Cover Image credits: Apple Inc via Apple TV+
Production Companies: BBC Studios Natural History Unit and Moving Picture Company
By Mohd Amirul Faisal
Rejoice, fellow dinosaur fans from all over Malaysia and around the world!
Prehistoric Planet 2022, a brand new dinosaur documentary premiering on Apple TV+, has piqued the interest of dinosaur fans and enthusiasts all over the world. Not only it is narrated by David Attenborough and produced by the same people who brought you epic nature documentaries like Planet Earth and Planet Earth 2, Blue Planet, and Frozen Planet, but Hans Zimmer also composed the soundtracks, elevating the viewers’ experience to a new level.
As someone who has had a lifelong fascination with those spectacular prehistoric creatures, I couldn’t help but be excited about how this documentary series would be a spiritual successor to perhaps the most iconic dinosaur documentary of all time, Walking With Dinosaurs.
This article will only cover my initial thoughts on the first episode, which aired a few days ago, as well as what I would expect in this golden age of paleontology. The reason I said this is because a staggering number of fossils are discovered each year.
Fun fact: Around 5000 fossils are found by paleontologists every year.
An array of new dinosaur fossils unearthed by experts with the help of groundbreaking technology would enable us to dive deeper than ever before into the world of prehistory.
Newer computer tech comes with a better description of prehistoric creatures
Computer graphics and visual effects have come a long way. We are fortunate to live in an era when we may enjoy a wide variety of digital photos and paleoart showing dinosaurs. The same may be said about a number of dinosaur documentaries that have been released in recent years. With so many new discoveries being made every day, it can be challenging for producers and developers to ensure that the information given remains current.
The most recognizable dinosaur of all time, the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex, shows up in the first episode of this documentary, swimming magnificently alongside its young in the waterways around an ancient continent. Decades of meticulous research have also resulted in a shockingly accurate depiction of our adored dinosaur.
Gone of the days when dinosaurs were portrayed as generic scaly lizards and a body posture similar to a kangaroo. We now know that the lineage of dinosaurs began in the early days of the Triassic Period – the time when dinosaurs began to flourish and spread to every continent of the planet.
It was not until the Early Cretaceous period around 125 million years ago that the first feathered dinosaurs evolved. More fossils with their feathers are still intact bringing upon a recently well-known fact; birds did evolve from a group of meat-eating dinosaurs called the theropods.
And the feathered T-rex belongs to this classification. Dinosaur fans who seek accuracy in media portrayal will be satisfied by the incredible portrayal of feathered dinosaurs in the remarkable documentary series.
Underrated celebrities of the Mesozoic Era
The legendary Jurassic Park franchise undoubtedly contributes to the transformation of ordinary moviegoers into die-hard dinosaur lovers. The so-called “mainstream” dinosaurs, on the other hand, appeared to be the center of attention among the general population.
Triceratops, Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Velociraptors, Allosaurus, and Stegosaurus are among the most well-known dinosaurs, as are flying reptiles such as Pteranodon and the enormous Quetzalcoatlus. Try showing a child who has never been to a museum previously, and they will recognize them at a look.
Where is the love for less famous prehistoric animals? Notably, fossil specimens found in other regions such as China, Oceania, and Northern Africa received less recognition. Many Asian dinosaurs were named either by native paleontologists who made those fossil discoveries or derived from the native language of the country.
These difficult-to-pronounce names could explain why so few people were aware of their existence. Observing a competition between dinosaur fans to determine who can memorize the most Asian dinosaur names, such as the Beipiaosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus would be a sight to behold.
Another highlight of the show and one of the marine reptiles featured in this documentary is the Tuarangisaurus. The term “tuarangi” comes from the Maori language and means “ancient” which is how “ancient lizard” came to be. These huge marine reptiles previously roamed the oceans of what is now New Zealand during the Late Cretaceous period. The presence of stomach stones,’ or gastroliths, in numerous elasmosaur fossil remains, suggests that it may have ingested pebbles whole to aid its digestive tract; similar to how most sauropods do to crush the tough fibers of plants.
The Pteranodon is one of the most incredible flying reptiles and has been featured in popular media for as long as we can remember. Fortunately, rather than showing the same species in the pterosaur again, the creators chose to introduce viewers to other far stranger-looking flying reptiles that they may not have known existed.
The Barbaridactylus is easily recognizable by elongated crests protruding out from the top of their heads. It is a type of nyctosaurid that populated the skies during the Upper Cretaceous period. According to fossil records, this nyctosaur hunted like modern-day seabirds, diving-plunging into the water surface to catch any nearby fish.
A love letter to the iconic Walking with Dinosaurs series.
Attempting to reconstruct the animal’s design and animation and transform it into a full-scale documentary with solid production quality necessitates the use of skilled animators and artists. Unfortunately, such high-quality documentaries are few and far between. Walking with Dinosaurs is among the few polished dinosaur documentaries that can easily compete.
Many people consider it to be one of the best nature documentaries ever made, even today. Despite the fact that the information is outdated, the general portrayal of the dinosaurs outperforms many dinosaur documentaries. The animals appear to exist, breathing and living in every nook and cranny of the planet.
Furthermore, the first episode of Prehistoric Planet is only the beginning of an even more memorable journey through the Mesozoic Era. New species of dinosaurs discovered recently, including marine and flying reptiles, deserve to be recognized by as many people as possible. This new five-part series will enlighten not just adult dinosaur fans, but also children who are fascinated by these prehistoric beasts.
Watching this fantastic documentary series brought back memories of being such a curious child enthralled by the realistic-looking dinosaurs in Walking With Dinosaurs.
Although today’s children may be dissatisfied because they are unlikely to recognize many of their favorite dinosaurs in the documentary, their inquisitive minds will lead them to explore more about those dinosaurs at their convenience.
Thank you very much for reading! If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share it on social media and spread knowledge to the people around you 😀
References:-
- Favreau, J., & Gunton,M. (Executive Producers). (2022). Prehistoric Planet [Video file]. Retrieved from https://tv.apple.com/my/show/prehistoric-planet/umc.cmc.4lh4bmztauvkooqz400akxav
- Lacey,A. (Producer). (2022, April 8). How many fossils are there? [Audio podcast episode]. Crowdscience. BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct3j6n.
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