A decade after Whale Wars, Animal Planet is shifting its strategy, starting with The Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin’s family’s new reality show.
Animal Planet
How the Puppy Bowl is filmed, and how it’s expanding its mission
An interview with Puppy Bowl rufferee Dan Schachner, who talks about the show’s mission to save animals in shelters—and how it’s expanding this year with the Dog Bowl.
A second show for My Cat from Hell’s Jackson Galaxy: Cat vs. Dog
Animal Planet’s My Cat from Hell star Jackson Galaxy will star alongside Zoe Sandor in a new, similar series: Cat vs. Dog.
Terri, Bindi, and Robert Irwin will be back on Animal Planet
Animal Planet is bringing the family of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin—an early reality TV star—back to the network. Terri, Bindi, and Robert Irwin will develop shows for the network.
Rescue Dog to Super Dog’s trainers help dogs and people in need
An interview with Nate Schoemer and Laura London of Animal Planet’s Rescue Dog to Super Dog, on which they train shelter dogs to become service dogs.
River Monsters season 9 will be its final season
Animal Planet will debut River Monsters season 9 in April, but it will be the last season for Jeremy Wade’s show, which has been cancelled.
How a real-life, action-adventure crime series was produced
An interview with the producers of Ocean Warriors, a six-hour Animal Planet series that follows people who are trying to stop illegal fishing.
100 Miles from a camera operator or a narrator
Hi, I’m 100 Miles from Nowhere, Animal Planet’s most-promising series in years, since Whale Wars, and I’ve been ruined by terrible narration and too many disorienting close-ups. Originally titles Matt on the Run, this new series follows three friends who take four-day, 100-mile run/hike/climbs in frequently dangerous places. They’re assisted by food and supply drops at the end… continue reading
Tia Torres did reality TV because she and her kids needed to eat
An interview with Pit Bulls & Parolees star Tia Torres, whose Villalobos Rescue Center—and family—helps others, and was helped by the Animal Planet reality show.
Animal Planet: Call of the Wildman did not kill, drug animals
After Mother Jones reported late last month that Animal Planet’s staged reality show Call of the Wildman resulted in “Drugs, Death, Neglect” for some of the animals. While the article included a statement from the network and an interview with a representative from the production company, I was surprised by the comments Animal Planet’s president… continue reading
Call of the Wild not only fake, but abused, even killed animals
Animal Planet’s series Call of the Wildman has been revealed to not only be staged, faking its animal rescues by planting animals and using them as props in a scripted series. It’s even caused death to one of the animals it is supposed to be about saving. The network’s press release for the show’s second… continue reading
Behind the scenes details about Top Hooker, the fishing competition almost called “Master Baiter”
The Animal Planet competition series Top Hooker concludes its first season a week from Sunday, and it’s been a surprisingly engaging series, especially since it’s about a sport not exactly known for producing a thrill every minute. Like another Pilgrim Studios-produced competition, Top Shot, it also appeals to people who aren’t enthusiasts of the sport…. continue reading
Reality TV tries to stop poaching of rhinos and elephants
Two nonfiction programs, a documentary and a three-part series, focus on saving endangered animals in Africa: Animal Planet’s Battleground: Rhino Wars and PBS’ broadcast of the National Geographic special Battle for the Elephants. Tonight’s one-hour special is based on an article in National Geographic magazine, “Blood Ivory” by Bryan Christy, which looks at how religiosity… continue reading
Top Hooker: a new competition from Top Shot’s producers for Animal Planet
Animal Planet will air a competition reality series called Top Hooker, and although the network has focused more on humans than animals in recent seasons, the show is sadly not about prostitutes. Instead, it’s a competition between people who catch fish, and it has a brilliant name. The good news is that it’s produced by… continue reading
Animal Planet’s faux documentary on mermaids still fooling people
Over Memorial Day weekend, Animal Planet aired Mermaids: The Body Found, a clever if obviously fake documentary about mermaids. There was even an accompanying marketing campaign with shocking video and fake evidence of a government cover-up. The Discovery Channel re-aired the documentary Sunday, and the presumably wider audience prompted everything from an increase in Google… continue reading