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Furry, ferocious and the hottest stars on TV |
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Written by Chris Rovzar, McClatchy-Tribune
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Friday, 04 May 2007 |
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Tired of watching McDreamy chase Meredith? No problem. Everyone else is tuning in to Wolf chasing Baby Caribou!
That's right. If you haven't noticed, lately some of TV's best-loved characters aren't the sexy stars of prime-time comedies and dramas. They're the wild animals on cult cable favorites like Discovery's "Planet Earth," National Geographic's "A Man Among Wolves" and Animal Planet's "Meerkat Manor."
These days, animal programming is more popular than ever. The Discovery Channel's epic 11-part "Planet Earth," which followed gazelles, elephants, whales, sharks and migrating birds, among dozens of other species, drew more than 65 million viewers. For most of the past five Sundays, it hit the No. 1 slot on primetime cable. It also set the stage for programs like PBS' "Dogs Who Changed the World" two-part special, and Hallmark's upcoming "Animal Week".
"Watching things behave completely outside of civilization is fascinating," explains Robert Thompson, chairman of the Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. Thompson points out that the creature craziness has slipped into other media as well. "(Online video community) YouTube is filled with cats playing pianos and dogs using toilets. It's a veritable menagerie!"
Viewers are finding that a 3-minute chase scene between a wolf and a baby caribou, or a pack of wild dogs and a lost gazelle can pack just as much drama as an hour-long episode of "Law & Order."
"I think there is a very dedicated core audience that watches this stuff weekly," says Fred Kaufman, executive producer of PBS' "Nature" series. "At times they are very moved. I'm always surprised by the emotional wallop some of these shows have for some people — specifically with elephants, or chimps, the animals we sort of relate to ... sometimes they are moved to tears."
Unlike old shows like "Lassie" and "Rin Tin Tin," this new breed of animal programs doesn't usually seek to make its characters seem human. There is enough drama in their nature to keep the tension high.
The impact can be even more profound if viewers have high-definition television.
"Next to sports, it's the big thing for HD," explains Maureen Lemire, executive producer of "Planet Earth." "The places that we're taking these cameras — they're going everywhere now with new technology. From incredible aerials to low-light experiences. We're really taking HD to all parts of the globe."
With the stunning clarity of HD technology, the gorgeous photography of these programs becomes an event. And, for some, an excuse to brag.
"It's a way for the small percent of people with HD to show it off," observes Thompson.
"The most popular (episodes) we've had this past season have been on penguins — no surprise there — rhinos, elephants, and crocodiles and raptors, you know, birds of prey," says Kaufman, adding that his "Nature" series reflects the interests of viewers. "Thinking animals, social animals like dolphins, rate very well. Dogs rate very well, obviously because of the pet factor. In some cases predators do very well."
Following on the heels of its "Planet Earth" success, Discovery Channel will introduce "Spring Watch U.S.A." on Animal Planet, a six-part series involving correspondents all across the country documenting the way America's creatures respond to the season.
The rising popularity of these shows could reflect an increased environmental awareness on the part of viewers, as successful films like "An Inconvenient Truth" and "The March of the Penguins" bring nature into pop-culture consciousness. But as critically acclaimed or politically important as the shows may be, they still aren't nearly as successful as mainstream network programming.
"Remember, we're talking in most cases about cable outlets. If you were actually to look at the numbers, they're not delivering what we see on the major networks," explains Thompson. "The biggest reason we're seeing more of them is that there are places to put them. Before cable you didn't have room." | Only registered users can write comments.
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