Palaeo-redo: Netflix's The Dinosaurs




I like The Dinosaurs, Netflix's spinoff/sequel to the otherwise-mediocre Life on our Planet that's not to be confused with PBS' 1992 series. Dare I say it, it's even better then Surviving Earth.

But this isnt to say it's perfect. It often oversimplifies evolution and is way too focus on interspecies fights. Here's what I would do if I were making it.

General

  • Rename the series from the generic The Dinosaurs. Call it… Age of the Dinosaurs.
  • I would further away with the “Le Epic Clash of Evolutionary Dynasties” angle that LOOP was huffing.
  • No taxa goes unnamed, everything is by name or an onscreen title.

Rise

  • Rhyncosaurs are deopixted going extinct not because of conifers alone, but because the low-lying ferns they were specialized in eating were mostly replaced with new low-lying flora (such as conifers) they couldn't eat, much like the stegosaurs of the Early Cretaceous in the same documentary.
  • Replace the Procompagnathus with a young Liliensternus. The Procomp is a cute touch to the other dinosaur franchise Spielberg was involved in, but it really doesn't add all that much to the series' layout.

Empire

  • The Longipteryx chasing the Guidraco for so long is unrealistic given they'd abandon their nest to do so. My idea is thus, rather then the extended chase, we get a Sinotyrannus (or even another Yutyrannus) show up and chase and eat the Guidraco. This is because the Longipteryx and the tyrannosauroid are in a symbiotic relationship: nesting by the big predator protects them from predators, and the Longipteryx clean parasites off the dinosaur.
  • Add deinonychus to the nodosaur/Peloroplites segment. Got to have raptors somehow, even as a small cameo.
  • As brilliant as the Hatzegopteryx scene is, it really has no place in the Early Cretaceous ep, especially without it being said. Thus, i’d move it to the Late Cretaceous-centric ep "Fall".
  • The spinosaurus takes up the Hateg slot. 
  • In the space left over will be options for a couple things:
    • An argentinian segment with Buitriraptor, Giganotosaurus, and one of the rebbachisaurids. Again, we got to have raptors in somehow.
    • An extended Antarctic/Winton segment.
  • The episode ends with the Cenomanian-Turonian Extinction being alluded to (perhaps with said argentine segment).

Fall

  • As mentioned above, the Hateg portion is right before the Hesperornis segment, befitting the ominousness  of the asteroid cold open.
    • This retroactively contrasts the Arambourgina segment in outcomes for the pterosaur.

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