All Surviving Earth episodes, ranked


Sigh. Yes, that terrible sign, to start off with that utterance

Man, I really wanted to like Surviving Earth. But god damn it was less then we all wanted.  It felt like reheated Trilogy of Life leftovers/Greatest Hits album, with an overly safe to to appeal to as many without offending pearl clutchers, so we get little violence and less stakes. On top of that, Tim Haines turmed out to be an AI shill. Frankly, choosing NBC to air it was a mistake. It should 

Bu still, we can't entiely write SE off: it still introduces a lot of creatures to general audiences, has g

So what do I think of each episode?

8. When the Asteroid Fell



You'd think the K-Pg extinction would be among the best episodes, but unfortunately they really droppd the ball on it. It has the most egregious case of toothlessness in the series: the dark winter fails to leave longterm impact, and the Nanunqsaurus are already 2010s relics.

Still, I love they didn't do Hell Creek for the umpteenth time.
  • Accuracy - 7/10
  • Presentation - 6/10
  • Narration - 6/10
  • Plot - 5/10
  • Species Selection - 8/10
  • Behaviour - 6/10
  • Visuals - 8/10
  • Music - 4/10
  • Rewatchability - 6/10
  • Overall - 5/10.

7. When the Rainforests Collapsed



I will give the episode this: it has the most gorgeous effects in the series in the form of practical sets, and highlights a rarely represented extinction.

Unfortunately, it has one of the biggest anachronisms in the series where every creature survived into the Permian, and it marks the point where I got tired of every other episode being about family. Plus, the final message about how the rainforests will recover comes off the most as being willfully ignorant to capitalism.

  • Accuracy - 6/10
  • Presentation - 7/10
  • Narration - 6/10
  • Plot - 5/10
  • Species Selection - 8/10
  • Behaviour - 6/10
  • Visuals - 9/10
  • Music - 4/10
  • Rewatchability - 6/10
  • Overall - 6/10

6. When the Continents Collided


Okay, it;s nice that both the Great Amerivan Biotic Interchange and Gomphotheres get their due.
However, Haines just had to dip his toes into implying mammls outcompete birds. Once again, terror birds get no respect.

Doesn't help some of the effects and compositing are lower then average.

  • Accuracy - 7/10
  • Presentation - 7/10
  • Narration - 6/10
  • Plot - 5/10
  • Species Selection - 8/10
  • Behaviour - 6/10
  • Visuals - 6/10
  • Music - 4/10
  • Rewatchability - 7/10
  • Overall - 6/10

5. When the Climate Broke



The episode bit of a nothingburger. Dodn't help my viewing experience was a miserable affair.

  • Accuracy - 7/10
  • Presentation - 7/10
  • Narration - 6/10
  • Plot - 5/10
  • Species Selection - 8/10
  • Behaviour - 7/10
  • Visuals - 8/10
  • Music - 4/10
  • Rewatchability - 8/10
  • Overall - 6/10

4. When the Seas Died



The Cenomanian Turonian extinctian has rarely if ever been represented. This episode is as good an introduction as any to it.

  • Accuracy - 7/10
  • Presentation - 7/10
  • Narration - 6/10
  • Plot - 5/10
  • Species Selection - 9/10
  • Behaviour - 6/10
  • Visuals - 8/10
  • Music - 4/10
  • Rewatchability - 6/10
  • Overall - 7/10

3. When America Melted



At least the show had the decencty to end on a decent note. It acknowledges humans were at the very least causing megafaunal extinction, showcases behaviours in Arctodus that aren't "mauredering monster"

Still, it doesn't go far enough.

  • Accuracy - 7/10
  • Presentation - 7/10
  • Narration - 6/10
  • Plot - 5/10
  • Species Selection - 9/10
  • Behaviour - 6/10
  • Visuals - 8/10
  • Music - 4/10
  • Rewatchability - 6/10
  • Overall - 7/10

2. When the Earth Burned


My views haven't changed, its a solid start to the series, but unfortunately it's apperent right from the start the flaws of the show are in full display here.
  • Accuracy - 9/10
  • Presentation - 8/10
  • Narration - 7/10
  • Plot - 9/10
  • Behaviour - 8/10
  • Visuals - 9/10
  • Music - 7/10
  • Rewatchability - 9/10
  • Overall - 8/10

1. When the Oceans Shrank



I find this to be the most consistantly solid episode. No major flaws to it I can name.

It has beautiful visuals, like the Orthocone mating ritual as pictured above.

  • Accuracy - 7/10
  • Presentation - 7/10
  • Narration - 6/10
  • Plot - 5/10
  • Species Selection - 7/10
  • Behaviour - 6/10
  • Visuals - 10/10
  • Music - 4/10
  • Rewatchability - 6/10
  • Overall - 9/10

But yeah, overall,  Surviving Earth is a victim of it's own hype. It's a decent palaeodoc, but its hardly tops Prehistoric Planet or Walking With Dinosaurs. Maybe that's the lesson, we can't treat the best solely as something to outdo every time.

Anyway watch BBC's Evolution with Chris Packham, it's the best palaeodocumentary of the year. At least it doesn't use AI...


FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU

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