The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau (1966-1976): The Complete Series

by G. Jack Urso

The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau is a series of documentary specials that began with a special in 1966 and followed by a series of 36 episodes that ran from 1968-1976 on the BBC in the United Kingdom and on ABC in the United States. The impact of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau on popular culture cannot be understated. It led to a wider knowledge of the undersea environment and fed into the rising environmental movement. Indeed, if there are secular saints, Cousteau certainly qualifies as one. 

The entire series is available on the Ae13U Blue Planet YouTube channel and in links to individual episodes at the end of this article.

Cousteau was not only an undersea explorer but also an engineer constantly looking for new ways to explore in a hostile environment. As noted by National Geographic, Cousteau, with French engineer Émile Gagnan, invented the Aqua-Lung, a self-contained breathing system that spawned an entire industry and revolutionized underwater exploration. Later, with another with French engineer, Jean Mollard, Cousteau designed the saucer-shaped SP‑350 Denise, which used revolutionary water jets for unparalleled maneuverability and was frequently featured throughout the series.

Cousteau and the SP‑350 Denise.

Produced by Alan Landsburg, the series was narrated by Rod Serling in the United States and by British actor Richard Johnson in the United Kingdom; however, it is Serling’s narration that is most identified with the series, in addition to the Gallic intonations of Cousteau himself. As Serling’s health deteriorated prior to his passing in 1976, actor Joseph Campanella filled in for the last six episodes of the U.S. version of the series from 1974-1976.

The music for most of the series, including the iconic theme, is provided by Walter Scharf. The legendary Lalo Schifrin, who did music for hundreds of films and TV series, even turns up for an episode. Without doubt, the production qualities set the gold standard for nature documentaries, proving that high-quality film under difficult circumstances can be achieved with a dedicated and professional crew.

An observant viewer will notice similarities in the production values of the very fact-based The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and In Search of . . . , the series that “presents information based in part on theory and conjecture.” In fact, Alan Landsburg, the producer of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, also produced In Search of . . . , even down to asking Rod Serling to narrate the new series. Serling did host three television specials produced by Landsburg to test the concept In Search of Ancient Astronauts and In Search of Ancient Mysteries, both in 1973, and The Outer Space Connection in 1975. Serling, however, due to the aforementioned health concerns, was not able to do the series, so the narration duties fell to Leonard Nimoy. More information, including the complete series run, is available at Aeolus13 Umbra: In Search of . . . A Series Retrospective.

John Denver singing his classic tribute to Cousteau and his crew “Calypso” (1977).

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The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau (1966-1976): 

The Complete Series Episode List

Episodes hosted on the Ae13U Blue Planet YouTube channel.

Conshelf II

Special: “The Conshelf Adventure” | Original Airdate September 15, 1966

A profile of Conshelf II, the experimental underwater habitat.

Episode 1: “Sharks” | Original Airdate January 8, 1968

Explorations of shark behavior in the Red Sea.

Episode 2: “Savage World of the Coral Jungle” | Original Airdate March 6, 1968

The ecosystem of the coral reefs in the Indian Ocean is studied.

Episode 3: “Search in the Deep” | Original Airdate April 15, 1968

The Cousteau team explores the island of Europa between Mozambique and Africa.

Episode 4: “Whales” | Original Airdate November 15, 1968

The Calypso studies finback, sperm and killer whales.

Episode 5: “The Unexpected Voyage of Pepito and Cristobal” | Original Airdate January 13, 1969

The Calypso takes on board two seals off the Cape of Good Hope.

Episode 6: “Sunken Treasure” | Original Airdate March 3, 1969

The search for the Spanish ship La Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, which sank with over $2 million in silver and gold.

Episode 7: “The Legend of Lake Titicaca” | Original Airdate April 24, 1969

Cousteau and his team go in search of lost Incan gold in the ancient Peruvian lake.

Episode 8: “The Desert Whales” | Original Airdate October 28, 1969

The California Gray whales is studied in this episode.

Episode 9: “The Night of the Squid” | Original Airdate January 16, 1970

The life cycle of the sea arrow squid is studied off southern California as 20 million squids gather to spawn and die.

Episode 10: “Return of the Sea Elephant” | Original Airdate February 8, 1970

The crew visits Guadalupe island to study the habits of the sea elephant seal.

