Prehistoric Park – The Complete Television Event (DVD-Video)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Episodes: C+

 

 

Believing that there are no limits to the interest in dinosaurs and the past, Nigel Marven goes back to the past though the magic of television in Prehistoric Park, a six-episode, 2-DVD series (each show around an hour long) that allows the young  viewer to understand through time travel (narrated by David Jason) what evolution is really all about.

 

The shows include:

 

1)     T-Rex Returns

2)     A Mammoth Undertaking

3)     Dinobirds

4)     Saving The Sabretooth

5)     The Bug House

6)     Supercroc

 

 

It is a good show and the only thing besides it limited budget and digital effects that don’t work are the fact that this could have been an ongoing series and though much is crammed in these six shows, it is too bad this could not have continued somehow.  There is hard science here, but I wished there was more layers to what happens here.  Yes, this is well-researched and there are suddenly many adults ignorant to evolution who could use a screening of the whole set, but it ultimately is aimed at children who will best benefit from seeing it.

 

The 1.78 X 1 image is soft at times and has all kinds of obvious digital work that the series needed to tell its stories, but had to do so on a budget.  It is still watchable when you get into what it is trying to do.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix has some moments, but the soundstage throughout all the shows never quite gels, though the 2.0 mix is not bad and the choice will depend on the viewer.  Stills, interactive stats & facts and a making of featurette (27 minutes) are the extras.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo