Dinosaurs are still alive. At least, they were for about 90 minutes at the Air Canada Centre on June 18. For a week in mid-June the BBC, in collaboration with The Creature Production Company, presented a life-sized version of their 1999 television documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs.
The show opened with Liliensternus, a small, raptor-like creature from the Triassic Period, stalking hatching Plateosaurus eggs. The dinosaur’s bumpy gait and extra (although well disguised) set of legs were the only clues that there was a human involved in its movement. The audience sat captivated, waiting to see whether the hunter would capture its vulnerable prey.
Huxley, the paleontologist host, gave geological context to the scene, revealing that the Earth’s land was concentrated in the single supercontinent Pangaea.
Before the show, I had wondered if, like in the movie Jurassic Park, scientific integrity would be sacrificed for dramatic impact. Fortunately, the BBC did an excellent job of weaving scientific facts into the show while maintaining the roaring horror that the young audience members expected.
The dinosaurs were introduced chronologically: first the Triassic Period, followed by the Jurassic and Cretaceous Period dinosaurs. During the introduction of each period, Huxley would remind the audience of the continental circumstances and their effect on weather patterns and plant and animal life.
After the Triassic Period the continents were separated and ocean currents diverted, shifting rain and storm patterns. Changing weather conditions forced the evolution of all kinds of species, from plants to mighty dinosaurs. Huxley didn’t forget about the importance of insects during these massive changes. Insects and plants dramatically affected each other’s evolution; plants provided food for insects while insects acted as crucial pollinators. Plant evolution also changed the food and camouflage available for the dinosaurs, guiding their evolution.
Even though the science was accurate, there was something missing from the dinosaurs’ interactions. In the opening sequence, the Plateosaurus hatchling was rescued by its mother. Afterwards, every herbivore being hunted by its coeval carnivore managed to escape. I kept waiting for the carnivore to win; after all, they have to eat too. Although one scene featured some Utahraptors feasting on fresh meat, the writers avoided onstage kills, probably to prevent too many young tears.
Only one non-terrestrial dinosaur, the flying Ornithocheirus, made an appearance that night. Aquatic dinosaurs were sadly missed. The deep-diving Icthyosaurs would have made a splashing hit.
Overall, the show put the story of dinosaurs in perspective. Instead of learning about individual species, the audience learned how geology, weather and species interaction guided global evolution. This kind of comprehensive thinking is vital when considering the process of evolution; considering any problem without context is futile. Current concerns, like the sudden disappearance of bees or the serious decline in shark populations, will affect humans even if it’s not intuitive how.
Walking with Dinosaurs accomplished the difficult feat of knitting an awesome, breathtaking performance with realistic and relevant science. Well done.
Rating: VVVVv
