Parents need to know that this fascinating series explores controversial scientific theories about Earth's evolution and the cyclical extinction of its inhabitants. Kids could be confused by the speculative nature of what they hear and potentially frightened by the narrator's constant references to impending doom and death. Some scenes show CGI animals attacking and eating their prey, and others illustrate how changing atmospheric elements could have killed some species. It's not for young kids, but the show's stunning CGI makes ancient geology and evolution as enticing as any thriller, so it's a great choice for parents, tweens, and teens.
Positive messages:The series illustrates Earth's ancient geological evolution and speculates on some of its long-extinct inhabitants. While it presents scientific theories (such as a gamma-ray burst that scientists say wiped out nearly all life 450 billion years ago) as fact, it does acknowledge that there's no definitive evidence to either support or debunk these or any other theories.
Violence:Some scenes of CGI animals fighting and tearing each other to pieces. References to violent future extinction events could upset kids -- one segment includes repetitive terms like "gamma ray bursts incinerate
the earth's surface," and "rocketing death rays," and an entire
episode analyzes possible future extinctions.
Sex:Occasional mention of animal mating rituals and reproduction, but nothing is shown.