|
|
Meerkat Manor
| |
|
# of Seasons
|
4
|
|
Created By
|
Caroline Hawkins
|
|
Main Meerkat Group
|
The Whiskers
|
|
Other Meerkat Groups
|
|
|
# of Episodes
|
53
|
Meerkat Manor is British Documentary, but was really a Drama since some names and events weren't true, made by Animal Planet that presents the daily activities of the Whiskers mob, a large meerkat group. It records real events of the life of the Whiskers family, although it is seemingly presented in the style of a soap opera, making it like a docudrama. It currently has 53 episodes, and season 4. It aired in the US and UK.
History
Caroline Hawkins created the idea for Meerkat Manor, and soon found a place to film meerkats at the Kalahari Meerkat Project. Filming started in late 2004, the biggest group at the time were the Whiskers, so they became the stars of the to-be show Meerkat Manor. Filming for the first season took 6/7 months. The first season aired on Animal Planet in UK in September 2005.
During Season 1, we found the Whiskers, with Flower and Zaphod as dominance of the group, and Mozart and Tosca as pregnant female. Both females give birth to litter, and the grow up with Flower's litter, one of the pup is named is Mitch. Throughout the season we see that the Whiskers have two neighbors the Gattaca and the Lazuli. The Lazuli being the main rivals. End the end of the season Shakespeare help flower's third litter survive a Lazuli attack and Tosca teaming up with Mozart.
The Film crew started to film the next season of meerkat manor as the first season was airing in the UK. The show was very popular is the UK, since the show was a hit they decide to show it in the US. In June 2006 after filming had ended for Season 2, season 1 aired in the US and quickly became popular. Season 2 was aired in the UK and US in September 2006.
At the start of Season 2 we found that Shakespeare and Tosca had both disappear, and the group had a new neighbor the Commandos. Over the course of the season the Whiskers, Lazuli and Commandos had many fights with each other. At the end of the season Mozart was kick out of the group and had given birth and the Commandos were charging into whiskers territory.
The Crew started filming season 3 in October 2006 and the filming ended in April 2007. Season three aired in US in August and then in the UK in September 2007.
At the start of season three we found that the Commandos had force the Whiskers to leave their old territory. With the new territory the Whiskers have one new neighbor the Zappa. We also found Mozart in a group of her own the Starsky with dominant male Carlos. During the middle of the season Flower dies from a snake bit and the whiskers adopted a Zappa pup Axel. Rocket Dog then takes dominance of the whole Whiskers Mob. Then the starsky mob dies out with the death of Mozart. Then at the end of the Season Maybelline broke away with a splinter group. The new group is called Aztecs.
After the season end, many people started not to watch the show any more because Flower and Mozart had both died. But Animal Planet let the film crew film another season. The filming started in October 2007 and went on until March 2008. Season 4 was aired in US in June 2008, but was not shown in UK until April 2009. After the season ended airing Animal Planet stopped the show
At the start of season 4 we found Rocket Dog still in charge of the Whiskers and Maybelline still in charge of the Aztecs. During the season Zaphod and a few other meerkats left the Whiskers and join the Aztecs. Then the Lazuli reappear in this season as the Aztecs rival. Rocket Dog and Maybelline both give birth to their first litter during the season. At the end of the season you see Rocket Dog get bitten by a snake and survive.
At the start of 2010, The Hub Channel, a new channel own by Discovery Communications and Hasbro inc, the new channel will launch on October 10, 2010. The Channel release all the show that would air on the channel and Meerkat Manor was one of them. Then recently a comment on the web a comment was posted saying a deal was sign and that filming would start in August 2010. The Hub or KMP have not said anything about a new season.
Meerkats
Main Articles:'' List of Meerkat Manor Meerkats and List of Meerkat Manor Episodes and Meerkat Manor - Meerkats' Real Names
Film
Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins tells the story of Flower's early life in the Whiskers and how she rode through the ranks to become dominant female.
Book
Flower of the Kalahari is a book written by Tim Clutton-Brock that tells the story of Flower whole life from when she was born to when she died and who took dominance after Flower died.