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130 of 138 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Buyer Beware, December 29, 2006
The 4 disc version that Amazon offers is a DVD-R set, and it comes in one case. For those not familiar, DVD-R's are the recordable DVD's that are sold in stores, with odd colors on the bottom side. Though it is guaranteed to play, realize that this also effects the potential resale value. Other major website retailers do not deal with this version, and second hand stores may not take it on trade. The 3 DVD set that comes in a 3-case box is the official version that one would expect, and is commonly sold throughout the market.
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nature Meets High Drama, December 12, 2006
Meerkat Manor is a Discovery Channel Animal Planet series shown successfully worldwide. It is a series in the style of a soap opera about a clan of meerkats named "The Whiskers" that is the subject of a ten-year study by Cambridge University. The show is narrated by Bill Nighy in the UK, Mike Goldman in Australia, and Sean Astin in the USA. There are a total of 13 episodes in this first season.
The following Meerkats are the major players in season one: Flower is the leader and dominant female of the Whiskers group, and reserves the right to mate for herself. Because she is the leader, she wears a radio collar that enables scientists and film crews to track the group. Zaphod is her partner, the dominant male, and group defender. Youssarian was dominant male of the Whiskers until Zaphod, his older brother, overtook his position. Mozart is one of Flower's daughters that was evicted from the Whiskers by her mother for bearing offspring. Tosca is another of Flower's daughters that was exiled from the Whiskers for bearing offspring, and permanently exiled after taking charge of the Splinters, the larger of two groups created by the temporary breakup of the Whiskers. Shakespeare is one of Zaphod's sons and is quite courageous. He survived two bites of a puff adder and successfully saved Flower's pups from an attack by Big Cy of the Lazuli group of Meerkats. His fate has been a topic of controversy.
The drama can be intense, as life and death are starkly portrayed in each episode. Meerkats within the clan are incredibly dedicated to each other's safety, to the point of risking their lives for the others' survival. Family dedication even extends to the other females lactating so that Flower's pups will be fed by multiple sources. The show reveals that Meerkats don't do well on their own because their very survival depends on lookouts being constantly vigilant while the others dig deep into the ground for their meals of worms, lizards, and the occasional fat millipede. Desert storms wreak havoc, and birds of prey are a constant threat to the pups and occasionally to the adult meerkats themselves. However, in case some violent confrontation does occur, the film crew avoids showing close-ups of the gruesome details. This makes it probably OK for family viewing, although in the case of young children you should probably make that call on a child-by-child basis. "Meerkat Manor" does have a lot of value in teaching you much about the daily life and habits of these interesting creatures to the point that you'll probably find yourself caring a little too much about what happens to each of them individually as well as a group. I highly recommend it.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Meerkat Manor Rocks., October 10, 2007
This review is from: Meerkat Manor - Season 1 (DVD)
Meerkat Manor chronicles the lives and deaths of a family of meerkats living in the Kalahari desert in Africa. MM is a nature show but by focusing on the individual personalities and conflicts it gives the show a definite Soap Opera quality. A soap opera where the stakes are life and death.
The "cast" consists of:
FLOWER: The leader who rules with an iron fist and a big heart. As matriarch only she is allowed to mate, any female that gets pregnant runs the risk of being exiled. Evicted meerkats have only two choices, hope to be eventually forgiven and be accepted back in the group or death by predators or disease. Zaphod is Flowers partner and mate.
Yousarrian is Zaphods brother, but he is also Flowers ex and he is mentally unstable and unpredictable and his antics lead to more than one crisis that will end in death. Flowers daughters Mozart, Tosca and Daisy all get pregnant during this season which leads to tons of problems, evictions and tough choices.The episode DAISYS CHOICE is heartbreaking. Meanwhile Flowers son Shakespere tangles with a snake which leaves him fighting for his life. It is very touching how his sisters Mozart and Tosca stayed by his side to protect him as best as they could.
Also it wouldnt ba a soap without villians. The Lazuli are the main enemy this season, led by Big Cy they are a dangerous threat to the Whiskers. The only other lazuli who gets screen time is Carlos who is more interested in making love not war and handily seduces all three of daughters.
My only complaint is Sean Astins boring narration, so much drama deserves a little spice in the narration.
Overall 13 drama filled episodes at 20 bucks is a steal. And Season two is even better. EP
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