 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Prehistoric Planet
- Discovery Kids
- Genre: Educational
Common Sense Media says
Beautifully animated "nature" docu for dino fans.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this series features the same content as Walking with Dinosaurs, though it's been edited into shorter episodes, and the narration was rewritten to be more kid-friendly. The show features a lot of scenes of prehistoric animals preying on others. While these images aren't overly bloody, it's clear that the animals are eating each other, and the meat gets a little icky. Sensitive kids might get a little upset. Also, there's some emphasis on the brutality of the prehistoric world and the need to kill to survive.
What's the story?
The nature captured in PREHISTORIC PLANET looks more like it did several hundred million years ago than what you'd see if you looked out your window today. If that sounds a lot like the 1999 BBC documentary Walking with Dinosaurs, that's because it is. Prehistoric Planet is that same documentary, diced up into 13 half-hour episodes in 2002 by the Discovery Channel and NBC for their Saturday morning programming bloc. The narration was also re-written for a younger audience and re-recorded by Ben Stiller and Christian Slater.
Is it any good?
The animation is spectacular. It's hard to tell which parts (if any) are live-action and which are animated. And the narration has just enough attitude to be amusing. Plus, despite the rewritten narration, the series plays to a wide range of ages, so the whole family will find it watchable, not just the dino freaks in the house. That said, it is a nature documentary and will sometimes plod along at the same slow gait as an over-sized sauropod.
It's also worth noting that, although part of the fun is the conceit that this is a "normal" nature film -- as opposed to a humans-on-a-dig-talking-about-bones kind of thing -- that very twist can lead to the idea that what's shown on the screen is real, rather than speculative. Unfortunately, there's little mention that it's all based on what scientists think they know, since no one is absolutely certain. But overall, Prehistoric Planet is more interesting than not.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what information this show is based on, given that there were no humans around when the creatures were alive (let alone cameras!). Much of the show is based on scientific research, but the action is basically all speculative. Do we really know what color dinosaurs were? Do you think this was exactly the way they walked? Sounded? Cared for their young? Fought one another? How can you tell the difference between what we think we know and what we know for sure?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Very informative and thought provoking.
My daughter found this program several months ago. She absolutely loves it. Unfortunately, it appears the show has been taken off the schedule which she is very upset. Luckily, she has 4 episodes recorded on the DVR. Does anyone know if this is a temporary thing? Does anyone know how the powers that be at DiscoveryKids can be contacted?
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Kid, 12 years old
September 29, 2009
AGE
A great educational film series that gives grade school children and intro into the past.
This documentary/educational film series is essentially the same as the Walking With Dinosaurs series, which isn't a complaint, as that series is exellent for people 10 and up. This series, however, is much more angled at the younger end of the spectrum, for children in grade school, who may not have the great vocabulary required for Walking with Dinosaurs. This series takes real life information and turns it into a great educational series. Now some of the facts may be slightly off, as te series was made some time ago. But that does not deter me. This series is great for kids who want to learn about prehistory.
Was this review useful?
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AGE
A great educational film series that gives grade school children and intro into the past.
This documentary/educational film series is essentially the same as the Walking With Dinosaurs series, which isn't a complaint, as that series is exellent for people 10 and up. This series, however, is much more angled at the younger end of the spectrum, for children in grade school, who may not have the great vocabulary required for Walking with Dinosaurs. This series takes real life information and turns it into a great educational series. Now some of the facts may be slightly off, as te series was made some time ago. But that does not deter me. This series is great for kids who want to learn about prehistory.
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Kid, 11 years old
September 29, 2009
AGE
A great educational film series that gives grade school children and intro into the past.
This documentary/educational film series is essentially the same as the Walking With Dinosaurs series, which isn't a complaint, as that series is exellent for people 10 and up. This series, however, is much more angled at the younger end of the spectrum, for children in grade school, who may not have the great vocabulary required for Walking with Dinosaurs. This series takes real life information and turns it into a great educational series. Now some of the facts may be slightly off, as te series was made some time ago. But that does not deter me. This series is great for kids who want to learn about prehistory.
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Kid, 11 years old
July 12, 2011
AGE
I WANT THIS SHOW BACK!
In 2006/2007, I found this show on Discovery Kids.I fell in love with it like a drug. In 2008, the cancelled it. I was PEED. 2010, EVERY SINGLE DISCOVERY KIDS SHOW WAS CANCLLED IN FAVOR OF THE SH*TTIEST SHOWS ON THE FREAKING PLANET. BRING BACK PREHISTORIC PLANET!
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AGE
Okay show for littler kids...
Good for littler kids, but not as good as the original series, which it was taken from, Walking with Dinosaurs.
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| Topics: | dinosaurs, science and nature |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7 |
| Network: | Discovery Kids |
| Cast: | Ben Stiller, Christian Slater |
| Genre: | Educational |
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