Our Great National Parks
Our Great National Parks
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Our Great National Parks is a nature documentary show hosted by former U.S. President Barack Obama. National parks all over the globe are featured, and their wildlife habitats are explored. Perilous moments such as crocodiles hunting fish or large animals hunting smaller prey are accompanied by suspenseful music, lending a dramatic tone. The human impact on wildlife is pointed out, including hunting, pollution, mining, and industrial exploitation of land. Overall, though, the show's tone is hopeful and uplifting, and the visual storytelling is outstanding.
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What's the Story?
OUR GREAT NATIONAL PARKS explores the places that have been preserved on our planet to allow wilderness to flourish. Former U.S. President Barack Obama hosts and narrates a tour of various ecosystems, introducing animal inhabitants who swim, hunt, climb, protect, give birth, escape danger, and live wildly. From the very first national park (Yellowstone, in the Rocky Mountains, founded in 1872) to ancient forests in Japan and from remote steppes of South America to rainforests of Africa, this series explores what it means to be wild on a planet that has fewer and fewer wild places.
Is It Any Good?
What better host for a deep dive into the world's conserved wild parks than a man who has dealt with the biggest issues facing the planet head on? Our Great National Parks is hosted by former U.S. President Barack Obama, whose childhood in Hawaii was anticipated by his mother's visits to the seashore when she was pregnant with him. This, he argues, was his introduction to the soothing and fascinating qualities of nature. Like a real-life Mr. Roarke, President Obama's veritable wave of the hand opens possibilities in this show that lie beyond most people's wildest dreams.
But these fantasies are based in nature: The dripping rainforests and thundering waterfalls are actual places that get loving looks in this docuseries. Educational content abounds, and not only are the visual visits to places like the Great Barrier Reef or the Patagonia stunning, but the snorts, whispers, and growls of the animals we're brought to observe are fantastic. Kids, tweens, teens, and adults will enjoy the immersive experience -- and hopeful note -- this show so gracefully delivers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about keeping up with current events like the effects of climate change depicted in Our Great National Parks without being overwhelmed. How do you talk about the news in your family?
Spending time in remote places means unplugging from devices. What does unplugging look like to your family?
How much time do you spend outdoors everyday? What do you notice about your mental health when you're in nature?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 13, 2022
- Cast: Barack Obama
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Bugs, Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Ocean Creatures, Wild Animals
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: April 19, 2022
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