I recently got around to seeing this special that aired earlier in the year. It didn't seem all that interesting if it was going to be two hours, but there is a story to be told. Whether Angela Bassett really knew what was going on I can't say, but she did an admirable job telling us the story as if she was the lion being followed. Was it one lion? The females all looked alike to me.
The lions get to play, of course, and these scenes are as cute as if we were watched house cats raising kittens. But no one is feeding these cats except themselves. The males let the females to the work while they take charge of guarding the pride. That seems to be what I've been told is how these things work. And when an animal is brought down and eaten, it is real. No assurance that "no animals are harmed". This is nature. Some young kids won't be ready for that, but overall I think kids can watch this. There is, however, a tragedy and we are not subjected to the graphic truth. No young lions are being shown being harmed. Nevertheless, the narration indicates something terrible has happened, and the reactions and the absence of certain characters indicates this is true. Older lions are shown being hurt, but it's not graphic like with the predator-prey relationship.
This being Africa, there is great scenery. During a drought it does not look all that good, but droughts end.
Even when grown, the lions still know how to have fun. And then they have to get serious. And sometimes things get desperate. At least that's what we are told. If things weren't desperate, though, I guess it wouldn't look that way.
As much danger as the lions are shown to be in, one has to wonder about the photographers. Zoom lenses help, and films like this have been done for decades, but they really seemed to get too close to the action. Perhaps with editing, the photographers and editors were able to create situations that didn't really exist but were close enough to the reality, and safer than actually following the real action.
I don't remember enough about nature specials from when I was a child, or films we were shown in school, to make a comparison to other films or programs. And I don't watch cable channels unless I am staying in a motel. And not channels with nature shows at all. I can only speak for this program. It makes a good introduction to lion behavior for those not familiar with it. Assuming, of course, the males are really jerks.
