All these nature shows have felt like manufactured drama, at least to some extent, but it still feels odd to watch a nature show that is almost entirely manufactured. Once you can get past that, you’re in for a treat.
I don’t know who convinced Jon Favreau to use his technology superpowers for good, but I’m grateful for the wizardry. At some moments, the illusion fails, but more often than that, this wildly fascinating speculative docudrama amazes. Even Hans Zimmer punches beyond his weight, with a score that never drones and often feels inspired. The on-location photography also adds a lot to the immersion, with stunning views that often amazed me as much as the dinosaurs themselves.
One of the best things I’ve seen on TV since the original Planet Earth and a clear win for BBC.
Footnote: Y’all talked a lot about that mating dance. I’m here to tell you my wife thought it was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. She made me watch it three times, and I still don’t know what Attenborough said, because all I could ever hear was her laughing and screaming about “those little arms.” Then she spent the rest of the evening imitating the mating dance as she walked around the house, and would immediately double over in laughter at her own expense. That alone was worth the price of admission.