Even among admirers of "When Dinosaurs Roamed America" (hereafter WDRA), there is a reluctant admission that this BBC-production prehistoric animal follow-up is not quite up to the lofty standard of its predecessor, the destined-to-be-a-classic "Walking with Dinosaurs". Some disapprove of the somewhat less-than-convincing CGI of animal movements and interactions. Others disapprove of narrator John Goodman's somewhat irreverent and less-authoritative tone. Still others may get antsy with the interspersed interruptions of paleontologists talking about the fossils and bones that inspired the CGI recreations. I concede that these fault findings are not without some validity.
However, I was still impressed with the somewhat second-tier WDRA. WDRA at least matches the "Walking..." series with the broad scope of its analysis of prehistoric creatures and its resistance to "getting on with it" and showing us the dinosaurs already. WDRA is chronologically episodic like "Walking..." but the episodes segue and blend into each other better, even when they use the paleontologists as transition. Each episode displays a part of Modern America (New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Colorado, South Dakota), then dissolves into a prehistoric past that shows the environment and creatures at the time. WDRA begins with the Permian period and ends with the Cretaceous period. We work our way from non-dinosaurs like the crocodile-like Rutiodon and Desmatosuchus, through early dinosaurs like Coelophysis, Anchisaurus, Syntarsus, and Dilophosaurus, through feathered raptors like Velociraptor and ceratopsian ancestors like Zuniceratops, to the freakish therizinosaur Nothronykus, to finally the dinosaurs we know and love (Stegosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Allosaurus, Camarasaurus, Apatosaurus, Triceratops, and the ubiquitous Tyrannosaurus). I'm sure I missed a few, but you get the point that you get your money's worth creature-wise. Furthermore, each creature gets a satisfactory profile of its physiology and probable lifestyle.
Now, I tend to agree that the CGI depictions are somewhat inferior. The "Walking..." series has spoiled us. We have become amateur CGI experts, looking to see if the CGI animal raises dust, or splashes, or leaves footprints, or disturbs foliage. Sometimes the animals fail to do those things in WDRA, but not all that often. As for the animal movements, you could say they were too fluid, too swift, too light and airy. I'm reminded of the multi-ton T-Rex's swift pursuit of the hadrosaur. However, again, those unnatural, gravity-free movements were rare and didn't bother me all that much. All the CGI creatures had enough verisimilitude (i.e., appearance of life) to make me happy.
As for John Goodman, he is a fine actor with a deep, sonorous voice. I liked his booming but measured narration that fills us in on prehistoric animal lore. Perhaps Goodman's voice lacks, say, Kenneth Branagh's sobriety and solemnity, but it is not in any way faint or mocking. He may make a wry observation now and again (e.g. when he states that Quetzalcoatulus is "hamburger" for the young T-Rex) but it is not insulting or non-professional. On the contrary, Goodman's narration quite amply and adeptly delivers the goods.
Moving on to the paleontological intermissions, yeah, they do take you out of the prehistoric dimension. Nevertheless, they give the viewer solid, fossilized evidence as to how a prehistoric animal looked, moved, and lived (enlived by 3-D computer graphics). In other words, the CGI animal depictions are not pure speculation, but based on the latest, up-to-date information. The intermissions, though educational, are not too lengthy and tedious, and prepare the reader for the next episode.
The final bottom line, I guess, is if you liked the "Walking.." series, or enjoy learning about animals, past or present, AND you're not too nitpicky or fussy, you'll enjoy WDRA's journey across an America that now only exists in our imagination.
However, I was still impressed with the somewhat second-tier WDRA. WDRA at least matches the "Walking..." series with the broad scope of its analysis of prehistoric creatures and its resistance to "getting on with it" and showing us the dinosaurs already. WDRA is chronologically episodic like "Walking..." but the episodes segue and blend into each other better, even when they use the paleontologists as transition. Each episode displays a part of Modern America (New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Colorado, South Dakota), then dissolves into a prehistoric past that shows the environment and creatures at the time. WDRA begins with the Permian period and ends with the Cretaceous period. We work our way from non-dinosaurs like the crocodile-like Rutiodon and Desmatosuchus, through early dinosaurs like Coelophysis, Anchisaurus, Syntarsus, and Dilophosaurus, through feathered raptors like Velociraptor and ceratopsian ancestors like Zuniceratops, to the freakish therizinosaur Nothronykus, to finally the dinosaurs we know and love (Stegosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Allosaurus, Camarasaurus, Apatosaurus, Triceratops, and the ubiquitous Tyrannosaurus). I'm sure I missed a few, but you get the point that you get your money's worth creature-wise. Furthermore, each creature gets a satisfactory profile of its physiology and probable lifestyle.
Now, I tend to agree that the CGI depictions are somewhat inferior. The "Walking..." series has spoiled us. We have become amateur CGI experts, looking to see if the CGI animal raises dust, or splashes, or leaves footprints, or disturbs foliage. Sometimes the animals fail to do those things in WDRA, but not all that often. As for the animal movements, you could say they were too fluid, too swift, too light and airy. I'm reminded of the multi-ton T-Rex's swift pursuit of the hadrosaur. However, again, those unnatural, gravity-free movements were rare and didn't bother me all that much. All the CGI creatures had enough verisimilitude (i.e., appearance of life) to make me happy.
As for John Goodman, he is a fine actor with a deep, sonorous voice. I liked his booming but measured narration that fills us in on prehistoric animal lore. Perhaps Goodman's voice lacks, say, Kenneth Branagh's sobriety and solemnity, but it is not in any way faint or mocking. He may make a wry observation now and again (e.g. when he states that Quetzalcoatulus is "hamburger" for the young T-Rex) but it is not insulting or non-professional. On the contrary, Goodman's narration quite amply and adeptly delivers the goods.
Moving on to the paleontological intermissions, yeah, they do take you out of the prehistoric dimension. Nevertheless, they give the viewer solid, fossilized evidence as to how a prehistoric animal looked, moved, and lived (enlived by 3-D computer graphics). In other words, the CGI animal depictions are not pure speculation, but based on the latest, up-to-date information. The intermissions, though educational, are not too lengthy and tedious, and prepare the reader for the next episode.
The final bottom line, I guess, is if you liked the "Walking.." series, or enjoy learning about animals, past or present, AND you're not too nitpicky or fussy, you'll enjoy WDRA's journey across an America that now only exists in our imagination.