Meerkat Manor

Meerkat Manor
Seasons	4
Created By	Caroline Hawkins
Main Group	Whiskers
Other Mobs Involved	Lazuli, Commandos, Zappa, Gattaca, Starsky and Aztecs Stand Ins: Young Ones Mob and Vivian Mob
Episodes	53

Meerkat Manor is a British documentary/drama made by Animal Planet that presents the daily activities of the Whiskers mob, a large meerkat group living in the Kalahari Desert. It records events of the life of the Whiskers family, presented in a soap-opera style. It was based on the true life adventures of the Whiskers but some scenes were exaggerated and made up to add some spice to the storyline. It went for 53 episodes across 4 seasons, with each episode running for 20-30 minutes depending on the version. The UK (original) version was narrated by Bill Nighy, while the US had Sean Astin, who was later replaced by Stockard Channing for the fourth season, and Australia's version was narrated by Mike Goldman (only for the first two seasons, following that the UK version was used). The US version removed or shortens clips from most episode in the series and renamed some meerkats.

History and Production

Filming Meerkat Manor

Caroline Hawkins created the idea for Meerkat Manor. Filming started in May 2004 at the Kalahari Meerkat Project. The biggest group at the time were the Whiskers, so they became the stars of the to-be show. Filming for the first season took 6/7 months. The first season aired on Animal Planet in UK in September 2005. Other groups featured in season 1 included the Gattaca and the more threatening Lazuli. The first season aired in the UK in September 2005, and at later dates for other countries. During that time filming for season two began. Filming for the second season ended in June 2006 and aired in the UK and US in September 2006. The Commandos became a new addition to the show's featured groups. The crew started filming season 3 in October 2006 and ended in April 2007. Season three aired in US in August 2007 and then in the UK a month later. New groups to season 3 included the Zappa and Aztecs. Season 3 received worldwide attention after the airing of the episode Journey's End, in which Flower died. Controversy surrounding the crews' lack of involvement in "saving" Flower resulted in a decline in the number of viewers.

Meerkat Manor: The Next Generation

In October 2007 filming for the fourth and final season, called Meerkat Manor The Next Generation began. Filming ended in March 2008. Season 4 aired in US in June 2008, but was not shown in the UK until April 2009. Season 4 largely focused on three main groups: Whiskers, Aztecs and Commandos. In spite of a huge loss in viewers the show was still the most viewed of all series on Animal Planet. At the start of 2010, The Hub Channel, a new channel owned by Discovery Communications and Hasbro inc, had purchased viewing rights of Meerkat Manor and on October 10, 2010, the network began showing Meerkat Manor. However, there were no statements about a new season. The show had been declared cancelled.

Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty

Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty will premiere in June 5th, 2021 (May 29th on AMC) and follow “descendants of the legendary Meerkat matriarch, Flower,”

Caroline Hawkins, Creative Director, Oxford Scientific Films said” It’s been 12 years since we caught up with the Whiskers and all the other meerkat families that viewers all over the world fell in love with. A lot has happened in that time and we are delighted to be bringing them back in glorious 4k”.

BBC America said it has ordered 13 episodes, which will be 30 minutes each. The original production company, Oxford Scientific Films, is returning and is a heartstring-tugging, dramatic tale of survival revolving around three families. These neighbours and rivals who share a bloodline are forced to compete for food and resources in an environment that is undergoing a great deal of change: the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. The 13, 30-minute episodes will premiere on BBC America in June 5th, 2021.

The Meerkat Manor Book

Episodes and Meerkats

List of Meerkat Manor Episodes

Meerkat Manor - Meerkats' Real Names

Film and Other Productions

A prequel movie titled Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins was released in May 2008. The full-length Oxford Scientific Film featured the upbringing of Flower and how she became the leader of the Whiskers. Aside from Meerkat Manor, the crew also released other meerkat-related documentaries including Ella, A Meerkats Tale, which tells the events of a subordinate female named Ella ("Tosca" on Meerkat Manor) and Meerkats 3D, a film about the life of a leader named Kleintjie.

For other meerkat-related documentaries see here.

Book

Tim Clutton-Brock, a professor and founder of the Kalahari Meerkat Project,released a book titled Meerkat Manor Flower of the Kalahari (also known as Meerkat Manor: The Story of Flower of the Kalahari) in 2007. The book describes the history, research goals and methods of the project, along with the true story in great detail of Flower's entire life from birth to death.