST PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
KEVIN MURPHY

ONLINE EDITOR
ED GIBBS

MODELMAKERS
MANGOSTONE
GERALDINE O’REILLY

VISUAL EFFECTS
JAMES JEFFERIES
HELENA NETOPIL
SINGLE FIN TV
422 SOUTH

SPY CREATURE DESIGNERS/OPERATORS
MALCOLM BEARD
MASAHIRO ISHIDA
DAVID FARROW
JOSHUA LEE

SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR
DR MARK J BUTLER IV

LOCATION SERVICES
COLIN HAMPSON
CRAIG STEWART
NICO GHERSINICH
MALPELO TOURS
RICARDO LEÓN
BOB BRUNSKILL
CLAUDIA GUERRA
TRANSCORD

LOCATION ASSISTANCE FURNISHED BY
SWALLOW CAYE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
DEPT. OF MARINE RESOURCES, BAHAMAS
MINISTRY OF TOURISM, BAHAMAS
THE GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK

SPECIAL THANKS
SANDRA BESSUDO

FINANCE TEAM
KATE BARRY
LUCY TODD
AMANDA ROBERTS

PRODUCTION COORDINATORS
SOPHIE JONES
SASHA REMNANT

PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE
EMMA BALLINGER

HEAD OF PRODUCTION
ANNA THOMAS

COMMISSIONING EDITOR FOR THE BBC
JACK BOOTLE

PRODUCER
HUW WILLIAMS

SERIES PRODUCER
MATTHEW GORDON

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
PHILIP DALTON

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
JOHN DOWNER

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER LYNCH

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JAYNE JUN

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JAMES F. BURKE

LEGAL COUNSEL
BLANCHE ROBERTSON

DIGITAL LEAD
DANIELLE BROZA

DIGITAL PRODUCER
AMANDA SCHMIDT

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
KAREN HO

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
CHELSEY SAATKAMP

BUDGET CONTROLLER
JAYNE LISI

ONLINE EDITOR
STACEY DOUGLASS MOVERLEY

RE-RECORDING MIXER
JON BERMAN

NARRATION RECORD
BRIAN BEATRICE

ORIGINAL SERIES FUNDING FOR SPY IN THE OCEAN PROVIDED IN PART BY
The Hite Foundation

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION FUNDING PROVIDED FOR NATURE
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Arnhold Foundation
The Fairweather Foundation
Kate W. Cassidy Foundation
Charles Rosenblum
Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao
Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III
Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation
Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust
Gregg Peters Monsees Foundation
Koo and Patricia Yuen
Sandra Atlas Bass

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A JOHN DOWNER PRODUCTION FOR BBC, PBS AND THE WNET GROUP

THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

© 2023 JOHN DOWNER PRODUCTIONS LTD
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

SPY IN THE OCEAN ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
© 2023 PBS AND © 2023 THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

FUNDING

Support for Spy in the Ocean, A Nature Miniseries was provided in part by The Hite Foundation. Series funding for Nature is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, The Fairweather Foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Charles Rosenblum, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Gregg Peters Monsees Foundation, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Sandra Atlas Bass, and public television viewers.

TRANSCRIPT

- [Narrator] Our spies adventures aren't over.

This latest mission sheds light on an undersea world built on relationships.

There is teamwork, companionship and communication.

Perhaps we have more in common with these sea creatures than we think.

© 2024 WNET. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.