Weather Channel has several outstanding reality and documentary programs. They're generally free of the cheap theatrics that mar such programming on other cable networks, and are usually worth watching.
But Weather Channel is slipping. "3 Scientists Walk into a Bar..." is a loud, noisy, irritant that should be put out of its misery. "Natural Born Monsters" isn't actually bad, but it fails to deliver on its premise.
The idea -- a basically good one -- is to study how climate has influenced the evolution and spread of animal species. But most episodes have Sean Duggan wandering around looking for the animals, with only sporadic connection to the series' raison d'etre.
His remark that South American leopards have survived because of their ability to adapt to changing climate directly contradicts the point of the series.
Only in the episode about the snake-head fish is this connection brought into focus. It makes for an engaging story.
Duggan's poor delivery is matched only by his apparent ignorance. He has apparently never heard of tapirs or leaf-cutter ants.
I've never seen a science program that didn't make an occasional error. The episode on giant crocodiles makes a doozy. We're told the crocodile is the closest living relative to dinosaurs.
Hello? Crocs bear little resemblance to dinosaurs. Mr Duggan (and/or the writers) have apparently never heard of birds. Birds are almost certainly a line of dinosaurs that did not die out. (Keep that in mind as you feed your parrot or chickens.)
If you're interested in large, potentially dangerous creatures, "River Monsters" is a far-better -- and more exciting -- program.
But Weather Channel is slipping. "3 Scientists Walk into a Bar..." is a loud, noisy, irritant that should be put out of its misery. "Natural Born Monsters" isn't actually bad, but it fails to deliver on its premise.
The idea -- a basically good one -- is to study how climate has influenced the evolution and spread of animal species. But most episodes have Sean Duggan wandering around looking for the animals, with only sporadic connection to the series' raison d'etre.
His remark that South American leopards have survived because of their ability to adapt to changing climate directly contradicts the point of the series.
Only in the episode about the snake-head fish is this connection brought into focus. It makes for an engaging story.
Duggan's poor delivery is matched only by his apparent ignorance. He has apparently never heard of tapirs or leaf-cutter ants.
I've never seen a science program that didn't make an occasional error. The episode on giant crocodiles makes a doozy. We're told the crocodile is the closest living relative to dinosaurs.
Hello? Crocs bear little resemblance to dinosaurs. Mr Duggan (and/or the writers) have apparently never heard of birds. Birds are almost certainly a line of dinosaurs that did not die out. (Keep that in mind as you feed your parrot or chickens.)
If you're interested in large, potentially dangerous creatures, "River Monsters" is a far-better -- and more exciting -- program.
