It starts out the usual way; you’re bored out of your mind and so you go channel surfing. That’s how I found The Crocodile Hunter on Animal Planet and The Dog Whisperer on National Geographic. At first, Meerkat Manor was just one of those shows I would flip to when commercials were on whatever else I was watching and then, without realizing it, I got hooked.
I think what’s refreshing about this show is that it’s absolutely real, unvarnished, and unstaged. There are no humans (except for unseen narrator Sean "Rudy" Astin), no human interference or contact and no script. By using dozens of automated cameras, including fiber-optic ones in the underground dens, Cambridge University has been able to follow the lives of a “mob” of meerkats for over ten years. Animal Planet has managed to present the drama/comedy of the lives of this mob of about forty critters called "the Whiskers" clan and keep it equally as genuine as it is entertaining.
Not an easy feat on TV these days.
A meerkat is a member of the mongoose family and stands only about twelve inches tall and weighs maybe two pounds - if that. They set up a territory with several well-placed underground burrows where they sleep and raise their young, wandering from den to den as the mood or necessity strikes them.
A mob is ruled by a dominant female, much like in a beehive, but a meerkat female is a true hands-on leader, guiding foraging expeditions and personally fronting fights to keep control of her ground from rival mobs.
In this case, the leader is a tough woman named Flower, who despite her name, rules her domain with an iron hand. The dominant female is the only one allowed to mate and produce pups. That doesn’t mean her husband Zaphod is exactly a wimp. As on a chessboard, the queen has all the power, but the king, in the end, is just as important to the outcome. A tracking collar around Flower’s neck monitors her movements in the game.
I will warn you, though, that as ridiculous as this sounds to those who haven’t seen this program yet, their story is incredibly addictive. Because of the way they stand up while on guard and look around, it’s nearly impossible not to give them human emotions. Meerkats have a fascinating society where all the members look out for each other. They fight, they love, they nurture, and their story is nakedly presented, with all the sex, violence, deaths, births, and conflicts presented for us to see.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Good article--you have me vicariously hooked. I'll have make a point of seeking this out. I love the names of the individual meekcats, too.
2 - Joan Hunt
Congratulations! This article has been selected for placement on Advance.net
3 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Gordon, I mean it, and on no unceartain terms, you will get addicted... I promise
Thanks again
Jet
4 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Joan, I've often wondered what the criteria was for getting on Advanced net! I still don't know, but I'm glad I finally succeeded!
Jet
5 - Jet in Columbus
Thank you Stark, especialy when Mozart lost her pups, but it's cruel justice because she broke the rules, I'm rooting for her to get back in though, and now that Flower has had her litter, maybe she'll be more pliable, that is if Flower survives being dug out by the Lazuli tonight!
Thanks for contributing...
Jet
6 - Jet in Columbus
This program appears on Animal Planet tonight at 8PM and 8:30-Don't miss it!
7 - tink
Hey Jet...it IS an addicting show but I agree with you about the timing on it. That's why I've become addicted to our DVR too...lets you skim thru all that other stuff you've seen way too many times already!!
GREAT review!!!
8 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Tink!
9 - JustOneMan
See...I knew you would find your calling! Stick to reviewing shows on Animal Planet and The Food Network your work is much better and more rational.
Good show and I have to admit good article and well written!
10 - Jet in Columbus
Sorry JOM I don't watch the food network and never have.
11 - Jet in Columbus
This week's update.
Flower and her family survived the Commando's raid intacts. She led the mob in a battle for territory against the Lazuli for rights to the watering hole and won, but nearly lost Zaphod in the process.
By the end of the hour she'd gotten trapped in a Lazuli hole this time in a revenge attempt against them.
The rains came and with the new plant growth and cover a viper tried to attack the group and wouldn't back down. The stand off was settled when an aireal snake hunter appeared scarring them both off.
12 - Jewels
I admit, I have watched enough to know the players and the 'stars' of this show. It can be addicting.
Great article, well written and very fun. I love to read your articles whatever they are about, and especially enjoyed this one.
13 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks for the encouragement Jewels. I've written an even funnier one published only today. go check it out.
Thanks again
Jet
14 - Jet in Columbus
Here's their Increased broadcast schdule of this excellent show for the coming week, it looks like they'll be reshowing this season's opener. All times are Eastern. If you haven't seen it yet I highly recomment it.
