The Future Is Wild
Futuristic adventures mixed with green messages.
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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 this animated, science-based adventure series for kids features futuristic animals like carnivorous spiders, massive tortoises, and vicious, wasp-like insects -- some of which are predators. The human characters are sometimes in mildly perilous situations, but they always come out OK. The show offers lots of messages about climate change and sustainability and includes overt reminders of the importance of energy conservation. Adventure-loving tweens will find a lot to like, but younger kids may not be able to fully understand the concepts of time and evolution in order to place the show in an appropriate context.
Community Reviews
Entertaining and interesting
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Scary at times but funny, too.
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What's the Story?
THE FUTURE IS WILD puts an entertaining spin on reverse natural history, relying on real scientific predictions to present a vision of Earth -- and its new, highly unusual animal inhabitants -- 100 million years from now. The show, which was inspired by a series of CGI documentaries of the same name, follows the adventures of four young adventurers who explore the planet in their space-age Time Flyer. For Ethan (voiced by Marc Donato), Emily (Miranda Jones), and Luis (Taylor Abrahamse), the journeys are an exciting break from their average 21st-century lives. But there's more at stake for C.G. (Ashley Peters), the Time Flyer's captain. With her futuristic home in a distant solar system under threat from an impending ice age, she's been sent even further ahead in time to seek a sustainable habitat for her people on Earth.
Is It Any Good?
Packed with adventure and bolstered by scientifically based speculation from experts in a number of fields, The Future Is Wild is a wild ride for tweens who are curious about the planet's future. There are also plenty of gentle reminders about the dangers of excessive energy consumption and other resource woes that will resonate with ecologically aware viewers. But the series isn't all about science and discovery; there's plenty of humor and character development to maintain tweens' interest as well.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how TV shows and movies usually portray the future. How is this show similar to what you've seen before? How is it different? What are the show's ideas about the future based on? How could you find out more? Families can also discuss conservation and energy consumption. Why is conservation such a hot topic these days? What will happen if we don't find other sources for energy and preserve the ones we currently have? How will it affect us financially? What are some ways we can make a difference at home?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 2, 2002
- Cast: Ashley Peters, Marc Donato, Miranda Jones
- Network: Discovery Family Channel
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Science and Nature, Space and Aliens, Wild Animals
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: February 24, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Serious
Teens roll up their sleeves for conservation.
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Get Out There!
Family travel + animals = reality TV for all ages.
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