Episode 11: “Those Incredible Diving Machines” | Original Airdate March 10, 1970

The history of the technology of underwater exploration is covered from Alexander the Great to the present day.

The SP‑350 Denise.

Episode 12: “The Water Planet” | Original Airdate March 28, 1970

Cousteau discusses the challenges of underwater exploration and profiles the crew of the Calypso.

Episode 13: “Tragedy of the Red Salmon” | Original Airdate November 24, 1970

The life cycle of the red sockeye salmon.

Episode 14: “Lagoon of Lost Ships” | Original Airdate May 14, 1971

The Calypso visits Truk Lagoon where 50 Japanese vessels were sunk during Worl War II.

Episode 15: “The Dragons of Galapagos” | Original Airdate February 24, 1971

Galapagos is the destination for this study of the marine iguana.

Episode 16: “Secrets of the Sunken Caves” | Original Airdate March 19, 1971

Cousteau and his team studies “blue holes,” mysterious underwater geological formations.

Episode 17: “The Unsinkable Sea Otter” | Original Airdate September 26, 1971

The Calypso journeys to the North Aleutian Islands to study the sea otter and threats to its existence.

Episode 18: “The Forgotten Mermaids” | Original Airdate December 21, 1971

The manatees off East Florida are profiled and the team helps a manatee lost in a sewer system.

Episode 19: “Octopus, Octopus” | Original Airdate January 24, 1972

Cousteau reviews the biology and life cycle of the octopus.

Episode 20: “A Sound of Dolphins” | Original Airdate February 25, 1972

The Calypso studies the dolphins’ sonar system.

Cousteau in his iconic red wool cap.

Episode 21: “500 Million Years Beneath the Sea” | Original Airdate January 11, 1973

In this episode, the Cousteau and his crew night dive to observe the nautilus in action.

Episode 22: “The Smile of the Walrus” | Original Airdate November 5, 1972

A walrus’ life on artic ice floes is the subject of this episode.

Episode 23: “Hippo!” | Original Airdate February 16, 1973

Cousteau and crew study the giant land animal amid dangerous crocodiles.

Episode 24: “The Singing Whale” | Original Airdate March 12, 1973

The Calypso tracks the haunting songs of migrating humpback whales.

Episode 25: “South to Fire and Ice” | Original Airdate November 29, 1973

The desolate Antarctic is the destination for the crew.

Episode 26: “The Flight of Penguins” | Original Airdate January 21, 1974

The Calypso studies the life cycle of the penguin.

Episode 27: “Beneath the Frozen World” | Original Airdate March 3, 1974

Still in the Antarctic, the crew studies the world above and below the ice.

Episode 28: “Blizzard at Hope Bay” | Original Airdate March 22, 1974

The dangers of life in the Antarctic become all to real as the crew is trapped in a three-day blizzard.

Episode 29: “Life at the End of the World” | Original Airdate November 14, 1974

Leaving the Antarctic, the crew goes to Tierra del Fuego to study the threatened Qawashqar Indians.

Episode 30: “Beavers of the North Country” | Original Airdate January 6, 1975

Cousteau visits the rough backcountry of Canada to study the beaver.

The Calypso during its time with Cousteau.

Episode 31: “The Coral Divers of Corsica” | Original Airdate February 21, 1975

The Calypso studies the endangered red-coral forests of the Mediterranean Sea.

Episode 32: “The Sleeping Sharks of Yucatan” | Original Airdate April 6, 1975

Sharks in underwater caves? There’s only one way to find out — go in and see for yourself!

Episode 33: “The Sea Birds of Isabela” | Original Airdate December 8, 1975

The Calypso crew visits the warm waters off the Mexico’s Isla Isabela.

Episode 34: “Mysteries of the Hidden Reefs” | Original Airdate April 5, 1976

Cousteau continues his study of the complex biology of coral reefs.

Episode 35: “The Fish That Swallowed Jonah” | Original Airdate May 23, 1976

The Calypso continues his explorations near the Yucatan Peninsula to look for various species of groupers.

Episode 36: “The Incredible March of the Spiny Lobsters” | Original Airdate May 30, 1976

Cousteau ends the series still in the Yucatan studying the migration of the spiny lobster. 

An above and below water view of the Calypso in its final form.

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