Prehistoric Planet

If you're reading this, consider this review a 10/10 and don't even bother reading the rest! Go watch this now! :)

Every element of this show is perfect. Sir David Attenborough is a wizard at narration. The cinematography is mind-blowing. The CGI effects are so seamless, I couldn't believe it. The score is brilliant, beautiful, moving.

One of the greatest documentaries of all time has begun.

There is a LOT to say about Prehistoric Planet, a dream come true for avid enthusiasts of prehistoric life such as myself, with a beautifully bombastic score, absolutely incredible special effects, and of course, narration from Sir David Attenborough himself, what is there not to love?

This is one of the very few pieces of media where I was absolutely wowed, the cgi is absolutely masterful as I was sometimes left wondering what is actually real or not. This series truly shows that close scientific backing and communication does indeed pay off as you can truly believe that you are in fact watching real animals, moreso when they are put in very unique situations that modern animals experience but haven't really been done with prehistoric animals before such as the Velociraptors hunting pterosaurs on the cliff, which evokes the iconic Snow Leopard hunt from Planet Earth, and the Triceratops herd venturing into caves to lick minerals much like Elephants do today. I much appreciate this series showcasing and even giving the spotlight to relatively unkown and obscure organisms.

Now here are the negatives. Some animals and locales are not named or elaborated upon, which may make context for some of the sequences confusing to viewers who aren't well-versed with Cretaceous lore. Some sequences feel a bit rushed and shoe-horned in which I think is especially prevelant in the Freshwater episode. The worlds also sometimes feel empty, as there is a noticeable lack of ambient creatures in some sequences. Finally a little nitpick of mine was not showing what otherwise would have been fantastic sequences such as the T.rex bringing down a Triceratops.

Overall, I'm confident in saying that Prehistoric Planet is one of the most impressive and groundbreaking pieces of dinosaur media ever, and I hope this series helps to spark new interest in creating fresh portrayls of the magnificent animals that came before us.

If you enjoyed the 2002 BBC primetime programs, Walking with Dinosaurs and Walking with Prehistoric Beasts, then you're going to LOVE this new 2022 Apple TV series, Prehistoric Planet, convincingly narrated by David Attenborough.

Let's be clear - Prehistoric Planet is a combination of state-of-the-art imaging technology and speculation. Since human beings were not around to actually witness and document the appearance and activities of dinosaurs, series like these need to utilize a certain amount of "discretionary imagination." And that's OK, because unless we someday discover a way to grow living dinosaurs from DNA (as in Jurassic Park), we'll simply have to rely on fossilized skeletons to help us form a reasonable picture of what dinosaurs must have looked like 66 million years ago. And as Attenborough explains, Prehistoric Planet leverages what Paleontologists have learned about dinosaurs thus far. Case in point, in the 1993 film, Jurassic Park, Velociraptors looked much different than the ones portrayed in this 2022 series. These Velociraptors have broad tails and feathers!

What I like about Prehistoric Planet is that we get to see these extinct creatures behaving like genuine animals, and not terrible monsters. These dinosaurs protect their young from predators, a behavior seen in higher life forms such as dolphins and elephants. And more so, we get to have a deeper understanding of why dinosaurs were able to flourish and thrive virtually unabated for millions of years. Perhaps we Homo Sapiens can learn a few things about adaptation and survival from our very distant cousins.

As usual no spoilers here, but I will reveal that "Iron Man" director Jon Favreau wanted the production to have the look and feel of a theatrical blockbuster, with an educational component woven throughout it.

Is there anything better than settling in with a cup of tea and a nature show narrated by David Attenborough?!??? YES. Yes there is.

A DINOSAUR nature show narrated by David Attenborough.

'Nuf said.

The production and animation quality is top notch. The stories told are moving, funny, surprising, informative. Felt like I traveled back in time. The extra features -- 5 or 6 short videos -- which show "the science behind the stories" is also worth a look.