• Meerkat Manor - "United We Stand"
ANIMAL, Fri Oct 27 07:00pm EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "The Enemy Within"
ANIMAL, Fri Oct 27 07:30pm EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "The Art of Leadership"
ANIMAL, Fri Oct 27 08:00pm EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "Balance of Power"
ANIMAL, Fri Oct 27 08:30pm EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "The Art of Leadership"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 12:00am EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "Balance of Power"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 12:30am EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "The Art of Leadership"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 03:00am EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "Balance of Power"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 03:30am EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "The Art of Leadership"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 11:00am EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "Balance of Power"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 11:30am EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "The Art of Leadership"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 03:00pm EDT
• Meerkat Manor - "Balance of Power"
ANIMAL, Sat Oct 28 03:30pm EDT
15 - Jet in Columbus
for those of you who missed the 2nd season opener and its follow up episode, they'll be rebroadcast this friday at 7 and 7:30 and two new episodes will follow immediately afterward.
16 - Jet in Columbus
Don't forget they're reshowing 4 episodes from the beginning of the season starting at 7PM tonight!
17 - Jet in Columbus
Update, after Flower dicovers that the Lazuli have set up shop too close to the den with her new pups, she starts a turf war and raids their den nearby..
Her family of forty strong get separated during the fighting and after discovering her mob only has 12 members instead of over 40, she beats a hasty retreat.
When no one else returns, she has no choice but to uproot her family and move further away from the Lazuli because they're no longer numerous enough to defend themselves.
Mozart returns to the family only to get pregnant again-an extreem sin. She thinks she can stave off Flower evicting her if she treats all of her siblings roughly in front of Flower.
The family matriarch has been watching, and things don't look good for Mozart.
In the end while out foraging, the rest of the Whiskers finally find Flower and they're 40-strong once again!
18 - Brianna
I love meerkat manor. my favorite is Mitch because he's just Shakespeare was. meerkat manor is my favorite show because I love animals. It's sad that Blossom died.Blossom was so adventurous,But thats what killed her.I see it every time I can.
19 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Briana, Mitch is one of my favorites too. I'm a little miffed that the fate of Shakespear was never explained.
It was kind of sad that on of the pups got killed last friday, but that's the law of nature. That's why I like the show so much it's real.
Thanks for contributing
Jet
20 - Jet in Columbus
The season finale shows how cruel nature can be.
Flower has her litter of pups and of course the whole gang is there to take care of them. But Mozart has been bullying her sisters trying to gain a dominant hand in the family.
Everyone thought Flower didn't notice, but when her pups were old enough to go out foraiging with the family, Flower led them out, leaving Mozart alone in the den to give birth her pups...
... and they never came back.
Flower moved the "Whiskers" to another burrow a mile away, knowing that Mozart couldn't take care of her pups and also foraige for food too, After three days, starving Mozart set out to find food to produce milk for her pups.
while she was gone rivial gang the Commandos discovered her burrow, dug her newborns out and killed Mozart's new pups.
We're left until next season with Flower pinned under thick scrub brush hiding from a gauze hawk hunting them.
Mozart is on her own again. Alone, she'll never make it...
21 - Vincent
Hi!
I also love this "show", it's a really special and entertaining activity to watch it. :)
I have a question, and if somebody could answer it, i'd be very happy :)
What is that music played in the commercial (or whatever it's called, when the played show isn't the Meerkak Manors, but they're shown between two parts of the actual programme)?
I love it, and would be very happy to have it too :)
22 - Jet in Columbus
Vincent, after some research I believe that it's just studio musicians. Season one is on DVD coming out this month, and it might be in the credits on the box, but I haven't been able to find them
sorry.
for purchase information on season one click the Meerkat Manor link in the first paragraph of the story
Jet
And thanks for writing.
23 - Vincent
Thank you for this quick answer and your help, i'll take a look at that page :)
Regards,
Vincent
24 - Big Matt
Hi, i am trying to remember the name of the band in one of the commercials on the animal planet, all i can remember about it is a trype of tree monkey on the end of a branch bouncing it up and down, the song has a funcky bass line to it, they sound liek the time. (might be the time but i need to knwo the name of the song/band)
please let me know if you know :D thanks guys
25 - Jet in Columbus
Dear Matt, see comment 23. I've researched nearly everywhere I can think my friend, and I can only say that all networks have "house" bands/orchestras that crank out custom music.
The only thing I can suggest is that you try finding Season One DVD on line or in a store, and the musicians may be credited, though I can't promise anything. Season one came out this month, but I haven't seen a box yet.
Thanks for writing, I'm glad you're a fan.
By the way Animal Planet has been re-running it in marathons and may have resumed their schedule on Friday nights.
My eyes are going bad so I can't read the end credits when they shove them on the side of the screen to make room for a commercial.
If I ever find an answer, I'll post it here
Thanks again fellow fan
Jet